JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUBB AND OOTTAGE GAKDENER. 



[ March 15, 1877. 



and Pomologist," or should Lave beeu ou the look-ont. I 

 grieve to add that to all appearance I shall loee one-half 

 of my stock — a sad loss at all times, bnt doubly so under 

 the ciroumstanoes of the proposed Exhibition at the Crystal 

 Palace, and after having had last season the finest bloom I 

 have had for many years. I am going next week to attend to 

 them, and will then say what I have found. Have any of 

 your correspondents seen the insect ? — D., Deal. 



SEDUM SPEOTABILB. 



Some time ago my name was mentioned in the Journal in 

 connection with this fine Sedum, and as it is becoming such a 

 popular plant, and just the one for an amateur to grow, I will 

 state a few particulars about it. In the first place, I bought 

 two plants which had been struck in the spring while they 

 were in bloom. After flowering had ceased the stems were 

 out oft and the plants were planted out in the rockery. When 

 February came there were numerous little shoots springing up 

 from them, which when large enough were taken off and 

 rooted in pots under a hand-glass without heat. These were 

 potted, and the tops of these again were taken oft and rooted 

 in the way above described. The plants which were struck 

 first pushed many shoots — too many for such young plants, 

 therefore I thinued them out to about three to each plant, and 

 made cuttings and rooted them. These were grown in pots till 

 the bedding arrangements were made, when the late-struck plants 

 were planted out in beds by themselves, and they flowered late, 

 commencing in August and continuing throughout September ; 

 their foliage was also very attractive, being different to any 

 other plant in the garden. Every visitor admired the plants, 

 and I have received many inquiries respecting the qualities of 

 this Sedum as a flower-garden plant. 



My reply is that it is a very beautiful plant and can hardly 

 be put out of place. It does for bedding by itself, or among 

 subtropical plants it is very effective. For growing as a single 

 specimen in the herbaceous border I know of no plant more 

 acceptable ; and in vases, too, it thrives remarkably well and 

 looks noble and attractive. As a pot plant there is very little 

 trouble in growing it, and in all situations it will thrive, and I 

 may jsafely say in common garden soil. My plants have been 

 iu the ground two years and have stools more than a foot over 

 and are ehootiug up very thick, I shall therefore thin out the 

 smallest of the growths, and the others will grow up the 

 stronger and produce fine heads of flowers. Mr. Robson has 

 also grown this plant iu splendid condition at Linton Park. — 

 T. Becoed. 



[Mr. Record has done well by directing attention to this 

 valuable hardy herbaceous plant, than which few will better 

 reward for high cultivation. — Eds ] 



ASPECTS OF NATDKE— FEBRUARY. 



DuBiNo February we have almost the first indications of 

 spring. A mild sunny day at this time appears to change the 

 aspect of nature as if by magic. While the sky was grey and 

 overcast all nature appeared clothed in the same sombre tint, 

 but a glint of sunlight on heathside or brook brings out each 

 swelling green bud in bright contrast to brown leafless stem 

 and bare branch, and seems to impart joyous life to every 

 ripple ou the water. The Hazel still hangs out its pretty yellow 

 tassels ; and in sheltered copse and warm spots on hedgerow 

 banks the wild Honeysuckle and the common Elder push forth 

 the first green leaflets. The Snowdrop, "the early herald of 

 the infant year," peeps forth in our gardens, and mild open 

 weather will give us this beautiful harbinger of spring iu clus- 

 tered profusion, drawing our attention from their desolate 

 surroundings to contemplate their pale pendulous bells, which 

 tinkle fairy-like with every breath of wind and bear a streak 

 of green on every petal, as though they, the first flowers of the 

 year, bore a touch of Nature's favourite universal colour as a 

 distinctive badge. 



The birds come with the flowers. The robin, that constant 

 friend of man, has cheered the dreary winter mornings and 

 early afternoons with hia joyous if not thrilling pipings. Now, 

 too, the woodlark, one of the earliest and sweetest songsters 

 of the grove, begins to trill his melodious song ; while the har- 

 mony of the fields and woods is rendered still more entrancing 

 before the end of the month by the full, rich, enchanting notes 

 of the blaokbird and thrush. 



Iu strong contrast to the inimitable songs of the smaller 

 birds we have the hoarse oawings of colonies ol rooks, wbioh 



now begin to pair, and appear to let the world in general know 

 they contemplate commencing housekeeping at once from the 

 incessant noise and fuss they make over building their nests. 

 The wonderful instinct with which all living creatures are 

 endowed is sufficiently apparent in the building of rooks' nests, 

 as these birds break with their strong beaks from the living 

 trees the young green twigs pliable and fall of sap : dead sticks 

 could not be interlaced with the same facility, nor would they 

 bear the weight of such heavy birds. 



On south walls the flowers of the Pyrus japonica are all 

 aglow, the beautiful rich scarlet blossoms having none of the 

 pale delicacy of tint so commonly ascribed to the early flowers 

 of spring. The Crocuses also show no lack of colour, and 

 seem to have guarded, from the time of their planting deep 

 down in the brown earth, the gold and purple of autumnal 

 skies, to bring these gorgeous tints to gladden our hearts iu 

 early spring. 



The unexampled mildness of the season has this year made 

 February exceptionally rich in the number of plants in leaf 

 and bloom. Such frosts as have occurred have had but little 

 effect on the general forwardness of vegetation. In many 

 places the Elder trees are as green as in early summer, and the 

 wild favourites of March have come to us before their time. 

 White and purple Violets are in full bloom. Primroses may be 

 gathered in abundance, the Mezereon is in flower, and in ap- 

 pearance the month has many of the characteristics of March. 



As a rule February is a wet month, and this season has 

 proved no exception, save that the "icy bonds" have been 

 conspicuous by their absence. ^ The poet's description is as 

 true to nature as of yore — 



" Now shiftint,' gales with milder influence blow, 

 Cloud o'er the skies aud melt the falling sncw ; 

 The softened earth with fertile moiattire teems. 

 And, freed from icy bonds, down rush the swelling streams." 



In very rural districts, where on high banks and hedgerows 

 Gooseberry and sometimes Currant bushes have taken root 

 and grow up among the Hawthorn, the bright tender green of 

 their early foliage is very conspicuous. 



During the moist warm days of early spring headlands and 

 byelanes are in many places carpeted with the bright green 

 leaves of the Ground Nut. The foliage of this little-regarded 

 wildliug is invaluable for bouquets and- vases at this time of 

 year ; its Fern-like character and exquisitely delicate green tint 

 make it most suitable for arranging with the more carefully 

 tended blossoms of the greenhouse. 



The seedtime is at hand, and in preparation for its advent 

 the farmer hastens forward the work of preparing the land j 

 and Virgil's description is as applicable now as when it waa 

 written so many centuries since — 



" While yet the spring is young, while earth unbinds 

 Her frozen bosom to the western winds; 

 While mountain snows dissolve sguust the sun. 

 And streams jct new from precipices run; 

 E'en in this early dawning of the year 

 Produce the plough and yoke tho sturdy steer." 



— T. S. J. 



THE "BEOWNTAILS" AGAIN! 

 Albeady have I occupied some small space in the Journal 

 on two occasions, when I have been referring to the economy 

 of the Browntail Moth as it came under my observation in a 

 district of North Kent. Though I do not wish the reader to 

 suppose that I have " Browntails on the brain," I have con- 

 tinued to watch the habits of the colonies of the Browntail 

 (Liparis chrysorrhcea) which reside in the vicinity of Gravefl- 

 end and Chalk. The increase in numbers that was notable 

 in 1875 as compared with the two preceding years was not 

 followed up in 187i> by a still larger accession of caterpillar 

 devourers, and the reason, I apprehend, was this, that many 

 of the broods died off, wholly or partially, during the cold 

 spring and the unfavourable summer of 18711. But yet I sea 

 at this moment far more colonies than I could wish to see 

 studded over the Hawthorn hedges awaiting the bursting of 

 the April buds. Thus, for instance, in one part of a road 

 where tho hedge is made up of shrubs standing at slight 

 intervals apart I counted twenty-four nests upon one bush, 

 representing at the moderate average of lifty to a nest, more 

 than a thousand caterpillars to attack the foliage by-and-by. 

 It is a curious circumstance in the history of the Browntail 

 caterpillars, that though tliey are gregarious the whole brood 

 descended from one parent do not usually form one family. 

 The mother moth iu the process of egg-laying seems generally 



