264: THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [NOVEMBER, 



general commendations. Much, of its effectiveness was due to the sparing intro- 

 dmetion of single blossoms of a white-flowered Pancratium, set a little prominent in reference 

 to the other flowers, in which position the narrow recurving perianth segments had a most 

 graceful and charming effect, while the cup was not sufficiently projected to appear obtrusive. 

 This setting-off, wo have no doubt, was mainly instrumental in winning the prize. 



@£he Pine Beetle, Hylurgus piniperda, has been specially mischievous 



during the past summer. In the months of April and May, the beetles, which 

 have passed the winter in the perfect state, make their galleries of oviposition in 

 the bark of the Pine trees. In six weeks the young brood feed up, and the perfect beetles 

 emerge. In England there is but one brood in the year, and these beetles, emerging in June 

 and July, pass the following winter in the crevices of the bark of trees and other suitable 

 localities ; but until the hibernating period arrives they employ themselves in eating out for 

 food the interior of the young shoots of living trees, thus doing irreparable damage. The 

 period to attack the insect, in order to destroy it, is in the spring, whilst ovipositing, and 

 whilst the young brood is feeding up. The bark preferred by the beetle for oviposition is that 

 of trunks felled during the preceding winter. They also attack growing trees, if at all un- 

 healthy. The only practicable remedy is, about the end of May, to remove and burn the bark 

 of all dying trees, in which the beetles are ovipositing, and of all logs of felled timber. 



IHJwarf Coloured-leaved Plants may be made to form summer beds of 



great beauty when these are well carpeted with their many-hued foliage. In one 

 most strikingly beautiful bed at Battersea, 30 ft. long by G ft. wide, were three 

 rectangular- masses of the golden-leaved Pyrethrum, bordered and connected by a broadish 

 band of the rosy-tinted Alternanthera amcena, the outer mass being made up of the orange- 

 tinted Alternanthera paronychioides major. The effect was excellent, and equally pleasing 

 whether seen from a distance, or examined closely. Another contiguous bed was filled with 

 the same kinds of plants, but differently arranged. Here there were two diamond-shaped 

 masses of Alternanthera paronychioides major, bordered and connected by a broad band of 

 Alternanthera amozna, which in addition was made to form a cross band at the centre and a 

 trefoil figure at each end, the whole outer mass being the golden-leaved Pyrethrum, edged 

 with a line of Echeveria secunda. In another part of the grounds occurred a pair of elongated 

 carpeted beds, consisting of a series of circles of the silvery Antennaria tomentosa, with the 

 Alternanthera arnarna and Teleianthera versicolor disposed in scroll-like bands around them, 

 while the outer part was filled with Alternanthera paronychioides, with a most effective border 

 formed of a single line of Echeveria secunda, which latter, with Sempervivum californicum, and 

 one or two other succulents of similar character, comes in well in such positions. 



Uhe flowers of the pure white Double Chinese Primrose form charming 



button-hole bouquets. Each flower should be removed from the truss with as 

 long a stalk as possible ; a piece of the finest copper wire, 4 in. long, should be 

 passed horizontally through the tubes of the calyx and corolla, the two ends being bent down- 

 wards and twisted gently round the stalk of the flowers. Three of these blooms, grouped 

 with four Neapolitan Violets, make up a pretty bouquet, one Violet being in the middle, and 

 the other three at the margin. In place of Violets, double blue or the double pink Hepaticas 

 may be used with good effect. With three of the Double Primulas, a single bloom of one of 

 the double-flowered Scarlet Pelargoniums looks well. For background to these combinations, 

 a small but well-developed leaf of either the Primula or the Oak-leaf Pelargonium associates 

 pleasingly, the latter having the advantage of an agreeable perfume. 



3£t is well known that Paint does not adhere well to Zinc, though many 



means have been tried to obtain their close adherence. " The last we have met 

 with," says the Builder, "is due to Dr. Bottger, who professes to have perfectly 

 succeeded. He makes a solution of one part of chloride of copper, one part of nitrate of cop- 

 per, and one part of chloride of ammonium, in 64 parts of water and one part of commercial 

 hydrochloric acid. This solution acts as a sort of mordant. It is smeared with a wide brush 

 over the zinc, which immediately becomes of a deep black colour, changing in the course of 

 12 or 24 hours to grey, and upon this grey surface any oil paint will dry, and give o. firmly- 

 adhering coat. Summer heat and winter rain, it is said, have no effect in disturbing this 

 covering. 



