28 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 12, 1833. 
pieces of ice, weighing from 1 to 6 ozs., have cut off the com as if it had 
been reaped, and Potatoes the same.” 
- The South Shields Cemetery (a local paper states) has a 
very pleasing appearance at the present time, the grounds being taste¬ 
fully laid out and the flowers in full bloom. The Board, through their 
energetic Superintendent, Mr. B. Cowan, have recently effected some 
much-needed improvements and offered advantages for which there was 
pressing need. The usual summer bedding is just now near completion, 
and some of the spring flowers and plants, especially Stocks, are yet 
very attractive. Hardy carpet bedding in beautiful designs is being 
carried out, and the effect is very pleasing. Mr. Cowan intends to in¬ 
crease the geometrical designs in the flower beds between the churches 
by adding one in commemoration of the Sunderland calamity. 
- “ B.” observes :—“ Though it is now seven or eight years since 
the good qualities of the roots of strong-growing Ferns for Orchid 
culture were pointed out, it is only now, when peat seems to be getting 
scarce, that a few writers seem to have known about that material all 
the time. I would now like to call attention to another home-grown 
material of the greatest value for Orchid culture, this is the stems of such 
Ferns as Lastrea Filix-foemina and L. dilatata. These are exactly like 
the stems of Tree Ferns, with this advantage, that a certain amount of 
fibrous material can be secured along with the stems. We employ them 
both with sphagnum and without it, and I am not sure but that a stem 
with a fair amount of roots to it is better than additions of sphagnum. 
At any rate, it may be relied on that these stems are admirably adapted 
as blocks for certain Orchids.” 
-In an article printed locally upon Madagascar Plants by the 
Bev. B. Baron, the following appears in reference to a well-known occu¬ 
pant of English gardens :—“ Sdngosongo (Euphorbia splendens), with 
its brilliant scarlet and yellow bracts, which may be easily mistaken for 
petals or sepals, is perhaps the most attractive plant in all Imerina. Its 
beauty has gained for it a place in many conservatories in England. 
Its prickly stem gives it a resemblance to the Cactacese, but its flower 
and fruit show that it is a true Euphorbia. There are two varieties, one 
having bright scarlet bracts with leaves all along the stem, the other 
having yellow bracts and leaves, which are terminal and larger than 
those of the scarlet variety. The plants are monoecious, and not, as the 
Malagasy suppose, unisexual. The milky juice with which the plant 
abounds is sometimes used by the natives as birdlime. Another use the 
plant affords is this—the bark of the root is pounded, put in water, and 
given to calves to help them at their birth. The Sdngosongo is commonly 
employed for hedgerows and fences.” 
- In a well-printed treatise entitled “Ensilage in America” 
Mr. James E. Thorold Bogers, M.P., has produced a work of 1G0 pages 
that all who are interested in the subject under consideration may peruse 
with advantage. The character of the treatise cannot be better indicated 
than by citing the preface as follows :—“ I have put together in this 
little work the result of my own observations on ensilage in the United 
States, and the comments on the system which have been made by those 
who had adopted the practice and recounted their experience to me in 
conversation. I have freely quoted from such papers, periodicals, and 
books as have been written on ensilage, and have copied such illustrations 
as seemed to me essential to a right understanding of the process, with 
the satisfaction, perhaps, of being able in a slight degree to adopt, retail 
and piecemeal, the wholesale practice of American publishers. I do not, 
however, fear the indignation of my authors, whose good feeling is no 
doubt extended to the Old Country. 1 have no fear that they will 
resent the use which is made of the facts which they allege because an 
English writer has recounted the advantages which they claim to have 
discovered, for the consideration, perhaps for the benefit, of English 
agriculturists.” To that we need only add that the work is published 
by W. Swan Sonnenschein & Co., Paternoster Bow. 
- Mr. W. Bardney writes as follows concerning the Orchids at 
Mr. Bull’s Nursery, Chelsea Few can form any idea of the 
effect Orchids have when grouped tastefully together, such as I saw in 
the above nursery a few days ago. Upon entering the house the wealth 
of beauty displayed by Odontoglossum vexillarium was really gorgeous, 
some being remarkable for the large size of their flowers or the dark rich 
colour. One form was particularly noteworthy, having on the labellum 
a dark crimson blotch. O. Alexandra; was also conspicuous, varying 
from pure white to the most lovely spotted varieties, some of the plants 
having spikes of great length, and[carrying as many as sixteen or seven¬ 
teen flowers on each. 0. Halli was grand, and the same may be said 
of Oncidium macranthum ; but one form distinguished as Aurea was 
very striking. Varieties of Cattleya Mossire were very numerous, and 
amongst them some of the most beautiful flowers. C. Mendelli was 
equally as numerous and fine, one named C. Mendelli Victoria deserving 
special note ; the sepals and petals being white, slightly suffused with 
lilac, while a good portion of the labellum was remarkable for its ivory 
whiteness, with a few faint yellow markings down the throat. C. gener- 
ense attracted attention, being after the style of C. intermedia, and 
undoubtedly a variety, but without the dark purple-crimson blotch on the 
labellum. A good plant of C. Skinnerii alba was bearing two or three 
of its pure white flowers. Several grand forms of Laelia purpurata were 
staged, also of L. majalis ; one plant bearing a single flower was particu¬ 
larly striking for its large size and high colouring. Some grand varie¬ 
ties of Sobralia macrantha were in flower, the flowers being larger and 
more highly coloured than are generally to be met with. Cymbidium 
Lowianum was represented by many plants, one form noticed being very 
much finer than the rest by having dark markings on the lip. Cypripe- 
diums Parishii, Veitchii, Lawrencianum, and others were also well 
represented. No attempt is made to note half the many beautiful species 
and varieties to be seen in flower.” 
- Gardening Appointments.— Mr. J. Cleare, previously fore¬ 
man at Stoke Bochford, has been appointed head gardener to Lord 
Sudeley, Toddington, Gloucestershire. Mr. W. Milne, for the past six 
years foreman in the gardens, Wimbledon House, has been appointed 
gardener and forester on the Levens Estates, Westmoreland ; and Mr. 
J. F. Davies, also of the gardens, Wimbledon House, has been appointed 
gardener at East Hill House, Wimbledon. 
-■ A correspondent of the American Cultivator has the following 
respecting the Bose-Chafer in Michigan :—“ The most obnoxious of 
all insect pests in the Michigan fruit belt is the rose-chafer or rose-bug. 
They have scourged the country for several years, appearing in swarms 
early in June, and devouring vegetation in a manner as destructive a9 
the western grasshoppers. They attack Grapes, Peaches, and Apples 
especially. Whole orchards have been every year denuded, in spite of 
the most persistent efforts to protect them. Grape-growers catch the 
beetles by knocking them off into pans in early morning. This practice 
cannot be followed on large trees, where absolutely no remedy has yet 
been devised to stay their ravages. Orchards are entirely stripped of 
leaves and fruit, and the grower is powerless to resist. Two or three 
layers of insects can often be seen on an Apple, sometimes as many as a 
hundred or more congregating on a single fruit. As soon as the day 
grows warm the beetles become very active and cannot be captured. 
The most astonishing experience is the fact that poisons have no effect 
upon the rose-chafer. This has been so often verified by good experi¬ 
menters as to be beyond dispute. Even arsenic has been applied with 
no effect. The damage to the fruit interests of western Michigan from 
the rose-chafer has been very great, especially upon warm sandy soils, 
where the pests multiply with astonishing rapidity. The South Haven 
Pomological Society has lately invited Prof. A. J. Cook of the State 
Agricultural College to visit the fruit belt to study the habits of the 
insects.” 
ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 
Observations are proposed to be made occasionally on 
noteworthy objects in parks, on lawns, and shrubberies, and 
to diffuse a taste and interest in trees and shrubs any remarks 
furnished by our readers will be highly valued. Instead of 
shrubberies being planted with common Laurel, lawns with 
few kinds of trees, and the park displaying a great similarity, 
those objects that are calculated to give variety and the most 
interesting and effective enjoyment will be described. 
New Golden Laburnum (Smith).—What the flowers of the 
Laburnum are to the park and garden in early summer—viz., a 
flowing mass of bright golden yellow, the foliage is afterwards— 
a mass of bright gold, forming a striking and conspicuous object 
at any distance within reach of the eye. It is the most beautiful 
golden-leaved tree known, and is the sort of small tree required 
in front of plantations in parks, telling most effectively amid 
the greenery of other trees, and in the mass must be extremely 
beautiful. Ours, however, are isolated, worked standard high, 
and are extremely attractive with a background of green 
formed by taller trees of the commoner kinds, chiefly Elms. 
