March 3,1863.] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



175 



the publications of the Natural History and Entomological 

 Societies of Moscow, Munich, the Netherlands, and Canada, with 

 various other works, were announced. Certificates in favour of 

 Dr. John Leconte, of New York, and Messrs. Lacordaire and 

 Hagen as foreign honorary members of the Society, were read. 

 The President nominated Messrs. Pascoe, Waterhouse, and 

 Grut to be the Vice-Presidents for the ensuing year. 



The Secretary exhibited a small bos of " manna" collected in 

 Tasmania, being an exudation from the young branches of the 

 White Gum trees caused by the punctures of a species of Eury- 

 mela, a genus of Hemiptera, allied to our common Cuckoo-spit 

 insect or Erog-hopper, and which infests the trees in the same 

 manner as our Rose Aphides. The exudation rapidly hardens, 

 and dries into a white saccharine mass, and is collected and eaten. 



Mr. Frederick Bond exhibited two remarkable monstrosities 

 occurring in Colias hyale, the pale-clouded yellow Butterfly, one 

 of the fore wings of which was not more than half the size of the 

 opposite wing ; and a female of Lycsena Adonis, in which the 

 right-hand hind wing on the under side was deficient of many of 

 the ordinary markings, and the fore wing on the same side had 

 only two dots. 



Mr. Waterhouse read a communication on Homalota soror, 

 and several allied species of minute British Rove Beetles. 



Mr. Haward exhibited a collection of Coleoptera collected by 

 himself in central Europe, containing many very fine and rare 

 species. 



Mr. Stainton, on behalf of Mr. Healy, exhibited some Bramble 

 leaves, within the burrows of which were visible the cast skins of 

 the larvco of a species of Nepticula. He also read some notes on 

 the peculiarities observable in the moulting of the caterpillars in 

 this group of little Moths, by which it appeared that, although 

 the larva state in the summer time lasted only a few days, in the 

 middle of January it required four days to enable the larva to 

 complete its moult. 



Mr. McLachlan read a paper on Anisocentropus, a new genus 

 of North American Trichoptera (Caddice Flies), with descriptions 

 of five species ; and also on a new species of the genus Dipseu- 

 dopsis belonging to the same order of insects. 



Professor Westwood exhibited drawings of the species of 

 Lucanidre, collected in Gipps' Land at the south-eastern extre- 

 mity of New South Wales, forwarded by Dr. Howitt. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN- GARDES. 

 The preparation of the various quarters designed for main 

 crops to be persevered in whenever the soil is dry enough to 

 admit of being trodden on without being too much consolidated. 

 This is of great importance on heavy stiff soils, and those who 

 have such to deal with Bhould take advantage of every dry day 

 that occurs. On such soils, too, it will be advisable to defer 

 sowing main crops for a week or even a fortnight. But on light 

 dry soils the sooner the main crops are put in the better, 

 because such soils are most liable to suffer from drought should 

 it occur ; and, therefore, the sooner the crops become well esta- 

 blished the more likely will they be to resist its effects ; if, on 

 the contrary, the season should be a wet one, they will also be 

 in the best possible condition to profit by it. Scans, plant out 

 Mazagans from boxes and pots. Sow Longpods, regulating the 

 quantity by the demand. Cabiags, sow another patcli of any 

 early sort, and a few Red for winter use ; also, the true Drum- 

 head Savoy. Cauliflower, prick out the young seedling plants 

 either on a warm border or a gentle hotbed, to be sheltered in 

 unfavourable weather with hoops and mats. Celery, the first 

 sowing to be pricked-out as soon as it can be well handled, and 

 another sowing made of both Red and White. Leeks, sow for a 

 principal crop. Lettuce, priek-out the young seedling plants, to 

 be treated as advised for Cauliflowei'9. Onions, the principal 

 crops should now be sown. The Deptford, Old Brown Globe, 

 James's Keeping, and White and Brown Spanish are good sorts. 

 Sow them in beds of 4 feet wide, and in drills 9 inches apart, 

 and if you can obtain it, sow some charred refuse along the drills 

 before eovering-in. When the beds are raked smoothly over and 

 the surface is a little dry, pass a wooden roller over them several 

 times, as Onions succeed best when the soil is well consolidated. 

 Parsley sow a good breadth of the best Curled. Peas, on light 

 soils lose no time in gettiug-in the main crops of summer sorts, 

 together with a few of the later kinds. Potatoes, plant both 

 early and late varieties. Those who plant early generally suc- 



ceed best. Whole tubers of middling size arc preferable to cut 

 sets. Persevere in hoeing, forking, and other surface-stirring 

 amongst all advancing crops. 



FEOWER GAEDEN. 

 The digging of flower-borders must now be commenced in 

 good earnest, in performing which use the fork in preference to 

 the spade. All kinds of herbaceous plants may now be planted, 

 either to fill-up empty spaces or to make new plantations in 

 borders which have undergone a . course of preparation this 

 season. Pay particular attention to the arrangement of these as 

 regards height, colour, and succession of flowers. Bear in mind 

 that a large profusion of bloom alone does not make a flower- 

 border beautiful and attractive, unless the plants are disposed 

 in such a manner that harmony of colouring may prevail through- 

 out the whole. Proceed with the planting of hardy Roses. Con- 

 tinue the pruning and nailing of climbers ; also, the arranging 

 and tying of such as are against trellises, verandahs, &c. Those 

 walks which have become dirty on the surface or are overrun 

 with moss Bhould he turned, which will give a fresh and clean 

 appearance to the surface. Look over autumn-planted beds of 

 Carnations, Pinks, and Pansies, and press down firmly those 

 plants which have been partially raised out of the ground by the 

 late frost. Stir the surface of Tulip and Hyacinth beds where 

 they are aboveground. Look to the sowing of annuals. 



FETJIT GAEDEN. 

 Pruning should now be quite finished in every department, 

 and whatever nailing was left undone must be finished imme- 

 diately. See that newly-planted fruit trees are properly staked 

 and mulched ; and after high winds it is necessary to look round 

 them, and to press the earth gently round the base of the stems. 

 All danger of very severe frost being over, Figs may have the 

 coverings completely removed, and be neatly pruned and nailed ; 

 do not crowd them with wood. 



FOECING-FIT. 

 Continue to introduce plants of Hydrangeas, Roses in varie- 

 ties, Pinks, Carnations, Rhododendrons, Kalmias, Heliotropes, 

 and Azaleas. Shake-out a hatch of last year's Fuchsias, Ery- 

 thrinas, and Salvia patens, and place them in bottom heat. Sow 

 Balsams, Cockscombs, Globe Amaranths, &c. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Stop any strong-growing shoots of Camellias that are taking 

 the lead when their blooming season is over. Commence syring- 

 ing freely on every fine morning such Heaths as are freely making 

 their growth, and those that have lately finished blooming. 

 Examine the soil of such plants as the different kinds of Acacia, 

 Genista, Cytisus, Nerium, Eutaxia, Myrtles, the varieties of 

 Cactus, and others that may have been resting in the greenhouse 

 for a time, to see if the drainage is all right, and that no plant is 

 suffering for want of water. Many an old corner requires rout- 

 ing-out, and the plants brought forth to receive proper attention. 

 EIT8 AND FRAMES. 



Those who have not yet attended to the propagation of plants 

 for bedding-out must now begin with all possible speed to put 

 in cuttings of Verbenas, Petunias, Fuchsias,Heliotropes, Lobelias, 

 &o., so as to have good plants for bedding-out in May. Pay due 

 attention to watering, and topping-back weak and straggling 

 shoots, so as to lorm robust bushy plants. If any slugs or Bnails 

 have snug quarters here they will do much mischief if they are 

 not looked after sharply, and destroyed as Bpeedily as possible. 



W. Keake. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 

 We seemed to be rejoicing overmuch over the few days' sun, 

 as again we have had a week of a leaden sky, with scarcely a 

 peep of sunlight to cheer us, though good for carrying on work 

 out of doors requiring muscular energy. Stirred the soil among 

 crops ; sowed succession Peas and Beans, in the open air, cover- 

 ing them with burnt refuse to keep off slugs and mice, throwing 

 also a little barley awns along the rows for both purposes, as it 

 pricks the sleek sides of the former, and sticks in the beard of 

 the latter. The greatest trouble at this season is with grass mice, 

 and they are caught with most difficulty, as they will take little 

 except what is green. Some boys are good at catching them 

 with hair and small wire-trap nooses placed in their runs, much 

 in the same way as poachers manage hares and pheasants. They 

 saved us some time ago the trouble of nipping over some Cal- 



