October 2, 1873. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



257 



ancient notoriety, throw it np and commence again, is not 

 tboroughly explicable ; that the latter supposition has its pro- 

 babilities will appear presently. 



" Bat," some reader may exclaim, " being in this way en- 

 gaged in eating pollen, and, to an extent, disHgurevs of flowers 

 by pulling the anthers to pieces, these flies are no friends to the 

 gardener!" Yes, we have reasons for supposing that their 

 indulgence in pollen, seeming to serve merely their own appe- 

 tites, is of great utihty to the cultivator and connoisseur, 

 for Eristslis tenax, and other flies of the family Syrphidffi, 

 transfer pollen from one plant to another to the benefit of the 

 race. As Mr. Xewman observes in the " Entomologist," " in 

 accordance with a law which is revealed in every variety, race, 

 or species, depauperation is always at work, aud no gardener 

 can possibly overlook the fact that if he attempt to produce 

 continuously any particular species or variety from the seed of 

 one plant, he will fail because of this tendency. The various 

 beautiful Asters or Michaelmas Daisies are preserved pure 

 because they are herbaceous ; the various portions of an her- 

 baceous plant constitute but one individual, whereas every 

 seed originates a new and independent individual. If an 

 Eristalis confines its attention to one plant of Aster, it only 

 distributes the pollen on that plant, and its descendants will 

 resemble the parent, not only in superficial appearance but 

 also in inheriting the principle of depauperation. Nature 

 endeavours to arrest this principle by causing the Eristalis, 

 when loaded with the pollen of one plant, to fly off to another 

 Aster, and distribute its treasure on this second plant, and the 

 pollen that to the flower which produced it was simply a prin- 

 ciple of maintenance, when transferred to another flower be- 

 comes a principle of renovation." I give this paragraph entire 

 without professing to endorse all that is therein stated, since 

 on some of the questions opened up by this and other asser- 

 tions made by those who have written on the economy of the 

 pollen-eating flies, differences of opinion exist among leading 

 entomologists. The broad fact cannot be upset, that in some 

 way the insects help on the fertilisation of flowers. The 

 vwdiis operandi may be variously explained. In the instance 

 given by Dr. Miiller the fly engaged upon pollen carefully 

 cleaned the head and legs after each operation, which seems 

 to militate against the supposition that by accident these flies 

 carry the pollen about attached to them ; aud, on the other 

 hand, if it bo assumed that the insects do disgorge it, doubts 

 may arise as to whether the pollen, after the mastication 

 described, is able still to fertilise. As yet, German and French 

 naturalists have paid more attention to this subject than we 

 have. 



FUes belonging to the genus Volucella are also discovered 

 to be feeders upon poUen as well as honey. Simulating the 

 aspect of humble-bees, though more slim in the body for the 

 most part, the female insects contrive (without exciting sus- 

 picion) to enter the nests of bees, and the eggs they there 

 deposit hatch in due time, developing voracious maggots, 

 which seize and devour the larva; whose proper home the 

 nest is. If we consider, as some do, that humble-bees, and 

 wild bees generally, are nuisances in a garden, then the Volu- 

 ceUie doubly deserve our thanks for the services they render 

 us iu the larval condition in addition to that wo receive from 

 the mature insect. No more than a passing mention can here 

 be made of the numerous flies called llawk-flies, of the genus 

 Syrphas, brisk in their movements, almost fierce in their 

 aspect, and frequently in hot weather most pertinacious in 

 their attacks upon the human skin. Yet they are not insects 

 to be disliked, since they are, in part at least, predaoeous in 

 habit, and others, like those aheady spoken of, help forward 

 by their visits to flowers the fertilisation of many plants. 

 The eyes in Syrphi are particularly large, and the abdomen is 

 always banded ; when on the wing those organs are vibrated 

 with such rapidity that to the eye the insect looks as if sus 

 pended in the air without motion. Of the important services 

 of the larv.-c in reducing the number of aphides we have 

 already had occasion to speak, and it is a curious as well as a 

 pleasing sight to see one of these leech-like creatures glide in 

 among a host of aphides and spear successfully, blind though 

 he seems, victim after victim. It can't .'e said of the aphis as 

 of the lamb by a certain poet, that it " licks the hand just 

 raised to shed its blood," yet it does succumb to its fate with 

 marvellous composure, and the friendly ant and the hostile 

 Syrphus alike walk among the apbis hosts, and no alarm is 

 felt, though recent facts, it should be noted, cast doubts 

 npon the disinterestedness of the regard shown by ants to 

 aphides, and it is very likely that those active workers feel no 



scruples about slaughtering instead of merely milking aphides. 

 — .1. R. S. C. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GABDEN. 



Fresh plantations of Cabbages and Lettuces should be fre- 

 quently examined; any that di-oop without apparent cause 

 should be examined at the roots, where probably a grub will be 

 found, which, if not destroyed, will continue its ravages. Earth- 

 up plantations of Broccoli, as they will now be growing rapidly. 

 Continue to prick-out the young plants of Cauliflowers under 

 hand-glasses and in frames ; a few may be potted in small pots 

 and placed in a frame, where they can have an abundance of air 

 and light, aud be protected from excessive wet. A few rows of 

 Celery, required for immediate use, may be earthed-up to the 

 full extent of the leaves ; but the successioual crop should 

 only be earthed-up gradually until it is iu demand, or on 

 the approach of winter. It should at all times be thoroughly 

 dry before earthing, or it will soon rot. Where there is any 

 forcing house the Cucumbers in frames are scarcely worth the 

 trouble and expense of keeping in a bearing state after this time. 

 Plants in frames undoubtedly produce the finest fruit for show, 

 but as they are only grown through the winter for use, they are 

 cultivated at much less expense and with greater ease in a 

 forcing house. A little manure water should occasionally be 

 given to those iu pots or boxes. Stop the laterals immediately 

 the fruit shows itself at one joint, or one joint above it. Some 

 prefer the latter mode, but if the leaf at the first joint be not 

 injured, we have not been able to discover between one aud the 

 other in the swelhng of the fruit. Keep the out-door beds of 

 Mushrooms protected from heavy rains by a good | covering of 

 litter. Maintain a regular degree of heat in houses containing 

 beds, and guard against aridity. Continue to take-up the crops 

 as they reach maturity, sort them before they are housed aud 

 pitted, as it will save much trouble .and waste. SUghtly thin 

 the late sowings of the Spanish sorts of Radish ; if a succession 

 of the common sorts is required, a sowing should be made in a 

 frame. Thin the winter crop of Spinach, leaving the plants at 

 9 inches from each other. Keep it free from winds. Should 

 there be any apprehension of frost, the unripe fruit of Tomatoes 

 may be cut and laid in any of the forcing houses. 



FRUIT G.UtDEN. 



Gather and house fruit as it becomes fit with the utmost care. 

 The finer sorts of Pears deserve as much care in gathering as 

 Peaches, the former to our taste being infinitely superior to the 

 latter ; and it must be confessed by everyone that they are more 

 valuable, as they supply the table for several months in suc- 

 cession without any extra expense. 



flower garden. 



All plants which will not survive the winter in the open air 

 and which it is desirable to save, should now be taken to a place 

 of safety. Plants which have been bedded-ont during the sum- 

 mer, such as the scarlet, variegated, aud other Geraniums, Salvia 

 patens, Calceolarias, Fuch»ias, &c., should be cut back, taken 

 up, and potted. The whole of the soil may be shaken from the 

 roots, and they should be put into small pots in light soil, and 

 afterwards be placed in a pit or frame. These plants will be 

 found far superior to young ones for bedding-out next season. 

 Large-flowering plants of the Salvia splendens, if taken up aud 

 carefully potted, wiU greatly add to the beauty of the conserva- 

 tory for the next two months. Many of the early kiuds of 

 Tulips and Narcissus are now beginning to grow, aud, therefore, 

 to keep them out of the ground any longer will injure them. 

 As, however, it is impossible to plant them permanently until 

 the autumn plants are removed from the beds, it will be found 

 it will be a good plan to place them upon an inch or two of 

 finely-sifted leaf mould and sand, and cover them several inches 

 deep with old tan or leaf mould. Iu this situation they wiU 

 make root, and may be removed to their proper situations with 

 the soil adhering to their roots as soon as the beds are ready 

 for their reception. The same observations apply to all kinds 

 of bulbs or tuberous-rooted plants that are desired for early 

 spring decoration— as for instance. Anemones, Crocuses, Snow- 

 drops, Hyacinths, Jonquils, Crown Imperials, &c. Continue at 

 every favourable opportunity to pot-off Carnation layers. Let 

 the grass or leaves be dry, for when wet with either ram or dew, 

 the soil which wiU sometimes get in the axils of tbe leaves (how- 

 ever carefully they may be handled), is diflicult to be removed, 

 and if not will prove detrimental to the plant during the winter. 

 The layers must be put in a close frame for a few days till they 

 liave again struck root. Seedliug Tulips when they are very 

 small are best iu tlie ground, and small offsets of choice sorts 

 had also better be planted. Any offsets of Auriculas which may 

 not be ready earlier in tbe season must now bo removed, plant- 

 in" carefully round the side of a quart pot, water to settle the 

 soil to the roots, and place in a situation free from drip or heavy 

 rain Continue to mako the beds of Pansies for next year s 

 blooming, and propagate by slips all that is desirable to increase. 

 Secdlin" Polyanthuses may still be prickcd-out to get estabhshed 



