302 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 12, 1688 
which has occasionally visited the Apple. It was undoubtedly 
found around London during last century. For a good while it 
was supposed that the pretty little green-veined white (P. napi) laid 
its eggs on Cabbages, but Newman and other observers have proved 
that it seldom seeks these, preferring such wild Crucifers as the 
Hedge Garlic and Winter Cress. 
In the month of March both the species under consideration— 
viz., the cabbage or large white (Pieris Brassicse) and the garden or 
small white (P. Rap®) are in the dormant condition of their chrysalis 
life. This endures from the autumn until spring without exception. 
I have never discovered caterpillars of either during the winter 
season on Brassicas or any plants, though I have often been shown 
ravages attributed to them, which turned out on examination to be 
the work of some Noctua caterpillars, hiding under the soil by day, 
or else the effect of numerous juvenile slugs. The chrysalidsor 
pupae of these butterflies being always exposed to the air through 
the colder months, on walls, fences, trunks of trees, and the like, 
are necessarily subject to atmospheric influences, but even hard 
frosts do not hurt them. They will chink against glass like little 
stones, and yet emerge in due time. Damp winters are possibly 
prejudicial. So far as my observations go, the insect-eating birds 
seldom devour these chrysalids. Parasitic foes largely help to reduce 
their numbers, specially one insect, a small fly, which having pierced 
a caterpillar deposits a host of eggs ; the maggots feed up and form 
a cluster of tiny yellow cocoons after the chrysalis has been 
fastened to some object. These are frequently noticed, and some¬ 
times supposed to be the caterpillar’s “ eggs.” Another fly waits 
till the chrysalis state is entered and then covers the helpless insect 
with its tiny eggs, from which issue a hundred or more maggots. 
A good many of these chrysalids escape, of course, but they should 
be looked for and removed by the gardener whenever seen. It has 
been stated they are sometimes buried ; this can rarely be the case. 
I have seldom found them even on low stems or stalks. 
The first to appear on the wing is the small white (P. Rapae)' 
which might be, indeed, regarded as a pleasant pioneer of the spring) 
were it not that the progeny of this butterfly is so unwelcome a 
visitor to vegetables and flowers. Scarce near London for some 
years, owing to the building over market garden ground, which cut 
off its supply of food, it has again become a cockney insect since 
numerous churchyards and vacant plots have been brought into 
cultivation. Casuals which arrived found an abundance of Wall¬ 
flowers, Rockets, Nasturtiums, and the like, which attracted them 
nearly as much as culinary plants, and their numbers have increased 
since. (I have occasionally taken the caterpillar of this white off 
Pelargoniums, but it is not partial to that group of plants). The 
eggs are laid singly, as a rule, so are not easily detected upon the 
varieties of Cabbage, Mustard, and Turnips, the plants above men¬ 
tioned, and others, during April. This caterpillar is distinguished 
from its larger relative by its greenish velvety appearance and its 
lack of black blotches. It has three yellow lines along the body', 
and this is studded with clubbed hairs resembling minute pins. 
From its liking to bury itself in hearted Cabbages it has been 
called the “ heart worm.” This is not the practice of P. Brassicae, 
which is also more limited in its choice of food than P. Rapae. 
This spring brood of P. Rapae may be adult in three weeks or a 
month, perhaps sooner, should the weather be warm, and then 
follows another emergence of butterflies in or about July. To 
these succeed August and September caterpillars to produce the 
next year’s insects. But some years there are doubtless more than 
the two broods, and probably, from April to the end of autumn, 
there is scarcely a day when one might not detect either the cater¬ 
pillar or butterfly somewhere in the garden. Picking this pest from 
plants is tedious work, but it may be diminished by a variety of 
washes or dressings. Few applications, indeed, prove better than 
water alone, which, if used liberally, brings the caterpillars off their 
food, and sets up a disease which kills them. 
On the whole, I consider the large white P. Brassicas the more 
destructive insect of the two, although it comes out later, the 
butterflies of the first brood being usually on the wing in May. 
Their eggs are laid during that month on Cabbages of all kinds, 
now and then on Mustard or Turnip, and as a rule not singly, like 
those of P. Rapre, but in small batches of ten to twenty. These 
hatch in about a fortnight, the caterpillars feed nearly a month 
with the next or summer brood, the change goes on more rapidly. 
They are of a bluish green marked with black, the skin is rather 
rough and hairy. If alarmed they bend head and tail, forming a 
half-circle, and fall to the ground, which the caterpillars of the 
small white never do. The dexterity with which they find their 
way back to the spot they have left is amusing. Another peculiarity 
in this species is that the caterpillars have a very disagreeable smell. 
Soon after midsummer we discover the chrysalis on walls and 
palings. The summer butterflies are, or seem to be, more abundant 
generally than the spring flight. The second batch of caterpillars 
must be sometimes at least followed by a third, as I have taken 
quantities of them in October or a week or two later. Both these 
butterflies possess the peculiarity of making migrations in parties 
for long distances. There are undeniable instances of their coming 
over to us from the coast of France.— Ento.mologist. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
April 10th. 
The supporters of this Society are evidently determined that the 
meetings of the Committees in the new quarters shall not diminish in 
interest, and efforts arc being made both by amateurs and nurserymen to 
add to their attractions. The second gathering in the Drill Hall, James 
Street, Victoria Street, on Tuesday last was as effective and varied as 
could be wished ; but it was unfortunate that the weather continued so 
cold and unseasonable, for it undoubtedly prevented many visitors 
attending. During a good portion of the afternoon the Hall had a 
somewhat deserted appearance, but brighter days and warmer weather 
will, it is hoped, bring larger attendance at subsequent meetings. 
The exhibits on Tuesday were confined exclusively to plants and 
flowers ; no fruits or vegetables were submitted to the consideration of 
the Fruit Committee, an exceedingly rare occurrence. A somewhat 
different arrangement was adopted this time, one broad table extending 
nearly the whole length of the Hall in the centre, with two other tables 
near the side walls, and one across the Hall at the end. This allowed 
ample space for inspecting the plants, and also had a rather better 
appearance. The central table was devoted to groups and novelties, 
Messrs. Veitch & Sons’ Amaryllises, Mr. B. S. Williams’ select stove 
and greenhouse plants, Messrs. Paul & Son’s and H. Lane & Son’s Roses, 
Mr. Pollett’s choice Odontoglossums, a collection of interesting plants 
from Kew, and Mr. C. Turner’s new Carnations constituting the leading 
features. Upon the side tables .were displayed extensive collections of 
Daffodils in endless variety from Messrs. T. S. Ware, Barr & Son, and 
Collins Bros., with grand Cinerarias from Mr. J. James, Ferns from Jlr. 
H. B. May, and Cyclamens from Mr. W. Clay. The end table was 
occupied with a group from Messrs. Rothschild, Gunnersbury Park, in 
■which Mr. Roberts had a series of admirable plants of the exquisitely 
fragrant Rhododendron Lady Alice Fit zwilliam. Besides these were 
several special smaller exhibits that '^Tinnentioned in the following 
notes. Thirteen plants were found worthy of first-class certificates, in¬ 
cluding five handsome Amaryllises ; three cultural commendations were 
awarded and eleven medals. 
Floral Committee. —Present: Rev. W. Wilks in the chair, and 
Me.ssrs. W. Goldring, W. Wildsmith, B. Wynne, H. Herbst, J. Fraser, G. 
Nicholas, W. H. Lowe, G. Duffield, C. T. Druery, R. Dean, W. Holmes, 
G. Paul, T. Baines, C. Noble, H. Ballantine, J. Dominy, A. M. Pollett, 
A. J. Lendy, J. O’Brien, E. Hill, Shirley Hibberd, J. Walker, and Dr. 
M. T. Masters. 
The group of plants from the Royal Gardens, Kew, chiefly comprised 
Narcissi and Primulas in pots from the new hardy plant house, where 
such an interesting display is now provided. Very notable were plants 
of Narcissus triandus and its variety albus, the latter a charming 
Narciss for pot culture, with drooping creamy flowers having bell-like 
coronas. The small bright golden flowers of the graceful N. rupicola, 
and the still more slender N. juncifolius, received special attention. Of 
the Primulas the chief were the purplish P. pubescens and P. viscosa, 
together -with the pretty white variety of the former, -svhich is seen under 
so many names in gardens. P. marginata ccerulea with large pale purple 
flowers and white-edged leaves was also shown, and the yellow P. 
Palinuri. From the winter garden in the same establishment came large 
heads of the handsome Rhododendron Falconeri, having sulphur 
coloured, large, bell-shaped flowers, and R. grande var. roseum. A small 
plant of Asystasia, or Mackaya, bella from the greenhouse was bearing 
numbers of its lilac-veined flowers, and a group of similar small speci¬ 
mens in the house named is one of its most pleasing features at the 
present time. A large flower head of the old Cineraria cruenta witli 
small mauve blooms was interesting in contrast with the Farnham 
Royal varieties on the opposite side of the Hall. 
Messrs. Rothschild, Gunnersbury Park, Acton (gardener, 5Ir. Roberts), 
contributed a group of miscellaneous flowering plants and Ferns, with 
six even globular plants of Rhododendron L^y Alice Fitzgerald , well 
known as an excellent early-flowering variety, with lar^pure” white 
flowers possessing a powerful and agr cable fragrance. A silver-gilt 
Banksian medal was awarded for this exhibit. 
A tastefully arranged group of choice Odontoglossums and Ferns 
from H. M. Pollett, Esq., Fernside. Bickley (gardener, Mr. Parks), wa.s 
worthily accorded a silver Banksian medal. The plants were all un¬ 
usually healthy specimens, and the varieties, too, were some of the best, 
especially of such beautifully spotted types as 0. Ruckerianum and 
0. Andersonianum, several of which had two racemes each. A remark¬ 
ably vigorous specimen of 0. Wilckeanum had five strong racemes. The 
beautiful 0. Sanderianum was admirably represented by a plant with 
two long racemes of white-lipped flowers; O. Schillerianum, 0. scep- 
trum, and 0. praenitens forming other noteworthy plants in the group. 
F. G. Tautz, E.sq., Studley House, Hammersmith (gardener, Mr. Cowley), 
showed a plant of Cypripedium Mastersianum, a curious but not beau¬ 
tiful form, with a short broad green dorsal sepal and brown smooth petals 
and lips (vote of thanks.) 
Mr. R. Ballantine, The Dell Gardens, Egham, showed a strong plant 
of Cattleya Blunti, having four large pure w'hite flowers, except a faint 
