JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
540 
[ June 29, 1882. 
the circumstance that this particular kind of silk has taken its 
name from the tree on which the worms feed some have called 
“ Ailanthiculture ” the nurturing and breeding of these worms, 
which is scarcely an appropriate term, being more applicable to 
the cultivation of the tree. 
Experiments have proved that the larvae of Attacus Cynthia 
will eat, and even do tolerably well, upon Lilac, Cherry, or Labur¬ 
num, but it is desirable to obtain for them a supply of the leaves 
of their favourite food plant. As already stated, the Ailanthus 
tree is easy to grow, and its growth is generally rapid. The French 
have planted it very extensively with the object of rearing this 
silkworm and for other reasons. Some have proceeded on the 
slow plan of sowing seeds of the species in May. A more usual 
method is to set slips in mild weather during the winter months. 
The trees make a good show in a clump ; yet possibly they grow 
best in rows with about 5 feet between each, and in a little while 
they will form a capital edge to a park or shrubbery. Seedlings 
have been sold by nurserymen at 3.?. a score, and young trees 
at 10$. 
The moth of Attacus Cynthia surpasses in appearance the better 
known insect Bombyx Mori, and has a greater expansion of wing. 
These means of flight are crossed by a white band, the course of 
which is followed by a line of rose colour. Upon each wing is also 
a very distinct crescent-like spot. This species and others in the 
same genus are distinguished by this peculiarity, that they will 
grasp a finger or any object that is extended towards them. 
B. Yama Mai' and several allied to it refuse to do so, but drop as 
if alarmed. In colour the worm varies at different ages. When 
it has passed the final change of skin it has a rich green colour, 
the head, tail, and feet yellowish. The segments are adorned with 
black spots and short spines. The cocoon is of the open kind, and 
when in the act of forming it the caterpillar is fond of using a leaf 
to enwrap it partially or entirely. This is one of the silkworms in 
which the winter is passed within the cocoon, from which the moth 
emerges some time in May or June. Eggs being then laid young 
worms come forth at the end of July or during August, living seven 
or eight weeks, attaining the adult stage more rapidly in warm 
weather; but all that are healthy will have spun their cocoons 
early in October. From the construction of these being open the 
moths extricate themselves by pushing the fibres aside, without 
moistening them as is done by the silkworm most familiar to us, 
also by B. Yama Mai' and others. 
Though there are doubtless difficulties in getting the cocoons 
of B. Cynthia wound off satisfactorily, there is evidence that the 
species forms them by means of a single thread. When it lives 
in a climate quite congenial, as, for instance, in its native region 
of North China, there are always two broods yearly of B. Cynthia. 
The first brood of worms produce moths during the summer ; 
eggs from these hatch speedily, furnishing a second brood, the 
worms completing their changes in the autumn, but they are 
liable to be retarded. Double broods of this species have been 
not uncommonly obtained upon the continent of Europe, and 
also reared in other favourable lands, such as Australia, New 
Zealand, and the Cape of Good Hope, and in these the insect can 
be allowed to go through all its transformations without any 
protection from the weather. And indeed there seems to be 
much in favour of its acclimatisation in Europe from the ex¬ 
periments that have now been made, but only during an equable 
and rather dry season could the worms of A. Cynthia succeed 
upon the Ailanthus tree, as it grows exposed in our parks and 
shrubberies. 
Specimens of this insect were sent to Europe about twenty- 
five years ago, and it soon came under the notice of M. Guerin- 
M6neville, who exhibited to the Academy of Sciences at Paris in 
1858, French examples of A. Cynthia reared in the open air. 
He explained what advantages might arise from its culture, since 
the cost of its management would be little, and its double brood- 
edness would increase the annual produce therefrom. The silk 
or ailantine, he thought, might take a middle position between 
wool stuffs and the material got from the cocoons of the Mul¬ 
berry worm, but he only anticipated that there would be produced 
a floss silk by carding. A few years after, however, a lady and 
gentleman succeeded, about the same time, in winding oil the 
entire thread from Cynthia cocoons, showing what might be 
attainable in this industry. An establishment for these worms 
was started at Vincennes, and some others followed, but although 
many trees were planted the culture of the worms has hardly 
been pursued with French enthusiasm. 
It is not possible to feed these silkworms upon picked leaves 
as is the usual practice with the Mulberry silkworm already 
described. The eggs might be placed, by way of experiment, in 
a little bag of canvas, this being secured to a smallish twig upon 
a suitable branch of an Ailanthus tree. The whole branch should 
then be enveloped in a muslin bag tied at the base of the branch, 
so that the silkworms may feed upon the leaves without wander¬ 
ing. When the branch has been stripped they must be transferred 
to another if not full grown ; but in our climate probably a better 
chance of success is obtained by feeding them upon twigs or 
boughs of this tree, which are placed in water under cover ; and 
if the room chosen is moderately cool and not exposed to the sun, 
the worms will only require to be shifted to fresh food once in 
three or four days. After passing through the usual “ five ages” 
of caterpillar life, by a change of colour at the final increase of 
size they indicate that they are inclined to form their cocoons. 
These they may be allowed to spin upon the food plant. During 
the winter the cocoons must be kept in a room not heated arti¬ 
ficially, and preserved from the attacks of insect parasites.— 
J. R. S. C. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
June 27th. 
Though the exhibits before either of the Committees were not 
very numerous several interesting groups were staged, especially the 
handsome samples of Mignonette from Chiswick and the hardy 
flowers from Tottenham. In conjunction with the Pelargonium 
Society’s Show an extensive and attractive display was produced, 
which was patronised by numerous visitors. 
Fruit Committee. —H. Webb, Esq., in the chair. Mr. C. Herrin, 
gardener to J. N. Hibbert, Esq., Chalfont Park, exhibited fine samples 
of Stamfordian Tomatoes, large, even, and well-ripened. A vote of 
thanks was accorded. Mr. J. Hardy, Stour Valley Seed Grounds, 
Bures, Suffolk, showed plants and pods of a new Pea named Signal, 
which appeared to be very prolific, the pods containing ten or twelve 
peas in many cases. It is to be tried at Chiswick. Messrs. John 
Hamlin &. Co., Newbury Road, Wood Green, staged samples of Mush¬ 
room spawn with some good Mushrooms. Mr. G. Phillips, gardener 
to Captain Jackson, The Deodars, Meopham, sent samples of a new 
Pea, said to be a cross between Stratagem and Telephone ; the pods 
were large and fairly filled, and, judging by the haulm exhibited, 
it is of medium height and fairly prolific. This also is to be tried at 
Chiswick. 
Mr. Coombes, gardener to Sir H. Meux, Sheen, Mortlake, Surrey, 
sent a new green-fleshed Melon named Green Bergamotte, rather 
small, but with deep flesh. It was considered the same as Egyptian 
Green Flesh. Mr. Mclndoe, gardener to Sir J. W. Pease, Hutton 
Hall, Guisborough, showed a sample of Mclndoe’s Scarlet Premier 
Melon, a fine variety with deep flesh of good flavour. Mr. H. Mann, 
St Vincent’s, Grantham, and Mr. Bennett, The Gardens, Tillgate, 
Crawley, also 3ent new Melons of good appearance. 
Floral Committee. —Mr. B. S. Williams in the chair. Mr. H. 
James, Castle Nursery, Lower Norwood, exhibited several Orchids : 
one, Odontoglossum cordatum aureum, a variety with yellow flowers 
and a white lip. Masdevallia Harryana splendens has large and 
richly coloured flowers, the specimen shown having two dozen flowers. 
Trichopilia picta has narrow green sepals and petals, the lip yellowish 
dotted with red. Masdevallia vespertilio has small flowers somewhat 
of the Chimcera type, dotted with crimson on a whitish ground. Mr. 
J. Salter, gardener to J. Southgate, Esq., Selborne, Streatham, sent 
a plant of Pescatorea Dayana bearing seven flowers, the sepals and 
petals white tipped with claret, the lip being of a similar colour. 
The plant was raised much above the rim of the pot, the flowers 
clustering amongst small Ferns, which were growing round the base 
of the plant. The same exhibitor also sent fine flowers of Oncidium 
macranthum and the variety hastiferum. Mr. B. S. Williams, Upper 
Holloway, had a pretty group of new plants and rare Orchids, the 
rose-streaked Amaryllis Mrs. Garfield, the bright yellow Croton 
Princess of Waldeck, and rich red-leaved Croton Duke of Albany being 
notable. Odontoglossum citrosmum grandiflorum had two grand 
spikes of flowers, one with a dozen large blooms. Lycaste Deppei 
punctatissima has the lip richly dotted with maroon and the petals 
with purple. The new Cypripedium Spicerianum was also shown in 
flower, the petals, lower sepals, and lip being greenish ; the upper 
sepal white, broad, with a central purple band. 
Mr. Simcoe, gardener to G. N. Wyatt, Esq., Lake House, Chelten¬ 
ham, was awarded a cultural commendation for a fine plant of 
Aerides Lobbi bearing three spikes, one about 2 feet long with nine 
branches. Mr. Simcoe also had a plant of Galeandra Devoniana 
with eight flowers, the lips white streaked with purple, the sepals 
and petals brownish green. A cultural commendation was also 
awarded for specimens of Bollea caelestis with six deeply coloured 
flowers ; and a vote of thanks was accorded to the same exhibitor for 
Cattleya supeiba splendens with ten flowers. Two large specimens of 
Sobralia macrantha and Imantophyllum miniatum were also shown. 
Messrs. J. Laing & Co., Forest Hill, sent a plant of a very double 
Begonia with pale rose-coloured flowers. Mr. J. Douglas, Loxford 
Hall, Ilford, had a plant of a variety of Mimulus cupreus with dark 
scarlet flowers ; and Mr. Hudson, The Gardens, Gunnersbury House, 
had a fine Gloxinia named Mrs. Atkinson, with large bright purple 
flowers with a broad white margin spotted with the same colour. 
Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High Holborn, sent specimens of a bright 
yellow Tropseolum named Lady Bird, with large showy flowers ; 
