434 



JOHENAI, OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ Jane 6, 1455. 



the thread of which possesses considerable lustre, and a 

 single cocoon contains as many as 500 yards of thread. As 

 much as seven waggonloads of the cocoons had been sent to 

 the Technological meeting lately held at Boston, U.S. 



Mr. Stevens exhibited a Shield Beetle (Cassida sp.), found 

 alive in London, which had evidently escaped from a newly- 

 Opened case of Orchids, but which had unfortunately died 

 a few hours previous to the meeting. When alive it pre- 

 sented a brilliant metallic appearance, which faded after 

 death ; and some discussion took place as to the insufficiency. 

 of technical descriptions made from museum specimens of 

 such species, which were of course quite at variance with 

 the appearance of the living insect. 



Mr. Stainton exhibited a nest of hairless caterpillars of 

 some species of Moth, found near Marlborough suspended 

 from a Beech tree by silken threads. 



Mr. F. Smith read a letter recently received from Dr. T. C. 

 Jordan, dated Lahore, IGth March last, in which the writer 

 announced that he had discovered that the wingless Ants of 

 the genus Typhlopone of Westwood were the true workers of 

 the species, of which the strange insects known under the ge- 

 neric name of Dorylus were the winged males. The females 

 of these singular insects have yet to be discovered. 



An ertract was read from Mi-. Waterton's "Wanderings 

 in South America," from which it appeared that the larvse 

 of the Chigoe or Pulex penetrans (when hatched from the 

 mass of eggs contained within the enormously distended 

 body of the female), burrowed into the flesh of the toes in 

 the vicinity of the wound caused by the entrance of the 

 female insect into the flesh. 



A discussion on the luminous powers of the winged Fire- 

 flies of the family Lampyridae took place, the Eev. Hamlet 

 Clark having observed that these insects in South America 

 emitted their flashes simultaneously, so that there was a 

 regular intermission of the Hght, the insects apparently 

 fl.ashing contemporaneously and in concert. Mr. Bates in 

 the Amazons, and Mr. W. Wilson Saunders in India, had 

 not observed any such regularity in the emission of the 

 light, which, on the contrary, appeared to be quite irregular 

 and independent. Mi'. H. Clark also called attention to the 

 ravages of Woodlice in a garden, where a short time ago a 

 quantity of peat had been laid down. 



Mr. Stainton read a notice of a memoir published in the 

 new part of the " Proceedings of the Philadelphia Entomo- 

 logical Society," in which llr. B. Walsh gave an account of 

 the different species of insects found in gaUs upon Willow 

 trees in North America, amongst which were as many as 

 seven different species of Lepidopterous insects — namely, 

 three Tineidje belonging to the genus Gelechia, and four 

 Tortricidoe, the larvte of these Moths feeding upon the sub- 

 stance of the galls, although not the original makers of 

 theai. A variety of Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and espe- 

 cially Diptera, of the genus Cecidomyia, were also found in 

 the galls, of which there were not fewer than ten different 

 species. 



The Eev. H. Clark exhibited a collection of plant-feeding 

 Beetles captured by M. Du Boulay in the district of Cham- 

 pion Bay, West Australia, among which was a remarkable 

 Eumolpid. which has the power of leaping by means of the 

 middle pair of legs, which are thickened. He described a 

 nnmber of these insects, preceded by some observations 

 directed ai^ainst descriptions of isolated species, which cause 

 S3 much trouble to the student. 



Mr. F. Smith read descriptions of some new exotic Hyme- 

 noptera of various families, including three species of Pa- 

 ragia, a remarkable genus of Wasps, and a new genus of 

 Bees having antennic clubbed like those of a Butterfly. 

 ~Mr. Bates read a paper describing four additional new 

 species of South American Beetles belonging to the genus 

 Agra, from the collection of W. Wilson Saunders, Esq. 



TN'OEK FOll TIfE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Now is a good time to carry on a vigorous crusade against 

 WMda, the hoe ought never to be at rest in well-cultivated 

 gardens tiU they are all destroyed. Hajil and Marjoram sown 

 in beds to be thinned out to about 6 inches from plant to plant. 

 Beam, make another sotring, top the most forward crop if not 



yet done. Broccoli, to have the Cape varieties fine the seed 

 to be sown where the plants are to remain, deep drills to.be 

 drawn, and two or three seeds dropped in at the distance 

 of 24 feet apart, slightly cover the seed, and keep watered 

 should dry weather occur. When the young plants come 

 up thin to one plant at the distance named. Cabbage, this 

 is a good time to sow a little seed for autumn produce, any 

 of the small =orts to be preferred for this sowing. Cauli- 

 _flov:ers, plant ont some of the fii'st sowing in the open 

 ground. A small quantity planted from two or three sow- 

 ings will keep up a succession better than the small stunted 

 plants of very early sowings. Cucumbers, peg down the 

 plants on the ridges as they advance in growth, and when 

 the hand-glass will no longer contain them set them on 

 three bricks placed edgeways, or on crotch sticks; when 

 they require water give it them milk-warm in the day. 

 Onions, after thinning loosen the soil between the rows, and 

 if the weather is dry give them a thorough watering. The 

 thinnings of the beds may be planted out, but must, if the 

 weather prove dry, be watered every evening until they 

 take fresh roothold. This must be carefuUy attended to, as 

 the roots will be very near the surface. Peas, the last sow- 

 ing of Knight's Dwarf Marrow should now be made, as it is 

 longer in coming into bearing than any other. Continue to 

 earth up and stick the advancing crops. If the pods of the 

 early crops do not fill well give a good root-soaking, which 

 will be suiHcient for them while they last. Radishes, make 

 another sowing of the v.irious sorts to succeed those sown 

 in the middle of last month. Savoys, plant out some of the 

 early sowing. The dwarf sorts may be planted about 

 11 foot apart in the row, the rows to be 2 feet from each 

 other ; the larger sorts should be 2 feet in the row, and the 

 rows 2i feet apart. Tomatoes, as they are usually planted 

 under a south wall, where they receive but little benefit 

 from a passing shower, they should be occasionally watered, 

 and kept mulched with short litter. Nail and stop the shoots 

 as they advance in growth. Continue to thin the crops 

 while they are small. 



FETIT GABDEN. 



The ravages of caterpillars upon Apple trees about the 



I suburbs of London are truly awful. Among the practices 



adopted by gardeners of the old school was making a fire 



to the windward of the orchard, and allowing the smoke to 



I circulate in clouds amongst the trees. Although we were 



inclined in our younger days to smile at the idea, neverthe- 



I less wo have lately adopted the practice, and can strongly 



recommend it, as thousands upon thousands of caterpillars 



have been dislodged from the trees and fallen to the ground 



suffocated by the smoke and heat. The shoots of Cherry 



trees infested with the black fly should be dipped in tobacco 



water immediately the pest is detected. 



FLOWEE GAEDEN. 



The newly-planted things will require constant watching, 

 as under the best management failures will sometimes 

 occur; these should be made good, and the tying and 

 staking of everj-thing requiring support should on no ac- 

 count be delayed. Where an immediate display is not 

 wanted, the buds may be pinched off for a week or two to 

 encourage the plants to cover the ground. Creepers against 

 walls and trellises should be constantly gone over to tie or 

 nail them in. Standard and pillar Eoses should likewise be 

 looked over to see that they are properly secured to their 

 stakes. Take every means to eradicate all the broad-leaved 

 plants and coarse-growing grasses from the lawn, which. 

 they much disfigure, and keep it closely cut with the .scythe 

 or machine. Strong shoots of Chrysanthemums may soon 

 be layered to produce dwarf compact bushes. Take the first 

 opportunity after a shower of rolling and regulating walks. 

 Hollyhocks should now be staked, tied, and attended to as 

 they advance in growth. Be sure that plants growing in 

 vases, baskets, (Sec, are properly attended to and thoroughly 

 watered in the evenings of hot days. The rosarium should 

 likewise have all the attention that can be spared at this 

 busy season ; remove all suckers, and keep a sharp look out 

 after insects. The Eose has many enemies, from the earwig 

 to the aphis, use all means at hand to destroy these ; though 

 nothing comes up to hand-picking for the destruction of 

 grubs and beetles, it is a tiresome method, yet it is the 

 only one to which recourse can be had with permanent 

 . advantage. 



