240 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 17, 1800. 
One great point which the artist who desires to produce variety 
in his grounds should attend to, is not to sprinkle the place all 
over with Ehododendrons or Berberis, or, indeed, anything else 
which may, nevertheless, come under the term rare and beautiful. 
But these things introduced sparingly, but in large masses, are 
very telling, and produce what is sought for—decided relief from 
monotony, giving a charming variety. Let us for a moment 
conceive a place where Ehododendrons are regularly scattered 
from end to end, and contrast this with one which has only a 
few fine masses of them. Which would be more effective, and 
have the greater charm ? 
Were it possible, I have long thought I should like to form a 
garden for the season; and what could be more lovely than an 
evergreen garden in winter ? Fresh, green, and fully exuberant, 
it would indeed be a charming feast for the eyes and mind. 
Eepton says that “the eye, or rather the mind, is never long- 
delighted with that which it surveys without effort at a single 
glance, and therefore sees without exerting curiosity or interest. 
It is not the vast extent of lawn, the great expanse of water, or 
the long range of woods that yields satisfaction ; for these, if 
shapeless, or, which is the same thing, if their exact shape is too 
apparent, only attract our notice by the space they occupy. To 
fill this space with objects of beauty, to delight the eye after it 
has been struck, to fix the attention where it has been caught, to 
prolong astonishment into admiration, arc purposes not unworthy 
of the greatest designs.” 
Let us then remember that, although extent in a place yields 
us a certain emotion of satisfaction—though it may at first strike 
the eye and rivet the senses—yet it is not satisfactory if the 
details are not put together in an interesting manner. For this 
reason we often see small places decidedly beautiful as compared 
with those of much larger scope, I speak not here of the 
commonplace sight-seer, but of those who have been educated in 
the first principles of the art of landscape gardening ; and who 
have, by long study and practice, sought out all the salient points 
of excellence, and have fully established themselves in the prin¬ 
ciples of correct “ taste,” Henry Bailey, Nuneham. 
MEETING of the ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
The first meeting of the Entomological Society for the present 
year was held on the 2nd of January; and, as might be expected 
at this season of the year, the attendance of the members was 
not so numerous as usual. The chair was occupied by J. O. 
Westwood, Esq., M.A., F.L.S. 
A box of interesting insects of various orders, containing 
several beautiful new species collected in Siam by M. Mouhot, 
was exhibited by Mr. S. Stevens. 
Mr. Grove exhibited a specimen of Libellata pectoralis, a 
species of Dragon-fly new to this country, which he had taken 
near Sheerness in J une. 
A new part of the Society's “Transactions” was announced 
as ready for delivery to the members ; and notice was read of the 
alterations proposed to be made in the lists of the Council 
and officers at the anniversary meeting for the year ensuing. 
Messrs. Baly, Smith, Waterhouse, and Puseoe to be removed 
from the Council; and Messrs. Douglas; Saunders, F. Walker, 
and Westwoocl to be elected in the Council in their stead; and 
Mr. Douglas to be proposed for President in the room of Dr. Gray. 
Mr. Westwood exhibited a small lepidopterous larva having 
sixteen legs, which he had received from a correspondent, who, 
whilst asleep, had been aroused by a smart bite inflicted on his 
instep (followed by a wheal), and who, on examining the part 
affected, discovered the larva exhibited. Mr. AYestwood ob- 
setved that, although some lepidopterous larvae were known to 
be carnivorous and to feed on animal matters of various kinds, 
and many of them in confinement would devour other larvae, yet 
(taking it for granted that the specimen exhibited was the real 
culprit in this case), this was the first instance he had heard of 
one of them attacking the living human body. The larva 
appeared to be that of one of the Tineidas, or Clothes’ Moths; 
but there was not any appearance of a moveable case in which it 
might have resided. 
Mr. Westwood also exhibited an elytron, or wing-cover, of a 
common English Beetle (Broxus cephalotes), forwarded to him 
by Sir Charles Lyell, who had sent it as that of a fossil Beetle, 
having obtained it from Mundesley, in Norfolk, from a formation 
containing fish remains, determined by Agassiz to be those of 
extinct Bpecies, although associated with recent shells. Mr. 
Westwood, however, was of opinion that the elytron was a recent 
one, exhibiting no traces of fossilisation, and that it was not 
difficult to account for its being found in such a situation, as the 
species is common under marine rejectamenta on the coast; and 
it might easily bo supposed that the working of worms might 
have carried down an article so small as the elytron of this 
Beetle. The fact, however, possesses a certain amount of interest 
in connection with the question of the flint arrowheads in the 
drift, which is attracting so much attention at the present time. 
Dr. Allcbin exhibited a small brass flask, about two inches 
high, constructed for introducing small quantities of chloroform 
into pill-boxes containing living Lepidoptera, for the purpose of 
stifling them ; he and other entomologists having experienced 
much inconvenience in using chloroform for this purpose when 
engaged in collecting. The instrument exhibited was calculated 
to remove all difficulty, as by it a single drop could be obtained 
without any risk of spilling or evaporation. This mode of 
applying chloroform has indeed been found very beneficial, and 
lias removed the chief charge of cruelty against the insect col¬ 
lector. 
NEAV AND BARE PLANTS. 
Ghammatophylluh speciosuxi ( Showy Grammatophylhim). 
This gigantic Orchid has for the first time been bloomed in 
full splendour by Mr. Carson, gardener to AY. G. Farmer, Esq., 
of Nonsuch Park, Ewell. It bloomed last October. Its pseudo¬ 
bulbs are nine feet long, its flower-scape six feet!—flowers in 
panicles, each flower six inches across, yellow, and richly blotched 
i with deep red purple. It is “ queen of orcliideous plants.” Native 
of Java and other islands of the Indian Ocean.— (Bot. Mag., 
t. 5157.) 
Statice Bonduelli ( Bonduelle's Statice). 
Found by M. Bonduelle in North Africa, and sent to lvew by 
Mr. Thomson, of Ipswich. Flowers yellow. “ One of the 
prettier of a very pretty genus.” Flowers during the summer 
! months in a greenhouse.— {Ibid, t, 5158.) 
Llavea cobdifolia ( Heart-leaved Llavea). 
One of the most beautiful and most rarely-cultivated of Ferns. 
Native of Mexico. Requires a warm greenhouse.— {Ibid. t. 5! 5b.) 
Begonia frigida (Frigid Begonia). 
A very dwarf species. Leaves coppery-green above, and deep 
rosy-red beneath. Flowers white and insignificant.— {Ibid, 
t. 5160.) 
; Didymocabpus PKiMUiAiFOLiA {Primrose-leaved Didymo- 
carpus). 
Native of Ceylon. Flowered at Kew in November, 1850. 
Leaves very hoary. Flowers pale lilac, in small cymes.— 
{Ibid. t. 5161.) 
NEAV OR RARE POFT WOODED HERBACEOUS 
AND VARIEGATED STOVE PLANTS. 
( Continued from page 141.) 
Achimenes gigantea ignea. —Amongst a host of so-called 
new Achimenes, this variety is a handsome distinct one. Leaves 
j shaded with light and dark green. Stems two feet high. Flowers 
produced from the axils of the leaves, tubular in shape. Shaded 
j crimson ground spotted with scarlet. Season for blooming, 
I September and October. 
A. longieloea pleno. — A double Achimenes, with large 
porcelain blue flowers. Blooming through the summer months. 
Amaranthus variegata splendens. — A magnificent va¬ 
riegated-leaved, soft-wooded plant. Leaves six inches long, two 
inches and a half broad, marked with scarlet, yellow, and green 
in equal proportions. 
Begonia amabilis. —This variety is more compact and dwarf 
than Rex. Leaves obliquely ovate, shining dark green, with a belt 
of silver between the margin and the midrib. The under side is 
red opposite the green upper side. 
B. argentea. —The leaves of this plant are uniformly silvered 
all over, excepting a few points of green. The ribs are of a clear 
straw colour. It is very beautiful. 
B. blanda. —As its name imports, this variety is charming. 
The leaves are of medium size ; the margin and near the veins are 
olive green spotted with white, the space between is pure silvery 
white. 
