45 8 MY GARDEN. 



mates of the gardener, have frequently been destroyed upon the erro- 

 neous supposition that they were hurtful. 



The number of kinds of insects which visit my garden is so vast 

 that it would be impossible to describe them, even if they were all 

 correctly named and classified by the scientific entomologist ; but as 

 all the insects of Great Britain are not up to the present time so 

 arranged, the gardener must content himself with obtaining a general 

 knowledge of the chief groups, distinguishing between those which are 

 useful, detrimental, or ornamental. 



" By myriads, forth at once, 

 Swarming they pour ; of all the varied hues 

 Their beauty-beaming parent can disclose. 

 Ten thousand forms ! ten thousand different tribes ! 

 People the blaze." THOMSON'S Seasons. 



HYMENOPTERA. 



The first great class of insects to which I must call attention is the 

 Hymenoptera, or Membranous-winged insects, such as bees, wasps, 

 and ichneumons. The perfect insect has four veined wings for flight, it 

 has jaws at the mouth, and at the tail either a piercer or a sting. The 

 larvae of some species resemble maggots, as those of the wasp ; the 

 larvae of others resemble caterpillars, as those of the saw-flies. 



This class comprises some of the most useful, as well as some of 

 the most destructive insects which dwell in the garden. The most 

 important insect in my garden is probably the Honey 

 Bee (Apis mellifica, fig. 1017), which is directly useful 

 to the horticulturist in setting the flowers by bringing 

 the pollen of the pistils in contact with the stamens. 

 No one who values a crop of fruit ought to be without 



r IG. 1017. Working * O 



his bees, which should be regarded as a necessary part 

 of his establishment, and kept for the express purpose of setting his 

 flowers, without any ulterior motive as to their production of honey. 

 I always keep three or four hives for this purpose alone. The honey 

 made by our bees tastes so strongly of lavender and peppermint 

 as to impart to it the flavour of physic. 



