92 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ August 1, 1872. 



cast aside. Another Bose is Charles Lefebvre. How seldom 

 does one see it grown to perfection, even in the largest gardens, 

 arid yet it is, when properly treated, the grandest of all Boses, 

 exciting universal admiratioD. 



Distinctness is another point of great importance in select- 

 ing. There are so many flowers so exactly alike, that it is 

 impossible for an ordinary rosarian to distinguish between 

 them ; only some professional captain of a hundred thousand 

 can decide by the foliage that Madame is not Mademoiselle. 



Now, a word or two on cultivation. If I am ashed to name 

 a~rule which more than another tends to the production of 

 fine blooms and healthy plants, I say the rule of thumb — 

 that is, rubbing out with the thumb, during the earliest stages 

 of growth, all branches crossing one another, especially those 

 from the outside to the centre of the plant. If this is pro- 

 perly and regularly done hardly any pruning will be necessary, 

 only the shortening of the branches. Again, whenever a very 

 fine bloom, either in colour or symmetry (not size), is ob- 

 served, slip off the buds immediately behind it (which can 

 easily be done without cutting off the branch or bloom) , and 

 insert them in the best stocks. By pursuing this course for 

 some years the colour of the flowers will be fresher and more 

 brilliant, and the strain of the variety manifestly improved. 

 With Tea Boses, plump ripe buds -of which are generally diffi- 

 cult to obtain, this is an excellent plan. 



In conclusion, I would recommend French nippers for 

 pruning ; those by Borel, of Paris, are the best. Hitherto 

 there has been some trouble in obtaining them, but I am glad 

 to find that Messrs. Weiss & Son, the eminent cutlers in the 

 Strand, have imported some, and for something under 10s. an 

 instrument can be obtained which hardly ever requires sharp- 

 ening, will cut both old and new wood, and save much stoo]i- 

 ing — no slight recommendation to old heads and limbs. — 

 C. M. W. 



PREDATORY INSECTS OF OUR GARDENS. 



Ik some very interesting remarks which have appeared in 

 your Journal on " Some Predatory Insects of our Gardens," 

 No. 32 of the series, it is stated that Liparis chrysorrhceais too 

 scarce to be troublesome. This is at the present day true, at 

 least as far as my observation goes, but when I commenced 

 entomology, some thirty years ago, it was very common in my 

 native place (Lewes). I have seen hedges defoliated by the 

 larvae, and I have no doubt that Plum trees would suffer very 

 much by its ravages if the insect ever became common again, 

 which is quite possible. The larva? is hairy, and I do not doubt 

 that, in common with most hairy larvae, it is not eaten by 

 birds except cuckoos. 



There is a further statement in the same communication 

 which calls for observation — viz., that the larva? of Episema 

 caeruleoeephala have their numbers "reduced by the sparrows 

 and other birds, the caterpillar being conspicuous on the hedges." 



I have found by direct experiment, most carefully conducted, 

 that this species is not eaten by birds, and further, that other 

 brilliantly-coloured larva?, which do not seek concealment, are, 

 as a general rule, rejected by birds. I think it probable that 

 some birds may eat them, but I find that the bulk do not, 

 nor have I by personal observation found any that do eat 

 them. 



The subject is one I have discussed at greater length in two 

 communications to the Entomological Society, which have been 

 published in then- " Transactions." The opinion I entertain 

 is that the brilliant colours of such larva? serve the purpose of 

 warning birds against tasting them, for on the other hand I 

 have found that all dull-coloured larva? which seek conceal- 

 ment, and are often nocturnal in their habits, are greedily 

 devoured. — J. Jexkeb Week, 6, Haddo Villas, Blackheath. 



TRIAL OF BOILERS AT BIRMINGHAM. 

 The following is in continuation of the correspondence we 

 published last week : — 



[itEr-LY TO FUtST COMMUNICATION.] 



" Midland Counties Herald Office, Birmingham, 



" 20th July, 1872. 

 ''DjJAk Snt, — As the boiler trials ceased a fortnight ago, any 

 complaints you have to make in respect of them would now be 

 rather out of date. They should have been made at the time, 

 when they could have been inquired into, and any redress 

 appeared to be called for afforded. The boilers and the ex- 

 hibitors of them are all dispersed and no longer amenable to the 



Committee, so that I do not see what useful end would be 

 answered by the course you propose to take. 



" I am, sir, yours faithfully, 

 "Mr. Cannell, Woolwich." " (Signed), B. A. Hjlllam. . 



[3IK. CAXNELL'S P.EPLY.] 



"Woolwich, S.E. 



" 21st July, 1872. 



"Deab Ses, — In reply to yours, received this morning, in 

 answer to my first communication, I beg to say that I was fully 

 aware that the boiler trial ended a fortnight ago, and had you 

 let us know the result soon afterwards, as should have been done, 

 instead of keeping it to yourself until nearly the end of that 

 fortnight, the same complaint now lodged might and would have 

 been made; and I only regret that the Judges' decision was not 

 made as quickly as our protest, for we are combining together, 

 and as soon as the evidence can be collected it shall be duly com- 

 municated to you, and I sincerely hope that both the Committee 

 and yourself will meet and adjust the complaint in an equitable 

 manner to all concerned. " I am. sir, yours truly, 



" Mr. B. A. HaUam." "(Signed), H. Can-sell. 





"MY GARDEN."* 



In concluding our notice of Mr. Smee's beautifully illustrated 

 work bearing the above title, we shall extract his remarks on 

 the Brussels Sprouts, one of the most useful and profitable 

 vegetables that can be grown in a garden. Some may think 

 it trivial to illustrate such common things as the Cabbage 

 tribe, Parsnips, Carrots, and the like, but it must be remem- 

 bered that Mr. Srnee does not write for gardeners exclusively, 

 but the general public, and there are many of the latter who 

 are not familiar with some of the commonest of our kitchen- 

 garden plants. To show, then, the value of Mr. Smee's book 

 to such persons, we have selected a vegetable which ought to 

 be found in every garden, and another grown in bat few. 



" For winter use," says Mr. Smee, " unquestionably, for a 

 private garden, Brussels Sprouts (Brassica oleracea bullata 

 gemmifera), are of more value than any of the Cabbage tribe. 



They are perfectly hardy, and 

 ■withstand the severest cold ; 

 for this reason they should 

 always be grown in quantity, 

 as they last from the beginning 

 of October till late in spring. 

 The Brussels Sprouts are so 

 called because they throw up 

 a stem about 3 feet high, with 

 leaves aB the way up. In the 

 axils of these leaves minia- 

 ture Savoys or sprouts are 

 formed. It is curious that 

 this vegetal does not remain 

 true in many other places 

 than at Brussels, although 

 true seed may be obtained 

 elsewhere. The produce is 

 very large, for the little heads 

 make up in quantity what they 

 want in size. The head of the 

 Brussels Sprout is a poor Cab- 

 bage-like development, which 

 may be eaten, but is not so 

 good as the little Sprout. 



" The seed of our first crop 

 is sown in the orchard-house 

 in February. The main crop 

 is sown at the end of March, 

 in the open ground. The 

 plants of the first sowing are 

 planted-out in May and June, 

 as ground can be spared, and 

 plants of the second are plant- 

 ed in July. The plants may be 

 placed in rows 2 feet asunder, 

 and 1 foo't apart. 



" In Scotland it is usual to 

 sow the seed of Brussels 

 Sprouts in August for a crop 

 the succeeding year. 



" A small quantity of Kohl 

 Babi( Brassica Caulo-Bapa), is 

 sometimes grown at my gar- 

 den for the cattle. Occasion- 

 ally we have cooked it by way 

 of experiment, but it is, at best, an indifferent vegetal. The 



•> 5 



Brussels Sprouts, one-eighth, diani. 



My Garden, Its Plan and Culture; together with a General Description 

 of its Geology, Botany, and Natural History. By Alfred Smee, F.R.S., &c. 



London: Bell & Daldy. 



