1871 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GARDENER. 



291 



the weeds as ftist as they appear. More specific 

 tlirections, iuchidiiig planting, the distance apart, 

 the depth, and the treatment after flowering, 

 will be given in the remarks introducing each fam- 

 ily. 



CULTIVATION OF BULBS IN WINTEU. 



It is in the house, in the winter, that Bulbs aflford 

 the greatest pleasure. A few dozen Hyacinths, Tu- 

 lips, Crocuses, &c, will furnish useful recreation for 

 months. From the planting of the Bulbs, until the 

 last flower has faded, there is continued excitement. 

 The unfolding of each leaf and bud is watched 

 with the most pleasurable and unabated interest by 

 all members of the family, and by the exercise of a 

 little taste a great deal of pleasure can be derived 

 from the cultivation of Bulbs in water, and at a 

 very little cost. The simplest and cheapest form 

 of a Hyacinth glass, is shown at B. A form 

 preferred by some is seen at B. The most 

 expensive is F, a kind of triple glass, holding three 

 bulbs. The Due Van Thol may be grown in orna- 

 mental pots, like A, or in baskets or boxes of any 

 form. A very satisfactory arrangement is to obtain 

 a common shallow box, ane ornament it with sticks 

 or bark, somewhat like E, and fill it with sandy 

 earth mixed with moss finely broken up. Then 

 plant a row or two of Crocuses on the outside, and 

 fill up with Tulips, Kareissus, Hyacints, &c., mak- 

 ing a miniature bulb garden. After planting, the 

 whole can be covered with moss, such as found on 

 logs in damp woods. The plants will find their 

 way through the moss. 



Hyacinths should be planted in the garden in 

 September, October or November. Make the 

 soil deep, mellow and tolerably rich, and see 

 that the water has a chance to drain ofl". The beds 

 should be narrow, so that all parts can be reached 

 from the alleys or walks. Set the bulbs five or six 

 inches apart and four deep. Before winter sets in, 

 cover the beds with leaves or manure to help keep 

 out the frost. This should be removed as soon as 

 hard frosts are over — in this latitude, the middle of 

 March. For beds of early flowers on the lawn, 

 nothing excels the Hyacinth, A very pretty ar- 

 rangement for a round or oval bed, is one or more 

 rows all around of white, then red and rose about 

 an equal number, and the centre filled with blue. 

 Where beds are small and so near together that 

 they can all be seen at once, it is well to fill each 

 one with a seperate color. — Vick. 



Arctic Plants. — It is said on the White moun- 

 tain tops, Arctic plants are numerous, which are 

 found dowhere else in this country. It has been 

 discovered by a careful botanist that New Hamp- 

 shire has 1440 flowering plants and 410 of the lower 

 orders— in all 1850. 



mtomolo0||. 



Db. S. H. KniDELBAuoH, Editor, Clabinda, Iowa. 



^'"Send in the Insects.— Dr. K. is chairman of the Com- 

 mittee on Entomology for the Statu Horticultural Society 

 and would take it as a favor to he furnished with specimenH 

 of insects from the various localities of the State, by mail 

 during this year. Those sending will please state all they 

 know concerning the habits of the insects sent; what they 

 arc found feeding on, etc. 



Bug Friends of Hortlcniturlsts. 



Db. S. H. Kridelbauqh: I send you to-day 

 some bugs that I have classed as belonging to the 

 Lady-Bug family, and consider them friends of the 

 horticulturist. A friend of mine near this place, a 

 fruit grower, asserts that this insect has done con- 

 siderable damage to his grapes, and the vines. 

 Please let me hear from you in the Wculern PonuA- 

 oijist. 



Geo. Walters. 

 Ft. Scott, Kan. 



Remarks. — Your specimens came to hand in 

 very good condition, and are known among Ento- 

 mologists by the generic na,mc—CoccinneUa, and the 

 specific name— 12-ftota— 12-Spotted Lady Bird, a 

 beautiful red beetle with twelve small black spots 

 on its upper surface or back. A long tried and true 

 friend to the fruit grower, the gardener and the far- 

 mer. It is a cannibal feeder, living on other small 

 insects, plant-lice, aphis and the^eggs of other in- 

 sects, such as Doryphora lO-Utunta, the Col- 

 orado Potato Beetle, et al. It is not a vegeta- 

 ble feeder, and your friend is grossly mistaken con- 

 cerning its injuring grapes and other vines. A 

 microscopic examination of the injured plants 

 would have developed very small insects on them 

 which were aflbrding an abundance of food for the 

 little red and black friends he complains of, who 

 were doing good service for him. 



Another Orchard Enemy. 



Dr. S. H. Kridelbaugh : In this package you 

 will find inclosed an insect which I find upon my 

 apple trees. They are cutting ofl" the young shoots. 

 I first observed them on the 31st of September. 

 Will you tell us through the Pomologist & Gardener 

 what they are and how to get clear of them ? 



I. M. Huglin. 



St. Charles, Madison Co., Iowa. 



Remarks. — Your insects sent with cuttings of ap- 

 ple-tree twigs came to hand all right. The insects 

 are the Common Twig Borer — Bostrichus Bicanda- 

 tus, of Say. For furthur information see answer to 

 A. W. Howard, of Yankton, Dak.^Ter., in Pomologist.', 



