478 London Hurlicultural Society/ and Garden. 



rushing forth, and meant to insph-e terror, but in vain. In like manner, a Cupid, 

 in the branches of a tree, was threatening to shoot his arrows at the passers 

 by." (Briefe einers Verstorbenen, vol. iii. p. 205.) 



The Gothic villa alluded to in the above letter was built by Dr. Hopper; the 

 other by Mr. Orme, the printseller of Bond Street, after he had retired from 

 business; a proof that familiarity with fine pictures does not always improve the 

 taste. — Cond. 



A fine Elm, in a field close by the road leading towards Woburn Sands, and 

 about half a furlong from Woburn, was struck by the electric fluid on 

 Thursday last (Aug. 24.), " and the bark stripped from the top of the highest 

 branch down to the root. The strip appeared very narrow at the top, and 

 gradually increased to about 8 in* in breadth near the bottom, where the 

 electric fluid entered the earth. Another elm, near the residence of Capt. 

 Hoare, in the parish of Waverden, was also struck, and split from top to 

 bottom, the rent towards the bottom penetrating about a foot into the solid 

 part of the tree." (Morn. Cliron., Aug. 28.) [We should be glad to know from 

 any of our readers in the neighbourhood of Woburn, whether there were any 

 pines or firs in the immediate vicinity of the elms, and of equal height ; and 

 whether these escaped unhurt ? Our object is to confirm or disprove the 

 hypothesis, which states that resinous trees (resin being a non-conductor) are 

 less liable to be struck with lightning than broad-leaved trees. — Cond.] 



Art. VII. The London Horticultural Society and Garden. 



July 18. 18.37. — Exhibited. Balsams, dahlias, Gnaphalium eximium, A^e- 

 penthes distillatoria, Oocidium papilio, j&'rica hvuniades ; Clerodendrum fra- 

 grans, double; Amaryllis sp.,Pimelea hlspida, Alstroemeria pelegrina, Catasetum 

 liiridum, Gardoquia Hooken', and Alstroemerz« psittacina; from Mr. Dunsford, 

 gardener to Baron Dimsdale. A collection of heartsease, pinks, and two 

 picotees, from Mr. Thomas Hogg. Peaches, nectarines, grapes, a new 

 green-fleshed melon (Windsor prize), and two dwarf crimson coxcombs, from 

 Mr. P. Flanagan, F.H.S. Peaches and nectarines, from Mr. Errington, gar- 

 dener to Sir P. G. Egerton, Bart. Apples of 1835 and 1836, from Lord 

 Wm. Fitzroy. 



From the Garden of the Society. Phacelia tripinnatifida, Quisqualis indica, 

 Combretum purpureum, Z/vchnis Bungea?i«, jLilium japonicum, Gih'a tenui- 

 flora, Alstrcemeri« pulchella, Chelone nemorosa, Spirse^a oriajfolia, Philadel- 

 phus GiOYdomdnus, P. grandiflorus (from Mr. Gowan), Chinese, Noisette, 

 and garden roses ; dahlias. 



Awarded. A silver Knightian medal to Mr. Errington, for nectarines. A 

 silver Banksian to Mr. Flanagan, for Grapes l and to Mr. Dunsford, for Ca- 

 tasetum luridum. 



Aug. 1 . — Dr. Henderson in the chair. Dr. Lindley read a copy of an 

 address which had been delivered to Her Majesty by the Duke of Devonshire, 

 requesting her royal patronage, which was accorded, A paper was read " On 

 a simple and effective Mode of killing the Red Spider, Green Fly, Thrip, and 

 Scale, without injury to Plants." It merely consisted in putting the pots 

 or plants into a frame, well closed, and then laurel leaves, well bruised, 

 between them ; when, in the course of one hour, the whole of the spiders and 

 flies would be destroyed by the odour, which, of course, is that of prussic acid ; 

 while the thrip and scale would be destroyed in about eight hours ; the 

 night time being most favourable for the experiment. For a house 20 ft. by 

 12 ft., two bushels of leaves would be sufficient. 



It is known to entomologists that a bruised leaf of the common laurel, put 

 into a pill-box, along with a humble bee, will kill it in a few seconds. As 

 there is a good deal of prussic acid in the leaves of the peach and nectarine, 

 when these trees get their summer prunings, perhaps some use might be made 

 of the bruised leaves, by laying them in melon-frames, in which the plants 



