September 17,18S5. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
249 
their arrangement being a thick groundwork of various Ferns, among which 
a few graceful Palms, Crotons, Pitcher Plants, and Tuberous Begonias were 
dotted, the edging being a drooping line of Ficus repens, with a few Iso- 
Sepis gracilis and variegated Panicum, backed with a line of Maidenhair 
and graceful Crotons. Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons were second. In the 
gardeners' class, Mr. Grossart, gardener to Mr. Buchanan, Oswald Road, 
was easily first, though we have seen much better tables set up at former 
shows by the same gentleman. Mr. R. Cockburn was second. Pot plants 
were generally inferior, though, as a rule, the winning collections were good. 
Mr. Patterson, Millbank, had the best six stove and greenhouse flower¬ 
ing plants, staging Ixoras Pilgrimi and Williamsi, Ericas Mamockiana, 
Trbyana, and Turnbulli, and Statice profusa. With a good Heath Mr. 
Patterson also took first for the best single greenhouse plant, also first for 
three Cape Heaths. Mr. Scott, gardener to Lord Elphinstone, Carberry 
Towers, was first with a Dasylirion, Phormium, Asparagus plumosus, and 
Yucca aloifolia ; Mr. Grossart being a close second. Of Orchids, Mr. Gros¬ 
sart. was the only exhibitor of four and one, the best plant being a fine 
Lfelia elegans. Ferns were numerously shown, Adiantums themselves being 
a good show, and although the specimens were not large they were very 
fresh. Of the latter, Mr. Grossart staged a fine example of A. Flemingi in 
his winning four. Mr. Kerr, Sunlaws, Kelso, and Mr. J. Canning had re¬ 
spectively first and second prizes for three Tuberous Begonias, each with 
well-grown little plants. Some good Geraniums ■were set up, Mr. D. Plen- 
derleith having the best. 
Of cut flowers, those which attracted most attention were the Roses, 
Messrs. Cocker & Son, Aberdeen, taking first prizes for thirty-six and eigh¬ 
teen blooms with very fine fresh buds; Mr. H. Dickson, Belfast, being 
second for thirty-six, and Mr. Smith, Stranraer, for eighteen. Messrs. 
Ireland & Thomson and R. B. Laird & Sons set up fine collections of stove 
and greenhouse plants, the prizes going in the order of the names. Mr. 
Campbell, The Cove Gardens, Gourock, was the only exhibitor who staged pre¬ 
sentable Gladioli, and these were not up to this exhibitor’s usual style. Messrs. 
R. B. Laird & Sons, Messrs. J. Lamont & Son, and Mr. D. Pearson, Beech- 
wood, were the chief winners for the various kinds of Dahlias ; Mr. Kerr of 
Sunlaws and Mr. G. Dingwall, Braes House, Perth, showing fine Hollyhocks. 
Mr. A. Gray, Dunkeld, took the chief prize among the amateurs with some 
beautiful Rose buds ; and Mr. G. McClure and Mr. J. Wynter, Linlithgow, 
had the best bouquets. Messrs. Dickson & Co. showed fine collections of 
Carnations, Picotees, French and African Marigolds, and Verbenas ; Mr. R. 
Munro, Portobello, herbaceous blooms ; Mr. Sutherland, Lenzie, extra 
fine Pansies, and Carnations and Picotees ; Mr. Forbes, Hawick, Hollyhocks 
and other florist flowers ; and Mr. T. S. Ware, fine collection of bouquet, 
•single and Cactus Dahlias. 
The vegetables were a very large show. Mr. J. Murie, Craigmillar 
Gardens, and Mr. Logan, Castlelaw, Coldstream, getting the first and second 
prizes for a collection of twelve sorts grown by market gardeners. The first 
prize in gardeners’ class went to Mr. Win. Low, gardener to Mr. Paton, 
Viewforth House, Stirling, who had a grand lot. In this collection were 
grand white Celery, Cranston’s Excelsior Onions,Musselburgh Leeks, Veitch’s 
Autumn Giant Cauliflowers, Stratagem Peas, Mammoth Negro Beans, James’ 
Intermediate Carrot, ifcc. Mr. Potter, gardener to J. W. Laidley, Esq., 
Seacliffe, North Berwick, second with a good lot. Of the single dishes, the 
most prominent for good culture were Leeks from Mr. Broom, Abercairney, 
and Mr. N. Glass, Carbrook ; Celery from Mr. Cairns, gardener to the Earl 
of Home, The Hirsel, Coldstream ; extra fine Onions from Mr. Murray, 
Culzean ; and Tomatoes from Mr. Scott, Carberry Tower, and Mr. Mclndoe, 
the latter, though only second, to all appearance being the better sample. 
For twelve sorts Potatoes, Mr. O. Bigham, gardener to W. 0. Rutherford, 
Esq., Edgerton, Jedburgh, was first with a clean fine lot, Cosmopolitan, 
Reading Russet, and Ashtop Fluke being the best. For six sorts, Mr. 
McPherson, Elgin, was first, Village Blacksmith being the most notable sort 
in this lot. Mr. Deverill, Corn Hill, Banbury, exhibited a collection of 
twenty-seven sorts of Onions, which contained notable specimens of 
Rousham Park Hero, Anglo-Spanish, Main Crop, The Wroxton, &c. Some 
fine Runner Beans, Ne Plus Ultra, were also exhibited by the same 
gentleman. 
Among miscellaneous exhibitions a table of curious plants was shown by 
Mr. Lindsay from the Botanic Gardens ; Messrs. Methven & Sons set 
up a table of decorative plants; Mr. Inglis, Kelso, collections of Dutch 
bnlbs. 
It may be added that the financial result was in every way a success, 
the number of visitors who went through the Show being above the 
average. 
THE INSECT ENEMIES OF OUE GARDEN CROPS. 
THE APRICOT. 
Those English fruit and forest trees which are the earliest 
to open their leaf or tiower buds, are by no means the gainers 
in many seasons for having thus taken the lead when Nature is 
rousing from the gloom and inaction of winter. Such trees are 
liable to suffer from the ungenial weather of the average English 
spring ; they are sure to he more or less infested by the first 
feeders of the caterpillar race, whether these may be insects that 
have awakened after the period of hybernation, or be broods 
newly hatched from the egg. Hence it is that the Apricot, bud¬ 
ding out as it does ere winter has finally departed, attracts and 
serves to feed hosts of small caterpillars, whose habits enable 
them ofttimes to work damage and spoil the trees for one season 
before the gardener is aware they are about; under glass, how¬ 
ever, there is less to apprehend from them. The Peach and 
Nectarine are also infested, but perhaps less so than the Apricot, 
The red bud caterpillar, common on the Apple, Pear, and Plum, 
is quite as partial to the Apricot, attacking either the blossoms 
or the leaf buds, preferring the former it would seem, and some 
young trees have the greater part of the buds destroyed by this 
tiny caterpillar, which cannot be washed or syringed out of its 
snug retreat. Kollar recommends a patient examination of the 
Apricots when the buds are swelling, and should it be noticed 
that the edge of the calyx is slightly sticky, this caterpillar may 
be suspected, and if present lifted out without injuring the fruit 
by using the point of a penknife. The perfect insect of this 
Spilonota ocillana, a species which, unfortunately, like others in 
its tribe, has a somewhat confusing number of Latin names, lays 
eggs singly towards the end of summer. It is a narrow-winged 
moth of a grey colour, having a whitish band dotted with grey. 
As its appellation implies, the caterpillar is fleshy red, a solitary 
dark line running from the head, which is black, to the tail. 
When full fed it spins a white cocoon upon some twig. 
Allied to this species is another I have observed on the buds 
of the Apricot, and which has been reported as occurring in 
several places. The young caterpillars are dark, almost black, 
when older of a dull white tinted with purple; the head is black, 
and there are numerous black spots on the body, some scattered 
irregularly, some arranged in pairs. My specimens failed to 
appear as moths, hence their identification cannot be a positive 
one, but this insect is probably the species called the brown 
cloak (Spilonota aquana) from a conspicuous band of brown upon 
the fore wings; it is known also as an occasional enemy to the 
flowers of the Rose. Then the stouter, though also small, cater¬ 
pillar of Ditula angustiorana, which is of varying shades of 
green, feeds sometimes upon the buds of the Peach and the 
Apricot, concealing itself dexterously, until it becomes almost 
of full size. And there cannot be a doubt that the winter moth 
(Cheimatobia brumata) will visit the Apricot when this is culti¬ 
vated near other fruit trees, or if Hawthorn hedges happen to be 
adjacent. As the females cannot fly, after they have emerged 
from the chrysalis they crawl up the stems of such trees as they 
can reach, which instinct tells them will afford suitable food for 
their progeny, and lay patches of green eggs, from which cater¬ 
pillars hatch early. At first, while they distribute themselves 
over the budding branches, they are hardly to be seen, being no 
thicker than a horsehair and transparent, nor do they eat much, 
and they may then be readily washed off the branches. When 
the weather becomes warmer the caterpillars, should they have 
been unmolested, devour the edges of buds and blossoms, 
securing themselves by silken threads. A not uncommon British 
moth, called Hybernia rupicapraria, is said to attack the Apricot 
in spring ; this is, however, as I believe, a very rare occurrence. 
Tbe purplish-brown yellow-spotted caterpillar of the beautiful 
moth styled the large thorn (Ennomos alniaria), which feeds 
commonly upon fruit trees in France, the Apricot included, has 
not been noticed on this side the Channel. That promiscuous 
feeder, the caterpillar of the vapourer moth (Orgyia antiqua), an 
object familiar to the gardener, with its pink spots and black 
pencils of hair, visits the Apricot, but as only stragglers are to 
be seen, and at a time when the tree is in full leaf, it is not a 
species to be regarded as harmful. And an eccentric caterpillar 
of that large moth, the eyed hawk (Smerinthus ocellatus) in the 
course of his wanderings may tarry upon a wall covered with 
Apricots and Peaches in August, but he is likely to fall a victim 
to some hungry bird disregardful of his elegant markings. 
The Apricot weevil (Otiorhynchus tenebricosus) though 
popularly named from the fruit tree now under consideration, 
and to which it is a special pest, does also occur on other trees, 
chiefly those upon walls, standards being seldom troubled by its 
visits. Vines in houses have sometimes been badly injured 
owing to the insects barking the branches. It is the habit of 
this beetle to hide through the day, either just below the surface 
or in those cracks and crannies which are found on most walls, 
hence while the mischief done by it is often noticed the trans¬ 
gressor may escape scotfree. When a wall is properly attended 
to, and all holes, large or small, effectually filled up, a lurking 
place for this foe is disposed of, and it can then only descend to 
the soil at the base. Thousands have been killed by the applica¬ 
tion of the petroleum solution to their haunts, and strong tobacco 
water or the decoction of quassia have been stated to kill them. 
A layer of salt upon the soil will also end the career of any that 
may be beneath, and the removal of a few inches of earth round 
fruit trees about October would carry away both the beetles and 
their eggs. Many gardeners are accustomed to hunt for the 
Apricot weevil at night, sheets being laid under the trees before¬ 
hand, and then by the aid of a bright lantern the boughs are 
judiciously shaken and the contents of the sheet thrown into boiling 
water. Not only this species, but a variety of insects will thus 
be captured; some, however, are sure to escape. It is rather larger 
than the abundant grooved or black weevil (O. picipes), and at its 
emergence from the chrysalis has downy spots upon the wing 
cases; these, however, soon lose their down and appear of a uniform 
glossy black, the legs are light brown, and it is unable to fly, 
