JODBNAL OF HOETICULTtiEfe AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



t Octotfr U, 1616. 



than do the two images. To me, however, the point of most 

 interest is, how far the afsertions of early writers on entomo- 

 logy — the illustrious Kirby, for instance — are to be relied upon 

 as to the injarioua effect the species has occasionally exerted 

 on the trees of our orchards, and a lengthy memoir of this 

 moth was compiled by Cartie, the species having the traditional 

 repnte also of having occasioned as much alarm in our country 

 at one period as the locust frequently does in warmer climes. 

 The well-known Editor of the " Entomologist," whose ao- 

 ijuaintance with insects, derived from Nature herself, is so 

 extensive, agrees with my view that there is much exaggeration 

 if not actual misrepresentation in the statements about the 

 ravages of the Brown-tail, which have been so freely copied 

 from book to book. Certain it is that we have no recent 

 chronicles of harm done by the species, though in Francs the 

 larva ia reported to do injury in some seaEons to Apple and 

 Pear trees. AVhat has added to the difliculty of obtaining a 

 correct history of the species is the fact that the allied species 

 has often been mistaken for it, and the confusion renders it 

 impossible to tell sometimes which the writer means. Eennie, 

 a pretty careful observer generally, was evidently under the 

 impression that both species formed winter nests. A clerical 

 naturalist of our day, who in the extent of his writings has 

 few to equal him, omits the Brown-tail from his work on the 

 " Friends and Foes " of the gardener, whether by intention or 

 accident I cannot say. 



In the locality where I have watched the species repeatedly 

 — viz., in the vicinity of Milton-next-Gravesend, the nests 

 occur along the Hiwthorn hedges, and the insects do not seem 

 averse to a somewhat exposed position. In isolated places a 

 few straggling parties may be found, but the bulk of the Brown- 

 taUs have centred themselves along hedges lying in close prox- 

 imity to each other. They were first observed by me in the 

 autumn of 1873, soon after they had formed their winter nests, 

 and in each season since there has been a gradual increase of 

 numbers, so that what they may arrive at finally is doubtful. 

 Possibly some reader may wrathfuUy exclaim, " You, a con- 

 tributor to the Journal of Borticiilture, ought to set to work 

 and destroy them at once." I beg to differ. What reason 

 have I for cutting off the lives of a number of insects on mere 

 suspicion? In these hedges where the larvai abound, besides 

 Hawthorn various shrubs grow ; the only one, however, they 

 condescend to touch is the Blackthorn. Even Oak does not 

 appear to please them. Willow does not grow in their range, 

 though it has been reported to me that the larvse have been 

 taken upon that. There are large orchards and many scattered 

 fruit trees in the district around Gravesend and Higham ; 

 hence if the Brown-tail was really a dangerous enemy, it is 

 true much harm would ensue were the species to extend itself 

 and proceed to attack trees. 



The larviE are unquestionably sluggish. In one spot parti- 

 cularly I noticed that where one strip of hedge had been 

 defoliated by the hosts of larvaj some of them were dying 

 on the twigs for want of food, yet by merely crawling across 

 a moderately wide road they might have obtained an abundant 

 and fresh supply. This to me tells decidedly against the sup- 

 position that the Brown-tail larva could ever be an important 

 garden pest, since almost universally it holds good that those 

 species which are moat prejudicial to horticulture have a facility 

 in transporting themselves from place to place ; and nothing 

 can be more simple than the operation which in any particular 

 locality would soon largely reduce the number of, or even ex- 

 terminate the larva of the species. It could be done, too, 

 without putting the insects to any pain, supposing, that is, 

 they are capable of that sensation. All that is necessary is to 

 go amongst the bushes in the winter with a pair of shears, 

 cUp oft' the white nests of the larvie , which are very conspicuous 

 on the bare twigs, and then burn them. At this moment I 

 could indicate, perhaps, as many as five hundred nests, which, 

 at an average of a hundred larva) to a nest, would represent 

 fifty thousand individuals ; but I am not prepared to advise 

 such a " slaughter of the innocents." Though some folks 

 may argue that there is a double reason why the Brown-tail 

 larva should find no favour at our hands — for besides the known 

 damage it does to the Hawthorn, the hairs of the species have 

 a marked and specially unpleasant effect on the human skin. 

 Of course there are those who feel them not, just as there are 

 those who can defy the attacks of fleas, but with many persons 

 these hairs produce painful swellings somewhat akin to nettle- 

 rash ; and you cannot have them once and be done with them, 

 for they come up again and again if yon meddle with the 

 larvffi. I have authentic reports of persons who cannot ap- 



proach without discomfort the hedges on which these are 

 feeding ; and though the urtication is produced at all times by 

 the larviB when they are in a state of activity, it is worse when 

 parties of them are casting their skins or forming their cocoons, 

 as the loose hairs float about in the atmosphere. 



Lastly, I would say that it would be of much interest to 

 myself, and doubtless others, if any horticulturists who have 

 had under their own observation any case where this species 

 attacked fruit trees (or Roses ?) would communicate such 

 details as they can give. — 3. E. S. C. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



We have received from Messrs. Rivers it Son of Sawbridge- 

 worth a branch of the Plum Bonnet d'Eveqi-e, which is so 

 laden with fruit as to give it the appearance of a branch of 

 Damsons. This is an excellent late Plum, and possesses a 

 flavour which is unusual in Plums of this kind so late in the 

 season. It appears to be an unusually great bearer. Accom- 

 panying this were some fine large fruit of Eeine Claude de 

 Bavay, and handsome fruit of that delieiouB October Pear 

 Beurrc Hardy. 



In the nursery of Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, 



Somerset, may now be seen growing an extraordinary crop of 

 Mr. Kelwaj'B new Cccujieer Conqueeeb. Specimens of this 

 variety were exhibited at the Eoyal Horticultural Society held 

 at South Kensington September Ist. The seed was sown 

 May ITith, and thirteen plants were planted-out .June 2nd, 

 each plant now bearing on an average (without the aid of 

 artificial heat) thirty fruits, from 18 inches to 34 inches in 

 length, and weighing from 2 to -IJ lbs. each. The house in 

 which the above are growing is erected and glazed on Mr. 

 Kelway 's new principle, without wood or paint being exposed, 

 thus doing away with the old and troublesome method of 

 fixing the glass with putty. 



At a Meeting of the Horticultvbal Club, held at the 



Club House, 3, Adelphi Terrace, on Wednesday last, the fol- 

 lowing gentlemen were admitted as members : — 0. J. Rigley, 

 Bridge Hill, Bury ; F. G. Dougal, Clyderdale Bank, Glasgow ; 

 George T. RoUisson, Tooting; Joseph Stevens, Grassmere, By- 

 fleet, Surrey; Hugh Austin, Glasgow; and Edward J. Beale, 

 Stonydeep House, Teddingtou. We may add that all the 

 arrangements are now complete, and that the Club has every 

 prospect of a successful career. 



We are informed that in the counties of Cumberland, 



Westmorland, and north-west Lancashire Gooseberries, 

 ArrLES, Pears, Damsons, and Plums have all been equally 

 good, and the trees have had to be supported to enable them 

 to bring their fruit to perfection. The markets are so full 

 that American fruit is very rarely seen now, where are great 

 quantities used to be sold in ordinary years. Potatoes are 

 also a splendid crop, and little affected by the disease ; whilst 

 Hdzel Nuta, Acorns, Blackberries, Elderberries, Easpberries, 

 Haws, and all wild fruits are in great abundance. 



Messrs. Carter & Co., 237-8, High Holborn, have 



received a letter signed by the Executive Committee of the 

 Cologne Exhibition, informing tbem that the Jurors have 

 awarded them the silver medal for the Grass Seeds supplied 

 for the creation of turf on the exhibition grounds, &c. 



At the sale of Orchids late the property of John 



Eussell, Esq., Mayfield, Falkirk, by Mr. J. C. Stevens on the 

 1st inst., the following prices were realised ;— Cypripedium 

 Lowii, £21; Oncidium splendidum, £31 10s.; Sacoolabium 

 Eussellianum, £29 8s. ; and S. Holfordii, £23 2s. ; AngrfECum 

 seequipedale, £2.5 is.; Arrides Fieldingi, £21 Is.; A. mar- 

 aud A. Veitchii, £36 5s. ; Cattleya 



C. labiata Warnerii, £30 Os. ; and 

 Cujlogyne cinnamomea, £23 ; and 

 £(J5 2s. There were 039 lots offered ; 

 the total proceeds of the sale being £2211 14s. 



Messes. Keelincj & Hunt have received a letter with 



reference to the first shii'ment of American Peaches to the 

 London market, stating that " by this successful experiment 

 the AUegreti Refrigerator Company of New York City have 

 demonstrated that they can place the American Peach in the 

 London market." 



garitaoeum, £26 5s. ; 

 Eusselliana, £44 2s. ; 

 C. Dowiana, £27 10s. 

 Saccolabium guttatum. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBDRBAN GARDENING. 



Blanchixo Endive. — As winter approaches this hardier kind 

 of salading is more useful than at any other time of the year . 



