THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GE NTLEMAN . S COMPANION, Joly 28, 1857. 271 
smaller than the S. destructor of the Elm, of which numbers 
had been found by Mr. Groves in the stems of a Swan-egg 
Pear tree, into the branches of which it had burrowed in 
great profusion. It also differed from Scolytus destructor in 
its habit of burrowing deeply into the wood of the tree in 
order to assume the pupa state. It belonged to the second 
division established in the genus by Ratzeburg, and was 
nearly allied to Scolytus multistriatus of Marsh am. 
Mr. Westwood stated that it appeared to him to be iden¬ 
tical with the Scolytus hcemorrhous, described long previously 
by Kollar in his work on insects destructive to fruit trees, 
translated by Miss Loudon (page 263). A number of 
specimens of the insect were brought for distribution among 
the members by Mr. Groves. 
Mr. Foxcroft sent for exhibition various rare insects 
captured by himself in Scotland, including the beautiful 
scarlet Glowworm, Lycus aurora , of which a notice of the 
habits was also given. 
Mr. Reading, of Plymouth, exhibited a living specimen 
of the fine Beetle, Cardbus intricatus , taken in damp woods 
near that town. Pie had kept it alive for two months, 
feeding it upon Lepidopterous larvae. 
Mr. Westwood exhibited some leaves of a species of 
Bauhinia brought from Central Africa by Dr. Livingstone, 
infested with a species of Psylla, which had caused an ex- 
! udation of a gummy nature upon the surface of the leaf, 
enveloping the pupa of the insect. These patches were 
scraped off by the natives and eaten as a saccharine luxury, 
in the same manner as the wo-me-la of Australia (the 
produce of a similar insect) was collected and eaten by the 
aborigines. He also mentioned that he had recently ob¬ 
served a remarkable case of deviation of instinct in a speci¬ 
men of the Solitary Wasp, Odynerus antelope, which, instead 
of making a cell for the reception of its nest, had made use 
of some old hexagonal cells of the common hive Bee, into 
each of which it had introduced a store of green cater¬ 
pillars for the food of its young when hatched from the 
eggs deposited with the caterpillars. 
Mr. Robinson exhibited a series of British species of 
i Cryptocephalus recently captured in Kent. 
Mr. Pascoe gave an account of the Congress of Entomo- 
| legists and Botanists recently held at Montpelier, in the 
South of France, which was attended by about five hundred 
members, Count Jobert being the President. It did not 
appear that much scientific matter had been despatched, the 
meeting being rather of a social kind. He also gave an 
account of a new entomological work recently commenced 
in Paris by Mr. Thomson, a very rich American entomologist 
! resident in that capital, the title of which is Archives Ento- 
\ mologiques , containing monographs and beautiful coloured 
j plates. He also announced the return of M. Deyrolle from 
Senegal, where he had been despatched by Messrs. Thomson 
and other French entomologists on an entomological ex¬ 
cursion, during which he had collected upwards of 5000 
specimens. His return had, however, been accelerated by 
illness. 
On the motion of Mr. Douglas a vote of thanks was 
passed to the President for the entertainment given to the 
members of the Society at the annual excursion to Reigate 
on the 26th ult. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
COLLINSIA BICOLOR ALBA. 
“ Yoru’ public opinion regarding the true Collinsia bicolor 
alba will much oblige me. I sent you a packet of the 
variety raised by me, and I was led to understand that you had 
the foreign variety. I have both; at least, I received a packet 
from Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Co., and one from Mr. 
W m. Thompson, of Ipswich. These two kinds are the same ; 
the latter, a foreign sort, is more robust in habit. It has a 
coarser and more dentated leaf; the flower-stems at top in 
general appearance have a yellowish cast, which usually 
causes the bed not to look nearly so well as my variety, which 
is dwarfer, the foliage a deeper green, the plant more 
compact in growth, and the general appearance of the bed I 
consider very superior to the foreign variety ; at least, every 
one who has seen the two growing in beds side by side up¬ 
hold this. I hope you have noticed the difference of the 
two in all respects, as I should like their true characters 
given. My variety comes into bloom eight or ten days earlier 
than the foreign, and a more perfect white bed cannot be 
seen.”—W m. Melville. 
[We had just proved that there is a difference between 
the white Collinsia from the Continent and the one sent us 
by Mr. Melville, but we did not consider it of any practical 
value. We have seen a third kind since, which we prefer. 
The old Collinsia bicolor is evidently “ broken up ” into 
sports, like the Swan River Daisy and many other flowers. 
Eucharidium concinnum broke into grandiflorum under the 
third trial of domesticity or cultivation. 
We destroyed the two kinds of white Collinsias before 
they ripened seeds, as we have done and shall continue to 
do with all plants and seeds which we receive for trial 
only.] 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Hollyhocks from Buds ( Helen ).—July is the month for thus pro¬ 
pagating: these flowers. When the Hollyhocks are tied up to the stakes 
for the last time all the inferior stalks, or those that are likely to hide 
the rest too much from the sun, or, indeed, any that are too much 
crowded or ill placed, were cut away as useless formerly, but now they 
are made into cuttings to increase good sorts, or save one the trouble 
of sowing seeds of them every year. Every leaf on a shoot will make a 
cutting if you take a part of the stem and the eye at the bottom along 
with it; but the easiest way is first of all to cut the shoots into as 
many pieces as there are leaves or joints, then to split the pieces down 
the middle, so that every half has its own bud and leaf-stalk ; the blade 
of the leaf is not necessary, but it is best to keep two inches of the 
leaf-stalk; the soft pith in the centre of the split parts should be scraped 
out, as it is liable to cause damp or mouldiness; the pieces are then 
planted an inch deep in sand, under a handglass or a cold, close frame, 
and sometimes with no better help than the shade or shelter of a north 
wall; part of the leaf-stalks are above the sand, and mark the centre 
of each cutting; the bud at the bottom of the stalk will soon push, 
make roots, and be in all respects as good as a seedling, besides being 
true to the sort. 
Waltonian Case (A Subscriber ).—We believe you can obtain it in 
London of Messrs. Kernan, Seedsmen, 4, Great Russell Street, Covent 
Garden. 
Phlox omniflora compacta and Delphinium formosum 
(Verax ).—This variety of Phlox omniflora is quite hardy, and makes a 
capital white bed. The seeds of Delphinium formosum will veeretate as 
freely as Mustard and Cress if sown any day from the 1st of February 
to the 20t.h of August inclusive. One of the royal gardeners sent a 
packet of his own saving to the Experimental, where we ourselves have 
proved the answer to your question. 
Garden Plan (W. J. W .).—The plan of your garden is very good 
if it pleases you. We should like one ourselves, but it creates too much 
work for the space for us to recommend it to others. You mistake the 
effects of the roller on a walk, and the Box itself is the stay to the walk, 
not to be stayed as you think. A man must learn to draw a roller along 
close to the side of any figure in Euclid which forms part of an oval, 
round or straight on. Yea, there is not an angle in the book but must 
be done, that is, rolled, if it is laid out in gravel; but concrete saves 
rolling about ninety-six per cent., and you must concrete quite up to 
the Box, or wall, or stone, or tile edging, just the same as for grass. 
Names of Plants (B ).—Your Grass is the Phalaris arundinacea, 
variety picta, or the Variegated Reed-like Canary Grass. It is, as 
you say, a very pretty plant, and, although of creeping habit, forms 
a very ornamental bunch of itself, distinct upon the cooler part of 
a lawn, or near the sides where lawns run out to the water. The 
Fern is the Nephrolepisexaltata, an ornamental evergreen stove species. 
( Harrie ).—Yours is Eutoca viscida. 
Preserving Green Peas (/. Cunningham). —Pick them when full 
grown, shell them, dry them gently but thoroughly, and then store them 
in canvass bags in a dry place. When required for use soak them in 
water for a few hours until plumped up, and then boil them. 
Waterproofing a Sod Roof (A Subscriber).— Beat the sods very 
smooth and coat them with thin mortar. When this is quite dry paint 
it over with coal tar, and sprinkle this thickly with dry, finely-sifted 
lime rubbish. 
Blighted Rose Leaves (E. C.). —The yellow spots on the leaves of 
your Rose trees are one of the numerous parasitical fungi just now so 
prevalent uoon many plants—Peas and Grapes especially. The best 
remedy is flowers of sulphur dusted over the leaves whilst the dew is 
upon them.JThe best preventive of this mildew on Rose leaves is to have 
the soil over the roots of the trees well mulched, and water given 
abundantly over the mulch daily during dry weather. Liquid manure 
once a week would also be beneficial. 
Cottage Gardener’s Dictionary (J. (?.).—A supplement ought 
to be published, but the proprietors do not seem willing to do so. 
Dioscorea Battatas (A Lady Gardener).—In Nos. 375 and 37.Q 
you will probably find all you require. We allow the stems to trail 
upon the ground, but letting them climb will not injure them. Car¬ 
nation seed should be sown in March. Buy our “ Florists’ Flowers for 
the Many.” 
