255 



THE SUMAC TREE OP CEDROS. 



I hate access to the note-book of a 

 friend who has lately returned from 

 California, and am rather taken by 

 the description of a tree which he 

 calls " Lents' Sumac," or the sumac 

 of the island of Cedros. I know the 

 Floral Would has a wide circula- 

 tion, and therefore I want to ask its 

 readers if this tree has been brought 

 over to England. 



It is described as growing to the 

 height of twelve or fifteen feet, and 

 its wood,which is beautifully grained, 

 is very hard, and nearly as heavy as 

 that of the lignum vitce tree. It 

 bears a mass of bloom, bright panicles 

 of red flowers peep out iu ail direc- 

 tions from between its yellowish 

 green leaves, and are succeeded by 



lovely berry -like seeds. These seeds 

 look like cherries frosted over, for 

 they are covered with a white frothy 

 foam, which exudes from the red 

 glandular hairs springing out of the 

 seeds. 



The foam is intensely acid, and 

 slightly aromatic. It is said to be 

 quite as agreeable to the taste as the 

 lime, and two seeds are sufficient to 

 make a nice glass of lemonade. My 

 friend used it constantly when on the 

 island. The tree is an evergreen, 

 and grows in poor Boil, on the dry 

 beds of the mountain ravines, where 

 its roots can only find sand, gravel, 

 and clay to nourish them, yet it looks 

 fresh and healthy in the warmest 

 season. Helen Watney. 



THE DESTRUCTION OP GRUBS. 



In all my searchings for them during 

 the last week, when in two days I 

 found a quart mugful (about 400 in 

 number) off forty rods of land, or 

 about 100 on each square rod from 

 various plants, I have not found one 

 feasting by daylight. By the use of 

 a lighted lantern during the night- 

 time, I have discovered them on the 

 tenderest and youngest plants of 

 turnips, cabbages, broccoli, etc., gnaw- 

 ing them right off, or boriug a hole 

 through the plants just below the eye 

 or heart, leaving only a short stump; 

 then, when gorged, burying them- 

 selves just under the plant, about 

 half an inch, which it last devoured, 

 till the next night, when I have as 

 easily and as surely found and taken 

 them in their haunts, which were in- 

 dexed by a gnawed-off leaf, or the 

 entire plant appearing withered. The 

 grub does not burrow from plant to 

 plant by day, as I believe most people 

 have hitherto imagined ; but from 

 fear of some deadly enemy by day, 

 lies dormant and hidden till night 

 comes. I find the grubs feed upon 



various weeds, which accounts for 

 the formidable havoc they are now 

 making more than usual to all culti- 

 vated plants in the present season 

 planted on barren ground, since un- 

 fortunately, if I may be allowed to 

 use the expression, from the late 

 severe drought there are but few 

 weeds (their natural food) for them 

 to live upon. On a patch of early 

 wheat planted this autumn at my 

 favourite time (September 1st), ex- 

 actly three grains in each hole, to 

 admit of various casualties it might 

 be subjected to before and after the 

 plants were up, which was in six days, 

 not one missing ; two days after, to 

 my dismay and disappointment, I 

 observed considerably more than half 

 had been clipped off by these crea- 

 tures during the night, and in nine- 

 teen cases out of twenty where I 

 found the tender blade prostrated, 

 there, as sure as fate, I found the 

 grubs, sometimes diminutive, and 

 others big and fat, hidden in the 

 ground very close by. A. H. 



Afaldon. 



