March 21, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
257 
lowering effect, and were so appreciated by doctors, and that eaten in 
large quantities they entirely alter one’s constitution. The American 
Grape, to which I have referred already, is not recommended by doctors 
on account of its heating properties. 
A great scourge to fruit trees in this district, particularly to Apples, 
Pears, Plums, and Quinces, is a bright red caterpillar, which the natives 
call “ bruco rosso,” and which if not checked literally mines the trees. 
The only means of eradicating this insect is to cut into the tree and so 
get it out. I spent many hours in this amusement, and afterwards had 
all the trunks limewashed, which seemed effectual, as I was not further 
troubled myself with these creatures while residing in Italy. Some 
large trees had, however, been so badly attacked as to be of no 
further use. 
A great plague also was another caterpillar which we frequently see 
in England. When I took possession of my garden I noticed at the top 
of some Firs large bags of web, which I had brought down. They 
contained myriads of these caterpillars, each insect being about 
IJ inch long. My man collected seventeen of these bags, and I 
weighed one, and it turned the scale at 3J kilos, or rather more than 
7 lbs., but I understand this is no unusual weight. To destroy them 
was not such an easy matter as it appeared. We first of all adopted the 
plan occasionally followed in destroying wasps’ nests — viz., soaking 
them with petroleum and then setting t’nem alight. But this was of no 
avail, as the web proved quite fire-proof, and not the slightest visible 
effect was produced. I then had a big fire made, and the webs opened 
and turned inside out, and the contents thrown on to the fire, but I 
never wish to witness again so unpleasant an operation. I suppose we 
must have overlooked a bag somewhere, for later on in the year I 
noticed a large Apple tree literally smothered with these caterpillars, 
and nearly every leaf devoured just before the fruit would have 
ripened. It was a good Apple year, but the fruit from this tree dropped 
prematurely. I may add that these bags of web, which were I suppose 
their hybernating quarters, were frequently to be seen in this part. 
Doubtless the almost utter absence of birds in the district accounted 
for the multitude of insects of all kinds. The poor birds hardly seemed 
to have a chance, and directly a sparrow was seen it was shot at. 
Anyone travelling in this part will at once have his attention attracted 
to the number of little birds, including robins and nightingales, exposed 
for sale. Moreover, the natives have not the slightest regard to where 
or how they shoot, and I have an old Panama at home which has saved 
my headpiece scores of times. 
In conclusion, gentlemen, I will say that my little experience of 
practical or theoretical horticulture was considerably modified during 
my residence of about three years in Italy, and I will quote an instance 
as to what I mean. I observed my man one day with several Acacia 
boughs, of which he was pointing the ends. These branches were from 
2 to 3 inches in diameter and perhaps 7 or 8 feet long. On my asking 
him what he was doing, he replied that the hedge wanted repairing, 
and that he was putting in a few trees. These boughs, after being well 
pointed at the end, he pressed into the dry stony ground as far as he 
could, and his statement was fully borne out, as the following year the 
boughs were in blossom. 
ACACIA OVATA. 
The utility of Acacias as winter and spring flowering plants is 
becoming more and more recognised, and rightly so. There are 
numbers of varieties all possessing great merits, but none, perhaps, is 
more useful than the variety portrayed in fig. 45, and of which a 
correspondent recently sent us a splendid spray, with the request that 
we should furnish him with the name. The character of the plant is 
fairly well shown in the engraving, but the spray has necessarily had 
to he reduced. It is most useful for culture in 48-size pots, being of 
dwarf bushy habit, and producing its bright yellow flower heads freely. 
The plant is easily grown, readily forced, stands well, and is altogether 
exceedingly useful, being more graceful than the early Acacia 
platyptera. 
Edinburgh and Beauty of Waltham, two varieties of enduring 
attractiveness, which have always been splendidly cultivated there. Mrs. 
McDouall has been adding very largely of lata to her stock of Tea Roses 
and Hybrid Teas ; but it is extremely unfortunate for her first experience 
of many of these, and especially those of recent introduction, that last 
summer should have proved, for obvious reasons, so unfavourable to 
their floral development, and that the recent winter should have been 
one of unprecedented severity. 
Mrs. McDouall is, like all true lovers of Nature, very fond of climbing 
flowers, which are largely cultivated both in the garden and in the 
conservatories. Among these are the various species of Clematis ; 
Tropmolum speciosum, which grows to a great height and luxuriates 
everywhere ; the exquisitely graceful Ipomcea coerulea ; and Lapageria 
rosea, which is also much grown by Madame Adelina Patti at 
Craig-y-Nos Castle. The south wall of the flower garden, which encloses 
A SCOTTISH LADY HORTICULTURIST. 
Thebe are few more earnest horticulturists in Scotland than Mrs. 
McDouall, of Logan House in Kirkmaiden parish, Wigtonshire. 
Throughout the entire year it is a pleasure to me to pay frequent visits 
to her extensive and beautiful gardens, either in her own company or 
that of her head gardener, Mr. Gilbert McMicking. There is 
no season, however exacting the atmospheric conditions, in which 
flowers are not discoverable there. In the spring the Daffodil, the Crocus, 
the Hepatica, the Tulip, and Anemone ; in the summer, the Rose, the Viola, 
and the Eastern Lily ; in the autumn the Dahlia, the high-towering Holly¬ 
hock, and the long-lived Chrysanthemum ; in the winter the yellow 
Jasmine, Viola odorata, and the Christmas Rose. At all periods of the year 
there are flowers under glass. Nearly a fortnight ago, on February 25th, 
I was presented by Mr. McMicking with two very fine blooms, grown 
in the central conservatory, of Souvenir d’un Ami, and the white Bank- 
sian Rose. Mrs. McDouall has always been an enthusiastic Rose 
cultivator ; and her collection embraces all the more celebrated Hybrid 
Perpetuals, Bourbons, Chinas, Noisettes and Teas. My love of Roses 
was first created by periodical visits to Logan Gardens; and I well 
remember that, twenty years ago, my supreme favourites were Duke of 
Fia, 45.— ACACIA OVATA. 
the picturesque ruins of Logan Castle, is covered in summer with 
Clematis montana, Tropteolum speciosum, and those highly ornamental 
Noisette Roses, Celine Forestier and Reve d’Or. These and many other 
stately climbers bloom contemporaneously, creating an impressively 
artistic effect. 
It should also be recorded that the Lady of Logan is a great culti¬ 
vator of Oriental Lilies, among her possessions in this floral department 
are Lilium Henry i, L. auratum platyphyllum, L. Humboldti, 
speciosum Kraetzeri, Martagon album, candidum, davuricum, tigrinum 
splendens, Krameri, and L. longiflorum giganteum, of which the last 
mentioned is almost identical with the Lily of Bermuda, L. Harris!. 
These she grows midway between the gardens and the mansion house on 
circular borders previously monopolised by Azaleas and Rhododendrons, 
which had to give place to their more admired successors, the natives of 
Siberia, America, China, and Japan. 
Fruits of various kinds are largely cultivated at Logan, among those 
which succeed best being the Black Hamburgh, Buckland Sweetwater, 
and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes ; the leading varieties of the Peach ; 
