GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1856, 17 June 1887, Page 8

GENERAL.

A Botanical phenomenon in which the people of Leominster, England, take pride is a pair of trees — an oak and an ash — which appear to have but a single trunk. They grow together for about 4ft and then divide.

A " Wrinkle."— To prevent the splitting or bursting of cabbage, J. J. H. Gregory recommends to go frequently over the ground and start every cabbage that appears to be about to mature, by pushing them over sideways. Heads thus started are said to grow to double the size they had attained when about to burst.

In Algeria, by a decree of the President of the French Republic, summary measures against the altise, another enemy of the vine, are rendered obligatory upon all proprietors and farmers in districts where the vine is cultivated. Among the labours prescribed are clearing the land of scrub and brushwood, cleansing trees and fences. At the same time a prize of £200 is offered for the discovery oi the best means for the destruction of this insect.

Nocturnal Labour.— Science has found out something very novel — namely, that the fruit tree slumbers during the day time and works at night. The modern idea is that fruit trees acquire most of their growth by night. The fruit of the cherry laurel, for instance, has been found by Dr Krauss, of Halle, to increase at the rate of 90 per cent, at night and 10 per cent, by day, while apples increase 80 per cent, at night and 20 per cent, in the daytime.

Keeping Vegetable Makeows in the Winter. — Allow the marrows to grow to a large size, but not to get ripe, as for seed. Then cut them off and hang them up in a dry place : when laid down they decay much sooner than when they are hung up. When wanted for use they are peeled, and the seed cores taken out. They are then boiled and mashed like turnips, and they make an

excellent addition to' 'the* list* ' of "Winder 1 vegetables. The young oii'es, if gathered when frost cuts of£ the leaves, keep fresh for some time. The Greenhouse.— No department of the flower garden is more frequently a disappointment in the lands of an amateur than the greenhouse, the reason for this being, no doubt, that special care and skill are required in its management, and these are rarely possed by any but professional gardeners. Whereas plants in the open, in all but exceptional seasons, are able to shift for themselves, with an occasional weeding and watering, those under cover are wholly dependant on us for their health and sustenance, and no amount of care and anxiety will 'atone for tlie want of necessary knowledge in there management. . ■ , Azalea Deutsche Perle.— This . beautiful variety of the greenhouse or, lndian agalea is atracting much attention this season. It has some very distinct and meritorious qualities that are calculated to bring it to the front in popular favour, particularly where the demand for bouquets and button-hole flowers is frequent . and great. It is a double flowered, pure white sort, the flowers are above the medium size and rosette-like in form, but without any degree of stiffness, resembling a moderatesized gardenia rather than anything else, but much purer in colour, and having the edges of the petals slightly reflexed. Itis a' freegrowing vigorous variety, and- a profuse bloomer. One peculiarity it has, not common to this class of azaleas, is that it ia continuous flowering for a lengthened period; that is, the flowers do not all open at one time, but in succession. This is a valuable characteristic, yet does not detract from the gay appearance of the plant. We have in our eye a small plant, with a stem about one foot" high, support ing a compact, head about 18in in' diameter, which began to open its first flowers early in February, and is even now gay in the second week in March with some three or four dozen beautiful flowers, and a good many undeveloped buda, promising to maintain its beauty -undiminished for a fortnight to come.— N. B. Agriculturist. A writer in the Pacific Rural Press states — " Within the last year I have read in the papers of the destruction of fruit by the scale bug and other insect pests that make their home in most, kinds of fruit trees, and the treatment recommended for their expulsion by different parties. I have planted three orchards, one in the State of New .York and two in Michigan, and took care of each orchard till the trees were from 4in to Gin in diameter, and my practice was to pour hot water on the wood ashes in order to get their full strength, so that the lye would be strong enough to bear up an egg then take a broom handle or some suitable stick and tie some woollen rags on one end ; with a pail of the lye proceed to wash the trees, and well up the limbs; the lye will penetrate all the crevices, if any, and run down to the roots of the trees, killing the larvae and every insect pest' that are bur« rowed there ; it is also a good fertiliser. I go through the above process every spring when the leaves are about the size of a mouse's ear; the lye causes the bark to grow very smooth and gives it a bright and shining appearance, and I never had a wormy apple in either of those orchards." The botanical name of the white Baltic deal wood of commerce is Pinus picea, or Norway spruce. It grows to 150 ft in height in its native country. In addition, the tree produces pitch, and the bark is used for tanning. It will thrive best in cool, moist districts. An elm tree has been cut down in Ohio, which experts pronounce 792 years old. It is stated that the tree weighed 60,0001b, and was over 4ft in diameter, and made 7000 ft of inch boards, clear stuff.