134 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 1, 1857, 
specimens of two distinct species of the genus, namely, 
P. violaceus and P.jtavipcs. It was difficult to account 
for so remarkable a fact, since ordinarily the nest is 
formed by a single female, which deposits her young in 
| the cells. 
Mr. Westwood suggested the possibility that one 
of the two species might not be a true nest-maker, but 
took advantage of the nest formed by another species 
in which to deposit her eggs ; as was exactly the case 
with the nests of humble Bees infested by the parisitic 
humble Bees (JPsithyrus). 
Mr. Francis Walker gave an account of the habits 
of Aphis quercus, one of the most curious species of 
! the family of Plant Lice, remarkable for the extraordi¬ 
nary length of the sucker which the insect thrusts to 
i a considerable depth into- the bark of the tree. He 
had found it on the oak at Dulwich; also at St. 
George’s Hill, Weybridge ; and had only observed the 
males during the month of October and November. 
Mr. Westwood read a letter from Mr. Brodie, of 
Swanage, Dorsetshire, giving an account of the recent 
discovery of a considerable number of fossil insect 
remains in that neighbourhood. 
SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF THE 
SEASON. 
Allow me to say a few words with some of your cor- 
1 respondents, who have been stating their successes and failures 
during the summer that has hardly yet left us, although far 
advanced in November ; the weather continuing mild, and 
scarcely any frost. On the 13th, occurred the first that has 
left any trace behind; still I had Fuchsias out in full bloom, 
in boxes, which were unhurt by it ; but a circular bed of 
Fuchsias, and one of scarlet Geraniums, I have covered over 
nights, and during rain. The Fuchsias are still out, and 
make a respectable appearance for the time of year. The 
Geraniums I took up on the 17th ; the mould was quite dry, 
and the wood was tolerably firm, as I had kept them as open 
as I possibly could, so that the sun might get into them : and 
with the keeping them dry, and the absence of frost, I hope I 
shall keep them for another season. I found it necessary to 
protect pots and boxes from rain for some time past, as their 
contents were making too much growth for the time of year. 
I have found from experience that a little trouble taken in 
this way is real economy, besides the plants being in bloom 
longer and better. For we may as well drown plants 
with the water-pot, as allow it to be done with the rain. They 
are easier to manage through the winter; and, as a matter of 
course, are better plants in the spring to start with again. 
I will take a look, mentally, over the flower garden first, 
and note a few things that have done well; although I con¬ 
sider the failures of the most importance, because we can 
often give a reason for the failure when we compare notes ; 
and when a plant, or a bed of plants do well, I think people 
generally arc satisfied with their doing well, without inquir¬ 
ing the reason why. I will begin with the spring bulbs and 
annuals ; for, whatever others may say to the contrary, I 
cannot get on at all without bulbs and annuals, and a good 
many of them too. The most of my beds, that are not mixed 
beds, are all planted with bulbs of some kind or other ; and 
before they have done blooming, I have annuals put out 
between them. Now, whether the bulbs will suffer by this 
mode of working, I am not prepared to say at present. 
Well, March was a very favourable month. We had twenty- 
one dry days ; and, although we only had fifteen dry days in 
April, yet the rain was not heavy, the ground was not satura- 
! ted; consequently, not very cold. Therefore, Hyacinths, and 
Tulips, in pots, did well also; Anemones, Crocuses, double 
Snowdrops, planted late, to come in with Crocixses ; and 
all other bulbs, have done well; also Wallflowers, which I 
grow in pots on purpose for their green appearance, chiefly 
during the winter; and if they are in the way, at planting 
time, I thin them out at first, and afterwards remove them 
altogether. 
On beds of Tulips I planted African Marigolds. I 
plant them thick, then thin out the single ones ; but they 
will transplant in bloom very well. They have been a mass 
of bloom all the summer. For French Marigolds the 
ground was too stony, and they got too high soon; but 
during a temporary absence of the family, I cut them all off 
to about eight inches from the ground ; they soon branched 
out again, and bloomed much better. Another bed, Ageratum 
Mexicarvmi , was capital, and is still in bloom. Another, and 
second to none, is a bed of Zinnias. They seem to like good, 
rich, hglit soil. They have done better this year than I have 
ever had them before; but if put out too early, they are apt 
to die off at the ground. But those who want a really good 
bed of them must, after pricking them out of the seed-pan, 
plant them singly in three-inch pots, and be not over parti¬ 
cular about having a dozen or more more than the bed will 
require; then they can fill up any vacancy that occurs: 
the rest, of course, can go in the mixed borders. Zinnias 
require to be tied each to a separate stick when about a foot 
high. The Commelina coeleslis makes a very superior bed 
after Nemophila insignis, , where it is requisite to keep the 
colour on the bed; and it will bear any treatment at almost 
any stage of its growth. A good soil suits its best. I have 
this season transplanted a whole bed after it showed blossom, 
and it did not seem any the worse for it. 
NemopMlas of all kinds have done well: so have Godetia 
rosea , Oxalis rosea , Lobelia erinus , and Lobelia ramosa. 
The woodlice destroyed one lot. Thunbergia alba , and 
aurantiaca, in a northern aspect, and the Lccremocarpus 
have done well. And if it may be any advantage to your fair 
correspondent “ Flora,” who, it appears, has not succeeded 
very well, I will just say that I grow a plant in a pot during 
the s umm er, keep it in a cold pit during the winter, and in the 
spring it will throw up a lot of shoots. These I slip off, 
and strike in the Cucumber-frame; and they generally do well. 
It would be taking up too much of your valuable space to 
enumerate all that have proved satisfactory j therefore I will 
show the other side of the picture. 
The Coboea , a favourite, too, all but a failure. I should be 
glad of a hint from some successful raiser of the above. I 
have tried a variety of ways, still not to my satisfaction. 
Phlox Lrummondii has been a complete failure. This, too, I 
had relied upon; as I had always succeeded well with it 
before. But on taxing my memory, I find I had preyiously 
grown it in fight, rich mould; and the bed under notice was 
of a cold and an uncongenial nature. Sweet Peas have been 
a failure ; though, I believe, if I had been more liberal with 
the water-pot, I could have told a different tale. Tropoeolum 
canariensis has been very indifferent. 
Things generally were late, such as annuals and bedding 
stuff; perhaps owing to May and June being rather dry. 
We had twenty-two dry days in each month ; and on looking 
over what have failed, or partially failed, I find it is chiefly on 
the poorest ground : and had there been more time to attend 
to them all, there would have been but few failures. The pro¬ 
longation of the summer has fully compensated for what little 
deficiencies we may have experienced in the earlier part of it; 
so that at the end of the year we may be able to present a 
more favourable balance, in a floral point of view, than a great 
many will in a commercial one. I fear I have very much 
exceeded my limits: therefore, if you will allow me, I will 
defer to another opportunity a continuation of the above.— 
The Doctor’s Boy. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
CONSTRUCTION OF A YINERY. 
<c I have just completed a small Yinery, twenty-four feet by 
thirteen, in which I have introduced two things that I have 
not seen before; these my friends tell me are improvements. 
I here present them to your notice, leaving you to determine 
as to whether any mention of them in The Cottage Gar¬ 
dener would be of service to its readers. My first object 
before building, was to get as good a ventilation as possible, 
and that in the most simple way, and to give to the roof great 
strength, with a fight appearance. First, with regard to 
ventilation : the plan I have adopted, is to have two wall- 
plates at the back, one placed twelve inches from the other ; 
