March 13, 1868. ] 



JOUBNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



205 



ful, and the useful, as ilhiatrateil by the forest trees of our 

 native land. "It has not the slightest pretensions to a scien- 

 tific character, seeking simply to set forth iu a plain and easy 

 manner, some few of the heautifal and refreshing truths con- 

 nected with the foresters of Old England." An extract which 

 we t»lie at random, will give the best idea of the voUime's con- 

 tents. 



" On the left b.auk of tlio river, about a mile above Two liriJgon, the 

 hillside is hea|>e(l with blocks of Rrauite, iu the spaces between which 

 are nearly live huudrod troos of the Wavy-leaved Oak. but sin^ulavly 

 distorted. They are guarlod, knotted, and twisted, Boldoni more than 

 10 to 11 feet in height, and with a cii'camferenco not exceeding ;j feet, 

 and generally much less. The belt is ragged and interrupted, and 

 estends for the di.-itance of about halt a mile. Such a gi-oup of trees 

 would not bo very remarkable iu itself : what renders the scene so 

 extraordinary is that the branches, except at the extremities, and this 

 not always, are completely matted over with a Moss, called by botanists 

 Anomodon curtipoudulum. In most oases the green covering is from 

 10 to 12 inches in thickness, though the braneh that supports it is 

 not of greater diameter than a child's wrist. The weight is so con- 

 siderable as to bend the branches downwards, just as we may see the 

 branches of Lilacs and other supple trees weighed down at Christmas 

 by the gentle deposit on them of abundant snow ; and all over the 

 surface of this beautiful coating of vegetable velvet may be discovered, 

 in their season, the lovely little seed capsules, by the produce of which 

 the plant is multiplied. The name given to this singular spot, which 

 seems as if it bad been touched by the wand of some botanical enchanter, 

 is Wistman's Wood. It is easy of access, and should be visited by every 

 one who may happen to pass through that part of Devonshire. 



" Kvery old wood and forest shows us Oaks bearing Ferns. The 

 latter are' chiefly of the Wnd called Polypody, or the ' Many-footed.' on 

 account of the numerous lateral leaflets giving the idea of feet, as in a 

 centipede. On those grand old rugged bosses which the Oak is so apt 

 to form, some 10 or 1*2 feet above our heads, there may often be seen 

 a tuft of this elegant plant, perched completely out of reach, and 

 decked with those gay spangles of bright gold which render the Fern 

 in question so easy of recognition, and attract the eye of the most 

 incui'ious. All lovers of nature have been attracted in the iirst instance 

 to the specialities, by some particular plane or flower, which, holding 

 np its finger, as it were, and beckoning, has allured them into one of 

 those sweet side chapels of the great cathedi'al, which, when a man has 

 once entered, he never desires to leave. There was a famous fable in 

 olden time of a country in which grew Lotus trees. When travellers 

 entered that country, and tasted of the fruit, they were overpowered 

 with an indefinable and delicious longing to remain there always, not 

 necessarily to be always eating Lotus, but to enjoy the heavenly climate 

 and atmosphere that produced it. That countr,', with its Lotus trees, 

 has not been blotted out. The fable, like eveiy other true one, is for 

 all time. Living nature, everywhere round about us, is the country of 

 the Lotus, and the fruit is the serene and innocent delight, with innu- 

 merable sweet teachings for our intelligence, that co:ues of our looking 

 at it reverently and lovingly. The beckoning thus given is always 

 remembered with pleasure. Fries, the great German writer upon Fungi, 

 tells us how he was attracted to the study of that class of plants, by 

 thelustreofthe crimson Dryads' cup, by botanists calledPezizacoccinea, 

 which in the earliest days of spring appears on dead branches in damp 

 woods and gr-oves. and resembles an immense acorn chamber of the 

 loveliest coral red." 



The Orchid-Grower'K Manual, Containing Brief Descriptions of 

 Upward.H of fievm Hundred Species and Varieties of Orchid- 

 aceous Plants, (t(.-. By B. S. Williams, F.R.H.S., '&c. 

 Th.1t this is the third edition, is a sufficient evidence of the 

 acknowledged merit of the work. It is only to be purchased of 

 the author at bis Victoria Nursery, Holloway, London. 



British Social Wasps : an Introduction to their Anatomy, Phtjsio- 

 loriy, and Architecture, and General Natural History, with 

 Illustrations of the different Species and their Nests. By 

 E. L. Okmeeod, M.D., &c. London : Longmans, Green, 

 and Co. 



Many years ago — in the old eoacliing times —we were travel- 

 ling with three ladies, strangers to us, when a scream, and the 

 pointing finger of one of them directed our attention to a live 

 snake issuing from the bonnet of her who sat as our lis-'i-ris. 

 Singularly enouj;b her name was "Eve," and she calmed us by 

 the assurance, " I always have a pet snake." We were re- 

 minded of this by the first sentence of the volume before us 

 — " Wasps have beeu my holiday companions for many years," 

 and so attached has the author become to his " companions," 

 that he says, " bee-keeping and wasp-keeping are about on a 

 par " so far as profit is concerned ! What say you to that, ye 

 thousands of British apiarians ? Eat our heroic author gnes 

 further and groups wasps among the useful insects. They 

 consume, he says : — 



" Rotten wood and garbage of all kinds, and besides these, all the 

 insects that they can master. It will be admitted that th-y devote 



themselves to this part of their duties with great assiduity, making 

 ])rizcs of all flies, spulers, and caterpillars ; bees, and even other wasps, 

 not being excepted. It would bo very dilKcult to prove absolutely that 

 wasps have a sensible influence iu diminishing the number of flies and 

 of other insects. But it is the conviction of some of those who have 

 paid attention to the subject that this is really the case. Among 

 others, Mr. A. Bryson, F.R.S.E., of F.dinburgh, the friend and 

 biographer of the late Sir Thomas Brisbane, has assured me that the 

 practical result of destroying all the wasps on Sir T. Brisbane's estate 

 was, that in two years' time the place was infested, like Egypt, with a 

 plague of flies. At every wasp's nest you might have gathered a hand- 

 ful of the wings of insects ; and the tUes throve apace when the waspa 

 were killed." 



Let us rejoice Dr. Ormerod's heart by adding that we have 

 often watched wasps preying upon the daddy-longlegs that 

 were sunning themselves upon a wall. Tlio wasp darts at bis 

 victim, nips o£f and absconds with its abdomen, and leaves the 

 winged thorax to scrnrable away, which it does, apparently as 

 if it had sustained no loss ! 



Moderate enthusiasm aids to the attainment otexcellence, and 

 in the case of Dr. Ormerod has enabled him to produce an ex- 

 cellent book on what most readers will consider an uninviting 

 subject. The volume is very amusing as well as instructive, 

 and we have given it the best of testimonies by reading it. 



ORNAMENTAL AND FLOAVERING SHRUBS.' 



{Continued from page 187.) 



Laurus nobilis (Sweet Bayl. — Leaves smooth, lanceolate, dark 



green, sweet-scented ; flowers yellowish, in May, followed by purple 



berries. Requires a sheltered situation. The variety crispa has waved 



i leaves, salicifolia nan-ow leaves, and regalis very handsome foliage. 



Heisht 12 to 2.5 feet. Seeds sown in heat, or cuttings in a frame. 



La%-ant)ULA spica (Lavender). — Well known, and deserving of a 

 place in every garden on account of the fragrance of its foliage and 

 flowere. 3 feet. Cuttings or slips in spring. 



LiocsTRnii TULGARE sEMPERnRENS. — Well kuown. Very suitable 

 for plantations shaded by large trees, and good for a screen or hedge. 

 6 to 8 feet. It is propagated by cuttings in autumn, in the same way 

 as Cui-rants. There is a yellow-ben-ied variety. 



LionsTROTi JAPOXICUM. — Leaves large, shining ; flowers numerous, 

 white, followed by dark purple berries. 6 feet. Seeds and layers. 



LifiCSTECJi ovAUFOLiuM, a fine broad-leaved sort, ti to 10 feet. 

 Layers. 



Phillykea .angustifolia. — Leaves shining, dark green, very desir- 

 able for shrubberies. 10 feat. Layers and cuttings. P. latifolia and 

 media are desirable species. 



RH.UIXUS .ALATERNUS LATLFOLiTS. — Leaves shining. Of rapid 

 growth and ornamental for shrubberies. Angustifolius with narrow 

 Feaves, and the white-variegated variety, are desirable. Cuttings and 

 lavers. 10 feet. 



Raphiolepis OV.4TA. — Leaves ovate, shining, dark green, broad ; 

 flowers white, in April and May, succeeded by purple berries. It 

 forms a handsome bush. 10 feet. Layers. 



RosM.iRiNUS OFFICINALIS (Rosemary). — Leaves linear, dark green ; 

 foliage scented. Cuttings and layers. 4 feet. Needs a sheltered 



situation. t i. 3 



Ruscus RACE5IOSUS. — Leaves green; shoots green. Very hand- 

 some, and desirable for shady situations. This is the Alexandi-ian 

 Laurel. Height 4 feet. 



RrsciTS ACULEATES.— Leaves dark green; flowers smaU, white, on 

 the leaves, succeeded by large red ben-ies. Does well under trees, 

 where it is very fine. 2 to S feet. Division. 



SKOnnA JAPONICA. — Leaves shining, dark green. Does well m 

 shade, and is very fine in winter on account of its bunches of red 

 berries. Cuttings" and layers. It will grow where few other shrubs 

 will live, and its'foliage contrasts well with the red berries. 



Spartiuji juxceum (Spanish Broom). — Leaves lanceolate; shoots 

 dark green ; flowers yellow, sweet, in .July. Ver\- desirable. 6 to 

 ,S feet. Seeds and cuttings. There is a variety with double flowers. 



Spartium MULTrPLORUM (White Portugal Broom). — Shoots deep 

 green ; flowers white. Seeds. 



Ulex EUROPJ2IJS (Furze).— The double Furze or Gorse is very 

 handsome in early summer. 3 to 6 feet. Should have a sheltered 

 situation. Cuttings. Dry soil. _ 



ViBVRXtrM TiNCs (Laurustinus) . — A weU-known favourite. Foliage 

 dense and compact : flowers white, tinged with red. produced during 

 mild weather in winter and in spring. It should have a sheltered 

 situation, and will thrive in partial shade, but not in intense gloom. 

 There are several varieties, strictum and latifclinm being most hardy. 

 It should be extensively planted ; it bears cutting well, and may be 

 pruned after flowering in spring to any shape or size required. Layers 

 and cuttings in autumn or spring, in a warm border or under a hand- 

 glass. 



VixcA MAJOR. — Leaves ovale, deep green ; flowers bine, in May and 

 successively. Does well under trees. 2 feet. Division, cuttuigs, and 

 , layers. Oif trailing habit. 



