September 10, 1874. ] 



JOUBNAL OP HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



231 



James Kelway, Neogenes, Protheus, Serapis, and Amazon are 

 distiuct and very fine in quality. In the Recoud-])rize collection 

 Maiden Fair is a distinct and pleasing ilower; Horace Vernet, 

 Orphue, Meyerbeer, and the good old sort, Madame Furtado, are 

 coDspicaous. 



In the open class for tnenty-fonr Messrs. Kelway are again 

 first, and the Rev. H. H. Dombrain, "Westwell Vicarage, second. 

 In his stand is a magnificent spike of Le Vcsuve, one of M. 

 Souchet's, to which a first-class certificate is deservedly awarded. 

 In the amateurs' class for twelve spikes Mr. Douglas, who is the 

 only exhibitor, shows some splendid spikes. Maiden Fair is 

 again to the front. Adolphe I3rouguiart is also very fine. In 

 the class for six new varieties not in commerce Messrs. Kelway 

 are first. Two of their flowers had first-class certificates awarded 

 to them. Duchess of Edinburgh is probably the largest spike 

 and flower of any yet exhibited ; the colour is a very pleasing 

 purplish rose with deep violet throat, the petals lined with 

 white. Mr. Wilson is a finely shaped flower, with a bluish 

 purple ground flaked with crimson. Mr. J. Douglas is second. 

 Two flowers in his stand also obtain first class certificates. 

 Manfred is a grand flower with a long spike ; colour orange- 

 scarlet, with a very deep narrow throat. Warrior is also a very 

 brilliant flower, scarlet and white throat ; the petaliue segments 

 distinctly lined with white, lip white. Mr. H. Coppin, Eose 

 Nurseries, Shirley, Croydon, is third. 



Of Dahlias, Show, Fancy, and Pompon, Mr. Turner of Slough 

 sends, not for competition, a flue collection, and takes certificates 

 for Rob Roy, Pollie, and Warrior, as well as an extra prize ; and 

 like awards were made to Messrs. Downie it Co. for a charming 

 group of Palms and fine-foliaged plants, the same firm also show- 

 ing cut Phloxes ; and to Mr. Coppin for cut Roses. 



There is also a very interesting show of bees, honey, and bee 

 appliances, which we shall report upon next week. A list of the 

 awards will be found in another page. 



CopRossiA Baueriana vabiegata as a Bedding Plant. — I 

 think it is not quite so well known and extensively cultivated 

 as it ought to he ; one often sees in many collections a fine 

 plant staged in a greenhouse, and seldom so well grown as to 

 be of any service ; but it seems to thrive admirably treated as 

 the generality of bedding plants. I was supplied with two 

 plants from a friend last year, and the thought struck me that, 

 as it seldom did well in a pot, it might do as a bedding plant. 

 I increased my stock to as many as I could, and this year put 

 a few out to form a panel in a short border ; the result is that it 

 has grown luxuriantly, and the pretty gold and varnished-like 

 foliage forms a grand contrast amongst other bedding plants. 

 It should be allowed to grow and not be pinched, but requires 

 to be pegged down to keep it in place. It is easily propagated 

 from cuttings of the points of the young shoots with four or 

 five eyes, and put in sand iu a brisk bottom heat. — K. Green- 

 field, The Priory, Warwick. — (The Gardener.) 



THE BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL INSECTS OF 

 OUK GABDENS.— No. 24. 



Amongst some of the orders of insects, we find it to be the 

 case that a good number of the species included therein prey 

 upon other insects nearly related to them. Flies attack and 

 devour flies, and beetles are often the enemies of beetles, and 

 bees "improve the shining hour," not always by gathering 

 honey," but by proceedings which tend to the destruction of 

 relatives belonging to the Hymenopterous order. The L?pido- 

 ptera, in comparison to these, are peaceably inclined ; yet, 

 though we may regard butterflies and moths generally as a 

 handsome, good-natured, somewhat indolent race, there are 

 exceptions, and in the caterpillar state a few do prey upon 

 their brethren, possibly under circumstances which demand 

 our gratitude. At least this is certainly the fact with the 

 Dunbar (Cosmia trapezina), a species, let it be noted, that does 

 not take its name from any connection between it and the 

 place in Scotland immortalised as having been the scene of 

 one of Cromwell's greatest battles, but is so called from a con- 

 spicuous mark or band upon the wings. This moth usually 

 appears iu .July and August, and being rather apt to vary iu 

 colour, it is frequently a puzzle to the young insect-hunter, 

 the fore wings being sometimes grey, sometimes rust-colour, 

 and occasionally browu, though we can usually trace out the 

 " dun bar," marked-out by two dark lines crossing the wing, 

 one having a palo inner border, and the other a pale outer 

 border; the " discoidal spots are enclosed in this bar or 

 band." 



The caterpillar of this species is to be taken on Oak, Elm , 



and various trees of the wood, the park, or the garden ; and 

 though a leaf-feeder at times, by habit it is essentially car- 

 nivorous, its particular fancy being the larvaj of that pest, tho 

 Winter Moth (Oheimatobia brumata) ; still, any other smooth- 

 bodied caterpillar of suitable size is acceptable. So determined 

 is the caterpillar of C. trapezina iu the pursuit of its prey, that 

 when one is shaken from a tree or bush into the net by a blow 

 of a beating stick, it scarcely takes a moment to recover from 

 the shock, but at once begins to chase after some other cater- 

 pillar that has also fallen, and should that have doubled-up 

 in alarm, it ha.s a poor chance of life. Ou the tree, however, 

 the larvaj of C. brumata succeed in escaping their enemy at 

 times by rapid crawling, or by suddenly dropping from a silken 

 cord, which baulks the pursuer. As the larva of this moth 

 does not eat its prey " clean up," but mostly contents itself 

 with imbibing some of their juices, one of them can in its life 

 of about two months destroy a good many other larvaj. Though 

 there is no doubt that many of the young of C. trapezina are 

 killed iu April by the cold winds and rains of spring, yet such 

 an average number survive from year to year as to make the 

 moth tolerably common, and it seems to occur throughout the 

 British islands. This caterpillar, which is full-grown in June, 

 has a very smooth, shining head (" with an evil look about it," 

 I have been told; it does not strike me iu that way), and a 

 stout body of a green hue, freckled over with numerous black 

 warts, usually arranged in order, eight on each segment. 

 There also five white stripes running from head to tail, these 

 are oceasionally tinged with yellow. The under surface of 

 this larva has a transparent appearance. Having descended 

 to tho ground, the larva entombs itself there, not going to any 

 depth, but drawing the earth over the slight cocoon of sUk 

 which it makes. The chrysalis is brown, and covered with a 

 bloom which resembles that on a ripe Plum. Probably the 

 microscope would resolve this into fine scales. 



The rather larger moth designated the Satellite (Scopelosoma 

 satellitia), has also strong cannibalistic propensities iu its 

 early stage of growth. This is a moth of dingy aspect, with 

 " scolloped " fore wings cf reddish brown crossed by dark lines, 

 some of which are indistinct. There is a conspicuous white 

 spot near the centre, sometimes accompanied by two smaller 

 ones, and individuals are now and then taken that have these 

 spots of a bright orange. The perfect insect emerges from the 

 chrysalis in October, and, after being about a short time, hides 

 in some cranny during the winter months, and reappears in 

 March, when the eggs are deposited. The caterpillar has not 

 the placidity of the one just mentioned, but when exposed to 

 view is greatly excited and endeavours by all means to escape 

 observation, wriggling about if handled, and backing-oft in 

 alarm if a finger approaches it when it is at rest. This habit 

 is to be accounted for by the fact that the larv* of the Satellite 

 do not live exposed, but form a nest for themselves among the 

 leaves, from which they issue on foraging excursions, mostly 

 at night we may presume. The parent moth deposits its eggs 

 on several species of forest trees, and also on the mixed hedges 

 common iu England. Unlike C. trapezina, this caterpillar is 

 tolerably slender, of a deep brown colour, with a few scattered 

 white spots, aud some faintly-marked lines or stripes along 

 the body, the under surface aud legs being decidedly paler 

 than the back and sides. Mr. Newman has found that these 

 creatures will seize and devour their immediate relatives if 

 other fresh food happens to be scarce, and Mr. Buckler has 

 recorded his unhappy experience in rearing a brood of Taenio- 

 campa Populiti. He had fifty-seven to start with, and for a 

 time all went on well, they grew and were thriving, untU by 

 degrees the number diminished. He could not make it out, 

 and fancied he must have thrown away some with the dead 

 leaves ; but as the d.aily reckoning still became less and less he 

 was puzzled, and ere long it got to be none at all— only a few 

 spots of moisture appeared on the leaves. This led to a regular 

 turn-out of the jar, and lo ! at the bottom lay a Satellite larva 

 snugly coiled-up, and happy in the consciousness of having 

 cleared-olJt the whole fifty-seven of bis captives, so that he 

 could feel he was " monarch of all be surveyed." Such a 

 " satellite " it might be worth a gardener's while to encourage, 

 and if it could be induced to breed more numerously about 

 cultivated ground we should be the gainers. According to 

 M. Gueree, ou the Continent the larva3 of S. satellitia feed ou 

 low plants towards the end of their life, and, of course, also 

 on the Iarv« to which these furnish food. They are adult 

 during June with us, and seem ^-hrably plentiful throughout 

 Britain, though at present found more frequently in open 

 places than iu enclosed ground. Still, the species deserves to 



