116 



journaIj op hoeticultuee and cottage gaedenee. 



[ February 6, 1873. 



transparent ■white, with a reddish brown median shade, which 

 is probably due to the presence of food in the intestinal canal. 

 It has six legs, but no claspera. The mass of enow-white froth 

 exuding from the stalk of the Fern is frequently IJ inch in 

 length." 



I suppose we have most of us heard the story about the 

 baker's man who took a cruel delight in smashing every " black- 

 beetle " he came across, but who paid a fearful penalty for his 

 malignity, since one night, when he was asleep on the sacks, 

 lying with his mouth open (which nobody should do under 

 any circumstances), one of these insects took advantage of the 

 opportunity to enter, and — choked him ! I noticed the other 

 day a record of a ease somewhat analogous, which may serve 

 as a caution to horticulturists. An individual, who was greatly 

 annoyed by the presence of the " thrips " in a house, set to 

 work diligently to pound-up a quantity of the leaves of the 

 Cherry Laurel in order to destroy them. Before long the odour 

 took so great an effect upon him, that it was as much as he 

 could do to crawl out into the open air ; and though the fumes 

 knied the insect, they also stripped the leaves from a number 

 of plants. The best mode of attacking this troublesome 

 visitor in the stove or conservatory is by means of sulphur, 

 which ijiay be applied in several ways ; many prefer using the 

 sulphurator. When it is burnt in a house it must, of course, 

 be at a time when there are no leaves upon the plants or trees 

 to be exposed to its influence. A mixture of sulphur and soap 

 serves to " settle" many individuals if applied to the branches 

 of the Vine and Peach, and walls may also be painted with it. 

 Even copious syringing with water is of some iitiUty. In the 

 open air those plants infested with thrips should be dosed with 

 a mixture of sulphur and water, applied in the usual way. 



These insects, from their minute size, often escape observa- 

 tion, and it is hence that in some instances they do much 

 damage, and they seem to be partial to the company of the 

 equally dishked "red spider." Throughout all their stages of 

 larva, pupa, and imago, the species of thrips aie equaUy^active, 

 though it is to be presumed most destructive as larvs ; the 

 images in some species have the power not only of running 

 but of leaping. Some 

 species are wingless in 

 their perfect state, others 

 have four narrow wings, 

 which lie down the back, 

 and are fringed with 

 hairs. The eyes are con- 

 spicuous, and in addition 

 to the compound eyes 

 there are usually three 

 simple eyes, or ocelli, 

 placed in the crown of 

 the head. If wc take up 

 one of these and turn it 

 over upon its back we 

 are then able to see, by 

 means of a low magnify- 

 ing power, the instru- 

 ment by which it does 



BO much execution. The principal organ of the month is a 

 short conical rostrum, which is shd down towards the base of 

 the forelegs when not in active service. The legs have no 

 claws, but they are furnished with a small vesicle or bladder 

 at_ the extremity. Thrips Adouidum is, probably, of exotic 

 origin, since it more particularly attacks tropical plants, ad- 

 hering to the under side of the leaves, which it pierces. This 

 insect also secretes a black and glutinous fluid, which falls upon 

 the leaves; and though each drop is exceedingly small, by the 

 effects of a number of them the pores are closed and the leaves 

 wither oft'. We may find in spring both larvns and pupir, and 

 also perfect insects not long emerged from the pupa, and pre- 

 paring to continue the species. The larva is white or dirty 

 yellow, while the imago is of a dull black, its wings being 

 edged with white. The nearly allied species, T. ochraceus, is 

 narrower in the body, and more of an ochreous tint. This is 

 partial to the fruit of the Plum as well as to the leaves, and 

 most active, Uke the preceding, just at the time when it is not 

 so easy to operate upon it as in the autumn or winter. Both 

 seem to delight in a liigh temperature, especially if it is dry 

 also. 



The limits of space require that this paper should not be 

 farther extended, although it be the closing one of a series, in 

 which no attempt has been made to present a complete account 

 of the various iuseot enemies with which the gardener has to 



Thrips Adonidum. 



contend, yet in which, nevertheless, it wUl be found a very 

 considerable number of species have been commented upon, 

 and few of any importance passed over. Partings are always 

 more or less painful ; even between a contributor to a periodical 

 and his unknown reader a bond forms, which can hardly be- 

 severed without some regret on both sides should the former 

 have attempted to do his duty. In this case, however, there 

 is little to be said in the matter, since the writer hopes to meet 

 the reader again shortly, and present him with matter as 

 useful, and, perhaps, more attractive. UntU then, Vale I— 

 J. 11. S. C. 



A CENTUKY OF ORCHIDS FOB AMATEUR 

 GEOWEES.-No. 1. 



This order of plants has always been greatly admired,, but 

 they are no longer the exclusive luxury of the wealthy amateur, 

 for the immense quantities which have been brought home to 

 this country during the past ten years have been the means of 

 reducing their prices to such an extent, that anyone who can 

 afford to buy a Geranium or a Fuchsia can for almost the same 

 money purchase an Orchid. This fact has been the means of 

 enabhng amateurs with limited incomes, who had previously 

 been compelled to admire and worship these gems of the vege- 

 table world from afar, to enlist themselves in the ranks of 

 Orchid lovers and Orchid buyers, and where twenty years agp 

 ten collections of these plants could be found, treble the number 

 now exist, each having very creditable selections. Another re- 

 sult has also been brought about by the more general diffusion 

 of Orchids, and consequently a greater knowledge of their 

 wants and requirements, and that is the almost-disappearance 

 of the bigoted and arrogant Orchid cultivator, who in the early 

 days of the introduction of these plants considered any gar- 

 dener or any garden entirely beneath his notice if there wers 

 no Orchids ; indeed an intimate acquaintance of mine some 

 twenty years ago, who had become so lifted up with pride after 

 having had a collection of Orchidaceous plants under his- 

 charge for twelve months, assured me in sober earnest upon 

 one occasion, that he " was quite disappointed with a certain 

 nobleman's garden, for there was no plants in it." Now the fact 

 was, that of stove and greenhouse specimens there existed a 

 good collection, but as he saw no Orchids the place was not 

 worthy of his notice, and I am afraid some such feeling has 

 led to the neglect of many good old plants which have now 

 become so scarce in our collections. The extended cultivation 

 of Orchids has exploded the fallacious idea that they are diffi- 

 cult to cultivate, the truth really being that, providing a little 

 common sense be brought to bear upon the subject, they may 

 be reckoned amongst the most easily grown plants which we 

 have in cultivation. I trust none of my readers imagine this 

 is written in any spirit of depreciation, because exactly the 

 contrary is the fact ; for having been amongst these plants some 

 five and twenty years I have learned to love them all, from the 

 mere botanical thing of the professed Orchid-grower to the 

 large and brilhaut- flowered Cattleyas. Neither would I have 

 my brother gardeners imagine that I wish to undervalue their 

 services — far from it. I am fully persuaded that those gardeners 

 who live entirely in the atmosphere of the Orchid house, as 

 they do where large collections are grown, are not only worthy 

 of their hire, but are not sufficiently remunerated for the rheu- 

 matic aches and pains which are sure to foUow a long devotion 

 to them exclusively. 



The object of these brief notes is to extend the cultivation 

 of Orchidaceous plants amongst amateur horticulturists, by, 

 in the first place, showing that they are not difficult to grow, 

 that no special house is necessary for their accommodation, 

 and that if treated in a rational manner no ill effects are to be 

 dreaded to the constitution of the cultivator. The cool treat- 

 ment of Orchids is now fairly recognised, and I can speak of 

 the beneficial results of such treatment with every confidence, 

 having grown them on this principle long before its adoption 

 by either Mr. Batemau or Mr. Veitch ; indeed the last-named 

 gentleman, after coming several times to see the plants under 

 my treatment, declared it was the great secret, and at once set 

 about adopting it. The great success that eminent firm has had 

 is well known ; nevertheless, there is little credit due to anyone 

 for the discovery of the cool system, as it came about by accident. 

 In the first place, inability to keep the house up to the recog- 

 nised standard led to a wonderful improvement in the health 

 of the plants. This silent hint was taken, and we never tried to 

 force the fires afterwards ; and when through close observation 

 we had become satisfiedj that our system was correct, it was 



