162 
JOURXAL OF HOFiTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Ftbrnery SO, ISM. 
little stones, jet they have afterwards revived, and seemed none 
the worse. So, too, is it with regard to all or nearly all the eggs 
of insects. As already remarked, many of them have not only strong 
shells, but they are protected from the weather by a coating of 
varnish, and also often placed in angles or corners where they are 
sheltered. Spallanrani tried some with a freezing mixture, and 
found 23° below zero did not harm them. The autumn laid eggs 
of such species as the lackey moth and the little ermine will, if 
left undisturbed by the fruit-grower, hatch out when spring 
arrives ; so, too, the winter-laid eggs of the mottled umber or the 
winter moth and kindred species, wherever they have been de¬ 
posited. I may remark that some naturalists have suggested that 
birds in times of distress may seek out and devour the eggs of 
insects, but of this we have no proof. Not a few of them, how¬ 
ever, are attacked by tiny parasites. Some flies deposit eggs within 
the eggs of other species, and the carnivorous grub sooner or later 
kills and eats the vegetable feeder. 
The cold of last winter must have influenced those moths which 
appear in their final stage between November and February, and 
amongst these are included some very persistent enemies of our 
fruit trees. By a special provision of Nature, designed for the 
preservation of certain species, we find that there are cases, like 
that of the small egger moth, where only a portion of the brood 
emerges each winter, soma of the insects remaining two, three, or 
four years in the pupia state. Our enemy the winter moth does not 
seem to be thus provided for contingencies, and I suspect this 
insect, in places where it had not emerged before the frost set in 
(and probably the mottled umber also), would often die from 
being unable to extricate itself from the pupa shell. Other pupm 
in the earth, lying there awaiting spring and summmr, would be 
injured when the frost struck deeply, since their vitality is less 
strong than that of hybernating caterpillars. Of those caterpillars 
some that feed at intervals during the -winter would be unable in 
the long frost of 1800-91 to obtain grass, chickw'eed, or other 
low plants that afford them nourishment, and then they will 
have become too feeble to feed in the spring. Amongst the 
root-gnawing caterpillars some that usually feed only a short 
distance beneath the surface, may have suffered from inability to 
pierce the ground and continue their tunnels. Those hybernating 
caterpillars would fare lest that habitually sleep on without any 
winter food. I do not think the heavy rime frosts which have 
sorely tried our trees and shrubs have done much harm to cater¬ 
pillars that feed within their branches ; for example, that of the 
Currant Clearwing, from its horny skin, would not mind the cold, 
nor the larger caterpillar of the Leopard moth. There has probably 
been some destruction of the insects that hide under loose bark and 
stones. Centipedes, like worms and slugs, would guard themselves 
from the cold by remaining in their retreats, where the frost, if 
it reached them, c .uld injure them but little. On the whole, I 
should say we might hope in 1891 to have, if not a very small 
number of insect pests, certainly no extensive appearance of any 
troublesome species.— Entomologist, 
There seems to be a general opinion that the frosts we have 
experienced recently will h:ive destroyed most of the insect enemies 
of the gardener and fruit grower. I hope such may be the case, 
but I doubt it. A -Rmll know-n fruit grower wrote me some 
little time ago to the effect that there would be no caterpillar 
plague in 1891, as the frost avould no doubt have destroyed the 
eggs. To test this, and also to try some experiments, I put some 
Pear shoots infested with eggs of the rvinter moth in heat in our 
earliest Peach house. The result w'as that the eggs commenced 
hatching freely during the past week, each young caterpillar going 
on the w'ar path as soon as hatched. Much harm is done by not 
commencing spraying fruit trees early enough. Our experience 
here is that it is unsafe to leave it later than the first week in 
April before beginning operations. I would strongly urge gardeners 
and fruit growers to procure Miss Ormerod’s report as soon as pub¬ 
lished, for it w'ill contain the latest information from America and 
this country on destroying insect enemies. 
Another prevalent idea is that a hard winter is followed by a 
bounteous season. From a print before me it seems this is not a 
fact, as it appears that the seasons following the hard winters of 
1854-55 and 1800-61 were the reverse of good. Some have a strong 
belief in an “ old-fashioned winter ” retarding the flowering of fruit 
trees, and thus causing heavy crops to follow. This is opposed by 
facts. Both my employer and I have taken notes over a series of 
years, and it is rather astonishing how little the flowering time is 
affected by seasons, being in the majority of c.ases seldom more than 
two or three days. FTrikss we have colder weather fruit trees will 
flower earlier than usual this year, as Peais, Apples, Plums, &c., are 
moving rapidly ; Pears especially are in some instances particulaily 
forward.— S. T. ‘Weight. 
This genus comprises some of the most beautiful and best 
known Orchids. Most of the species are of easy culture, and some- 
are fragrant. There is a considerable difference in the habit of 
growth of some of the species, which as cultivated plants enhances 
their value. The erect-growing species show themselves to advan¬ 
tage grown in pots and arranged on stages like most other plants,, 
while those of drooping habit—and they are many—suspended 
from the roof are very graceful, besides savi,ng much valuable- 
space. 
Perhaps the greatest stumbling block to beginners is the resting 
period, which is a,n e.ssential condition. With a little observation 
anyone will soon learn Avhen gro-wth has been completed, and will 
therefore know that the period for rest has arrived. The plants 
should then be placed in a cool house, and as near the glass as 
possible, and kept moderately dry. The drying process, as- 
practised years ago, is now discountenanced by many growers as 
injurious. If deciduous plants show the least sign of distress by 
the softness or shrivelled appearance of their pseudo-bulbs water 
sufficient to well moisten the whole compost in which they have 
been growing should be afforded, and the plants left alone until 
water is again required. The evergreen species must receive a 
little more attention, as if they become too dry they are apt 
to turn yellow at the tips and margins of their leaves, thus be¬ 
coming unsightly. A low and moist temperature has also the same- 
effect. 
A cool and dry atmosphere has more to do with the well-being 
of Dendrobiums than dryness at the roots during the resting 
period. To this end choose a cool house with a southern aspect.. 
It is not advisable to allow the temperature to fall below 40° Fahr., 
though we had some of the species in a lower temperature this 
winter without any apparent evil results. Dendrobium McCarthiai 
and a few others require warmer treatment during the resting 
period, a temperature of 50° to 55° being the best suited to their, 
requirements. 
What was at one time a craze for pruning Dendrobiums seems- 
to have passed away, and fortunately, for many good plants were 
injured and even lost by the injudicious use of the knife. 
Of the spee'es best adapted for pot culture D, Dalhousieanum 
is among the best, which, when well grown, forms a handsome 
exhibition plant. Its large buff-coloured flowers are delicately 
shaded with pale lemon, and have on the labellum two dark 
crimson spots and margined with rosy pink. Its pendulous 
racemes, which are many-flowered, are produced on the ripened 
growth of the previous year. The height of the pseudo-bulbs in¬ 
strong examples is considerable, often as much as 5 feet. They 
are stout, and lined with purple their entire length. It is a native 
of India and requires stove treatment. D. Brymerianum is: 
another suited for pot culture, and is less grown than it deserves. 
It bears yellow flowers, which are beautifully fringed and produced 
singly or otherwise from the upper nodes of the two-year-old and. 
older growths. It is evergreen, and requires stove treatment. 
D. Calceolaria is another species of merit, and should, together 
with its allied species, all of which are comparatively cheap, find-: 
a place wherever Dendrobiums are grown. Dendrobiums of 
the densiflorum type are too well known to need description> 
D. Parmeri, D. Findleyanum, D. ‘VVardianum, and many others are 
already represented in most collections. 
The old favourite, D. nobile, is perhaps the cheajest of all the 
species, and one of the most beautiful. It is a native of China,, 
and succeeds well under cool as well as wa^’m treatment. It 
bears without injury more hardships than any other we are 
acquainted with, and is essentially the Dendrobium for amateurs. 
It bears pruning better than most others, and is propagated 
readily from the growths thus cut, if tied round a block of wood 
and suspended in the stove and frequently syringed. We have 
known half a dozen growths thus treated to make a good panful, 
and producing a good panful of flowers the third year. The old 
pseudo-bulbs must not be removed before the young growths have 
made a start, when, after the pruning has been done, both plants- 
and prunings should receive stove treatment. There are now 
many good varieties of D. nobile in com.merce. It is interesting ta 
note the important part which this old favourite has played in the 
production of hybrids. D. Dominyanum was one of the first 
successes of the late Mr. John Dominy, and is a hybrid hetweem 
