June 25,1891. ] 
JOURITAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
511 
programme a lecture should have been delivered at their rooms on that 
evening by the Rev. F. D. Horner, Vicar of Kirkby Lonsdale, West¬ 
moreland, late of Kirby Malzcard, near Ripon, but Mr. Horner’s clerical 
duties would not allow him to visit Wakefield, and in order not to be 
deprived of the lecture it was decided to hold a special meeting on the 
following Thursday, when Alderman Milnes presided, and Mr. W. Pye, 
the Postmaster, occupied the vice-chair. In order to illustrate the 
lecture local Tulip growers exhibited a large number of florists’ Tulips, 
and they made a grand show. Considering the very unfavourable 
weather and the great mischief done by the severe frost on the 17th of 
last month and the recent hailstorm, the blooms were fine, and they 
were greatly admired by professional and amateur gardeners from all 
parts of the city and its suburbs. The Chairman in commencing the 
proceedings, which occupied nearly three hours, apologised for the 
absence of Major Taylor, J.P., the President, and then introduced the 
lecturer. Mr. Horner had a flattering reception, and delivered a long 
and interesting lecture upon his favourite subject, and in his usual 
pleasing manner. It was followed by considerable discussion, and the 
proceedings closed with votes of thanks to the lecturer and exhibitors. 
- The Black Cueeant Mite.— At page 469 Mr. J. Hiam calls 
attention to my mistaking the caterpillar for a maggot, and mentions 
that the caterpillars were numerous but the maggots were scarce, and 
that they did not even care to notice the former. Why ? My opinion 
is that a scarce maggot could be of little service in extirpating the 
mite pest. After I read Mr. Hiam’s article about the scarcity of the 
maggots, I made an investigation of several buds. Wherever the 
silky appearance of the caterpillar was present there were no mites, 
and, singular to say, Nature was making an effort to start growth 
anew from the miteless swollen buds, but not with those where mites 
were present. I selected one of the latter, and placed a piece of one 
of the scales of the bud, about three-sixteenths square under a micro- 
scrope. Upon this small piece of leaf there were upwards of 100 
mites of various sizes, and like the spume hopper insect, of two colours, 
one less transparent than the other, probably male and female. Some 
of the mites raised themselves erect, using their two bristles to steady 
themselves by. There were numerous eggs of various sizes, some of 
them larger in diameter than any mite I saw. Some were scattered 
about, but there was one heap which the mites wrought with assiduity 
and care seemingly. At the side of this heap of eggs there were six 
cocoons- a little longer than the mites, but of the same transparency, 
but motionless and legless. Then there was a brownish chrysalis which 
had a tubercle-like appendage. There might be one on both sides, but 
I did not see them; then at the other end, which was a little raised, 
there were two silken threads hanging out some distance. Along with 
these there would be at least 5000 mites in this one bud, and from 
their movements I was inclined to think they were at times hostile 
to one another, and to a maggot which was also present in this small 
place but vast multitude. The maggot was not unlike those that are 
found in the wild Rasps, and had a striking resemblance in its outward 
form to the larvae of the ladybird, but no larger than any mite. I 
have penned the above facts so that they may stimulate others better 
qualified to make a proper research.—W. T. 
-Lemoike’s Haedy Hybeid Gladioli.—As one who has 
grown all the varieties of these most beautiful free-flowering and 
easily managed plants since they were first sent out by their raiser, I 
must enter a most emphatic protest against the inaccuracy of a state¬ 
ment appearing on page 491 of your last issue over the signature of your 
well known correspondent, “ D., Deal” in which he ventures to assert 
that “ in beauty these hybrids cannot touch the hybrids of the Ganda- 
vensis section.” Now, I- venture to assert that many of the newer 
varieties sent out by M. Lemoine in the autumn of 1889 (ail of which 
bloomed most profusely in my garden during last summer and autumn) 
not only “ touch,” but fully equal in size of flower and delicacy and 
brilliancy of colour the best of the Gandavensis hybrids ; and in proof of 
this statement I may mention amongst the Lemoinei section the beauti. 
ful light variety Venus de Milo and the splendid deep scarlet John 
Laing, which I have never seen surpassed and but seldom equalled by 
any Gandavensis hybrid. Amongst the Nanceianus section, also of 
Saundersi parentage, the fine President Carnot and the brilliant Comte 
Horace de Choiseul are as fine, if not finer, than any Gandavensis 
hybrid. I only now speak of those varieties that I have myself seen and 
successfully grown, but amongst the new varieties of this year, all of 
which I hope to bloom in the course of this season, I hope to find even 
finer varieties than any as yet known to me, especially the variety 
named Le Grande Carnot, which if it is accurately represented in its 
portrait must be far in excess of anything we have yet seen both in size 
of flower and extreme brilliancy of colour. Your correspondent may 
not have seen these fine varieties, and if so he speaks from insufficient 
information, and such utterances are only calculated to mislead. M. 
Lemoine does not claim for his hybrids absolute hardiness, as your 
correspondent seems to imply, but merely that they are much hardier 
than any other hybrids, only requiring a slight protection of mats ( r 
litter in severe winters. I may add that even in 1879 and 1880 they 
have proved absolutely hardy here without any protection.—W. E. 
Gumbleton, Queenstown, 
- Royal Meteoeological Society.— The concluding meeting 
of this Society for the present session was held on Wednesday evening) 
the 17th inst., at the Institute of Civil Engineers, 25, Great George 
Street, Westminster; Mr. Baldwin Latham, M.Inst.C.E., President, in 
the chair. Mr. J. J. Colman, M.P., Mr. E. B. Duhoff-Gordon, B.A., Mr. 
G. E. Leon, Mr. T. de C. Meade, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E., and Mr. P. Russell, 
F.R.G.S., were elected Fellows of the Society. Mr. A. J. Hands, 
F.R.Met.Soc., gave an account of a curious case of damage by lightning 
to a church at Neeiwood, Staffordshire, on April 5th, 1891. The church 
was provided with a lightning conductor, but Mr. Hands thinks that 
when the lightning struck the conductor a spark passed from it to some 
metal which was close to it, and so caused damage to the building. Mr. 
W. Ellis, F.R.A.S., read a paper “ On the Mean Temperature of the Air 
at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, as Deduced from the Photographic 
Records for the Forty Years from 1849 to 1888,” and also gave some 
account of the way in which, at different times, Greenwich mean tempe¬ 
ratures have been formed. Mr. Ellis also read a paper “ On the 
Comparison of Thermometrical Observations made in a Stevenson Screen 
with Corresponding Observations made on the Revolving Stand at the 
Royal Observatory, Greenwich.” From this it appears that the maxi¬ 
mum temperature in the Stevenson screen is lower than that of the 
revolving stand, especially in summer, and the minimum temperature 
higher ; whilst the readings of the dry and wet bulb thermometers on 
both the screen and the stand, as taken at stated hours, agree very 
closely together. Mr. W. F. Stanley, F.R.Met.Soc., exhibited and 
described his “ phonometer,” which is really a new form of chronograph 
designed for the purpose of ascertaining the distance of a gun from 
observations of the flash and report of its discharge by the difference of 
time that light and sound take in reaching the observer. The instrument 
can also be used for measuring the distance of lightning by timing the 
interval between the flash and the report of the thunder. A paper was 
also read by Mr. A. B. MacDowall on “ Some Suggestions Bearing on 
Weather Prediction.” _ 
EOYAL AQUARIUM SHOW. 
Juke 24th and 25th. 
The Begonia and Rose Show, advertised to be held on June 24th 
and 25th at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, was opened on 
Wednesday, and a good display of flowers was provided, though Roses 
were not sufficiently abundant to constitute a show of any pretensions. 
The Tuberous Begonias were the great feature of the Exhibition, 
and Messrs. John Laing & Sons of Forest Hill had the satisfaction of 
winning premier honours with the most magnificent group ever entered 
in competition. It occupied a space of nearly 360 square feet, being 
40 feet long and 9 feet wide, the plants being arranged upon the_ floor 
with Palms, Ferns, and Asparagus, an edging of Isolepis and Panicum, 
and a background of large Palms in front of a green baize screen. 
All the principal types were represented, doubles and singles of all the 
firm’s best varieties being in good numbers; and there were also varieties 
adapted for baskets, together with novelties of exceptional merit. Some 
of the most notable were amongst singles—Duchess of Westminster, 
rosy crimson, wdiite centre; Darkest Africa, rich maroon ; Leah, fine 
yellow; Lady Pigott, large, of capital form, bright salmon; Juarezi, 
crimson, very free and graceful. Of the doubles, the best were Duchess 
of Teck, clear yellow, very fine ; Duke of Clarence, rosy salmon, distinct 
shade; Viscount Wolseley, orange scarlet, very free ; Henshaw Russell, 
brilliant scarlet; Lady Kinnaird, very full soft cerise scarlet, crumped 
edges ; Stanstead Yellow, deep rich yellow ; Mrs. Thrower, soft rich rose ; 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, rich ciimson ; and Mrs. Jekyll, clear scarlet. 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, was placed second, his group being 
arranged upon a table with a margin of Isolepis and Adiantums. Many 
fine single and double novelties were included, the plants compact, the 
flowers large, and the colours varied. 
A handsome non-competing group of Tuberous Begonias was ex- 
hibited by Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swan ley, and occupied a space on 
a long table similar to the group from Tottenham. The plants and 
varieties were good, the arrangement tasteful, and the effect veiy 
satisfactory. Adiantums and Panicums were employed as a margin. 
Hardy flowers were well represented, and in the class for a colUction 
the first prize was awarded to Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenh.im, who hail a 
charming group most effectively arranged, and showing the decorative 
value of these plants to perfection. Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent Garden, 
