216 
THE FLORIST AND FOMOLOGIST. 
[ September, 
second oblong, the two terminal ones being about half ita length, the latter fiirniahed with a 
hooked appendage. They appear to be very inactive, and possibly are only the larva state of 
some more perfect acarus, though scarcely of one which occurs sparingly on Pear leaves, and which 
resembles closely the ‘‘ rod spider.” The insect is closely allied to the Currant-bud acarus, 
figured at p. 259 (1869), but it is twice as long, at least when extended. The point which has 
to be- determined by entomologists is, whether the foui’-footed acari are merely a condition of the 
eight-legged Tetranchi, though Diiges says expressly “larva? hexapoda?, adulto simillima? 
or whether, as is more probable, they constitute with some other parasitic species, a distinct 
ti’ibe of these curious though minute insects. 
-^HE Apple-bark Mussel Scale, Coccus concliiformis^ referred also to 
Chernies and Aspidiotus, is very injurious to apple and pear trees, sometimes 
occurring in such immense numbers as to cover the bark from root to twig. The 
male insect does not appear to be known, 
those which are so abundantly met with 
being the females. The eggs stored up 
under the dried carapaces of these, hatch 
out about May, and then spread over the 
bark. The accompanying figures repre¬ 
sent the insect in different stages and 
positions ; fig. 3 showing the eggs, and 
fig. 6 a detached coccus. It has lately 
been recommended to boil leaf tobacco to 
a pulp in strong lye, and to mix this 
with soft-soap, and with this to paint 
over the affected trees, just after the 
hatching and dispersion of the young 
brood have taken place. In America this is said to have been found a very effectual remedy. 
- ^HE Laws Eegulating the Production of Sexes in Plants have been 
recently discussed in a valuable jiaper read before the American Association for 
the Advancement of Science by Mr. Thomas Meehan, whose conclusion is, that 
female flowers are produced only in the best conditions of vegetative vigour, while with a 
weakened vitality comes an increased tendency to bear male flowers. 
©bituiHg. 
- IHe. John Gould Veitch, F.L.S., was born at Exeter in April, 1839, 
and died at Ooombe Wood, Surrey, on August 13th, in his 32nd year. Mr. John 
Veitch, although taken from amongst us at an early age, will long bo remembered, 
no less for his zeal and enterprise than for his generous and manly bearing, and for the many 
choice introductions which were the fruit of his travels. In Apidl, 1860, he started on a voyage 
to Japan and China, and thence to the Philippine Islands; the Primula cortusoides amoena 
figured at p. 193 being one of the fruits of this journey, and many fine conifers and other plants 
being also obtained. Returning in 1862, he again started in 1864 for Australia and the South 
Sea Islands, and after an absence of about a year and a half retunied, bringing with him some 
of the most beautiful plants of modern introduction ; witness the numerous richly-coloui'ed 
forms of Croton and Draccena which are only now becoming known, together with many other 
valuable and popular plants. From Cape York he obtained a neAv palm, which has since been 
dedicated to his honour under the name of Veitchia Johannis. For some three years he had 
been suffering from an affection of the lungs, under w'hich he at length sank. He was buried 
beside his father in the Brompton Cemetry. Mr. John G. Veitch -was one of the most gifted and 
promising of our younger commercial horticulturists, and his memory will be cherished by those 
who had the pleasure to know him intimately as that of a single-hearted, earnest, and sincere 
friend. 
- iWB. John A. Watson died at the Villa Lammermoor, Geneva, the 
property of Sir E. Peel, Bart., on August 9tli, in the prime of life, and after an 
illness of only four days. He was a well-known and talented gardener, and a 
frequent contributor to the English horticultural press. 
