Mosses 



Moths 



generation develops from the embryo, which lives 

 parasitically on the mother plant, giving rise to a 

 stalk (seta), bearing at its apex a theca, or capsule, 

 filled with spores and crowned with a calyptra or cap 

 (t he remains of the ruptured arcbegonium). The 

 capsule opens by a lid (operciilum), while the open- 

 ing is surrounded by a single or double row of 

 teeth (peristome), either four or some multiple of it, 

 according to the species. At maturity the spores are 

 liberated, and repeat the life history of the Moss 

 plant. There are no true roots, but their functions 

 are performed by root hairs. 



Propagation. By spores, and vegetatively from 

 almost any part of the plant by gemmae, bulbils, etc. 



Soil. 1 This varies greatly according to the habit 

 of the species, some living on ordinary garden soil 

 if moist or shaded. Others prefer peat, peat bogs, 

 shady walks, and the crevices of stone or brick 

 walls, or they may cover stones, or the base of tree 

 trunks if continually moist. 



Classification. The Bryacesc agree pretty closely 

 with the above life-history, and are tufted or 

 creeping plants. The Phascacese are small 

 Mosses, the spores of which are liberated only by 

 the decay of the capsule. The Andreseacese 

 are tufted Mountain Mosses, without a stalk to the 

 capsule, which splits into four valves from the base 

 upwards. The Sphagnaceie. or Bog Mosses, have 

 large, colourless, empty cells between the green 

 ones, capable of absorbing and retaining moisture. 

 The antheridia and capsule are globose, the latter 

 having no peristome. 



Uses. The species of Sphagnum, or Bog Mosses, 

 are all important to the Orchid grower, as they 

 cither form an ingredient in the compost used for 

 potting or basketing a great number of species, or 

 may be used alone in pots, baskets, or on rafts 

 for certain other speoies. Members of the Bryacese 

 are often used as packing for plants to be sent by 

 post or rail, species of Hypnum being very useful 

 for the purpose. Some of the latter are often 

 dried, dyed, and used for various decorative pur- 

 poses. Cut flowers and even vegetables are some- 

 times bedded in Moss at exhibitions. The surface 

 of pots containing plants are sometimes covered 

 with tufts or sods of Dicranium and other Mosses. 

 Polytrichum commune, or common Hair Moss, when 

 growing luxuriantly in wet, boggy places, is some- 

 times gathered and made into fine brooms. 



Moss on Lawns. When soil becomes very much 

 exhausted or impoverished, or is too constantly 

 moist or shaded, the grass on lawns is liable to die 

 out in patches, its place being taken by Mosses. 

 To remedy this, attention should be given to 

 drainage, and to the reduction of shade from trees, 

 if possible. During the winter months the surface 

 may be raked at intervals, to loosen and break up 

 the Moss. Top-dress the surface with some rich 

 compost, such as soil mixed with well-rotted farm- 

 yard manure. Dressings of soot and nitrate of soda 

 may also be given when the weather is open. If a 

 healthy growth of the grass is encouraged in this 

 way the Moss will disappear. 



Moss on Walks. Walks made of certain gravels 

 are liable to become green with a coating of fine 

 Mosses ; but in moist, shady situations, especially 

 nnder the drip of trees, any gravel will become 



Muss, Spanish (gee TilJandsiatisneoides). 

 Moss Campion (see Silene acatdis). 

 Moss Rose (see Hosti ccntifolia mwscom). 

 Mossy Clipped Oak (see (J-uerctii Cerrif). 



green. A top-dressing of common salt in dry 

 weather will destroy the Mosses. A strong solu- 

 tion of sulphate of copper (blue vitriol) will answer 

 the same purpose. Weed killers obtainable from 

 the dealers are also very effective. 



Moss on Trees. Frnit trees may be kept clear 

 of Mosses, Lichens, and insects by scrubbing them 

 annually or biennially with a solution of common 

 salt. A solution of chloride of lime has also been 

 used very effectively. A common practice is to 

 limewash the trunks of fruit trees, and thus 

 destroy the Moss. The soda-potash solution (see 

 INSECTICIDES) should also be used. 



MOTHS. 



These are insects (Heterocera) forming a section 

 of the order Lepidoptera, and distinguished by 

 their wings being covered with overlapping scales. 

 The colour resides in the scales. Moths may be 

 distinguished from butterflies (Khopalocera) by 

 their horns or antennas being variable in shape, 

 often beautifully feathered, but never clubbed at 

 the end, as butterflies' always are. Butterflies 

 always fly by day ; most of the moths fly by night, 

 but a few by day, or day and night. Contrary 

 to popular notions, some of them are beautifully 

 coloured, including the Tiger Moths (Arctia), some 

 of the Hawk Moths (Smerinthus), Underwing 

 Moths (Triphoena), Gooseberry Moth (Abraxas), 

 the Cinnabar, Moth (Callimorpha), and various 

 others. The females of some are wingless, as in the 

 Mottled Umber (Hybernia defoliaria), Pale Brindled 

 Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria), and Small Brindled 

 Beauty (Nyssia hispidaria) ; or have only rudimen- 

 tary wings' in the Winter Moth (Cheimatobia bru- 

 mata) and Scarce Umber (Hybernia aurantimia). 



All moths pass through four stages namely, the 

 egg, caterpillar or larva, pupa or chrysalis, and 

 imago or perfect state. They grow only in the 

 caterpillar stage, during which time they are 

 voracious feeders according to their size, and are 

 classed as injurious when they feed upon cultivated 

 crops, the amount of injury they cause being 

 proportionate to their size and numbers. Certain 

 of them may do groat damage in one or more dis- 

 tricts, yet be absent from others ; while some may 

 suddenly become a plague for a year or two and 

 then disappear more or less completely, the cause 

 not always being definite. They are practically 

 harmless in all other stages of their life. 



The pupa stage is quiescent, being without legs 

 or wings, the hardened pupa case being enclosed 

 in a silken cocoon suspended from some object, 

 hidden in their burrows in trees or shrubs, or 

 buried in an earthen cocoon in the ground, 

 according to the species. The pupa is the stage, 

 in fact, when the imago or perfect state is being 

 developed. 



There are close npon, if not quite, 2,000 British 

 moths, the larger ones being termed the Macro- 

 lepidoptera : the small ones (by far the more 

 numerous) the Microlepidoptera. For convenience, 

 the whole of them are classified into nine groups 

 as follows : 



1. Sphingina, including the Sphinges or Hawk 

 Moths. They may be distinguished by having 

 their antenna; thickest in the middle and tapering 

 to each end, whereas in all others these organs are 

 thickest at the base. The Death's Head (Acher- 

 ontia Atropos) feeds on Potatoes, but, though 



Motli Mullein (see Verbasctim Jllattaria). 

 Moth Orchid (see Plialtrnopfit). 



