Mardh ■12, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
203 
It is not necessary to describe such a familiar group as are the 
‘ladybirds, or c^ccinellse, which most gardeners know to be great 
destroyers of aphides, but the lace-winged flies are less widely 
■recognised as our friends. Sometimes we see these insects during 
the day, more frequently we observe them on flowers or leaves 
-about dusk, moving as if either flying or walking was not a 
■pleasant exercise to them. Amongst the commonest of these is 
Ohrysopa vulgaris ; its little head, placed on a long neck, has two 
golden eyes, which sparkle in the dark, the body is bright green, 
and the ample, gauzy wings show tints of pink and green. Admire 
it, my friend, spare its life certainly, but beware how you handle 
flt, for a lace-winged fly when alarmed, ejects a fluid anything but 
fragrant, the smell of which clings to the hands after several 
•washings. Singular objects are the jgggs of these flies, often 
■noticeable on the leaves of herbaceous plants, for each is mounted 
upon a tiny stalk, and they are arranged in 
..groups of from six to ten. These produce the 
'larvte or grubs which devour aphides ravenously 
by the score 5 footless, slim-bodied creatures are 
they, gliding to and fro amongst their helpless 
'victims ; and when full fed each spins a com- 
ipact cocoon of silk in the axil of some leaf. 
Quite a contrast to these rather torpid, but 
'.pretty lace-winged flies, are the flerce and active 
-two-winged flies belonging to the family of the 
Syrphi, insects which the old naturalists called 
iiawk flies. We seldom see them in gardens 
near the metropolis and large towns, but in 
■ country districts they are frequent visitors 
during the summer, when they may be noticed 
in the act of poising themselves over flowers, 
■vibrating the wings so rapidly that they are 
thardly visible. Many coloured are they. Most 
of them have some black tints about them, and 
the head, which is large and round, appears to 
'be almost covered by the eyes. The tongue of 
:a hawk-fly is like a beak, and when thirsty one 
of them is apt to settle upon the skin of hand 
or face, endeavouring to draw blood therefrom. 
iBut we have to thank the larvae for their dili- 
•gence in slaying aphides. These are white and 
leech-like in form; their busy season is the 
spring, when they travel about, hoisting into 
'the air captive plant lice while they suck their 
juices. 
Then we have a family of native bees called 
the Crabronidae, containing many species—small 
insects with large heads, which come to our 
flower beds, not only for honey, but also to 
seize aphides. These are bees which dig bur¬ 
rows for their progeny in sandbanks, thatch, 
'decaying wood, or bramble sticks, and store 
these with food for the young grubs. Some of 
'them carry off live plant lice to their burrows, 
and it is thought the bees in some way stupify 
■ or numb them, so that they remain alive without food until 
the time arrives for them to be eaten, as the grubs would not 
Tiouch dead prey.— Entomologist, 
DAFFODILS. 
As soon as the spring exhibitions arrive we are reminded of the 
improvements still being effected amongst those popular spring flower¬ 
ing plants, the Daffodils, by the appearance of collections from the 
principal firms mating them a specialty. This season, too, the display 
from amateurs may be expected to be larger and more interesting than 
usual at the Royal Horticultural Society’s meetings, because prizes and 
medals afford some temptation to those who cultivate the plants. Many 
amateurs now grow considerable collections who a few years since had 
scarcely any beyond the ordinary Daffodils that have occupied our old 
gardens for so long a period. Still it is difficult to induce them to part 
with their treasures for the sake of exhibiting them, and where only a 
few bulbs are grown t];ie reluctance is excusable. There are some 
advantages, however, with regard to showing Daffodils that do not 
apply to many other plants ; for instance, the flowers are easily packed 
in boxes, they can be readily conveyed to the place of exhibition, and 
last well when placed in vessels of water. 
We shall have occasion to notice some of the best Daffodils exhibited 
■THE GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION 
AND THE LATE MR. CUTLER. 
It will, I feel sure, interest your readers to know that at a very 
full Committee of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution, held 
at 50, Parliament Street, S.W., on March 5th, 1801, the following 
ixesolutions were unanimously adopted :—• 
“ That this meetin.g desires to place on record its sense of the 
irreparable loss sustained by the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Insti- 
■tution in consequence of the death of Mr. E. R. Cutler, its Secretary 
■ during the long period of fifty years, and who, by his untiring energy 
•and devotion to its best interests from its commencement, succeeded 
in leaving it in the gratifying position of having an invested capital 
•of £25,000, while at the same time pensions amounting to £2618 are 
'being paid annually to 1.50 pensioners.” 
It was -unanimously resolved that the following resolution be 
-forwarded to Mrs. Cutier :— 
“ That the members of the Committee of the Gardeners’ Royal 
Benevolent Institution desire to offer to Mrs. Cutler their very warmest 
■sympathy and condolences in the lamented death of her husband, a loss 
felt by each member to be that of a valued personal friend, and of one 
'■whose memory will ever be affectionately cherished by all who had 
the gratification of knowing him.” 
A sub-committee was also appointed to consider the best steps to 
at once obtain the services of a new Secretary, and to carry on the 
general working of the office,—H akky J. Veitch, Treasurer. 
during the season, and in the present issue we give an illustiation 
(fig. 36) of a handsome variety that attracted much attention at the 
Daffodil Conference last year. This is one of the Narcissus pseudo- 
Narcissus type, and belongs to the large trumpet section. As its name 
<= Samson ” and the woodcut indicate, it is a massive flower, with broad 
spreading perianth divisions, and a bold, elongated, trump 2 t-like corona, 
the colour being a fine golden yellow. It is of vigorous habit, and has 
a very telling effect amongst the smaller varieties. 
Ornamental Foliage Plants. —I cannot assume that the author 
the article first published on the above subject intended his notes to 
)ply to the winter season alone. I do not so read them. With r^ard to 
e variegated Pine Apple, as showing the appreciation it is here held in, 
e have three times had plants decorating the tables since I first wrote. 1 
,n safely assure “ Rusticus” that it is really a first-rate decorative plant, 
le lower leaves curving down to the bottom of the large silver vases m 
hich the pots are placed. My experience with it has gone to prove the 
ipossibility of producing plaits with long drooping foliage in any other 
anner than by first growing them to the required size in large pots, then 
itting them down, and re-rooting into 5 or small 6-inch pots. I doubt 
it can be done in any other way. The variegated Indiarubber must be 
eated in the same manner. Plants which have been propagated m the 
ay trade growers do, require to be re-rooted under a good leaf. This 
ant needs good cultivation, but when well grown it is really grand.—B. 
