248 Notes and Gleanings. 



dozen plants have been propagated, there may be a constant succession of beau- 

 tiful flowering specimens. 



For drawing-room decoration, I know of no more useful plant, as the flowers 

 do not fade very soon ; and, if small examples are used for this purpose, they will 

 be found invaluable. I have great pleasure in recommending this beautiful plant 

 for all purposes. — I. Wills, in " Cottage Gardener.^'' 



Red Spider on Wall-Trees. — I have long used a wash with soft-soap in 

 it to paint the trees ; and it answers admirably, though it does not prevent red 

 spider. Can I not, by mixing with the lime and soot for washing the wall some 

 small proportion of coal-tar, or, if that be injurious, say of some other stuff as 

 disagreeable to insects, form a poisonous wash, which would deter even red 

 spider from laying eggs on the wall, and at the same time be innocuous to the 

 trees 1 — H. H. 



[It will not do to mix even the smallest portion of coal-tar in your wash for 

 the walls. It would be injurious until so thoroughly dried that it would give off 

 no deleterious fumes ; and, when it came to that condition, it would not deter red 

 spider and other insects from depositing their eggs. We know of no material, 

 poisonous or otherwise, that will keep insects from doing so ; as the substances 

 which would deter insects, would, we fear, also hurt vegetation. You rightly 

 judge that red spider is deterred by sulphur ; but that is chiefly by the fumes 

 sent off by heat, as the red spider will be as merry as possible, will make its 

 webs, and deposit its eggs, amongst nodules of pure sulphur. If a strong heat 

 played on the sulphur, the insects would then be rendered uncomfortable ; but 

 even then we have found them seemingly enjoying themselves on it about three 

 feet from the glass. When a wall is plastered with sulphur, and a strong sun 

 plays on it, the fumes then given off are disagreeable to them.] — English Jour- 

 nal of Horticulture. 



The Griffinia. — One species of this plant, G. hyacinthina, is an old and 

 well-known inhabitant of our greenhouses, albeit somewhat difhcult to flower, 

 and more apt to grow smaller than larger year by year. 



The flowers are very beautiful, of a delicate blue and white, and delightfully 

 fragrant. 



Another species, G.parvijlora, much resembles the last in habit and flower, 

 but is smaller. It probably is only a variety. 



G. i7itermedia has pale lilac-blue flowers, and differs botanically from the two 

 last. G. Liboniana seems to be a garden variety, and has variegated leaves. 



In addition to these, G. Bhwtenavia has lately been introduced from St. 

 Catharine, with flowers of a delicate rosy flesh-color very freely produced. 



All these are natives of Brazil, and should be grown in pots in sandy loam, 

 with the usual culture of amaryllis. — Adapted from Revue Horticole. 



Thunbergia Fragrans. — A lovely plant, quite distinct from the other 

 thunbergias, and invaluable as a pot-plant, or for covering pillars or trellis-work ; 

 being of free growth, with ample dark-green foliage of great substance. It con- 



