Jtme 29, 1871. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTUEB AND COTTAGB GABDENEB. 



461 



This resulted from the pitchers being quite turned over at the 

 top so aa to form a full rounded dome, and tlie uppermost half 

 of the pitcher being of a decided ripe pear-yellow. They are 

 all twisted spirally, especially in their upper portion. Each 

 pitcher had at the bottom a layer of from 2 to 5 inches of 

 the remains of insects closely packed into it; from those of 

 minute beetles to large feathery moths. What it is that attracts 

 the insects is by no means clear. Pass a sharp knife through a 

 lot of brown pitchers withering round an old plant, and the 

 stumps resemble a number of tubes, densely packed with the 

 remains of insects. Within the pitcher the surface is smooth 

 for a little way down ; then isolated hairs appear ; and soon the 

 chamber becomes densely lined with needle-like hairs, all point- 

 ing down, so decidedly indeed, that they almost lie against the 

 surface from which they spring. These hairs are Tery slender, 

 transparent, and about a quarter of an inch long, but have a 

 needle-like rigidity, and are perfectly colourless. The poor 

 flies, (one is shown entering the sac in our drawing) moths, 

 ladybirds, &c., seem to travel down these conveniently arranged 

 stubbles, but none seem to turn back. The pitcher, which 

 may be a couple of inches wider at the top, narrows very gradu- 

 ailj, and at its base is about a line in diameter. Here, and 

 for some little distance above this point, the vegetable needles, 

 of course, all converge, and the unhappy fly goes on tiU he finds 

 his head against the thick firm bottom of the cell, and his rear 

 against myriads of bayonets ; and here he dies. Very small 

 creatures fill up the nan-ow base, and above them larger ones 

 densely pack themselves to death in the hope of fighting their 

 way out. "Wlien held with the top upwards, sometimes a 

 neddish juice with an exceedingly offensive odour drops from 

 them. — {Treasmij of Botany — Nature ) 



WOKK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



Let there be no delay in planting out a good breadth oi 

 White and Purple Cape Broccoli, also Cauliflowers and Grange's 

 Early White Broccoli ; the latter, if trne, is invaluable late in 

 autumn. Trench up ground and fill it with similar vegetables 

 as the early crops go off ; not one vacant spot or corner should 

 now be left nncropped. Break down the leaves over the heads 

 of the most forward Cauliflowers, and keep up a good supply oi 

 stimulants. See that Cucumbers and Vegetable Marroics do 

 not want for liquid manure and water ; peg down the bines as 

 they advance, and attend to stopping. A fall sowing of Endive 

 may be made for the main crop, and if any were sown in May 

 the plants had better be thinned, and the thinnings replanted. 

 We do not recommend early sowing, because Lettuces are 

 much superior for any purpose for which Endive can te re- 

 quired at this season, and therefore it is advisable never to sow 

 nntil all danger of its running to seed is oyer. The Small 

 Green Carled is the hardiest for winter use, but for the autumn 

 crop the Large Green Carled is a splendid Endive, planted in 

 very rich soil at 2 feet apart. This sort will not bear severe 

 frost, nor does it keep in store so well as the Small Green 

 Carled, and therefore for all late purposes the latter should 

 only be sown. The large Batavian Endive is also a useful 

 variety where Chicory is in request for salads. Thin and 

 earth-up and stop advancing crops of Dwarf Kidney Beans, 

 and BOW the latest suceesaional crop. Take the first oppor- 

 tunity, as soon as the Herbs of various kinds are sufSeiently 

 advanced, to eat a portion for drying; the best time is as soon 

 as the blossoms are expanded, because they then contain most 

 of the aromatic principle. We need not add that they must 

 be perfectly dry, and dried qviiokly in the shade. Tie up 

 Lettuces for blanching, and make successional sowings, and of 

 BadisTies, and other salads. Keep np the sowings of Spinach. 

 Make the last sowing of Scarlet Runners, and give those ad- 

 vancing a little assistance in training up the stakes. Persevere 

 in hoeing and forking up the surface of the soil in every 

 department ; it is the groundwork of success. 



rsUIT GAKDEN. 



The season lately having been what is called a growing one, 

 increased diligence must be used in keeping all young wood 

 properly nailed to the walls to guard against the effects of 

 high winds. Gooseberries and Garrants trained against north 

 walls should have the leaders nailed in, and all the side shoots 

 spurred down to within a few joints of the base. Peaches, 

 Nectarines, and, indeed, wall trees in genera], will be occasion- 

 ally benefited by strong syringings, whether infested with 

 ■aphides or not, because, independent of washing all filth, which 

 <of itself is a good thing, it disturbs and rants ont woodlice, 



earwigs, and other vermin, which are sure to congregate 

 amongst the shreds and at the back of the shoots, and which, 

 if left undisturbed, will tell a tale by-and-by. Let the Straw- 

 berries be well gathered as they become ripe, for if left on they 

 retard the swelling and ripening of those remaining. Con- 

 tinue the thinning of Grapes, and keep the growth judiciously 

 stopped. 



FLOWER GAEDEN. 



The weather has of late been most unfavourable, but the 

 rain has fallen so copiously as to put a stop, for some time at 

 least, to the laborious operation of watering. Plants in masses 

 that have been pegged down are growing rapidly, and the Ver- 

 benas are throwing out strong healthy roots from the stem, 

 thus showing the advantage of pegging down. Depend upon 

 it, the closer we can get all plants in masses to the surface of 

 the ground, the more certain shall we be of success, for from 

 their proximity to the soil a more robust and rapid growth is 

 secured. Advantage should be taken of showery weather to fill 

 up all vacancies in beds or borders, also to plant out German 

 Asters, Ten-week Stocks, Marigolds, and other annuals, to 

 fill up all the empty spaces io the flower borders. Attend to 

 rolling and mowing the lawn, weeding, sweeping and rolling 

 walks, and to hoeing, raking, and stirring the surface of the 

 ground. Continue to peg down all plants that require it. 

 Support and regulate the shoots of climbers. Stake and tie 

 up all tall- growing plants. Prick-out biennials into nursery 

 beds. Destroy earwigs and all kinds of destructive insects. 

 Strive to keep up as complete an appearance of high keeping 

 as the number of your hands and other means will permit. 

 Eeduce occasionally some of the blossoms in the bud state on 

 some of the very free- flowering Perpetual Boses. Let gross 

 shoots on fancy Eoses be pinched when a few eyes long, after 

 the manner of fruit trees. Patches of Musk as edgings should 

 have the tops cut off, or it grows wild. 



GKEENHOUSE AND OONBEEVATOBY. 



Most of the finer kinds of hardwooded plants will now be out 

 of bloom, and, consequently, due attention must be paid to 

 starting them for another season. Some, such as Boronias, 

 Epacrises, &c., will require eutting-in rather closely; and, 

 indeed, as loose straggling plants are at a discount now, use the 

 knife liberally wherever and on whatever it is found necessary. 

 Somo of the plants will probably want shifting, and this should 

 not be delayed on any account longer than the middle of the 

 month. After the plants have been pruned-in, and the old 

 flowers and the seed-pods removed, arrange them neatly under 

 a north wall on ashes, allowing plenty of space for a free cir- 

 culation of air on all sides, and also provide a temporary stage, 

 so that an awning can be thrown over the plants during heavy 

 falls of rain. After the plants begin to grow, those which have 

 not been recently potted will be benefited by an occasional 

 application of weak manure water prepared from guano or 

 from sheeps' dung and soot. Keep a sharp look-out for insects 

 of all kinds, also mildew, and give the plants, if the weather is 

 dry, a sprinkling once or twice a-week from the garden engine. 

 The early-blooming Pelargoniums must now, if the wood is 

 thoroughly ripe, be cut in preparatory to the coming season. 

 Do not spare the knife, and after thoy are all cut-in place the 

 plants in a shady situation, so that they may break strongly 

 and regularly. Due attention must also be paid to providing a 

 stock of Scarlet Geraniums for winter blooming, by growing 

 them throughout the summer in the full sun without allowing 

 them to bloom, and by getting nice healthy plants, of medium 

 growth, rather than over-luxuriant ones. Calceolarias which 

 have done blooming should have their flower-stems removed 

 forthwith, and the plants should be afterwards in a shady 

 situation under the protection of a frame. Take care that they 

 are perfectly free from insects, and to keep the thrips, which 

 is a deadly enemy at bay. Famigate the frame about once 

 a-fortnight with tobacco. Many of the showy specimens of 

 superior stove plants should be removed to these structures at 

 this period, provided they are coming into blossom. The large 

 Clerodendrons, Ixoras, Stephanotis, Pergularias, Gardenias, 

 Plumbagos, Liliums, Jasminums, Erythrinas, ifcc, are of this 

 class. These when highly cultivated begin at this season to 

 press on their weaker neighbours, and their beauty will, more- 

 over, be longer preserved if they are slightly retarded, a greater 

 depth of colour also will be produced under a moderate tem- 

 perature. Look well to the training of trellis climbers whether 

 in pots or out, and frequently stop the points of growing young 

 stock. 



STOVE. 



Many of the basket Orchids will soon be protruding their 



