202 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ 31arcli 12, I£91. 
arching raceme?, and •with as many as twenty-eight flowers each. 
Several spikes form on well grown plants, and I have known as 
many as sixteen, so it may well be understood how imposing a 
large plant is. Plants from 5-inch or G-inch pots may he grown in 
about three or four years to huge specimens m No. 1 or No. 2 
sized pots, the foliage reaching from tip to tip to the length of 
several feet. It may well be understood that it takes a large 
structure to accommodate such plants. 
C. Masters! is a useful species, flowering during November and 
December. In habit it somewhat resembles its more handsome 
relative C. eburneum, but the blooms are altogether different. 
The flowers are borne on erect racemes with several flowers to each. 
Other desirable species are C. Devonianum, Ilookerianum, and 
C. giganteum (the type of C. Lowianum). 
Being natives of Northern India growers were formerly of 
opinion that a very warm structure was needed for the accom¬ 
modation of Cymbidiums in this country. But this subsequently 
proved to be a mistake. Although natives of India they are found 
high amongst the mountains, and at times are subjected to a rather 
low temperature, as according to collectors the foliage is some¬ 
times broken down with the weight of snow ; but this has special 
reference to C. eburneum. I mention this to show the extremes 
that the plants must be subjected to in their native country, not that 
it would be desirable or even wise to subject the plants to very 
cool treatment under artificial conditions. Another erroneous 
opinion formerly held, and unfortunately we often see it recom¬ 
mended at the present day, is because the Cymbidium happens to 
be an Orchid it must be grown in a mixture of peat, sphagnum, 
and crocks, and also be elevated above the rim of the pot. Now 
the Cymbidiums are not epiphytal, but are truly terrestrial, and 
instead of growing upon trees they find their home along the 
margin of 'n'atercourses, so the roots at limss must be growing in 
very moist soil, or rather mud. These conditions indicate the course 
of treatment to be pursued. The plants must not be stinted for root 
room, and require something substantial to feed upon. I grow our 
plants at the ccol end of the Cattleya house, where the winter 
temperature ranges about 55° as a minimum, and often less, as 
during the past severe weather the night temperature was nearer 
50°. The pots must be efficiently drained, but not to the depth 
generally accorded fcr Orchids, as may be necessary, say, for a 
Cattleya. The compost employed should be two parts turfy loam, 
the same of peat, with a fourth of decayed cow manure, with a 
fair proportion of charcoal. The plants will require annual 
potting if they are to grow quickly into specimens. Pot them 
like any ordinary plant, below the rim of the pot, and during the 
growing season a plentiful supply of rain water must be applied. 
It is as well, however, to keep the soil rather dry during the 
winter months, but not by any means very dry. The temperature 
of an intermediate house should suit the growth of Cymbidiums 
admirably.— A. Young. 
CURLED AND BROAD-LEAVED OR BATAVIAN 
ENDIVES. 
Foe early forcing seed of these Endives should be sown in the 
beginning of February in a hotbed, the temperature of which is 
from 85° to 95° Fahr. Immediately after sowing the seed the 
frames are covered with straw mats, shutting out all light and air. 
When the seedlings are well up (in about thirty hours) some light 
should be admitted, taking care if the sun be strong to afford the 
plants a little shade, and to accustom them but gradually to the 
light. 
Although the seed may be sown direct into the hotbed it is con¬ 
sidered better to sow it in pans or boxes, which are more under 
control, and may be removed as the temperature requires. A fort¬ 
night to three weeks after the seeds were sown the seedlings should 
be pricked out in another hotbed, with a temperature varying from 
75° to 95° Fahr. They remain here one month, after which they 
should be transferred to another bed, also in heat, where they 
remain until fully developed. 
During that time it is necessary to accustom the plants to light 
and air, which are given in increasing quantity, and are regulated 
according to the exterior temperature, care being taken to avoid 
the plants being scorched up by the direct rays of the sun or 
their tissues hardened. In the beginning of April, as a general 
rule, the frames may be removed entirely, and the plants be 
left growing in the open air until they are fit for the market 
towards the middle of May. They then make also fine exhibition 
salads. 
To sum up the above notes, I may say that the conditions 
necessary to success with Endive are to sow in heat, to prick out the 
seedlings in a hotbed, and to grow the plants equally in heat. If 
sown before the 15th of May in the open ground the Endives quickly 
run to seed, and even at such a late date our gardeners prefer to 
sow the seed in a spent hotbed. 
Many varieties are adapted for that culture, the best for 
England appearing to be the Green, very fine Parisian summer ; 
Louviers, fine laciniated ; Imperial, curled ; Rouen or Staghorn, 
very fine curled ; Picpus, fine curled ; Queen of the Winter ; broad¬ 
leaved or Batavian ; broad-leaved, white, or Lettuce-leaved.—EuG,- 
ScilAETTEL, Paris. 
INSECTS OF THE FLO'WER GARDEN. 
(^Contbmed from jyage 13.') 
If I am not mistaken it is remarked somewhere by the author" 
of that amusing book, “Episodes of Insect Life,” that the plant 
lice or aphis tribe are the embodiment of insect stupidity, so help¬ 
less do they seem to be in escaping from or guarding against the- 
many enemies that assail them. However, it is also true that in 
spite of their foes, large or small, they succeed in obeying the old 
command to increase and multiply! But a Canadian entomologist, 
who has been a great observer of ants, and believes that they can 
communicate facts to each other, thinks that ants and aphides may- 
exchange ideas upon the subject of their mutual enemies, or other 
matters interesting to both races. Then, he adds, that doubtle.ss, 
originally, ants ate aphides as juicy morsels, till some genius- 
amongst ants discovered the virtues of the aphis secretion, and the 
news being dispersed abroad, thenceforth ants regarded aphides in 
the light of milch-cows. That they attend upon plant lice and 
caress them we know ; besides, they remove, at times, both aphides • 
and their eggs into their own nests. Seeing, however, ho’W 
predatory in character some of the larger ants are, I would not 
assert that they never seize and devour aphides, though they may 
seldom be caught in the act. Certainly they are not entitled to • 
be spared by gardeners for their utility in this way. It is an 
unavoidable thing, in the course of our measures for the destruc¬ 
tion of aphides, that in killing them we must kill many other 
insects, some of which at least are serviceable to horticulture. 
Feeble as aphides appear their vitality is strong ; they can defy a. 
cutting east wind, and the attempt to combine business with- 
pleasure by smoking pipes or cigars in conservatories has no very- 
marked effect upon any that may be about. Lastly, however, oa-' 
the much debated question of the links betw'een aphides and ants, 
that if the latter imprison aphides after their hunting expeditions, 
as it seems they do, it cannot be for the sake of their honeydew,., 
because when cut off from leaves and twigs the insects cease to 
secrete this. Again, it does not appear that any species of ant depends- 
mainly for support upon these “ cattle,” alive or dead. _ Sir John- 
Lubbock thinks their storage of the eggs of aphides is done to • 
preserve these from the severity of such winters as w'e have just 
experienced, but insects’ eggs can bear a very intense cold. Still,. 
the fact remains that ants do take possession of these eggs, and- 
fight for them even, also in spring carefully bring them forth-’ 
again. 
Before referring to some other insects that are serviceable as- 
aphis killers, I may mention a few more species that are notable 
foes of our plants. A. subterranea has been noticed in autumn,, 
chiefly amongst the roots of Pinks and Carnations ; earlier it may 
possibly infest plants of another group. It has a very round body,, 
a broad head ; the legs and antenna) are blackish, its body dull 
green, and it is coated over with a mealy powder. Allied to thisr 
species is the smaller A. Sedi, so named because in some years it 
occurs in crowds upon the stalks of Sedums. Here the head is 
black, the legs yellow, and the body light green; when winged 
these aphides have their wings very glossy and dotted. Then we 
come to A. instabilis, so called from its variable appearance,, 
leading hasty observers to suppose two or three different species- 
are in company. Some of them at the same age are pale brown or- 
green, others yellow or red ; their bodies being oblong, and the 
legs short. In the mature state they are green or brown, with red- 
legs, and both head and thorax black. It is an aphis seen chiefly 
during the spring months and in August, and though its speciah 
favouiites are Epilobiums and Pyrethrums, it occurs on various 
perennials along the beds. Too well known to most of us is 
A. opima, fortunately its size makes it conspicuous. Contrary to- 
the usual habits of aphides, the young are very active, and move- 
rapidly about the plants they frequent, drawing quantities of sap* 
from the leafstalks. At first they are brownish green, almost 
transparent, with large red eyes and pale legs ; gradually they 
darken as they grow till they become nearly black. Their winged- 
state occurs latish in the year, they are then yellow with black: 
legs, their wings having black dots. The Cineraria is a plant they 
frequently attack, causing its leaves to rot and fall, for their- 
secretion seems to be poisonous. Indeed, with aphides generally 
the barm they do is not merely by causing exhaustion, they also- 
obstruct the needful process of respiration. 
