MOORE’S  RURAL  NEW-YORRER. 
JULY  29 
^loviniHuval, 
THE  WILD  G^EDEN  IN  AMERICA. 
By  William  Robinson,  Founder  and  Ed  lor  of  the 
London  Garden. 
[Concluded  from  I'a^e  GH,  last  No  ] 
Thebe  are  many  jihaaos  of  wild  gardening 
which  I  would  like  to  speak  of  as  suitable  for 
America,  particularly  that  on  rocks  in  New  En¬ 
gland,  where  they  abound,  and  on  river  banks, 
which  1  noticed  so  very  fine  on  tho  Hudson  and 
other  rivers ;  but  poihi'.ps  the  following  lescriji- 
tion  of  wliiit  has  been  none  here  in  one  case  will 
suggest  what  is  attninsble  with  you.  It  may  be 
as  well  U>  explain  that  Ox<jn  is  a  cavalry  ofWcer 
who  hardly  know  a  plant  live  years  ago.  He  is 
heir  to  a  property  in  Oxfordshire,  and  happeuiag 
to  meet  with  uiy  “  Wild  Garden, ”  thou  just  pub¬ 
lished,  he  fancied  he  could  carryout  some  of  tlje 
ideas  in  it,  and  did  so  with  Uie  result  which  1 
will  try  to  describe  below.  It  is  senreely  noccu- 
sary  to  add  that  a  person  really  ac(pininlo(i  with 
hardy  plants  and  thcii'  various  liahitata  would 
posHOSS  au  enormous  advantage  over  one  like 
OxoN.  I  noticed  some  parts  of  his  wild  garden 
— the  vorj’  best  parts — aliady  hollows,  with  rich 
leaf  soil,  entirely  nnplantod  because  tliey  could 
not  bo  soon  from  the  grass  drive.  They  were 
the  very  spots  where  (ho  Trilliums,  Bluod-root, 
Maiden-hair  Fern  and  other  beautiful  American 
wood  plants  would  have  beem  at  home.  I  saw' 
the  garden  for  the  lirst  time  on  the  27Ui  of  May. 
OxoN  had  no  favorable  or  inviting  site  iritli 
wbich  to  deal ;  no  great  variety  of  surface,  which 
makes  attempts  in  this  direction  so  much  easier 
and  happier  ;  httlo  variety  of  soil,  which  might 
enable  plants  of  widely  dilterent  natural  habitats 
to  bo  grown  ;  only  a  neglected  plantation  with 
rather  a  poor  gravelly  soil  and  a  gentle  slope  in 
one  part,  and  little  variety  of  sm-fuce  beyond  a 
few  gravel  banks  thrown  up  long  boforo.  The 
garden  is,  for  tho  most  part,  arranged  on  each 
side  of  a  Grass  walk  among  rather  open  gi  aiuid 
between  trees  on  tho  one  hand  and  rather  shady 
ground  cm  the  other.  Tho  most  beautiful  a  5i>ect 
at  the  end  of  May  of  this  singularly  ungouial 
spring,  which  has  not  allowed  Uie  reonios  to  un¬ 
fold  hero  yet,  is  that  of  the  German  Irises,  mth 
their  great  Orchid-liko  blossoms  seen  everywhere 
through  tho  wood,  clear  above  th<i  grass  ami 
other  herbage,  stately  and  noble  llowcrs  that, 
lilte  the  Uiiffodils,  fear  no  woatlier,  yet  with  rich 
and  delicate  hues  that  could  not  be  surjiassod  by 
trojuoal  birds  or  (lowers.  If  this  wild  garden 
only  teaches  this  effective  way  of  using  tho  various 
beautiful  mid  vigorous  kiuds  of  Iris  now  included 
in  our  garden  flora,  it  would  do  good  soivioe. 
The  Irises  are  perfectly  at  home  in  the  wood  and 
among  tho  Grass  and  wild  flowers ;  I  have  never 
before  seen  them  to  such  advantage,  Hy-aad- 
by,  when  they  go  out  of  flower,  they  will  not  be 
in  tho  way  as  in  a  “mixed  border,”  temjiting 
one  to  remove  thorn,  but  grow  and  rest  quietly 
among  tho  Grass  until  tho  varied  blossoms  of 
another  year  well  repay  the  trouble  of  substi¬ 
tuting  these  noblo  hardy  flowers  for  some  of  tho 
familiar  weeds  that  inhabit  our  plantations.  In 
tho  wild  garden  tlio  fairest  of  our  own  wild 
flowers  may  be  happily  associated  with  tlieir 
relatives  from  other  countries.  Hero  the  sturdy 
bell-flowered  Scilla  (S.  eampanulata)  grows  wild 
with  om-  OW'D  Bluebell  (8.  nutansj ;  the  white 
,and  pink  forms  also  of  tho  last-named  look 
beautiful  here  associated  with  the  common  well- 
known  form.  Tho  carUcr  Scillas  are  of  course 
past;  they  are  admirably  suited  for  the  wild  gar¬ 
den,  esiiecittlly  S.  bifolia,  wliich  tlu'ivcs  freely  in 
woods.  The  Lily  of  tho  Valley  did  not  inhabit 
tho  wood  before;  therefore  it  was  pleasant  to 
thin  oat  some  of  its  ovoj'-raattod  tufts  in  the 
borders  and  carry  them  to  tho  wild  garden, 
whore  they  are  now  in  fullest  beauty.  It  is  as- 
sooiaiod  with  its  tall  and  stately  relation,  tho 
Solomon's  Seal,  whicli  I  never  saw  to  such  per¬ 
fection  a.s  In  this  wild  garden,  tiie  partial  shade 
suiting  it.  The  Solomon’s  Seal,  which  is  usually 
effective  when  issuing  forth  from  fringes  of 
shrubberies,  is  here  best  arching  high  over  the 
AYoodiuff  and  other  sweet  woodland  flowers, 
among  which  it  seems  a  giant,  with  every  loaf 
and  stem  and  blossom  full  of  lines  of  beauty. 
The  additional  vigor  and  beauty  shown  by  this 
plant  when  riii  rich  soil  well  repays  one  for  se¬ 
lecting  suitable  spots  for  it.  The  greater  Celan¬ 
dine  (Chelidonium  majus)  and  its  double  form 
are  very  pretty  hero  with  their  tufts  of  golden 
flowers ;  tliey  grow  freely  and  take  all  needful 
care  of  themselves.  The  same  may  be  said  of 
tho  Honesty,  the  common  forms  of  Columbine, 
and  Allium  Moly,  au  old-fashioned  plant,  and 
one  of  the  many  subjects  at  home  in  the  wild 
garden,  and  which  are  better  left  out  of  the  gar¬ 
den  properly  so  called. 
The  myi-iads  of  Crocus  leaves  dying  off  without 
the  indignity  of  being  tied  into  buudlos,  as  is 
common  in  gardens,  the  douse  gr  owth  of  Aconite 
and  Snowdroj)  leaves,  of  colored  and  common 
Primroses  and  Cowslips,  suggest  the  beauty  of 
this  wild  garden  during  the  past  spring.  Tho 
yet  unfolded  buds  on  the  many  tnft«  and  groups 
of  the  numerous  herbaooous  Peonies  promise 
noble  effects  in  June;  so  do  the  tufta  of  the 
splendid  Eastern  I’oppy  (Papaver  oiieiitaie),  and 
the  Lilies  and  Sweet  Williams,  and  Adam’s  Nee¬ 
dles,  and  many  other  subjects  that  will  show 
their  blossoms  above  or  among  the  summer 
grass  in  due  time.  One  of  the  most,  beautiful 
and  free-growing  order  of  plants  among  those 
most  suitable  for  the  wild  garden  is  tho  Borage 
or  Forgeteme-jiot  Order;  among  the  best  of 
those  here  at  present  are  the  Cancasian  Com- 
frey  (Pymphytnm  caucssicura)  and  red-purple  or 
Bohemian  Coin  Trey  (S.  bohciuicum),  which  is 
very  handsome  hero.  And  w'liat  lovely  effects 
from  the  Forget-mo-nots  —  Ibe  Wood  Forget-me- 
not  and  the  Early  Forget-me-uot  (^M.  dissitiflora) 
— are  hero  I  whore  their  soft  little  clouds  of  blue 
ill  the  Grass  are  much  prettier  than  tufta  of  the 
same  kind  surroundod  by  tho  broivn  earth  in  a 
prim  border.  Here  tho  pushing  of  tho  delicate 
Grass  blades  through  the  blue  mass  and  Uie  in- 
delinite  way  in  wliich  the  fringes  of  the  tufts 
mingle  with  tho  surrounding  vegetation  are  very 
beautiful.  The  only  noticeable  variation  of  sur¬ 
face  is  that  of  some  gravel  banks,  which  are 
properly  covered  with  Stonocroiis,  Saxifrages, 
and  tho  like,  which  would,  as  a  rule,  have  a  poor 
chance  in  the  Grass.  Burfaces  that  naturally 
support  a  Tory  sparse  and  dwarf  vegetation  are 
valuable  in  a  g.arden,  as  they  permit  of  tho  cul¬ 
ture  of  a  scries  of  free-growing  Alpine  and  rock 
plants  that  would  not  bo  able  to  hold  their  own 
among  Grass  and  ordinary  weeds  and  wild  flow¬ 
ers.  One  of  tlio  happiest  features  of  this  wild 
garden  results  from  tho  w'ay  in  which  dead  trees 
have  been  adorned.  Once  dead,  some  of  the 
smaller  branches  are  lopped  off  and  one  or  more 
climbers  planted  at  tho  base  of  tlio  tn  e.  Here  a 
Clematis,  a  climbing  Pmse,  a  new  kind  of  Ivy,  a 
wild  Vine,  or  a  Vii'giuian  Creeper,  have  all  they 
reijuire — a  firm  support  on  which  they  may  ar¬ 
range  themselves  after  their  own  natural  habit 
without  being  mutilated  or  witliont  trouble  to 
the  planter,  and  fresh  ground  free  to  themselves. 
In  this  way  tho  more  vigorous  of  the  now  Clo- 
matises  may  bo  grown  to  iierfcction.  What  an 
iwhnirable  way,  too,  of  growing  the  many  and 
varied  species  of  Clematis  :  as  beautiful  as  those 
with  flowers  as  large  as  saucers.  Even  when  an 
old  tree  faDs  and  tosses  up  a  mass  of  soil  and 
riiots  the  wild  gardener  is  ready  with  some  siib- 
ject  from  his  mixed  border  to  adorn  the  projec¬ 
tion,  and  he  may  allow  some  choice  Bramble  or 
wild  Vine  to  scramble  over  the  prostrate  stem. 
A  collection  of  Ivies  grown  on  Ireo-stems 
would  be  much  more  satisfactory  than  on  a  wall, 
and  not  hable  to  rob  each  other  at  tlie  roots  and 
interfere  Avitb  each  other  m  the  air.  Ferns  are 
at  home  in  the  wild  garden ;  all  the  strong  hardy 
kinds  may  be  groivii  in  it  and  look  better  iu  it 
amo  ig  tho  flowers  than  in  the  “  hardy  b’erncry  ” 
properly  so  called.  Even  more  graceful  than 
the  Ferns,  and  in  some  cases  more  u.seful  ho- 
can.se  they  send  up  their  plume-like  leaves  vei7 
early  in  tlie  year,  are  tho  giant  Pcimels  (Ferula), 
which  grow  well  hero  and  hold  tlieir  own  easily 
among  tho  strongest  iilants.  The  common  Fen¬ 
nel  is  also  here,  but  it  seeds  so  fi  oely  that  it  bc- 
oomes  a  troublesome  weed  and  shows  a  tendency 
to  overrun  plants  of  greater  v.'riuo.  This  reminds 
us  of  certain  subjects  that  should  bo  introduced 
ivith  caution  into  all  but  the  remotest  parts  of 
tlie  wild  garden.  Such  plants  as  Horaoleuin, 
Willow  Herb,  and  many  others  that  ovei'come  all 
obstacles,  and  not  only  win  but  destroy  all  their 
fellows  in  the  struggle  for  life,  should  only  be 
planted  in  outlying  positions,  islands,  hedges, 
small  bits  of  isolated  wood  or  copse,  where  their 
effects  might  be  visible  for  a  season,  and  where 
they  might  ramble  without  destroying.  In  short, 
they  never  should  bo  planted  where  it  is  desired 
to  Giicoiirage  a  variety  of  beautiful  subjects. 
Rabbits — dreaded  Tormin  to  the  wild  gardener — 
are  kept  out  here  effectually  by  means  of  wire 
fencing.  The  presence  of  these  posts  prevents 
all  Bucooss  iu  the  wild  garden.  It  would  he  well 
if  one  could  keep  out  sings  by  the  same  simple 
means. 
To  succeed  well  with  the  wild  gaidoii,  one 
should  have  a  good  collection  of  hardy  flowni's 
from  which  it  can  be  supplied.  Oxon  has  formed 
an  excellent  one,  consisting  of  about  eleven  hnn- 
died  species,  mostly  arranged  in  borders.  From 
these,  from  time  to  time,  over  -  vigorous  and 
over  -  abundant  kinds  may  be  taken  to  tho  wil¬ 
derness.  In  a  large  collection  one  frequently 
finds  species  best  suited  for  the  enjoyment  of 
full  liberty  in  tho  woods. 
I  need  hardly  point  out,  in  conclusion,  how 
agreeable  the  work  of  the  wild -gardener  is,  or 
what  a  pleasant  souroo  of  intei'ost  and  amuse¬ 
ment  it  is  to  a  lover  of  flowers. 
The  Garden  Office,  London,  June  4,  iSTtJ. 
- - — 
EXCHANGE. 
Sabau  Barbeb,  Castalia,  Erie  County,  Ohio, 
wiitoa : — I  was  sick  when  you  put  your  Flower 
Excliange  in  the  Rurai.  this  spring,  and  did  not 
know  whether  I  should  be  able  to  see  to  niy 
flowers  or  not.  I  will  save  'White  Candytuft — 
Double  Rocket  Dwarf  Larkspur  (two  colors,  pink 
and  purple) — Oerraan  Pinks  (Ileddewiggi  and 
laciuiatus)  —  Snapdi'agon,  These  I  would  like 
to  exchange  (in  the  fall)  for  l)<rable  PortnLaca — 
Oriental  Poppy  — Campatmla  —  Poremual  Alys- 
sum—Myosotis— Perennial  Linum.  Wo  have  as 
nice  a  bunch  of  Caniation  Pinks  as  1  ever  saw  ; 
I  this  morning  counted  110  peifect  blossoms  on 
it.  There  are  more  buds ;  some  have  withered 
and  some  have  been  picked ;  they  are  a  bright 
scarlet  and  as  double  as  can  be. 
*  - - 
FLORICULTDRAL  NOTES. 
Walks,  says  the  Gardeners’  Chronicle,  should 
not  bo  hood.  Hand-weeding  and  rolling  in  show¬ 
ery  weather  is  tlie  best  method  and  by  far  the 
most  economical  —  tlie  process  of  hand-weeding 
being  formidable  in  name  only. 
7'}u‘  folkacirig,  from  the  same  journal,  wo  have 
already  noted  in  our  Centennial  floriculture  i 
The  fine  celloction  of  HoUios,  Rhododendrons, 
Conifers  and  other  evorgreons  exhibited  by  the 
Messrs.  Veitcu  at  tho  Centennial  Exliibition  has 
been  presented  by  tho  firm  to  the  Fairmount 
I’wk  Commission.  The  donors  gave  the  British 
Centemiial  Commissioners  authority  to  soloct  an 
inKtitntion  on  which  to  bestow  the  gift,  and  Col. 
San»K)B0  and  Prof.  Archer,  with  excellent 
jndgmont,  as  tho  Philadelphia  Ledger  says,  se¬ 
lected  Fairmount  Park.  We  tenst  that  the  shrubs 
may  long  remain  as  a  memento  of  Biitish  horti¬ 
culture  and  international  good  feeling. 
Weigelas  as  Biennials.  -M.  Lehas,  in  the  Re¬ 
vue  Horticole,  advocates  a  new  method  of  culti¬ 
vating  Weigolao,  Observing  (hat  the  flowers  are 
produced  on  last  year’s  wood  and  that  the  plants 
have  a  tendency  to  produce  numerous  shoots 
from  tho  base,  ho  rocomraends  Uiat  tlie  shrubs 
bo  considered  as  biennial  and  that  they  be  cut 
down  after  flowering,  so  as  to  favor  tho  doveloji- 
ment  of  tho  shoota  at  tho  base. 
CARRIER  PIGEONS. 
Ax  interesting  leoturo  on  the  utilization  of  tho 
homing  or  cairier-pigeon  was  given  at  tho  Zoo¬ 
logical  Gardens,  Riigcnt's  Park,  recently,  by  Mr. 
Tegetmcier.  After  doscribing  tho  origin  of  the 
pigeon  voyageurs,  tby  methods  of  training  for 
the  long  concours,  or  races,  tho  powers  of  flight, 
extending  to  upwards  of  600  miles  a  day,  tho 
lecturer  desexibed  the  details  of  the  pigeon  post 
used  during  tho  siege  of  Paris,  and  stated  that 
fit  tho  present  time  every  fortress  and  fortified 
town  iu  Germany  was  provided  with  flights  of 
(niincd  pigeons  by  wliicJi  communications  could 
be  scut  into  a  town  if  invested  by  a  hostile  force. 
11 V  then  proceeded  to  de-scribo  the  latest  ajiplica- 
tiun  of  tho  homing  faculty  of  these  birds— 
namely,  the  establisliment  of  oommuuicatious 
from  light  ships  to  the  shore,  so  that  by  the  use 
of  tho  maritime  code  of  signals,  two  or  three  let¬ 
ters  stamiietl  on  the  uing  would  convey  the  intel¬ 
ligence  that  assistance  of  any  kind  was  desii'ed, 
and  would  provide  a  means  of  communication 
when  no  other  method  was  available.  The  ex¬ 
periment  is  being  tried,  in  tho  first  instance,  at 
Harwich,  and  as  soon  as  a  sufficient  stock  of 
birds  has  been  reared,  it  is  proposed  to  keep 
relays  on  board  the  adjacent  lightships,  so  that 
in  case  of  a  second  WTcck  like  tliatof  the  Deutsch¬ 
land,  requests  for  assistance  could  be  immediately 
conveyed  to  the  authorities  at  Harwich. 
- - 
BATS  AND  INSECTS. 
We  make  the  following  exteact  from  a  recent 
number  of  the  Loudon  Farmer In  the  winter 
of  1875-76,  a  large  number  of  dead,  and,  for  the 
most  part,  hollow  trees  in  the  Thior-gaiien  of 
Berlin,  were  felled  and  cut  up  for  firewood.  As 
a  cou8oi|uc‘nce  of  this  measure,  many  thousands 
of  bats,  hyberuatiug  in  those  natural  retreats, 
and  awaiting  tho  return  of  spring  to  renew  theii' 
onergotio  campaign  against  insect  venuin,  were 
nocoHsarlly  destroyed.  It  is  needless  to  point 
out  here  the  great  utility  of  tliose  harmless  httle 
creatures;  any  one  jiossossed  of  the  slightest 
smatteiiug  of  natm-al  hiotory  must  be  well 
acquamtod  with  tho  fact.  The  question  to  be 
considered  is  how'  such  a  needless  desti  uction  of 
useful  auimal  life  may  be  best  avoided.  Numer¬ 
ous  observations  have  fully  shown  that  bats  in  a 
state  of  hybernation  can  endure  any  degree  of 
cold  without  injmy ;  bat  that  if  once  distiU'bed 
while  in  this  slate  they  are  extremely  susceptible 
to  change  of  temperate,  and  but  rarely  survive 
the  disturbing  intrusion  on  their  sleep. 
Baron  Nolde  writos  to  a  Oei'man  contemporary, 
suggesting  that  such  trees  as  form  tho  resting 
place  of  bats  shoald  bo  felled  only  iu  tho  warm 
montlis  of  the  year,  while  their  inhabitants  are 
iu  a  state  of  actiritj’,  and  able  to  sock  fresh 
shelter  lor  themselves.  'I'he  only  objection  in 
this  place  he  can  anticipate  is,  that  labor  is  more 
easily  and  cheaply  jiroeiircd  iu  the  winter  than 
in  tho  sranmer  montlis.  But  granting  this,  it  by 
no  meaTLs  follows  that  felUng  auch  trees  in  win¬ 
ter  is  in  tho  long  run  the  cheaper  plan.  The 
importance  of  the  bat  in  tho  economy  of  nature 
has  not  been  properly  recognized,  lie  cites  the 
case  of  a  forest  belonging  to  the  Crown  in  illus¬ 
tration  of  this  point.  Well-grown  oak  trees 
being  required  for  naval  puriioses,  a  notice  was 
issued  that  none  alionld  be  felled  until  the  re¬ 
ceipt  of  special  orders.  Long  after  the  trees 
had  arrived  at  maturity,  tho  notice  remained  un- 
reroked,  and  they  were  suffered  to  run  on  to  a 
state  of  decay.  This  being  reported  to  the 
higher  authorities,  orders  came  to  ent  down  the 
trees  for  firewood.  Tho  work  was  undertaken  in 
the  deptii  of  winter ;  thousands  upon  thou.sands 
of  liybemating  bats  died  fp:»m  disturbance  and 
exposure,  and  the  ultimate  result  was  the  total 
destruction  of  the  whole  forest,  for  iu  the  second 
year  after  their  extermination  tho  damage  done 
by  caterpillars— which  np  to  Uils  time  had  never 
been  siiedally  rcmarkable—attatned  sneh  an 
enormous  development  as  to  render  the  felling 
of  the  whole  plantation  the  only  practicable 
course  to  bo  pursued. 
- -♦♦♦  - 
PINE  TREE  PRODUCTS. 
The  pine  forests  of  Europe  aro  utilized  to  a 
con&idei'able  extent.  There  aro  two  establish¬ 
ments  near  Breslau,  in  Bilesia,  ono  a  factory 
where  the  pine  loaves  are  converted  into  what  is 
called  “  forest  wool  ”  or  wadding ;  the  other  an 
establishment  for  invalids,  where  tho  waters 
used  in  the  maoufactiu’e  of  this  pine  wool  are 
employed  as  curative  agouts.  Two  cases  of 
these  proflucts  were  shown  at  the  last  Paris  and 
Havre  Exhibitions,  which  contained  various 
illustrations  in  tho  shape  of  wool  for  stnlfing 
mattresses  and  other  articles  of  furniture  (in¬ 
stead  of  horse  hair),  vegetable  wadding  and 
hygienic  flannel  for  medical  application,  essential 
oil  for  rheumatism  and  skin  diseases;  cloth 
made  from  the  fiber ;  articles  of  dress,  such  as 
vests,  diawers,  hose,  shirts,  coverlets,  chest  pre¬ 
servers,  etc.,  and  other  useful  applications. 
For  tho  proiioration  of  the  textile  material,  an 
ethereal  oil  is  produced,  wliich  is  employed  as  a 
cm-ativa  agent  and  as  a  useful  solvenL  The 
membranous  substance  and  refuse  are  impressed 
into  blocks  and  used  as  fuel ;  from  tlie  resinous 
matter  they  contain,  they  protlnco  sufficiont  gas 
for  iilumiu.xting  the  factory  in  which  tho  manu¬ 
facture  is  carried  on.  \Yo  h.avo  soon  garments 
for  sale  in  this  city  said  to  bo  made  from  the 
spines  of  the  pine,  and  recommended  for  tho 
cure  of  rheumatism. 
- — — ^ — ♦-*-* - 
STRANGE  INSTANCE  OF  FELINE  AFFEC¬ 
TION. 
A  Liverpool  gentleman,  who  visits  Oldham 
occasionally,  states  that  a  curious  incident  oc¬ 
curred  the  other  day  at  a  gentleman’s  house  in 
that  town.  A  cit  belonging  to  the  Jiouso  had  | 
recently  given  biith  to  three  kittens,  two  of  j 
which  it  was  found  nece38.Try  to  drown,  and  the 
mother  was  loft  with  only  ono.  About  the  same  j 
time  two  chickens,  just  hatched,  wero  placed  in  i 
a  basket  on  a  table  and  covered  with  a  piece  of 
flamiol.  Shortly  after  they  were  put  there  one  | 
of  the  cliickeiiR  was  missed  and  for  a  long  time  ‘ 
eonld  not  be  found ,  but  ultimately,  to  the  sur-  | 
prise  of  every  one,  it  was  diseoverod  snugly 
nestled  with  tho  remaining  kitten  in  tlio  soft  fur  j 
of  the  cat,  and  chirping  with  evUont  satisfaction.  I 
It  was  removed  to  its  hackut  and  a  watch  set  up¬ 
on  the  cat,  which,  after  a  while,  was  seen  to  go 
to  the  basket,  gently  lift  out  the  chicken  by  the 
down  Hud  feathers  at  the  back  of  Gie  ueck,  jump 
off  tlic  table,  and  carry  it  away  to  whore  tho  kit-  J 
ten  was,  without  hurting  it  in  the  least.  This  j 
instance  of  ultia-natural  affection  is  the  more  I 
remarkable  bix-ause  on  ordinary  occasions  the 
eat  Is  a  savage  one,  and  has  a  bad  reputation  for 
destroying  chickens,  pigeons  and  other  biids,  in 
the  neighborhood.  i 
- - 
THE  ORANGE  INSECT. 
Orange  eaters  may  be  glad  to  know'  that  the  ! 
insect  found  beneath  tlio  small  brown  scales  on  | 
the  rind  of  the  orange  is  a  species  of  coccus— a  j 
tribe  of  insects  allied  to  the  well-known  cochineal, 
and  the  scale  is  tJie  east  skin  of  tho  larviu.  Un¬ 
derneath  this  shdter  the  insect  may  be  found  in 
various  stages  of  grow'th,  its  different  metamor¬ 
phoses  being  gone  through  without  any  change 
of  position.  Bomekiinos  the  setUe  conceals  a 
group  of  eggs  in  the  process  of  hatching,  some¬ 
times  larv'A'  more  or  less  developed:  in  other 
cases  it  covers  the  jicrfoct  insect,  in  which  the 
sexo.s  are  widely  different,  the  mala  being 
furnished  with  ample  wings,  while  his  leas  favored  j 
spouse  is  evidently  destined  for  a  sodeutai7  life 
at  home.  The  insect  was  noticed  and  described 
by  the  late  Mr.  Richard  Beck,  iu  1861.  in  the 
“Transactions  of  tho  Royal  Microscopical  Bo- 
ciety,”  and  the  description,  with  a  plate  of  the 
metamorphoses  given  iu  The  Quai-terly  Journal  | 
of  Microscopical  Science,  Vol.  I.,  new  series.  ; 
These  insects  are  easily  obUiiied,  though  not  on  ' 
