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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



asparagi), with its peculiar cross-like markings ; or, yet again, 

 to refer to the length of time the larvae of the wood- feeding 

 kinds, like the large, graceful, and sweet-smelling Musk-beetle 

 (fig. 39) which affects our willows, and the gigantic Stag-beetle 

 (Lucanus cervus), whose formidable mandibles strike terror into 

 the hearts of the timid, remain in that state. 



I must, however, pass on to the Ortlioptera. In this order 

 are to be found the largest of all insects as well as two or three 

 which are amongst the most familiar of those found in gardens — 

 earwigs ; while it also includes such omnivorous pests as the 

 cockroaches. The latter in particular call for extended notice 



Fig. 41. — Periplaxeta americaxa. 



by reason of the fact, that despite much vaunted insecticides and 

 traps of every kind, they continue to increase with alarming 

 rapidity. This is true not only as regards the common cock- 

 roach (Periplaneta orientalis), the much-abused and misnamed 

 " blackbeetle " of our kitchens, but also in respect of three other 

 species, which of recent years have linked their fortunes with 

 man and taken up their abode in his plant-houses. There is 

 scarcely any need to refer to the injuries cockroaches inflict 

 upon the fronds of young ferns, the petals of choice orchids, the 

 shoots of vines, or even upon the bunches of grapes themselves. 

 Rather is it necessary to direct attention to the danger which 

 threatens the gardener from their increase. Even our common 

 cockroach is not a native, though it has been so long with us 



