AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



481 



Sprengelia continued. 



B. Ponceletia (Ponceletia).* /. scarlet; sepals leaf-like, but 

 more lanceolate ; corolla about as long as the calyx, the very 

 short tube not separating into petal claws, the lobes much 

 longer. May. I. broad, concave, spreading or incurved, acu- 



longer. ay. . roa, concave, spreading 

 minate and pungent-pointed, two to four li 

 1826. SYN. Ponceletia sprengelioides. 



rved, acu- 

 nes long. h. 1ft. 



SPRENGELIA (of Schnltea). A synonym of Mel- 

 hania (which see). 



SPRING BEDDING. A style of bedding in which 

 hardy plants play a conspicuous part, along with various 

 bulbs. In late springs, it is not an unfrequent occur- 

 rence, when the same beds are to be occupied with the 

 ordinary tender subjects for a summer display, that, just 

 at the time for planting the latter, the spring flowers 

 are about at their best; this must, therefore, be antici- 

 pated, if the same beds are to be used for both sets of 

 plants, or Spring Bedding must be carried out in a 

 separate part of the garden. Early-flowering species and 

 varieties of Crocus, also Daffodils, Hyacinths, and Tulips, 

 will be past flowering before the middle of May, the 

 season when summer flower-beds are required; but their 

 foliage will rarely have ripened by that time, and, con- 

 sequently, if the bulbs are of material value for another 

 season's display, it would not be advisable to disturb 

 them. Hardy plants, for Spring Bedding, have to be 

 prepared in a reserve garden or border, for transferring, 

 some time during September and October, to the posi- 

 tions where they are intended to flower. Many that are 

 well adapted for the purpose are only of annual dura- 

 tion, and these should be raised from seeds, sown in the 

 reserve ground, not later than about the middle of July, 

 the young plants being transplanted and grown on after- 

 wards. 



Amongst hardy annuals, used for Spring Bedding, 

 Silene penditla, and its variety compacta, are indispen- 

 sable. Other valuable plants for the purpose, mostly 

 perennials, are the following ; they are generally of 

 very easy culture : Alyssum saxatile ; Antennaria tomen- 

 tosa, suitable for an edging ; Arabia albida ; Aubrietia, in 

 variety ; Daisy, several double forms ; Tberis, perennial 

 species ; Myosotis dissitiflora, and other species of Forget- 

 me-not ; Phlox, dwarf forms or varieties of P. subulata, &c. ; 

 Polyanthus and hardy Primroses, in great variety ; Pyre- 

 thrum (Golden Feather); hardy Sempervivums ; early- 

 flowering Violas and Wallflowers. In the last-named, 

 the chief colours represented are blood-red and golden- 

 yellow. 



SPRING-BEETLES. A name given to the insects 

 that produce the dreaded Wireworms (which see). 

 The name is derived from the power possessed by these 

 beetles (ElateridcB), when laid on their backs on a hard 

 surface, of leaping a few inches into the air. This power 

 is due to a peculiar mechanism on the back between 

 the thorax and abdomen. It enables the insects to turn 

 over, which they would not otherwise do, because of 

 the shortness of their legs. This habit has also gained 

 for them the popular names of Skipjacks and Snap 

 Beetles. 



SPRING BELL. A common name for Sisyrin- 

 chium grandiflorum (which see). 



SPRING GRASS. A common name for Antho- 

 xanthum (which see). 



SPRINGIA. A synonym of Ichnocarpus (which 

 *). 



SPRING SNOWPLAXE. A common name for 

 Lencoium verntun (which see). 



SPRING USHER MOTH. See Hybernia. 



SPRING-WEEVILS. A group of Weevils which 

 possess powerful thighs, especially in the last pair of 

 legs, and are thus able to leap several inches. See 

 Orchestes. 



SPRUCE PIR. A term applied to Dacrydium 

 cupressinum, several species of Picea, Ac. 



SPRUCE-GALL APHIS (Cherme* Abietis). The 

 maker of curious galls on the young twigs of Spruce- 

 trees, especially in crowded plantations. In such situa- 

 tions, Spruces are often loaded with the galls of this 

 insect. They resemble young cones or miniature pine- 

 apples, whence they are often called Spruce Pine-apple 

 Galls. When situated at the tips of young branches, 

 they are usually quite regular in form; but when the 

 base of the twig is affected, the Gall, though generally 

 larger than when near the tip, is often confined to one 

 side of the twig, which becomes much swollen, while the 

 other side remains stunted. When full-grown, the Galls 

 vary from Jin. to IJin. in length, by about two-thirds as 

 much in breadth, and consist of the swollen, overlapping 

 bases of the leaves of the twig, which assume the ap- 

 pearance of scales, frequently prolonged into short, green 

 tips. The galls are often red, but may be yellowish or 

 pale green, according to exposure to, or absence of, light. 

 While fresh, they are fleshy in texture ; but, after a time, 

 the scales gape apart, exposing numerous cavities between 

 their bases, and become woody and brown. In this con- 

 dition they frequently remain for months, or even for 

 years, on the trees, the branches of which are often 

 loaded with such dry galls, the growth of several pre- 

 vious years. 



The gall-makers are Aphides, belonging to the genus 

 Chermes, distinguished from most of the Aphides by the 

 short, stout antennae, the absence of honey-tubes, and 

 the simple, unbranched veins in the fore wings. The 

 species is C. Abietis, sometimes known also as Adelges 

 Abietis. The insects vary a good deal, according to their 

 stage of development and their BOX. The originators of 

 the galls are wingless, viviparous females, which are very 

 small, ochreouR-yellow (with green or purple shades and 

 green legs), woolly, and oval. These females hybernate 

 on the branches ; and in spring each fixes herself near 

 the base of a bud when it begins to grow, and, pushing 

 in her beak, she thus at the same time obtains her own 

 food, and, by the irritation she causes, gives rise to the 

 'swelling of the young leaves that form the gall. Between 

 the swollen leaves are cavities, in one of which she is 

 sheltered ; and here she lays numerous eggs, which are 

 covered with the woolly coating of her body. The 

 larvae soon emerge from the eggs. They spread over 

 the gall, and, by the irritation their suction causes, 

 increase the size of the gall, the scale-leaves overlapping 

 and covering them, in the opinion of some observers ; 

 whilst others believe that the larvae creep, through 

 minute slits, into pre-existing cavities between the 

 scales. In the cavities they become pupae, and about 

 Jane and July winged females are numerous. These are 

 much larger than the wingless females, and are yellowish- 

 green or golden-brown, with short, green legs, and hori- 

 zontally-folded, broad wings. . The males are very rare ; 

 they are very small, and wingless. The winged females 

 soon scatter themselves over the trees, and lay eggs, 

 from which, in due time, the wingless females are again 

 developed. 



Remedies. The best, where applicable, is to pick off 

 and destroy the galls while young, before the insects 

 have spread from them over the plants. Badly-infested 

 trees or branches should be burned without delay. The 

 galls should not merely be thrown on the ground, as 

 they contain enough sap to permit of the insects coming 

 to maturity in them after their removal from the trees. 

 Overcrowding, deficiency of air and light, and bad 

 drainage, greatly increase the risk to the trees of injury 

 from these galls ; hence, judicious thinning, draining damp 

 soils, and, in fact, whatever tends to strengthen the 

 trees, are all useful preventives of injury. 



SPRUCE FINE-APPLE GALL. See Spruce- 

 Gall Aphis. 



3<J 



