September 5 , 1S89. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
197 
ANTS. 
Perhaps these are a greater nuisance to the Orchid grower than 
•svoodlice ; not that they devour the roots on flower spikes to any 
serious extent as far as we have been able to observe, but they 
attack the buds and often destroy the flowers. The greatest harm 
they do, however, is in working the moss and peat into small 
particles, thus rendering the drainage defective, the soil, if abund¬ 
ance of water is needed, becoming sour and unsuitable for the 
plants. This is not all, for they persist in carrying the soil into 
dhe axils of the leaves and other portions of the plant. We have 
soaked plants for twenty-four hours in a tub of water, but only to 
clear them out temporarily, or some of them for a time. The 
method we find most effectual in trapping them and eventually 
destroying them is to place some sweet syrup into moderate sized 
bottles. Bottles half full of treacle or containing a little honey 
^attract large numbers. Small pieces of wire are placed round 
the neck of the bottles so as to secure them close to the sides of 
the pots infested. The same mixture is placed fresh on small 
plants daily, the insects being plunged into boiling water. Yery 
frequently the bottles become nearly full before we find it neces¬ 
sary to empty them. Once the insects are attracted to these simple 
traps they invariably find their way in large numbers in a very short 
time. Hollow bones are also attractive to these troublesome little 
pests. Time and patience only are necessary to clear them out. 
COCKROACHES. 
Whatever harm woodlice and ants are capable of doing cock¬ 
roaches do more in much less time. A few of these will clear off 
every flower spike in one night, and devour the young growing roots 
of many plants, in addition to attacking the young growths and 
tender foliage of any plant they take a fancy to. Without question 
they are the most destructive pests that the Orchid grower has to 
-contend against, and do more harm in less time than all others 
combined. Where they exist in gardens they must be looked for 
frequently and destroyed by all possible means. Whatever trap 
may be set for them will not prove successful long, and therefore 
it is necessary to change the method of trapping them at intervals 
of a few days. Birkenhead's trap is a good one, but they will not 
-enter it long. A little beer sweetened with sugar and placed in 
glazed jars sunk to the rim in the gravel or ashes on which the 
plants stand will prove very effectual at first. Small pieces of 
bread placed in similar jars will also attract them. Phosphor paste 
will poison them, and may be laid on pieces of cardboard, brown 
qaaper, slate, or any material, or spread thickly on thin pieces of 
bread. For a time they will eat this freely, but quickly refuse to 
be tempted after it has been placed down a few nights in succes¬ 
sion. It is a good plan to watch for them with a light at night, 
•when they can readily be captured. —Orchid Grower. 
LEAYES IN ORCHID HOUSES. 
In the Orchid houses under my charge we have the floors 
formed into pits for holding leaves, which we find very useful for 
this purpose. Decaying leaves appear to be just the food for 
-Cattleyas, and far better than stone, and which the floors of Orchid 
bouses are generally formed of. When leaves are used there is 
^always a genial humidity in the atmosphere.—A. Y. 
L.ELTA BOOTHIANA. 
Of this 'species, which is also known as Cattleya lobata, Lmlia 
virens, and L. grandis purpurea, there are not many varieties ; one, 
however, whilst being a vigorous-growing plant does not yield an 
abundance of flowers, but there is little or no difference in the 
-quality of the blooms. Pseudo-bulbs clavate, slender at the base, 
but thickening upwards rapidly, furrowed and deep green ; leaves 
solitary, oblong, obtuse, same colour as the pseudo-bulb3 ; scape 
■terminal, erect, three to five flowered ; sepals lanceolate, acuminate, 
with plain margins, rosy-purple tinged with violet; petals much 
broader than the sepals, oblong lanceolate, deeply and irregularly 
lobed, same colour as the sepals ; lip three-lobed, side lobes in- 
-curved, covering the column deeply lobed, middle lobe spreading, 
-also deeply lobed on the margin, colour rosy-purple, tinged with 
violet, and conspicuously marked in front with purplish crimson 
lines. It blooms in May and June, and is a native of Brazil, 
whence it was introduced in 1847.—G. T. 
• DWARF BEANS. 
These do remarkably well on ridges. I used .to grow them in 
the ordinary way, but the contemplation of results from the level 
never filled me with that mingled sense of delight and importance 
which some call satisfaction, others conceit. However, a few years 
ago scarcity of space at planting time compelled me to adopt a 
different method—viz., planting between the Celery trenches, the 
making of which was delayed until the first week in May, then the 
distances being marked out a line was drawn midway between the 
intended trenches, and the Beans sown on the bare surface, taking 
out and disposing of the soil as usual covered them sufficiently. 
I was rather diffident of success, especially as ours is a very light 
soil on gravel, but whatever the reason—would it be additional 
warmth at the roots ?—dwarf Beans that year were a source of 
pride, profit, and pleasure. Economy of ground and labour, a 
prolonged crop, and better pods are obvious points, and the Beans are 
cleared off before much soil is required for earthing the Celery.—S. Y. 
CENTAUREA MACROCEPHALA. 
Some of the Centaureas are common occupants of gardens, such as 
the silvery foliaged C. ragusina and the numerous varieties of the Corn¬ 
flower, C. cvanus, but there are others that are seldom seen though we’l 
worthy of a place in any border. The plant, of which a flower head is 
represented in fig. 28, is a bold and effective Centaurea in suitable 
positions. It is sometimes designated a coarse plant, but that is not 
worth much consideration, for it applies equally to scores of other excel¬ 
lent plants. It attains the height of 5 feet in good soil, and bears large 
globular golden flower heads, that look well rising above other plants in 
the foreground. There are no special difficulties in its culture, as almost 
any soil suits it, but it is a strong rooting plant, and in consequence thrives 
in a deep well dug border. It is increased by division or seeds.—M. 
[The woodcut was prepared from a specimen grown in Mr. T. S. 
Ware’s nursery, Tottenham.] 
SHADING AND SYRINGING MELONS. 
It is the practice of some gardeners to shade Melons during the 
hottest part of the day, and not only do I think this quite unnecessary 
