1844.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



869 



^ — * 1 — 1 1 — ■ ■_ ■_ - -< 



the darkest, with a stigmatic spot ; all the nervures are 1 

 piceous, and the anterior thighs are very much inflated 

 (fig. 6 ; the cross lines show the natural sizes of the 

 sexes). These insects, like the Bibios, fly heavily, with 

 their hinder legs hanging down ; and, after sunset, rest 

 sluggishly on herbage and bushes. I have found them 

 in abundance towards the end of May, as well as in 

 August ; from which it may be inferred that there are 

 two broods in a year, or else a succession of them. 



Towards the end of March, 1840, a considerable quan- 

 tity of similar larvae were found under a pot in a Grape- 

 house, where a fungus had been growing ; some of them 

 were more than a quarter of an inch long ; they had 

 spines on the thoracic segments, and one on each side of 

 the folds in the following. I am rather disposed, how- 

 ever, to think they were the larvae of the B. marci at an 

 earlier stage of growth. A correspondent also trans- 

 mitted some larvse last August, which were darker, 

 equally long, but narrower in proportion, and he informed 

 me they were found in a flower-pot containing a Pelargo- 

 nium, which had been watered frequently with water 

 saturated with sheep-droppings. The earth in the pot, 

 as well as that in the Vine-border, was perforated by the 

 larvae in all directions, but the Pelargonium had not suf- 

 fered in health. There can be little doubt, however, that 

 they are prejudicial to the growth of plants, but their 

 economy requires farther investigation before the extent 

 of mischief can be ascertained. So little is known of 

 such matters, that I believe figures of the larva and pupa 

 of Dilophus, and its history, were never before published. 

 — Ruricola, 



ROSE GARDEN. 

 In the list of Roses inserted in the Gardeners* 

 Chronicle on the 14th, one or two errors have crept in. 

 Billiard, Conque de Venus, &c, to Ariel, colour in- 

 tensely bright, &c. This, from colour bright, wood 

 healthy, and growth free, was intended to apply to Bil- 

 liard alone, though the latter qualities suit the others 

 also. Again, Brennus was not intended to participate in 

 the qualities and habits of Mordaunt de Launay, Aimee 

 Vibert, and Conque de Venus. Free in flower, colour 

 rosy lilac, applies to Noisette Bougainville only. 

 Vigorous in growth, colour brilliant white, applies to 

 Madame Hardy only. In the Chronicle of last week 

 the observations following Celestial were intended to 

 apply to the above, and not to the Cerise. — A. II. B. 





Home Correspondence. 



Lisianthus Russellianus. — As this beautiful stove- 

 plant is seldom grown to anything like perfection, I beg 

 to mention the mode of culture by which 1 have grown 

 it to 2J feet in height and 1£ in diameter. About the 

 middle of January the seeds were sown in finely-sifted 

 leaf-mould, and covered slightly over with white sand. 

 The seed-pot was placed in a moderately warm situation, 

 and little water was given until the month of March, 

 when the pot was placed in a brisk bottom-heat, and 

 watered more liberally. The seeds readily germinated, and 

 by the month of May the plants were potted off. The 

 soil used was a mixture of two parts peat and loam, one 

 of three year old cow-dung, and one of leaf-mould, with 

 a proportionable quantity of white sand. These were 

 all well mixed together; the pots were plunged in a 

 Melon-bed, where the bottom-heat was about 85°. 

 During summer the plants were regularly shifted, as they 

 filled the pots with roots, and the shoots were frequently 

 pinched back to cause them to throw out laterals. The 

 roots were kept very moist, and the plants were well 

 watered over-h«ad every night ; frequent waterings of 

 liquid manure were given, which were of much advantage 

 to them. By the month of September they were nice 

 bushy plants, about 8 ins. in height ; they were then re- 

 moved into the stove, where they were placed in a dry 

 situation, and where they enjoyed plenty of light. Dur- 

 ing winter great care was taken not to allow any water 

 to fall on their leaves, and when it was given to their 

 roots it was never allowed to touch the stem, but was 

 applied round the sides of the pot, no more being given 

 than what was necessary to keep the plants from flag- 

 ging. Pieces of glass were placed below the lower leaves, 

 to prevent the latter from being injured by moisture 

 arising from the mould in the pot, for no plant with 

 which I am acquainted is more impatient of damp during 

 winter than this is. As spring approached they began 

 to grow, and were shifted into large pots ; the shoots 

 were all properly staked out at the same time, pinching 

 back the strongest ; the plants were again plunged in a 

 Iiotbed as before ; their roots, as formerly, were kept 

 very moist, and liquid manure was used frequently. 

 Under this treatment they did well, and by the begin- 

 ning of July were covered with a profusion of bloom, 

 which fully repaid my attention. If, after the plants have 

 done j blooming, the old roots are partially reduced, re- 

 potted in smaller pots,* and treated as young plants, 

 they>ill form handsome specimens in the third year. — 

 A. S. y Edina. 



Naturalist's Pocket Almanack. — I fully concur in 

 the opinion of " The Naturalist's Pocket Almanack, for 

 1345," expressed in the Chronicle for the last two 

 weeks ; I cannot conceive upon what principle the Editor 

 introduces many [of his new names for insects ? The 

 two, amongst several, to which I would particularly 

 direct attention, are Steropea and Tephrosia. Now, 

 every person at all acquainted with the nomenclature of 

 insects must be aware that (in England, at least, vide 

 Curtis, Stephens, Westwood's Classification, &c.) Ste- 

 ropus is the appellation of a group of predaceous beetles, 

 and although the u has, unfortunately, been substituted 



for e by the founder of the genus (Megerle), yet I do 

 not conceive that to be a sufficient reason for adopting it 

 as a generic title in another order of insects. Again, 

 the name is a bad one to have given to a butterfly ; for, 

 instead of being dark and one-eyed, as we might fancy 

 the recipient of such a title should be, one species 

 at least is a pretty chequered insect, having, in common 

 with its congeners, a peculiar jerking flight, and might 

 well have received an appellation after some more airy 

 creature than a cyclops. Not so the beetle, which has a 

 fine glossy black or dark-brown coat, and ever delights 

 in dark holes, whence it only emerges to seek for prey. 

 With respect to Tephrosia, although it is a happier 

 name for the insects which the Editor of the " Natu- 

 ralist's Almanack " arranges under it, than Steropes is, 

 yet it must be remembered that Tephrosia has long been 

 used by botanists to designate a genus of plants included 

 in the Natural Order, Leguminosre. If, then, the 

 nomenclature of the various branches of Natural History 

 is to be altered after this fashion, I would ask, How is the 

 student ever to find the particular object for which he 

 is searching ? In fact, in one instance he would look 

 for a butterfly and find a beetle described ; and in the 

 other he would seek for a moth, and the description 

 would answer to a plant. — Stura, Canterbury. 



Autumn Planting of Potatoes In addition to the 



evidence already before the public on the safety and pro- 

 priety of autumnal planting with regard to the Potato, 1 

 may mention that the practice has been followed for two 

 years, with beneficial results, by some of the farmers in 

 Fifeshire. The plants have endured the winter, come 

 up vigorously, and produced an excellent crop- Nor 

 may the period of planting be confined solely to the 

 autumn months ; it is probable that any open weather 

 during winter will be equally suitable for the operation, 

 as the following example may testify : — On the 27th 

 of January last, a portion of a field was planted by 

 J. Williamson, Esq., of Clunie, Perthshire, with whole 

 Potatoes, in a rather poor soil, in a hilly situation ; the 

 stem came up vigorously at the usual period, and the 

 plants yielded, at the time of digging, an excellent crop 

 of fine large tubers. Those, therefore, who have not 

 tested the experiment of autumnal planting, may still, 

 during any interval of fine weather, plant a portion of 

 ground for a trial. — Vidimus. 



Birch Coppice. — The chief cause of Birch-stools not 

 shooting when their main stem or stems have been cut, 

 may be traced to the neglect of properly cutting, or 

 heading down the young trees in the second or third 

 year after they have been planted. When the early 

 heading of the young plants has been neglected, and the 

 trees have attained to 10 or 12 years' growth, there 

 must be always a good deal of uncertainty with respect 

 to their shooting again. From experience I have found 

 that, when the stems have been cut in spring, they have 

 been more apt to send out fresh shoots. To my cost, I 

 was first advised to try the contrary plan of cutting be- 

 fore Christmas, in order to prevent the stems, as it was 

 said, from being weakened by bleeding. I was first led 

 to alter the time of cutting from noticing the vigorous 

 shoots from a few Birch stems which had been acci- 

 dentally cut nearly as late as May. After much thought 

 the bleeding of the stems seems to me to be a favourable 

 symptom, as indicating the liquefaction, and flux and 

 reflux of the sap, which is absolutely necessary for the 

 formation, or at least the bringing into operation, of 

 fresh buds. I have noticed in the stems cut before 

 Christmas, that no bleeding has taken place, and that 

 the fibres of the wood were filled with a hard resinous 

 deposit of concreted sap. Whether this theory be cor- 

 rect or not, I leave to be proved by the observation of 

 others ; yet, in favour of it, I am able to show several 

 single overgrown Birch stems, which were cut as late as 

 March last year, and which bled most profusely, but 

 which have also sent forth an abundance of strong 

 vigorous shoots, and promise to become as good stools 



as I could wish.— A. Forester, Romney.- 1 have also 



suffered from young Birch-trees dying on being cut 

 down ; and I have tried the effect of cutting them at dif- 

 ferent seasons of the year, with but partial success. I 

 have also covered the top of the stem, when cut, with a s mall 

 turf, as recommended by old woodsmen. This fact, 

 however, I have noticed after repeated trials, viz., that 

 if Birch is cut for the first time after planting, before the 

 bark assumes the white appearance it takes a few years 

 after planting, and which happens at earlier or later 

 periods, according to the soil &c, it seldom suffers from the 

 cutting. The same may be remarked of Coppice-stools. 

 It would be very useful if planters would communicate 

 the results of their experience on the subject of cutting 

 Birch in general.— F. Berks. 



Mildness of the Season in Ireland.— I have a Jargo- 

 nelle Pear-tree which blossomed late in October, and 

 from which I inclose a Pear that set from one of three 

 blossoms: it # increased in size, and was evidently still 

 trying to come to perfection, when I cut it. — J. B. 

 Warren, Warren's Grove, County Cork. 



Liquid Manure.— I have tried, and seen tried, several 

 articles under the above name, with varied success, and I 

 have seen such fearful havoc to arise from their use that 

 I have now given them up altogether, and have substi- 

 tuted a manure which is within everybody s reach, and 

 w 



„hich has benefited every plant to which I have applied 

 it. My manure is soot, dissolved or rather mixed with 

 rain-water, in the proportion of one tablespoonful of soot 

 to a quart of water for plants in pots, but for Asparagus, 

 Peas, &c, I use 6 quarts of soot to a hogshead of water. 

 It must never be applied to plants in a state of rest. It 

 succeeds admirably with bulbs. By its means, and with- 

 out artificial heat of any kind, I have now (Dec. 4th) a 



14 



" W. 



\ an Thol Tulip 'in flower on my table, and 1 hope to 

 have Hyacinths in bloom by Christmas day or shortly 

 after.-— X. X. 



To Clear Frames of Insects. .—I have no green- 

 house, but I have put up two shelves (back and front) 

 in a two-light frame. About the middle of October I 

 had everything taken out of the frame, which was then 

 well swept with a birch broom— every crevice in the 

 wood was stopped with putty, and any holes in the 

 bricks, with mortar. I then had sufficient quick-lime 

 put into water to form a mixture, about as thick as bat- 

 ter ; to that I added a quarter of a pound of powdered 

 brimstone, and while hot had every part, shelves, both 

 upper and under sides, supports, and all covered with, 

 the wash as thickly as it could be put on. When dry, 

 this was repeated, and as yet I have scarcely seen an 

 insect, although the pots stand so thickly that it would 

 be difficult to place another among them. From the 

 commencement of the present frost, I have uncovered 

 but once a day, and that is about 11 in the forenoon. I 

 always burn a rushlight, and the piece that remains in 

 the water in the morning is dried. I then put it into a 

 lanthorn, light it, place it in the bottom and middle of 

 my frame, and then close up by putting mats next the 

 glass so as to hang down all around, and over them ft 

 covering of asphalte. With this trifling care and pro- 

 tection, I have now (Dec. 10th) Pelargoniums, Cine- 

 rarias, Fuchsias, Cacti, Primulas, Roses, and various 

 other tender plants, looking as well and healthy at I can 

 desire. I forgot to state that the ground is well drained, 

 and that I put one fourth of ashes in the bottom. I 

 never water a plant in the frame, but take it out whea 

 it requires water, and afterwards restore it to its place. 

 — X. X. [Very good.] 



Lime Putty. — In answer to " A. B. J." I beg to state 

 that lime-putty is lime ground up with raw linseed-oil, 

 and made to the same consistency as that of common 

 putty. — Junius. 



Mode of Destroying Tomtits. — Take mutton-suet, 

 and grate it with a large kitchen grater, such as cookt 

 use ; make balls of the grated tuet, and put a ball of it 

 into a 1. ne net ; hang this on trees in the garden, and 

 Mr. Tom will soon invite all his relations and friends, 

 and the net will soon want another charge. Grate suet 

 again, at before ; and to 1 oz. of suet add 1 scruple of 

 fine powder of nux vomica ; mix this well with the suet, 

 and put it into the net, placing the latter in the same 

 situation as before ; Tom will soon give the signal to hit 

 companions again, but he will not repeat this many 

 times. This plan will possibly answer better than 



W. K.'s" cage. 1 may remark, in passing* that 

 K.'s " redbreast, of which he speaks so much, is 

 as great a thief as can be in a garden, and deserves to 

 be killed as well as Tom. — Scrutator. 



Modern Flower-gardens. — If we want to gain a correct 

 knowledge of any object, we must not only see it, but 

 look attentively at it ; and so also, if we would arrive at 

 correct notions of the principles of modern flower- 

 gardening, we must exercise our understanding in regard 

 to our object, and have a mental power of carrying the 

 image of the object along with us, before anything like 

 agreeable combinations can be produced. Now, I have 

 observed that a square figure, divided into four triangles, 

 and planted with plants of one height, but of two op- 

 posite colours, represents harmony and diversity ; and 

 when these are so arranged that the one side of the figure 

 reflects the other, an agreeable effect is produced on the 

 eye, indicating its healthy state, and at the same time 

 illustrating the whole theory of colours. It is a principle 

 of perspective, that a large figure is more imperfectly 

 seen near a person than a small one, in consequence of 

 the rays of light reflected from the large figure passing 

 by the eye ; and whether it is a square figure divided as 

 above, or one differently arranged, so as it comes within 

 the intersectional angle thus formed by the eye, the 

 principle of planting in both cases will be the same. — C. 



Onions. — I have this year an excellent crop of Onions, 

 both in regard to weight and size ; they were supplied 

 with large quantities of manure out of the tanks in its 

 original state. I should, however, mention that a good 

 deal of pure water also runs into each of the tanks. — 



Omega. 



Scorching Effects of the Sun. — If our hands or our faces 

 are dipped either in cold or tepid water and exposed to 

 the full sunshine till quite dry, they become stiff, and 

 feel for a short time as if in a case of gum. Take a laun- 

 dress's iron, or a poker made hot, dip a piece of linen in 

 water or your hand, and take hold of the poker ; do not 

 remove the hand till either it or the linen is dry, and then 

 if the hand do not exhibit an injured epidermis, I will 

 believe that leaves may not be injured under similar 

 inflictions. Again, it is admitted that leaves of plants 

 are furnished with pores, similar to the breathing-pores 

 of some insects, through which they receive the nourish- 

 ment afforded by the atmosphere, and give off that which is 

 superfluous, as we do by our lungs. In full sunshine they 

 may be expiring or sweating ; and I am inclined to believe 

 that that man M burkes " his plants who would water them 

 under such circumstances ; for, these pores being shut up 

 when wet, may have their expansive muscles injured by 

 the sun and water, and thus the superfluous water or 

 evaporating part, or perspiration, is checked ; the system 

 of the leaf receives a shock similar to that which the 

 human frame would experience from being placed in a 

 draught ; colds, fevers, erysipelas follow from a sudden 

 transition either to one extreme or the other, the body 

 having an unnatural charge put upon it. The active 

 presence of the rays of the sun makes a difference in the 

 effect of the application of water. A large stone slab is 

 laid outside of my drawing-room window, the aspect is 



