April 2«, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
343 
correct position until it flowered some years ago in the Chelsea Botanic 
Gardens, when it was determined by Sir Joseph Hooker. 
GREVILLEA ROBUSTA. 
Seeds of this elegant-foliaged and most useful furnishing p’ant may 
be sown at once in a shallow pan filled to within an inch of the top with 
light sandy soil, covering the seed lightly, water through a fine rose, 
and then .place in a hotbed with a square of glass over the pan and a 
covering of moss. The seedling plants will in due time appear, and by 
placing them singly into small (lO-sized pots, returning them to beat for 
a few weeks, giving water at the roots, and shading the young plants 
from sunshine until the roots have taken to the soil, useful little speci¬ 
mens for furnishing purposes will be secured by next autumn.— South 
"Wilts. 
REVIEW OF BOOK. 
[lcj):>rt of Ohaervationn of I/ijiiiuoiiJt Imecta ami Common, Farm Perts 
during 1S87. Bg EleANOU A Oemebod, F.R.M.S., &C. Simpkin, 
Marahall & Co. 
It has been rather ungraciously said that ladies make but pour 
scientific observers, because the.y are likely to display the feminine 
habit of “jumping to conclusions.” Natural science in its various 
branches has of late years enrolled a large number of patient and 
cnthu.siastic lady students, who have already shown themselves able to 
rival the opposite sex, though their work may have made less noise in 
the world. Botany has been always a favourite study with the ladies, 
but entomology has not been successful in enrolling many, perhaps 
because the operation of killing specimens can hardly be avoided, and 
this is somewhat distasteful to the gentler sex. Amongst our few 
lady entomologists well deserved eminence must be given to Miss 
Ormerod, who has given a practical turn to her studies which merits the 
gratitude of gardeners and farmers. Her report of observations made 
last year, if it does not present any specially important features, 
epitomises excellently the facts noticed by her or reported bj' others 
which bear upon the loss and injury caused through insects. 
looking first at that portion of the Report which has most to do with 
horticulture, we find it sufficiently apparent that 1887 was not a .year 
in which insects made themselves conspicuously trouVJesome. This is, 
however, quite obvious, an<l one is more impressed with the fact as we 
have recently had to hear much about the bulb mite and its allies, that 
mites of a variety of species are coming more to the front than formerly. 
This may not be because these insects are really commoner now than 
they have been in the past, possibly the explanation is that gardeners 
and naturalists are observing with more accuracy to what causes the 
decay and death of some plants is attributable. Miss Ormerod notes 
the complaints made by growers of the Black Currant, about the gall 
mite called Phytoptus Ribis, which pierces the leaf-buds in early spring. 
I n Cheshire, a gardener reports that the Black Currants for miles round 
suSered severely, and in some instances the whole stock of trees was 
completely ruined, and fresh bushes, brought from a di.stanco, shared the 
same fate. A grower in Clydesdale gives account of injuries equally 
serious, and suggests as probable that quantities of these mites descend 
to the soil later on, hence the advisableness of removing the surface 
where the bushes have been infested. If it be the case that many of the 
mites winter in the earth, to ascend the bushes at the time of bud- 
ding-out, it would be well. Miss Ormerod says, to smear the stems and 
flower branches with the article called “ Davidson’s Composition,” or 
.some other sticky and deterrent material. The insect does not meddle 
with the Red or White Currant. 
The slugworm of the Pear (Tenthredo Cerasi) was more abundant 
than usual, perhaps owing to the warm summer. It appeared to show a 
preference for trees trained on walls, but occurred also in Cherry 
orchards. It is now established as a fact that the pupation of this 
insect takes place in the earth, to which the grubs descend about 
September, burying themselves at a depth of from 1 to 4 inches, and 
emerging as flics in .June or July. These little crown balls should there¬ 
fore be looked for and destroyed, in the event of any caterpillars having 
escaped from the dusting or syringing which should be at once carried 
nut when the species has been detected. In some parts of Middlesex, 
Kent, Herts, and Essex a goorl deal of damage was caused towards the 
end of summer to Cabbages, Kale, and green crops by catei’pillars of the 
large white butterfly (Pieris Brassicae). Miss Ormerod infers from ex¬ 
amination of various reports that the Turnip moth (Agrotis segetum) is 
gradually on the increase; many observers cbronicle the injury they did 
to Swedes, especially during 1887. Though the insect is named from 
the Turnip, it has frequently been found at the roots of Celery, Spinach, 
Onions, Carrots, Potatoes, and even Oats. Except while young its pro¬ 
ceedings are chiefly carried on underground, hence often unsuspected. 
Is theii multiplication partly due to the diminution in number of those 
birds which seek caterpillars as their favourite food ? 
The Hessian fly was again discovered in many localities, but not to 
any notable extent. It appears to be now almost certain that it is 
seldom or never imported with foreign straw (as was supposed), because 
this straw is generally bakeil before it is used for the purpose of pack¬ 
ing. Quantities of the granary weevil (Calaudra granaria) have, how¬ 
ever, for years past been brought to us with Russian and German 
Wheats. Recently in the neighbonrhood of London this beetle has been 
found very mischievous with malt. 
ROSA POLYANTHA GRANDIFLORA. 
The neat little double varieties of the polyantha type are becoming 
very popular, and new varieties are becoming quite frequent at the 
metropolitan shows and meetings. Messrs. Paul & Son of Cheshunt, 
however, recently exhibited a large single white variety named grandi- 
flora, which the Floral Committee found worthy of a first class"certifi- 
F g. 14.—ROSA I'OLYASTHA GEAKDIFLORA. 
cate on the 10th inst. It is regarded as an improvement upon the old 
single form of R. polyantha, and originated in France. The flowers are 
2 ^ inches in diameter, with broad rounded petals of good substance and 
pure white. They are produced freely, and the plant shown was trained 
in globular form, was a neat and attractive little specimen. To some 
tastes, however, such Roses as these look better in a more free and 
graceful style. 
A ROSE SHOW IN BRUSSELS. 
Arrangements have been made for holding a Rose show at Bru.ssels 
on July 1st and 2nd, in connection with the International Exhibition 
this year, and the schedule just issued is somewhat different from those 
we are accustomed to in this country. The prizes are all medals—gold, 
silver-gilt or silver, and the classes are in two sections, for amateurs and 
nurserymen respectively. Eight classes are devoted to amateurs, two of 
the lu'incipal being for 150 and 100 varieties of Roses each, with others 
for fifty and twenty-five varieties, and collections, the number not 
specified. Seven classes are appropriated to nurserymen similar to the 
