Novomber 20, 1871. J 



JOURNAL OP nORTIGDLTUKE AND COXrAGE QAUDENER. 



■173 



well attended to during the spring and summer, and well and 

 frequently watered, and other attention paid to them, so as to 

 encourage the most luxuriant growth possible, and I need 

 scarcely remark that the plants quickly established themselves, 

 and formed most excellent roots, as well as matured some well- 

 formed crowns, which was the object aimed at in order to carry 

 them through the severe ordeal of forcing. 



Having a large three-light deep frame standing on a foundation 

 of bricks just rising out of the ground sufficiently to protect the 

 wood of the frame from sinking into the earth and rotting, aud 

 keeping a horse as very many amateur gardeners du, there was 

 an opportunity of making manure, which was collected from 

 the stable from time to time, and other materials, such as refuse 

 vegetables, were mixed with it. When sufficient had been obtained 

 to make up a bed, aud through lying some time the rank heat 

 had passed off, the whole was thrown into the three-light frame, 

 well shaken up together, and when the heat had risen up so 

 high that there was no fear of its becoming stronger, a bed 

 of common garden soil was put over it to the depth of a foot ; 

 when this had become mildly warm the plants were put iuto it, 

 one light being devoted to each kind of vegetable, and as the 

 jjlauting went on more earth was added to those roots that 

 could not iiud depth enough without going down into the 

 manure. I ought to say that after the bed was made up each 

 light was partitioned-oll by placing boards under every rafter 

 inside of the frame, so that each vegetable might be more easily 

 treated according to its requirements, so as not to interfere with 

 i(3 ueighbaur. All was well watered after the soil had been 

 properly placed round each root as it was planted, and I may 

 say that they were planted thickly, but not all of the .same 

 height; for instance, the Rhubarb, which throws up large stems 

 and leaves, was planted lower than either of the others in order 

 to allow it the necessary room. 



.■\fter all was done a trial slick or two was thrust into the bed 

 in each light, and the whole frame shut up and covered over 

 with mats to keep out the light. At intervals of a few days the 

 bed was examined, aud the heat ascertained by the trial stick. 

 In the meantime the collecting of heating material was going on, 

 aud when the heat of the bed was going down this was applied 

 as a lining to the outside. When the plants began to make 

 growth a little air was given iu mild days or when the heat was 

 too strong, and which I may say ought not to exceed 00° at any 

 time. Air was given night and day, but not iu such quantities 

 as to lower the temperature perceptibly. In order to well blanch 

 the Sea kale it was always kept dark, but the Rhubarb and 

 Asparagus were gradually inured to the light so as to have them 

 of their proper colour and iJavour, a precaution many do not 

 take, but which would be an improvement, for anything that 

 can be forced and brought to its natural colour approaches more 

 nearly its natural flavour. If preferred otherwise they will grow 

 as well, but not possess their natural qualities. 



Whenever either of these vegetables appears likely to grow 

 faster than what is needed for consumption, the growth may be 

 modified by giving a little more air, though the temperature 

 ought not to fall below flO'. All of it will not come at once, and 

 if properly managed as above directed the produce will continue 

 and gradually come in and last a considerable time; and the best 

 of this plan is, that when the bed for either sort is exhausted 

 it may be taken out and renewed, and fresh plants put in, and 

 GO continue until the season is advanced, so as to produce the 

 same things outdoors naturally. There are many amateurs 

 who may do as this enthusiastic jierson did, and reap the benefit 

 of their own labour, aud that is my reason for giving details. — 

 Thomas Recokd. 



THE BEAUTIPDL AND USEFUL INSECTS OF 

 OUR GARDENS.— No. 27. 

 Owing to the mild weather we have had in October and in 

 part of November, and also through the absence of those 

 drenching rains which occasionally about this season play sad 

 havoc with the flower beds, we have observed in many places 

 a particularly fine display of autumn blooms : hence insects of 

 diverse species just aboat this time are glad to desert the 

 barren prospects of the fields, lanes, and woods, and seek 

 supplies of honey from the flowers of the garden. Both by 

 day and by uight during November we see these passing hither 

 aud thither on the wing, the day visitors being mostly bees, 

 flies, and butterflies ; the night ones different species of moths. 

 The ghostly way in which some of the moths appear aud dis- 

 appear in the twilight is rather startling to certain nervous 

 people, and sometimes a slightly-bewildered individual, whose 

 supper has been too much for him, may strike against your 

 face as you walk along a path. Though you know there is 

 nothing to be alarmed at, it is not surprising if the peculiar 

 feel of the moth's furry body gives you a start for the moment. 

 Had it been an autumn-prowling beetle — for such are still 

 abroad — his hard wing-cases and bristly legs would have made 



his preseuea manifest. Not a few of the moths one sees 

 abroad at night, and which belong to the large group of the 

 Noetuina, have eyes which glitter at night with a luminosity 

 which has not yet been aooountod for. I can hardly, for my 

 part, regard it as being of a phosphorescent character. When 

 an entomologist seizes one of these, and beholds it roll towards 

 him its •■ liery orbs," who can wonder if he hesitates a little ere 

 he drives a pin through its body, or immures it in the stifling 

 box from which no prisoner comes forth alive ? Moths, as I 

 have observed, resort to the flower beds of autumn almost 

 throughout the month of November, uuless the weather prove 

 severe enough to force some to their wiuter quarters, and cut 

 off the lives of the rest. Should some wall or tree in the 

 garden be graced (or disfigured?) by a growth of Ivy, this 

 plant proves a superior attraction even to the flowers of the 

 conservatory. The honey its singular-lookiug bloom afford.s 

 has a retinue of admirers and eager sippers, until it is posi- 

 tively exhausted. One still sees this plant allowed to grow 

 freely, though most gardeners of the old and new schools agree, 

 for a wonder, in its condemnation, some regarding it as a 

 covert for insect pests of various kinds, some also going so far 

 as to assert that it diffuses a peculiar aroma or influence not 

 exactly deseribablc, which is hurtful to other plants growing 

 near. 



Two monster moths should have been mentioned before, 

 which seem to have a liking for the garden precincts. They 

 form the half of the genus Catocala, as known iu Britain ; tho 

 other two, familiarly called the " Crimsons " by collectors, are 

 principally taken iu Hampshire by the attractions of sugar. 

 The moth which has received the not-very-appropriate name 

 of the " Clifden Nonpareil," {fi/j. 131), also occasioually called 

 the Great Blue Underwing (C. Fraxini), is of great, and per- 

 haps it might be said inexpUcable, rarity, siuce there is no 

 obvious reason why it should not be as abundant as its relative 

 C. nupta (jiff. 135). For once we cannot accuse entomologists 

 of haviug-hunted a species down, since it appears to have been 

 always scarce. It is certainly puzzling when solitary speci- 

 mens of so largo a moth turn up, for it is a natural conclusion 

 to draw that where there is one of a species there ought to ba 

 more. In the case of C. Fraxini we have a long list of single 

 captures, several of these having been made near London, as 

 at Hammersmith and near the Regent's Park. Some hint that 

 a moiety of these records are open to suspicion, seeing that the 

 moth can be got from France or Germany for a shilling, while 

 the value of a hona-fidu Britisher may be £2 or .€3. So much 

 for the faucy. The grey upper wings of this species, though 

 pleasing to the eye, are not particularly remarkable ; the dis- 

 tinctive markings are on tho lower pair, which are black, with 

 a band of blue or bluish grey and a narrower marginal baud 

 of white. On the Continent the caterpillar is stated to feed 

 upon fruit trees — not, however, to an injurious extent, and 

 also on the Poplar and Ash. Jlr. Newman considers it presents 

 a curious example of mimicry or seeming resemblance, as it is 

 furnished with a series of small fleshy appendages on the sides 

 of the body, which resemble the rootlets of Ivy, and give to 

 the whole caterpillar the appearance of one of the twigs of that 

 plant resting on a branch. The colour also agrees, as this is 

 usually brownish grey with a few specks of a deeper tint. It 

 is also remarkable for having an additional segment to its body 

 beyond the average number. The Red Underwing (C. nupta) 

 I have frequently seen sitting on paliugs near London, with 

 the colour of which tho grey upper wings harmonised capitally. 

 At other times individuals will be seen on trunks of trees. It 

 is not by any means a timid species, and 1 once noticed one of 

 these moths by a rather bustling roadside near Brompton. 

 The narrow winding lane which runs along the side of Holland 

 Park, serving as a footway between Kensington and Netting 

 Hill, used to exhibit C. nupta sometimes a few years ago. 

 Though in passing along the lane persons would come near to 

 the paliugs they would rarely perceive a moth reposing thereon, 

 so little observant are the majority of passers-by. Mr. Newman 

 thinks the caterpillar feeds on tho Crack-Willow chiefly (Salix 

 fragilis) ; but I do not believe the species grows iu that locality, 

 and imagine that several species of Willow and Poplar are 

 resorted to by the parent moth when depositing eggs. 



This caterpillar much resembles that of C. Fraxini, differ- 

 iug, however, in haviug two irregular stripes extending along 

 the back. During the day it clings to the bark of the tree 

 with the head pressed down, and it is difficult to remove it 

 without injury. Towards evening it moves towards the 

 branches to feed. The cocoon is spun amongst the leaves, or 

 placed within a cavity, iu June or July. This is of a slight 



