eccremoca'rpus. 9 



1 



ECHINOCACTUS. 



character for the mischief that it does I 

 not do ; while that which it really 

 does, passes comparatively without 

 notice. Many persons destroy earwigs 

 whenever they see them, from a fear 

 of their creeping into the ear, and, by 

 eating through the drum, occasioning 

 deafness, — though this is what they 

 cannot do ; while hut few persons, 

 except florists, are aware of the great 

 mischief that they do in flower-gar- 

 dens, and that they should be de- 

 stroyed on that account, with as much 

 care as slugs, snails, or wood-lice. 

 They are particularly fond of attach- 

 ing flowers in the bud ; and they 

 destroy, in this manner, great num- 

 bers of Dahlias and Carnations. They 

 also attack -bulbous-rooted plants, 

 and all flowers that have plenty of 

 petals. Many expedients have been 

 devised to catch these troublesome 

 insects, and, among others, troughs of 

 water have been placed round parti- 

 cular plants. These are, however, of 

 no avail ; as the earwigs are furnished 

 with wings, though they are so deli- 

 cate in their texture, and fold into 

 such little space, as to be rarely seen. 

 Earwig-traps are also formed of hol- 

 low pieces of cane, or rhubarb-stalks, 

 and sometimes of wood, or even of 

 tin. The earwigs feed during the 

 night, and creep into these hollow 

 tubes in the morning, to avoid the 

 heat of the sun ; and consequently 

 may be shaken out and killed, at any 

 time during the day. The earwig 

 differs in its habits from other insects, 

 in regard to its young ; as it sits on 

 its eggs, and broods over the young 

 ones, like a hen over her chickens : 

 most other insects, on the contrary, 

 die as soon as they have laid their 

 eggs, which they leave to be hatched 

 by the sun, and the young to take care 

 of themselves. 



Eccremoca'rpus. — Bignoniacece. 

 — E. scaber, Ruiz et Pavon ; (Ca- 

 lampelis scabra, D. Don.) — A half- 



hardy climber, of exceedingly vigor- 

 ous growth, producing a great profu- 

 sion of orange-scarlet flowers, and 

 ripening abundance of seed. It will 

 grow in any common garden-soil; and 

 if cut down to themot in autumn, and 

 covered with dead leaves, straw, or 

 anything to preserve it from the frost 

 during winter, it will shoot up again 

 the following spring. It may be pro- 

 pagated by cuttings struck under a 

 bell-glass; but it ripens seeds so 

 freely, that it is most easily raised from 

 them. They should be sown in 

 autumn as soon as they are ripe on a 

 slight hotbed ; and the plants, which 

 should be kept in a frame or gi"een- 

 house, should be shifted two or three 

 times till they are ready for planting 

 out in April or May. They should be 

 watered and shaded for a day or two, 

 till they seem established ; but after 

 that they will require no farther care, 

 except a little training, if they are 

 wanted to cover any particular part of 

 the wall, &c. 



Echinocactus. — Cactacece. — 

 Round-shaped Cacti, which take their 

 name from their resemblance in form 

 and spines to a curled-up hedgehog. 

 There is, however, a great degree of 

 confusion about them, and some spe- 

 cies that are called Echinocacti by 

 some botanists, are called Melocacti 

 by others; and those with very long 

 tube-shaped flowers have lately been 

 called Cereus, because their flowers 

 in their construction resemble those 

 of the other plants belonging to the 

 genus Cereus. Whatever botanic 

 name may be given to them, all 

 the round-shaped, ribbed, spiny, or 

 porcupine Cacti, require the same 

 treatment ; that is, to be grown in 

 vegetable mould, mixed with pounded 

 bricks, or lime rubbish, and allowed 

 bottom-heat where practicable. The 

 pots should be drained with cinders ; 

 and the plants should be frequently 

 watered, but the water should never 



