196 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Wardian Case—continued. 
the stands on which they are placed, are usually ren- 
dered ornamental for associating with the surroundings, 
and have a fine appearance when filled with green Ferns, 
small foliage plants, and Lycopods. In Ferneries, such 
cases may be quite plain externally; they, of course, 
answer their purpose equally well for preserving moisture 
inside. 
WARENCE. An old name for Madder (Rubia tinc- 
torum). š 
WARMOT. An old name for Wormwood (Artemisia). 
WARREA (named by Lindley in honour of its dis- 
coverer, Frederick Warre, who sent plants to the Loddiges, 
by whom it was figured under the name of Mazillaria 
Warreana). Orv. Orchidew. A small genus (according 
to Bentham and Hooker, one or two species) of stove, 
terrestrial Orchids, natives of Brazil, Peru, Columbia, &c. 
Flowers showy, shortly pedicellate; sepals and petals 
broad, concave, the lateral ones oblique at base, adnate 
to the foot of the rather long, clavate column; lip 
affixed to the foot of the column, sessile, very shortly 
contracted towards the base and incumbent, at length 
erect, broad, and concave, the lateral lobes scarcely 
prominent, the middle one expanded, entire or bifid, 
the disk having elevated, fleshy lines; pollen masses 
four; racemes elongated, loose; scapes leafless, many- 
sheathed, tall, simple; bracts short. Leaves few, di- 
stichous, elongated. Stem leafy. W. tricolor and its 
variety require similar treatment to that recommended 
for Phaius. Several species formerly included here 
will now be found under um. 
W. tricolor (three-coloured).* /. rather large, globose, drooping ` 
sepals and petals yellowish-white, the two lateral sepals below 
ending in a blunt spur; lip yellow and deep purple, white at 
the edge, obovate, cucullate at base, the disk having three 
ridges ; scapes lateral, pare at the joints, about 2ft. high, 
bearing an eight to ten-flowered raceme. June and July. I. 
berg D Marge SE Tiger oblong, terete 
nuated, j i . 0.24.) SYN. Mazillari 
Warreana (B. M. 4235; L. B. C. 1884). 4 
. t. stapelioides (Stapelia-like). d. sepals and KEN: barred 
with brown internally; lip with a broad, lish- i 
in front. New Grenada, 7672. = -——— 
MER Vr Included under Zygo- 
petalum (which see). 
WARTED GOURD. 
rucosa. 
WARTS. Hard or firm excrescences. 
WASHINGTONIA (so called after George Washing: 
ton, the great American patriot). Orp. Palme. A small 
genus (one or two species) of tall, greenhouse Palms, 
natives of South California and Arizona. Flowers white, 
hermaphrodite ; ^ spathes elongated, membranous, cut, 
glabrous;  spadices elongated, copiously  paniculate- 
branched, the branches slender and flexuous, Fruit 
black, small, ellipsoid, one-celled, one-seeded. Leaves 
terminal, ample, spreading, orbicular, flabellately plaited, 
cut nearly to the middle; the segments induplicate, with 
filiferous margins; petioles elongated, robust, flat-convex, 
the margins very spiny. For culture, see 8. 
W. filifera (thread-bearing).* rfect, soli i 
upon the slender branches of the panicle. tiene de 
form ; petioles armed with stout, hooked, marginal spines; ligule 
large and adpressed, coriaceous, glabrous; rachis short: blade 
deeply cleft along the upper folds and co iously filiferous 
a stems T to 10ft. long. A tree 20ft. to 40ft. high. 
os " Ge? SYNS. Brahea filamentosa, Pritchardia filamentosa, 
W. robusta (stout). l. sub-orbicular; petiol i 
spines, sheathing at the base; limb Eau ua guit. 
to the middle, then divided into narrow, acute rays, bordered 
with white filaments. A. 6ft. to Tft. California. (R. H. 1885 
p. : 
WASHINGTONIA (of Winslow). A 
Sequoia (which see). " eU c 
WASHINGTON THORN. Se: Crategus cordata. 
See Cucurbita Pepo ver- 
WASPS. These insects are too well known to every 
one to require any description of their form, colour, 
markings, or power of stinging. There are, however, 
several species of Wasps in Britain. Though they agree 
in so many respects that no one can fail to recognise 
them as Wasps; and though they are so like one another 
in form, in colours, and in markings that it is not very 
easy for any one but an entomologist to distinguish 
them, yet they differ in the places in which they make 
their nests, and in ‘the means to be employed against 
them when they become troublesome in gardens. 
The True Wasps, belonging to the genus Vespa, are all 
social insects, like their kindred, the Honey Bees; but, 
unlike the latter, there is little difference between the 
Fic. 212. Common WasP (Vespa vulgaris). 
sexes in outward appearance. The common Wasp (see 
Fig. 212) is a good representative of the whole group, 
the sexes differing in little but size; and the other species 
being distinguished chiefly by the forms and sizes of 
the black markings that are scattered on the yellow 
ground-colour, and by the presence in some of rusty- 
brown spots on the sides of the body. The Wasps belong 
to a division of the Hymenoptera (which see), which 
have the fore wings folded lengthwise, like a fan, when 
at rest, and the hind wings hidden below them. This 
division, besides the true Wasps, includes a large number 
of insects, known as Solitary Wasps, that resemble 
them in general form, and to some extent also in colour: 
but anyone familiar with the appearance of the common 
Wasp will find no real difficulty in distinguishing the one 
from the other; while to state the characteristic dis- 
tinctions would require more space than is here available, 
without affording any corresponding advantage. The 
Solitary Wasps are so named because they do not 
live in societies like the true Wasps; and each female 
among them forms the cells or chambers to be 
occupied by the larva hatched from the eggs laid 
in them, and she stores the cells with the proper food. 
This frequently consists of larve of small Moths, or 
of other insects; and the Wasps that capture these 
should be protected by gardeners as far as possible, as 
they assist in the destruction of noxious insects. The 
Solitary Wasps make the cells for the protection of 
their larve in the most varied situations. Some females 
dig burrows in sandy soil, and at the end of each burrow 
form a cell, which is stocked with provisions, among 
which an egg is placed. Others tunnel in the pith of dead 
Rose-twigs, &c., while some take advantage of the bur- 
rows of other insects, or of any crevice, or even of 
empty snail-shells, in which to form the cells; and still 
others build mud cells, often of peculiar forms, against 
stones or on plants. It would be impossible to give 
full account here of the exceedingly diverse habits 
observed among the Solitary Wasps. In regard to them 
it need only be added that none are injurious to gardens, 
while several are useful, as stated above. : 
To return to the Social or True Wasps, belonging to 
the genus Vespa, They are of doubtful reputation with 
gardeners, but are decidedly more hurtful than beneficial 
in gardens. It is true that they are voracious creatures, 
and feed largely on other insects, and that they destroy 
considerable numbers of noxious or troublesome species; 
but the benefits conferred by them in this way are more 
than counterbalanced by the injury they do to ripe fruits. 
They are very partial to apricots and plums; but, where 
these are not to be obtained, they attack gooseberries, 
