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T1IE COTTAGE G ARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 1, 1860. 
chrysalis state in the autumn, the butterfly does not make its 
appearance till the following spring. Furthermore : It has been 
proved by experiment, that if the condition of perpetual winter 
be kept up by keeping the chrysalis in an ice-house, its develop¬ 
ment may be retarded for two or three years beyond its proper 
time; while, on the other hand, if in the middle of winter the 
chrysalis be removed to a hothouse, the enclosed butterfly, mis¬ 
taking the vivifying warmth for returning summer, makes its 
debut in ten days or a fortnight. —British Butterflies , by W. S. 
Coleman. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY’S MEETING. 
The April Meeting of the Entomological Society was held on 
the 2nd ult, with the new President, J. W. Douglas, Esq., in the 
chair. The long-continued cold weather has been felt by the 
entomologists as well as the objects of their pursuit, and instead 
of a goodly supply of recent captures, scarcely ever has there 
been a meeting of the Society at which so little novelty was pro¬ 
duced. 
The President exhibited some samples of a cargo of Rice and 
Paddy (1000 bags, imported from Akyab, in the Bay of Bengal, 
and housed at Alderman Humphrey’s new Hibernia Wharf, 
Tooley Street, Southwark), which was infested by a small 
species of Dermestidas, apparently belonging to the genus l’ro- 
goderma, both in the larva and perfect state, to a very serious 
extent. Some specimens also of the omnivorous Stene feruginea 
were also present with the other depredators. It would be ad¬ 
visable to subject the infected bags of Bice to the action of a kiln 
or oven, as is now proposed, and often practised for the de¬ 
struction of the Com Weevil. 
Mr. Samuel Stevens exhibited portions of Mr. Wallace’s col¬ 
lection from Batchian, near Borneo, including some new and 
beautiful species of Butterflies. Specimens of Telephorus ater, 
of Linnmus (a small, soft-winged species of Beetle), taken by 
Mr. Lewis, at Renfrew. Also, several rare species of Beetles 
(Boletophayus crenatus, Elater Pomonce , Lesteva pubescens, &c.), 
taken by Mr. Turner, at Rannock, in Perthshire, were also ex¬ 
hibited. 
Mr. Westwood called the attention of the members to the 
confusion existing in the nomenclature of the large species of 
Bruehidte which infest Cocoa-nuts, the seeds of Palms, and other 
allied trees in South America, of which the Brv.chus Badris , of 
Linnseus, is the typical species. He also indicated several 
characters for the distinction of the species in this difficult but 
interesting group of Beetles. 
Mr. Douglas directed attention to the new part of Mr. Ilewit- 
son’s splendid work on exotic Butterflies, which contained figures 
of the new species described by Mr. Bates, in his memoir on the 
entomology of the Amazon Valley, read at the preceding meeting 
of the Society. 
The death of Mr. Foxcroft, an indefatigable collector at Sierra 
Leone, was announced. 
DUNN’S SOLID MARKING-INK PENCIL. 
In the favourable notice you were pleased to give in your 
number of the 20th of March last, relative to the applicability of 
my solid marking-ink pencils for writing on garden tallies and 
labels, you omitted to mention the necessity of exposing such 
writing to the action of the sun’s rays to produce the black 
colour. Many, from this, have expected to see the pencil write 
black at once on the wood tally, or parchment label; whereas it 
writes only the colour of a common lead pencil, which becomes 
black by exposure to light. I find the colour vary from brown 
to black with the thickness of the stroke, and on different woods ; 
but to insure a good black on all woods to please the eye, throw 
the wood tallies into a pail of water containing about 2 lbs. of 
common washing-soda, and let them soak for an hour or two, 
and then spread them out in the air to dry. When required for 
use damp the surface with the wet finger, write thereon, and expose 
to daylight (sunlight if possible). These prepared tallies may 
be exposed to rain immediately without the writing spreading 
from the action of the wet; but they are equally indelible without 
the use of soda. Parchment labels just damped with the solution 
of soda will also come up a better colour; and I have found the 
vegetable parchment made by Messrs. De La Rue & Co., of 
Bunhill Row, preferable to that of animal fibre, as it is free from 
grease, and resists moisture better. 
I have now succeeded in making, at the same price, a much 
stouter point in a similar case expressly for gardeners’ use, which 
I have named the “ Gardeners’ Pencil.” It will last much longer 
than the fine pencil I sent you some time back, which was 
originally meant for marking linen only. “ The Gardeners’ 
Pencil ” is also admirably suited for writing on all coarse-wove 
fabrics.— Aethuk Dunn. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
A Pamphlet on Conservatories, Greenhouses , Pits, Hot-water 
Apparatus, and Ventilation. By John Weeks, F.H.S., Co., 
King's Boad, Chelsea, is a copiously illustrated Catalogue of 
garden structures, heating apparatus, and garden ornaments, 
with ample descriptions of the various conservatories, green¬ 
houses, and pits, their dimensions and the mode of heating them. 
A List of Seled Plants Cultivated by F. df A. Smith, Florists, 
Park Boad, Dulwich .—This is an excellent descriptive Catalogue 
of all the florists’ flowers and greenhouse plants worthy of cul¬ 
tivation, and embraces everything that is new and good. 
A Descriptive Catalogue of Dahlias by George Bawlings, 
Globe Boad, Bethnal Green. —Mr. Rawlings is well known as 
one of the most successful raisers of seedling Dahlias, and in this 
broad-slieet-list is offered all the best sorts at wonderfully low 
prices. 
A Catalogue of Soft-wooded Plants for Sale by John Sampson, 
Pelsley Nursery, Clay Cross, is a good descriptive list of the 
articles offered. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Notice.— Repeatedly hare we requested that no letters of inquiry be 
sent direct to our departmental writers; for it occasions extra trouble, 
and is contrary to our regulations. Notwithstanding this request some 
correspondents persist in disregarding it; and we are compelled, therefore, 
to announce that no questions, unless sent to our office, will receive an 
answer. 
Back Numbers ( T. S. S .).—A few of almost all the back numbers of 
The Cottage Gardener may he had, except some in Vols. III., VI., XI., 
and XV. If you send us a list of the numbers you require we will inform 
you which we can supply. The Indices cannot he printed separately. 
Mowing Machines (P. Maekay Wilson ).--It is not an easy matter to 
decide between the merits of the mowing machines you mention in your 
communication. Our opinion is, that they all do their work equally well. 
They are all constructed on the same principle, which was an invention of 
Mr. Budding; hut they differ iu details, each maker having introduced 
improvements of his own. When so many eminent practical men w r ho 
have had great experience of the working of these machines give such high 
testimonials, it matters little which of them you select. 
Skimming Milk for Churning (.Mrs. P .).—It will not spoil the butter 
allowing the milk to stand longer than forty-eight hours before being 
skimmed ; but there is nothing gained by allowing it to stand even so long 
in summer. We allow' it to stand forty-eight hours in winter, and only 
twenty-four in summer. The skimmed milk is then sweet, and is a great 
boon to poor people sold at a low price. 
Vine Scale and Red Spider (A Subscriber ).—Whilst the leaves are on 
the Vine, if any species of scale appears on its stem and branches, the 
least offensive remedy is to paint over the whole with a strong solution of 
gum arabie or starch; allow it to remain on for a week, and then wash it 
off. But the most effectual remedy is to brush them over thoroughly twice, 
after the interval of a day, with spirit of turpentine. To prevent the 
recurrence of the plague, a very effective mode, in autumn, is to scrape 
away and burn all the lough bark, and then, with a rough brush, to paint 
over the stem and branches with a creamy mixture, composed of half a 
pound of soft soap, one pound of sulphur, and a quarter of an ounce of 
black pepper, to four gallons of water; boil together for twenty minutes, 
and make it thick enough to adhere to the wood like paint. If it does not, 
thicken it with lime, adding sufficient soot to take off the glaring white 
colour of the lime. 
To Destroy thf. Red Spim:n.—There is no plan so effectual as heating 
the hot-water pipes of the houses, or having hot-water plates, filled with 
boiling water, placed in the frames, sprinkling upon them flowers of 
sulphur, which begin to vaporise at a heat of 170°, and then shutting up 
the houses or frames. The vapour of sulphur is fatal to these insects 
where the air is thoroughly impregnated with it; and the work of destroy¬ 
ing them is completed by syringing the infested plants with water, con¬ 
tinuing rather frequently the operation. This last is the most practical 
remedy to plants in our borders, unless they can he covered over so that 
the fumes of the sulphur may be confined whilst the sulphur is volatised over 
a hot-water plate. Potted plants inay be submitted to the vapour of 
sulphur in a similar way; hut in every instance be cautious that the 
sulphur does not burn, or you will kill your plants. The vapour of spirit 
of turpentine is said to he as effectual as sulphur. On walls, the best plan 
is to beat up soft soap in warm water, three ounces to the gallon ; and to 
add as much finely-dissolved clay as will make the whole a thick paint. 
To this add three or four handfuls of sulphur, and keep the mixture well 
stirred whilst applying it. Let it be daubed on every open space of walling 
the brush can reach; and, if colour is an object, the glaring yellow can be 
readily subdued by adding plenty of soot, which by some is considered a 
necessary ingredient. 
House for Bkdding-out Plants (A. 2?.).—One four-inch pipe all round 
your house will be quite sufficient, if your boiler supplies the hot water 
properly. 
