JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 375 
progress until they have eaten. One of the few caterpillars that 
can eat almost any leaf that is handy, it is yet not sufficiently 
abundant to require measures for its extermination in our gardens, 
where its colouring and its brushes of hair make it conspicuous on 
shrubs or trees. I refer to it more particularly to suggest as a 
subject for inquiry, whether it is occasionally eaten by insect- 
loviDg birds ? I believe so. And I would note how curious is the 
fact that this species is distributed everywhere, although the 
females cannot fly or crawl; therefore this is due to the wan¬ 
dering habit of the caterpillars, seldom to that unintended 
transference by man’s agency which has helped to make some 
insects common.—C. 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED AT REGENT’S 
PARK. 
At the last Exhibition of the Royal Botanic Society at Regent’s 
Park a number of plants were honoured with certificates, and as 
we were unable to accord space for their description in the report 
of the Show a few notes indicating the characters of the plants 
will be acceptable. 
Botanical certificates were awarded to Messrs. Veitch Sc Sons, 
Chelsea, for the following :— Draccena Lindeni, a very distinct 
plant, with leaves 8 to 9 inches long, about 3 inches broad, streaked 
with green and a yellowish tint, slightly arching or recurved. It 
will probably prove useful for decorative purposes. Goniophle- 
bium lachnopus, Asparagus tenuissimus, Aralia Kerchoveana, and 
Davallia elegans polydactyla, which were also certificated at 
Kensington on the day previous, and described in our issue of the 
28th ult. To Mr. B. S. Williams, Upper Holloway, for Croton 
Lady Zetland, a beautiful variety with gracefully arching leaves, 
8 to 12 inches long and 1 inch broad, bright red in the centre, 
margined with dark green and bright yellow. This Croton 
appears to colour very well in a young state. .Philodendron 
elegans. —A neat Aroid. Leaves 10 inches long, several inches 
less in breadth, pinnatifid or almost pinnate, the segments narrow 
and light green. To the General Horticultural Company, Regent 
Street and Anerley, for Rhodea japonica aurea, a hardy variegated 
plant, which, however, succeeds in pots, and is useful for green¬ 
houses or conservatories : the leaves are 10 inches to a foot long, 
about 2 in breadth, slightly drooping, and striped with green, 
yellow, and white ; Dracaena Alexandra'. —Elliptical leaves, 3 or 
4 inches broad, dark green centre and white margins ; Draccena 
Rossi.—A variety of neat habit, with fine dark crimson foliage ; 
Draccena Rccurva. —Fine broad leaves, streaked with green and 
bright pink ; Cyperus laxus variegatus. —A prettily variegated 
Cyperus, which was certificated last year by the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society—the specimen shown at Regent’s Turk was in 
excellent condition, and proved that the honours which have been 
accorded it were well merited ; Caladiurn Dredcrick Bavse. —A 
very dwarf and distinct Caladiurn ; the leaves 4 or 5 inches long 
and 3 broad, very bright shining red in the centre, neatly margined 
with green. The height of the plant shown scarcely exceeded 
6 inches, and if it continues as dwarf as that it would make a good 
companion for the favourite Caladiurn argyrites in the front row 
of groups of plants. To Mr. Croucher, gardener to J. T. Peacock, 
Esq., Sudbury House, Hammersmith, for Agave Parryi, a dwarf 
form, with short glaucous leaves arranged in a rosette-like manner ; 
Agave Ilunti. —Leaves pale green, yellow in the centre, and the 
margin devoid of spines ; Yucca Peacocki. —A distinct species 
with long narrow leaves a foot or more in length ; Odontoglossum 
crispum grandiflorum. —A handsome variety, bearing large flowers 
spotted with bright chocolate. 
Floricultural certificates were awarded to Messrs. Paul Sc Son, 
Cheshunt, for Rose Ferdinand Chaffolte, a Hybrid Perpetual 
variety with large dark crimson flowers of good form. To Mr. C. 
Turner, Slough, for Auricula Mrs. William Brown (Turner), a 
white-edged variety with dark body colour ; flowers symmetrical, 
and truss compact. Also for the Alpine varieties Philip Frost, 
purple shaded, white centre ; John Ball, bright maroon, deep 
yellow centre ; and Lizzie, rich purple shaded, light yellow 
centre. To Mr. J. Douglas, gardener to F. Whitbourn, Esq., Lox- 
ford Hall, Ilford, for Auricula Hilda, a fine green-edged variety, 
with large flowers of excellent form and black body colour. To 
Mr. R. T. Yeitch, Exeter, for Rhododendron exoniense, described 
last week. To Messrs. Fisher, Son, & Sibray for Rhododendron 
Lady Alice Fitzwilliam, described on page 33G of the present 
volume ; and to the General Horticultural Company for Gloxinia 
Mrs. Bause, a handsome variety with erect, large, well-formed 
flowers of good substance ; white, with a ring of pink in the throat. 
Lichens on Fruit Trees. —Mr. W. Thomas asks me to explain 
the reason why it is that Keswick Codlin Apple trees are covered 
almost completely with lichens and other parasites, whereas on 
the Winteibox planted side by side with the Keswicks not the 
slightest trace of lichens is to be seen. It seems very curious. 
Perhaps readers of the Journal can explain. Both trees are the 
same age—viz., fifteen years.— W. Roberts. 
GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT SOCIETY. 
A Sub-Committee was formed last year to consider a proposal 
for increasing the pensions of the Institution, and for raising the 
amount required for carrying out that excellent project. Having 
obtained the opinions of a number of representative horticulturists 
and estimated the cost of carrying out the scheme, the Committee 
decided to recommend the following resolutions for adoption : 
1, That it is desirable that the pensions given by this Institution 
should be increased to £20 and £10 respectively. 
2, That having regard to the large majority of answers from the 
gentlemen whose opinion was solicited, and the estimated expenses 
for carrying out the scheme suggested by the Secretary, they recom¬ 
mend that a simultaneous collection be made in every garden and 
horticultural establishment in Great Britain and Ireland on Saturday 
the 30th July next. 
3, That the fund thus proposed to be raised be designated “ The 
Gardeners’ Benevolent Pension Augmentation Fund.” 
4, That the amount raised be kept separate and distinct from the 
general fund, and be invested in the names of trustees, and the inter¬ 
est thereon be reinvested until such time as the Committee shall see 
fit to recommend to the subscribers an augmentation of the pension. 
5, That in the event of the scheme proving successful it be con¬ 
tinued annually. 
The Sub-Committee in arriving at these conclusions have given the 
subject referred to them their anxious and earnest deliberations, and 
they feel convinced that if the gardeners generally will only give the 
Committee their assistance and co-operation the success of the appeal 
is not only certain, but it will be the means of bringing the Institution 
prominently before the notice of many who are unacquainted with it, 
and adding considerably to its annual revenue. 
Should this report be adopted your Committee recommend the re¬ 
appointment of a Sub-Committee, with powers given it to carry out 
the scheme and arrange details. 
The various forms, Ac. —viz., the original letter, the collecting card, 
Ac., are appended.— John Lee [Chairman), Robert A. Osborn, 
J. Willard, W. H. Gulliford, H. Dickson. April 21st, 1881. 
We trust tbat a scheme so worthy, and which appears to us of 
great practical importance, will be adopted, and we trust that a 
spirit of emulation will be incited in gardens throughout the 
country in carrying it out. If all head and under gardeners will 
contribute their mites, even if these are individually small, a sub¬ 
stantial—even a noble—sum may be provided for an object that 
cannot fail to commend itself to all thoughtful men. We earnestly 
hope that the effort that is being made will prove eminently suc¬ 
cessful, and will receive the sympathy and active co-operation of 
the class in whose behalf it is instituted—namely, aiding in the 
hour of necessity gardeners and widows of gardeners in this 
country. 
ODDS AND ENDS. 
Forced Strawberries. —Mr. Abbey has found that Vicomtesse 
Hericart de Thury has not been quite satisfactory for early use. 
I have found it most serviceable. The difficulty is, that it oftens 
forms a number of small crowns late in the season ; if these are 
prevented, or removed promptly, the central crown is the finer and 
the crop better. Dr. Hogg for ripening now is one of the finest, 
large, good in colour and rich in flavour. These two varieties I 
am informed have been remarkably fine this year at Stillyans, the 
residence of Lady Dorothy Nevill, as grown by Mr. Yair the 
gardener. Plants of the first-named variety that have been forced 
early and the foliage kept in good condition will, if partially 
shaken out, repotted, and properly attended to, produce fine crops 
in the autumn ; in fact they will often do so if planted out in 
rich soil in the open garden. La Grosse Sucr6e is very extensively 
and successfully grown in the Royal Gardens, Frogmore, and it 
is undoubtedly a valuable variety for forcing.—J. 
Noblesse Peach for Early lorcing .—That this variety is not 
equal to Royal George for certainty of crop will not be disputed, 
but it sets and swells as freely as any other at an early season. It 
certainly has one great fault—viz., dropping its buds, and very 
vigorous trees have twin, triple, and sometimes more pistils to a 
flower. Grosse Mignonne also has the latter peculiarity. Under less 
forcing the defect of dropping the buds is reduced, also the mon¬ 
strous pistils are not so marked ; and outside— i.e., against a wall, 
it does not drop a bud, the flowers have not more than one pistil, 
nor are there any flowers almost devoid of petals, nor the pistil so 
short as not to rise above the anthers, as is common with trees 
