746 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



to be early arrested, and " a rapid growth of the central portion of the 

 morphologically upper surface of the leaves ensues, resulting in the 

 formation of a hollow pitcher, the inner surface of which is homologous 

 with the lower surface of the leaf." In some species the pitchers are 

 double : that is, there is a small pitcher within the other. The outer 

 pitchers are large flattish structures of a somewhat oval form, measuring 

 at times 2§ inches by 2 inches. The "inner pitcher " is " formed by the 

 inflexed margin of the outer pitcher," opposite the insertion of the petiole. 

 " One or two roots, arising from the petiole or from points on the stem 

 close to it, enter the pitcher through the orifice and give rise to numerous 

 branches, which in some cases almost fill the cavity." " In all cases 

 more or less soil is present in the outer pitcher among the roots." It is 

 impossible that the soil should find its way into the pitcher by the action 

 of gravity, and " it has been proved that ants frequent the pitchers and 

 make their nests in them," so it is fair to conclude that the soil is brought 

 in by the ants as material for their nests. " To what extent the welfare 

 of the plant is dependent on the food-materials obtained by these pitcher- 

 roots is unknown." Certain suggestions made in the paper as to the use 

 of the inner pitchers, the presence of the hypha? of a fungus, will, the 

 author says, require modification when the living plants can be studied. 

 The present investigations were made from specimens in the Kew 

 Herbarium. — G. S. S. 



Echinocactus microspermus. By Sir J. D. Hooker (Bot. Mag. 

 tab. 7840). — Nat. ord. Cactece, tribe Echinocactece. Native of Argentina. 

 The stem is small, globose, 2-4 in. in diameter, with radiating spines, 

 straight or flexuous. Flowers golden yellow.— G. H. 



Echium Wildpretii. By Sir J. D. Hooker {Bot. Mag. tab. 7847).— 

 Nat. ord. Boraginece, tribe Boragece. Native of the Canary Islands. A 

 tall plant terminated by a dense-flowered thyrsus of short pedunculated 

 cymes. Flowers pale red. — G. H. 



Entomology, Notes on Economic. By F. V. Theobald (Joum. 

 S.E. Agr. Coll. Wye, No. 11, February 1902).— Tells of the successful 

 introduction of the Australian Ladybird (Vedalia cardinalis) into the 

 United States, as a Scale destroyer. The British species do not breed in 

 sufficient numbers to hold any species of aphis in check. He believes a 

 Ladybird from Queensland (Lets conformis) with which he is experi- 

 menting would be of immense value in the Hop gardens. — J. C. E. K. 



Epi-Cattleya x auranti-media (E. 0. Orpet in Amcr. Gard. xxiii. 

 p. 483 ; 26/7/1902).— A new hybrid raised at S. Lancaster, Mass., between 

 Cattleya intermedia ? and Epidendrum aurantiacum£ . Flowers yellow, 

 shaded brown, and tinted crimson-purple. — C. C. H. 



Epi Cattleya x NebO (E. 0. Orpet in Amer. Gard. xxiii. p. 483, 

 20 /7/1902). — A new hybrid of complicated parentage raised at S. Lancaster 

 Mass., between Epidendrum x O'Brienianum $ (itself a hybrid between 

 E. radicans and E. evectum) and Cattleya x Claesianad (a natural 

 hybrid between C. intermedia and C. Loddigesii). As in similar hybrids 



