December 29, 1837. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
nnm The f L + 1Sett %l Jl or in sci ence Rhynchites Bacchus, is a 
name of terror the other side of the Channel from the great injury 
it does some years to the young leaves of the Tine It is an 
English insect also, but with us it confines its operations chiefly to 
the Apple, the newly set fruit of which is attacked and the ego of 
the weevil placed therein ; and it occasionally visits stone fruit, 
piercing to its very centre. But we have another weevil, fortunately 
not abundant, which follows the same method on our Vines which 
Sf, h!! e Pursues on those of France. This is R. betuleti, a 
little beetle of a steely blue, about a third of an inch long, and with 
un abdomen almost square. It appears on the Vine in April or 
May seldom entering houses. The female insect begins the 
mischmf, and the maggot completes it. She tears down a leaf 
wth her rostrum, commencing at the tip, and this loose portion of 
at she ingeniously rolls over the other, and the juices exuded bind 
nr,j) n +l asma ^11 mass. Then several eggs are thrust into the roll, 
and the operation repeated until her stock is exhausted. The 
maggots hatch speedily, and are full grown in about a month, when 
Sr nS w . hlch . has ^en withered, falls, and they bury themselves 
for their transformation. There is no remedy save the prompt 
removal of any leaves seen to be rolled, and these are generally 
conspicuous enough. s J 
+w C TA ng i U0W to * he Lepidopterous order of insects, it is notable 
that of the larger caterpillars none are known to feed habitually 
upon the Vine. Some years since I received some of the gay 
coloured horned caterpillars of the elephant moth (Chmrocampa 
■elpenoi) which had been discovered in a vinery, much to the 
astonishment of the owner, but this was quite an exceptional 
instance The caterpillar pests of the Vine are mostly small. On 
the Continent, however, their numbers and prolificness make them 
ii! njUrl0 e S ' A 1 t .P resent we enjoy a comparative exemption 
from them. Some difference of opinion exists as to which is the 
w°rs . am inclined to think the bad pre-eminence must be given 
to the species long known as Tortrix vitisana, now styled by ento¬ 
mologists OEnectra pillereana. The moth is remarkable for the 
great length of its palpi or feelers. In colour it is brown or 
greyish brown, with a slight metallic gloss on the fore wings. Its 
caterpillar is not particularly distinguishable from several others of 
the tribe, of a dull green, sprinkled with whitish warts, and slightly 
t n an( ^ Ma y females settle upon the twigs, where 
they place their eggs singly. When these are hatched the young 
caterpillars are found drawing the flower buds together by means 
of threads, and they destroy all that they attack. It has been 
noticed that the Vine suffers most from this insect in cold and 
•damp springs. Early in August or sooner, other caterpillars appear 
of the second brood, and these feed upon the Grapes, ripe and 
unripe, covering the bunches with webs. At their maturity they 
bury in the earth sometimes, or else place the cocoons in other hiding- 
places. It has been thought there are three broods, but I believe it 
is more probable that there is a successive emergence of moths from 
the first brood, so that the young caterpillars may be found on the 
I™ 1 / formed Grapes, and also, later, upon those nearly ripe. In 
England this is accounted a scarce and local insect. The only un¬ 
questionable habitat is the Isle of Wight, where observers report it 
is attached to the Stinking Iris, which seems unlikely. Durincr 1880 
the Vines growing in East Cliff Gardens, Lincoln, suffered severely 
from a host of caterpillars, evidently those of some Tortrix, but 
the species could not be verified by any entomologist, as none of the 
moths were reared. I am almost convinced this was an appearance 
n -u PGlereaiia., yet it might have been the species next to be 
described which has been an occasional troubler of our Vines in the 
south. 
As an enemy of fruit trees in spring the larva of Ditula an<ms- 
tiorana is familiar to many gardeners, and to the Apricot it is 
specially partial, hundreds or thousands of these being sometimes 
found on the walls, living in and devouring the young leaves. This 
caterpillar is of a dull green, or else yellow green, with the head 
glossy, behind the eyes a black mark, on the back are four brown 
spowS, darkest in their centres, and separated by the dorsal line into 
pairs. About July the moth appears, measuring six to eight lines 
across the expanded wings, which are brown, varied by markings of 
a deep red or chestnut brown, speckled also with black, the chief 
markings being edged by scales of golden tint. At Ivew and else- 
•wflere larva of this species have been found devouring the Grapes 
in August, descendants evidently of the summer moths, a circum¬ 
stance which has much surprised entomologists, but we are hardly 
in a position to say whether it is exceptional or usual. Should this 
prove to be a frequent occurrence, it may be also the case that the 
Vine flowers are attacked by some caterpillars of the first brood. 
-Ur we may find that the second brood is a variety occurring only in 
some seasons, for it is not generally noticed as yet, but at present 
we are seant of information about it. On the Continent 0. roserana, 
also called Eupmcilia ambiguella, feed upon the Vine flowers in May, 
sometimes devastating whole districts. In Britain it is a very un¬ 
559 
species°of the^TYnf - d °f 3ppear to feed u P on the Vine. Other 
species of the Tortrix family are common on the Vines of Eurone 
favoured bv^ 1 ^ l 10 1 tunder S lass > their multiplication being 
Xt r genial climate than ours, which if it is unkindly 
to the Vine is also prejudicial to its foes.— Entomologist. * 
AN ARTIFICIAL MANURE. 
nnt‘+fi I + VE °m en tho 1 u S ht that an artificial manure might be brought 
out that would supply nourishment without smell, colourless when 
mixed with water not injurious to the leaves of plants when 
"m3 d },° n \ Cm ( r> b yReaving a deposit), would not sour the 
f US ? d T r| g g rowt « ; in fact, plants will grow 
in nothing but sand, watered with this liquid. It has also another 
good property, it renders hard water soft. 
As an amateur I used this mixture last year with the most grati- 
r il SUl wnu I n °7,Y- nt T a f6W 0ther P ersons to tr y it, and have 
asked the Editor of this Journal to make it known and use his 
discretion in the distribution of 1-lb. packets. The 1-lb. packet 
Mill, with ozs. of commercial nitric acid, make 160 gallons of 
liquid manure. The best way to mix the powder is to place it in a 
gallon jar, then add the water, leaving enough room for the 21 ozs 
of commercial nitric acid. Shake the jar until all is dissolved', and 
when you wish to use the manure put 1 oz. from the jar into each 
gallon of water. I have used the above to water Oichids, but if 
anyone wishes to use it in this manner I will answer them through 
tfiis Journal My impression is that once used always used. It 
also cleans the leaves of plants that have become coated with 
carbonate of lime from use of hard water.— Dum Spiro Spero. 
CHRISTMAS ROSES. 
These cannot be grown satisfactorily in many districts, much 
depending upon the nature of the soil and subsoil. A rather 
strong loam resting on a clayey subsoil appears to suit them well 
and nowhere can they be found in such quantities and vigour as in 
the neighbourhood of Bath. Acres of them are grown specially 
for producing cut blooms, these being sent all over the country, 
and pay weH. All are improved by protection, either by frames, 
handlights, or light houses ; in fact the greater part marketed are 
thus protected. In the open ground the larger variety, Helleborus 
niger maximus, is seldom fully expanded at Christmas, but the 
smaller form is earlier. Both have longer footstalks, and are of a 
purer white under glass—another good reason for affording them 
this protection. Unfortunately this usually necessitates wholesale 
lifting and replanting under glass, or it may be potting a few. 
This greatly weakens them, and it takes at least two clear seasons 
to refit them for lifting again. By this it will be seen three sets of 
plants are needed, all being lifted and gently forced in their turn. 
I hey seldom pay for being kept a second year in pots, and our 
plan, and that also practised by the market growers, is to freely 
divide them after flowering, and plant them afresh in rich garden 
soil. It duly mulched and watered in dry weather they soon attain 
a serviceable size, and in our estimation are simply invaluable. At 
the present time we have plants in 10-inch pots carrying as manv 
as sixty beautiful flowers.—B. ° y 
STRAWBERRIES FOR FORCING. 
Tiie time for forcing the above fruit will, ere now, in many 
places have begun. Many growers will, owing to the late hot 
summer, have but second-rate plants as compared with plants grown 
in previous and more favourable seasons, although for my part I am 
well pleased with my plants. True, I have had others larger as regards 
foliage in previous years, but never better rooted and ripened°than 
at the present time, and this I attribute solely to not layering the 
runners. I have never been fortunate in having more men than I 
knew what to do with, and the common practice of layering I 
could never see the use of. In my younger days I have seen many 
a fine runner spoiled by being layered in small pots and allowed to 
suffer by want of water. My practice is to obtain rooted runners, 
and in good loam pot them at once into their largest pots, and if 
possible place them close together for a few days under the shade 
of a north wall; syringe twice a day for ten days, and afterwards 
expose them in the open. Such runners will start right away upon 
recovering from the slight check, and with attention to watering, 
by October such runners will be fine strong plants, their roots 
having filled the pots. 
Many gardeners place their plants un ler cover to protect them 
from heavy rains. If the drainage is good and the pots well filled 
with healthy roots heavy rains will not hurt them. My plan is to 
cover outside Peach and Vine borders with stable litter or bracken, 
and by the end of October plunge all Strawberries to be forced in 
litter on these borders, never in any way protecting them. Should 
