MEMORANDA. 79 



Kyle's Liquid. — A liquid for destroying mealy bug and other insects, in- 

 vented by Mr. Brown, Chemist, Layton, having been sent to the Garden by 

 Mr. John Kyle, the following trials were made. As recommended by him, 

 the liquid was applied with a camel-hair brush to Begonia undulata, Epiden- 

 drura cochleatum, and a Mammillaria. The plants were apparently unin- 

 jured. In every case the insects were killed. — James Donald. 



A Composition for destroying scale on pines having been sent to the Gar- 

 den by Robert Dymond, Esq., whose gardener was the inventor, the follow- 

 ing trials were made with it. The composition, being like black paint, was 

 diluted with water, according to the donor"s directions, and applied to the 

 plants with a brush. Not having pines to operate upon, common stove and 

 greenhouse plants were substituted. The plants were rendered unsightly 

 until the old leaves dropped off, the substance being of such a nature as not 

 to wash off by syringing with clean water. The young leaves soon became 

 covered with scale like those which were dressed with the liquid. In this 

 case very few of the insects were killed ; and although they had been de- 

 stroyed, the remedy proved worse than the disease. — James Donald. 



Spirit of Wine, in the form cf vapour, has been tried to destroy scale and 

 other insects on plants. The plant experimented upon was put into an 

 empty water-tub, and covered up close to retain the steam ; a small vessel 

 full of hot water was placed beside the plant, over which a cup was placed 

 containing the spirit. In this operation six hours seem to be about the time 

 required. The quantity of spirit should be in proportion to the space in- 

 tended to be filled. For a common water-tub, if the spirits are good, a 

 wine-glass full is quite sufficient. Several Orchidaceous plants have been 

 cleaned by this process without being in the least injured. — James Donald. 



The Black Pine Beetle. (Hi/lurgus piniperda.) 



If a small portion of sulphur is dusted over the young shoots of pine-trees 

 infested with this insect, it prevents the beetle from eating the centre out of 

 the young shoots ; but it requires to be applied two or three times in the 

 season, particularly after heavy rain. It preserves the young shoots from 

 the ravages of the Hylurgus without in the least injuring them. — Geo. 

 Gordon. 



Transmission of Bulbs froji India. 



Bulbs, experimentally prepared for a voyage to England, were received 

 from India by the Court of Directors of the East India Company, and sent 

 to the Garden for examination. One half of the bulbs were simply wrapped 

 in cotton and packed in brown paper, while the other portion (of the same 

 kinds of bulbs) was encrusted in a kind of white wax, and covered with 

 cotton like the others. When received at the Garden, in June, 1844, those 

 bulbs which were simply packed in cotton and brown paper had emitted 

 roots on the journey, and the tops in most cases had grown considerably, 

 while those coated with wax remained quite firm and as fresh as when first 

 packed ; although, according to the statement on the outside of the parcel 

 containing them, they must have been confined in the wax three months. 

 The bulbs transmitted in cotton began to grow first, but soon showed 

 symptoms of debility ; while those sent in wax did not move much before a 

 month after they were potted, but then they grew strong and healthy. In 

 one or two cases the bulbs perished in the cotton, while the same kind packed 

 or coated in wax survived the journey. — Geo. Gordon. 



Asphalted Flower Stakes. 

 It having been stated that Seyssel Asphalte would prevent dahlia and other 



