December 9, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



457 



tbe late Rev, Lansdown Gnilding upon Horift maculata, the larra of 

 which (as ehown in one of Mr. Guilding's drawinRs, which had not 

 been published with his memoir), feeds npon the lai-va of Xylocopa. 



Mr. Pascoe exhibited a nnmber of new Hcteromerons Beetles, col- 

 lected in Australia by Mr. JInsters, inclading a species of HeUeus, 

 covered, during lifetime with a white secretion, wbich had been con- 

 sidered by some botanists to be a fnnpas. bnt Mr, Wallace thoa^ht 

 it extremely doubtful that such growth should have talten place whilst 

 the insect was alive, thiuliing it more i>robable that it was an animal 

 secretion, lihe the pollinosity on certain species of weevils. 



Mr. Briggs exhibited a tine specimen of the very rare Moth, Deio- 

 peia pnlchella, taken on the 1st of October last near Folkestoae. 

 Daring tlight it completely resembled Geometra dilatata. Mr. Davis 

 exhibited a senes of beautifully-preserved Lepidopterous caterpillars, 

 together with a case containing a complete series of illustrations of 

 the economy of the Goat Moth. 



Mr. Albert Miiller made some obscr-ations on the peculiar scent 

 emitted by Cynips liguicola and another Oak-gall Fly when handled, 

 which he considered served as a preservation against the attaclia of 

 birds. Mr. Salvin read a memoir on Clothilda, a genus of beautiful 

 American Butterflies, of which he enumerated and exhibited six species. 

 The President read a memoir containing descriptions of a number of 

 new species of Longicom and Laraellicom Beetles, captured at Chon- 

 tales. Nicaragua, by Messrs. Belt A' Janson. A paper was also read 

 containing descriptions of new exotic species of Hispida', by Mr. Bal}'. 



Some observations on the vast swarms of Syrphideous Flies, ob- 

 served during the past autumn at Kamsgate, Bournemouth, Walton- 

 on-the-Nase, and other parts of the ?outheni and eastern coasts of 

 Eagland,were made by Messrs. Hoiue and Dunning. After considerable 

 discussion it appeared to be generally considered that these aphidi- 

 vorous flies, as well as the great swarms of Lady-birds noticed about 

 the same time, had been reared in this country, and had not flcwn 

 across the sea from abroad, the vast numbers of Aphides previo^asly 

 observed being sufficient to account for the proportional increase in 

 the numbers of their enemies. Mr. Jauson especially mentioned that 

 an Apple tree in his garden in the suburbs of London, which had 

 been completely covered with the American blight (Aphis lanigera), 

 was completely cleansed of these insects in three or four days by 

 flights of Lady-birds, myriads of which had visittd the tree iu the 

 early autumn. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



Me. Williaji Melville, so tavonrably tnown for bis success- 

 ful raising of new varieties of vegetables and Grapes, is leaving 

 Dilmeny Park Gardens, after presiding there thirty years. He 

 is only sixty, and in good health, Imt the Earl of Eoaeberry has 

 settled on him a life annuity of £60, and he intends to devote 

 himself to his favourite pursuits in the island of Jersey. 



At the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Societt, 



to be held on Tuesday, December Slst, prizes of £3 and £2 

 are offered by the Kov. G. Kemp for the best winter dessert of 

 Apples and Pears, three dishes of each. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN OAIiPEN. 



CoNTiNTE to trench, dig, and ridge-up every piece of spare 

 ground when frost permits. This is particularly to be observed 

 in soils approaching a clayey nature. If frost continue let 

 the manure necessary for the whole of the spring cropping be 

 V7heeled out, laying it in heaps either on the spot or as near as 

 possible to it. That portion not reqrired for immediate digging- 

 in should be piled in small mounds and covered with soil to 

 prevent loss. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



The principal work in the fruit department is pruning. 

 Planting ought to be completed ; if not, unless the weather be 

 very mild it will be better to defer it until spring. The di- 

 rections previously given with regard to pruning bush fruit 

 trees are still applicable. li dressing with hot lime and soot 

 when the trees are wet were more attended to, we should not 

 heir so much of the ravages of birds among the buds, and I 

 would recommend the application of these substances also to 

 standard Plum trees wherever practicable, as they not only 

 keep the trees free from moss and lichen, but assist in the 

 extirpation of those insects in the search for which birds 

 commit such ravages. Dressing with fresh-slaked lime is still 

 more imperative as regards Apple trees which are situated in 

 damp localities, where mosses and lichens spread with great 

 rapidity, and, if not checked, are very injurious to the well- 

 being of the trees, besides affording a secure harbour for nume- 

 rous insects during the winter. The efJectnal remedy, however, 

 for all such evils is thorough drainage. Continue the pruning 

 and training of wall fruit trees in open weather ; also prune 

 and dress pyramid and espalier Apple and Pear trees, after 



which apply top-dressings of compost, and fork them in slightly 

 so as not to interfere with the roots. This operation is very 

 necessary where a regular system of root-pruning is persevered 

 in, because one object in root-pruning ought to be to keep the 

 roots near the surface, and these will require to be often en- 

 couraged by the addition of fresh compost, otherwise there will 

 always be a tendency to push their long feeders out of bounds 

 in search of food. Do not forget former remarks on top-dress- 

 ing the ground about orchard trees, which are also all the better 

 for such attention. Gishurst compound in the form of a 

 strong lather is also recommended for the same purpose. Make 

 cuttings of fheice Gooseberries and Currants, also Honey- 

 suckles in the same manner, and Irish Ivy for covering naked 

 fences. Look over fruit and other stores frequently. 



FLOWER GARDEV. 



Those who are fortunate enough to have the command of a 

 gravel-pit should secure a good supply of gravel whenever the 

 weather is suitable for the work. See, also, to having plenty 

 of soil prepared for striking cuttings in the spring, and have 

 draining materials for pots prepared and sorted out in sizes. 

 If any of the more tender kinds of Roses are yet unprotected, 

 some covering material should be applied at once. Dahlias 

 temporarily placed roots upwards under cover to dry, should 

 now be carefully stored for the winter. See that coarse-growing 

 plants which may be encroaching upon their weaker neighbours 

 are reduced so as to occupy their proper places. Gladioluses 

 may still be planted, and moat kinds of bulbs are better now in 

 the ground than out of it. For Gladioluses choose a warm 

 thoroughly-drained situation ; work the soil well by deep 

 digging, and add plenty of decayed manure ; elevate the bed or 

 patch a few inches above the general level, plant the bulbs 5 or 

 6 inches deep, and 6 inches apart, surrounding them with 

 1 inch cf sand before covering with the soil, and protect during 

 the winter against excessive wet and frost, by a thick layer of 

 sawdust, old tan, dry litter, an old carpet, thatched frame, or 

 tarpaulin. The last three coverings must be removed during 

 favourable weather, and the other coverings entirely cleared off 

 when the plants appear. The tops of standard Roses worked 

 on ordinary stocks may be protected by wisps of straw bound 

 amongst and over their branches, or by light canopies firmly 

 fi^ed. Beds cr masses of Hybrid Perpetual, Tea-scented, and 

 other Roses should have some porous material strewed amongst 

 them to protect the collar. Cocoa-nut fibrerefuse, and exhausted 

 tan from the Pine-pit clean-riddled, using the coarse particles, 

 are very good : even a coat of half-decayed leaves will answer 

 the purpose. Four or five inches of such material may keep 

 them safe in the event cf a severe winter. If it is desirable to 

 protect the tops altogether, mats thrown lightly over them will 

 sufScs, taking care on the breaking-np of frost to expose the 

 trees cantiouslv, and not until afler they have thawed. As 

 there will be comparatively little to do at present, any spare 

 time will be well spent in going over the stock of plants in pits 

 for nest season's use, removing every decaying leaf, and where 

 the surface soil has become green removing this and top-dress- 

 ing with sandy loam. There is nothing so unfavourable to 

 these plants at this season as damp ; therefore, take every 

 favourable opportunity of admitting fresh air. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



If the weather should continue frosty the conservatory will 

 require great care in its management. Atmospheric humidity 

 cannot by any means be entirely dispensed with, yet this, if 

 unskilfully applied, will produce drip, which is most prejudicial 

 to the delicate texture of Camellia blooms and other gay plants. 

 The best plan is to keep as low a temperature as can possibly 

 be allowed— say from 40° to 45° at night, and to give a little air 

 at the back and front all night, if the weather be favourable. 

 The front air must bo very moderate, or the atmospheric mois- 

 ture, instead of passing quietly away by the back apertures, will 

 be condensed as it rises. With a good roof-covf ring, m the case 

 of small conservatories, 40° would be sufficient, and then there 

 would be atmospheric moisture enough at all times without the 

 special application of water. See that young stock m mixed 

 greenhouses, such as Heliotropes, Scarlet Pelargoniums, Cycla- 

 mens, and other flowers grown especially for winter, have light 

 situations and reaular attention as regards water. _ Let Cape 

 Heaths have close attention as regards watering ; if, unfortu- 

 nately, they stand near flues or pipes, they may become sud- 

 denly very dry. Keep up a quiet ventilation day and night if 

 possible, let the air steal in moderately, and dispense with strong 

 fires. Do not water Pelargoniums until they are tolerably dry, 

 and take care to fumigate frequently and slightly. This is a good 

 time to introduce into the conservatory forcing-pit the foUow- 



