OF HORTICULTURE, 481 
AN ENCYCLOPADIA. 
Sprengelia— continued. 
S. Ponceletia (Ponceletia).* fl. scarlet; sepals leaf-like, but 
more lanceolate; corolla about as long as the calyx, the very 
short tube not separating into petal claws, the lobes much 
longer. May. l broad, concave, spreading or incurved, acu- 
minate and pungent-pointed, two to four lines long. h. lít. 
1826. Syn. Ponceletia sprengelioides. 
SPRENGELIA (of Schultes). 
hania (which see). 
SPRING BEDDING. A style of bedding in which 
hardy plants play a conspicuous part, along with various 
bulbs. In late springs, it is not an unfrequent occur- 
rence, when the same beds are to be occupied with the 
ordinary tender subjects for a summer display, that, just 
at the time for planting the latter, the spring flowers 
are about at their best; this must, therefore, be antici- 
pated, if the same beds are to be used for both sets of 
plants, or Spring Bedding must be carried out in a 
separate part of the garden. Early-flowering species and 
varieties of Crocus, also Daffodils, Hyacinths, and Tulips, 
will be past flowering before the middle of May, the 
season when summer flower-beds are required; but their 
foliage will rarely have ripened by that time, and, con- 
sequently, if the bulbs are of material value for another 
season’s display, it would not be advisable to disturb 
them. Hardy plants, for Spring Bedding, have to be 
prepared in a reserve garden or border, for transferring, 
some time during September and October, to the posi- 
tions where they are intended to flower. Many that are 
well adapted for the purpose are only of annual dura- 
tion, and these should be raised from seeds, sown in the 
reserve ground, not later than about the middle of July, 
the young plants being transplanted and grown on after- 
wards. 
A synonym of Mel- 
Amongst hardy annuals, used for Spring Bedding, 3 
Silene pendula, and its variety compacta, are indispen- 
sable. Other valuable plants for the purpose, mostly 
perennials, are the following; they are generally of 
very easy culture: Alyssum sawatile; Antennaria tomen- 
tosa, suitable for an edging; Arabis albida; Aubrietia, in 
variety; Daisy, several double forms; Iberis, perennial 
species; Myosotis dissitiflora, and other species of Forget- 
me-not; Phlox, dwarf forms or varieties of P. subulata, &c. ; 
Polyanthus and hardy Primroses, in great variety; Pyre- 
thrum (Golden Feather); hardy Sempervivums; early- 
flowering Violas and Wallflowers. In the last-named, 
the chief colours represented are blood-red and golden- 
yellow. 
SPRING-BEETLES. A name given to the insects 
that produce the dreaded Wireworms (which see). 
The name is derived from the power possessed by these 
beetles (Elateride), when laid on their backs on a hard 
surface, of leaping a few inches into the air. This power 
is due to a peculiar mechanism on the back between 
the thorax and abdomen. It enables the insects to turn 
over, which they would not otherwise do, because of 
the shortness of their legs. This habit has also gained 
for them the popular names of Skipjacks and Snap 
Beetles, 
SPRING BELL. A common name for Sisyrin- 
chium grandiflorum (which see). 
SPRING GRASS. A common name for Antho- 
xanthum (which see). 
= NNA. A synonym of Ichnocarpus (which 
see), 
SPRING SNOWFLAKE. A common name for 
ium vernum (which see). 
SPRING USHER MOTH. See Hybernia. 
SPRING-WEEVILS. A group of Weevils which 
possess powerful thighs, especially in the last pair of 
legs, and are thus able to leap several inches. See 
c. æ 
Vol. III. 
SPRUCE FIR. A term applied to Dacrydium 
cupressinum, several species of Picea, &ce.. 
SPRUCE-GALL APHIS (Chermes Abietis). The 
maker of curious galls on the young twigs of Spruce- 
trees, especially in crowded plantations. In such situa- 
tions, Spruces are often loaded with the galls of this 
insect. They resemble young cones or miniature pine- 
apples, whence they are often called Spruce Pine-apple 
Galls. When situated at the tips of young branches, 
they are usually quite regular in form; but when the 
base of the twig is affected, the Gall, though generally 
larger than when near the tip, is often confined to one 
side of the twig, which becomes much swollen, while the 
other side remains stunted. When full-grown, the Galls 
vary from }in. to 1łin. in length, by about two-thirds as 
much in breadth, and consist of the swollen, overlapping 
bases of the leaves of the twig, which assume the ap- 
pearance of scales, frequently prolonged into short, green 
tips. The galls are often red, but may be yellowish or 
pale green, according to exposure to, or absence of, light. 
While fresh, they are fleshy in texture ; but, after a time, 
the scales gape apart, exposing numerous cavities between 
their bases, and become woody and brown. In this con- 
dition they frequently remain for months, or even for 
years, on the -trees, the branches of which are often — 
loaded with such dry galls, the growth of several pre- 
vious years. : 
The gall-makers are Aphides, belonging to the genus — 
Chermes, distinguished from most of the Aphides by the 
short, stout antennm, the absence of honey-tubes, and 
the simple, unbranched veins in the fore wings. The 
species is C. Abietis, sometimes known also as Adelges 
Abietis. The insects vary a good deal, according to their 
stage of development and their sex. The originators of 
the galls are wingless, viviparous females, which are very 
small, ochreous-yellow (with green or purple shades and 
green legs), woolly, and oval. These females hybernate 
on the branches; and in spring each fixes herself near 
the base of a bud when it begins to grow, and, pushing 
in her beak, she thus at the same time obtains her own 
food, and, by the irritation she causes, gives rise to the 
swelling of the young leaves that form the gall. Between 
the swollen leavgs are cavities, in one of which she is — 
sheltered; and here she lays numerous eggs, which are 
covered with the woolly coating of her body. The 
larvæ soon emerge from the eggs. They spread over 
the gall, and, by the irritation their suction causes, 
increase the size of the gall, the scale-leaves overlapping 
and covering them, in the opinion of some observers ; 
whilst others believe that the larve creep, through 
minute slits, into pre-existing cavities between the 
scales. In the cavities they become pups, and about 
June and July winged females are numerous. These are 
much larger than the wingless females, and are yellowish- 
green or golden-brown, with short, green legs, and hori- 
zontally-folded, broad wings. The males are very rare; 
they are very small, and wingless. The winged females 
soon scatter themselves over the trees, and lay eggs, 
from which, in due time, the wingless females are again 
developed. 
Remedies. The best, where applicable, is to pick off 
and destroy the galls while young, before the insects 
have spread from them over the plants. Badly-infested 
trees or branches should be burned without delay. The 
galls should not merely be thrown on the ground, as 
they contain enough sap to permit of the insects coming 
to maturity in them after their removal from the trees. 
Overcrowding, deficiency of air and light, and bad 
drainage, greatly increase the risk to the trees of injury 
from these galls; hence, judicious thinning, draining damp 
| soils, and, in fact, whatever tends to strengthen the 
trees, are all useful preventives of injury. 
SPRUCE PINE-APPLE GALL. See Spruce- 
Gall Aphis. 
3Q 
