260 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Jolt 2d, I860. 
on the turf, one Donald Beaton took to “ greening ” the “ raw ” 
beds in winter with boughs and branches of evergreens, and 
actually recommended the plan for public custom, till his cus¬ 
tomers were so ashamed of “ that way,” and of bare beds in 
winter, that they took to plant them over with evergreen shrubs 
and bushes instead. 
But the third thing which may be proved by this “ self,” or 
one-coloured sport Gladiolus Colvillii, is of a highly scientific 
and social character. In the first place, it is unsocial for one 
class of persons to write a fact is so in all earnestness, and for 
another class to write that it is not so in reality or in truth; and 
in the second place, a scientific inquiry by means of this whole 
sport might settle the difference between these two classes. Is 
this an evidence of Gladiolus Colvillii reverting to one of its 
parents at the mature age of thirty-four or thirty-five years? 
Does reversion go back step by step, or per saltern —by one loup 
or jump? or how ? I happen to know the father, the mother, 
and the grandmother of Gladiolus Colvillii; and this sport has 
parted with the family colour of its father without getting into 
the form and formality of its mother or grandmother, nor yet to 
the true colour of either. Hlandus, a lovely-marbled and ivory- 
white wild kind from the Cape, w r as the grandmother of Colvillii 
and cardinally. Blandus was the mother ; cardinal is being both 
the father and grandfather in this cross. Now r , if this sport is a 
reversion on the mother’s side, it must take more steps to get 
back to the original type than it took in arriving at the merit of i 
a Colvillii. This is the only instance witliin my knowledge of I 
any cross-bred seedling taking the one and only proper way to | 
prove the doctrine of the reversion of cross seedlings. We cannot | 
deny anything about this doctrine but the want of examples to j 
prove it. Here is half proof. Seed it, and see if it will give 1 
blandus by its own pollen.—D. Beaton. 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
Alocasia metaelica {Bronzed-leaved Alocasid). 
Received from Borneo by Messrs. Low, of the Clapton Nursery, 
It “ exhibits a foliage and hue which nothing of the kind can 
exceed—there is a degree of metallic lustre on the ample foliage 
which must be seen to be understood.”—( Botanical Magazine , 
t. 5190.) 
Acacia Deummondi (Drummond's Acacia). 
Native of Swan River. Flowers pale lemon yellow in cylin¬ 
drical spikes.— (Ibid., t. 5191.) 
Callixene polyphylla (Many-leaved Callixene). 
Known also aB Luzuriaga erecta. Native of Cape Tres Montes, 
in the extreme south of Chili. It belongs to the same natural 
family as the Lily of the Valley, having like it white flowers; 
but these resemble more in form the flowers of Deutzia scabra. 
It may be kept in a cool greenhouse or common frame.— (Ibid., 
t. 5192.) 
Oncidittm iongipes (Long-staUced Oncidium). 
Native of Brazil, reared by Messrs. Loddiges. Its flowers arc 
more bright in colour than the O. Iongipes of Dr. Bindley. It 
blooms in April, and the flowers, yellow and purple, continue 
long.— (Ibid., t. 5193.) 
Pteeis ceetica (Cretan Pteris). 
It has had many other specific names. Although called Cretan, 
yet it is found from Turcomania throughout southern Europe, 
the Mediterranean Islands, Arabia, Abyssinia, and even India, 
Pacific Islands, and in both North and South America. So that 
no other Fern is so cosmopolitan, and fully illustrates the un- 
advisability of calling any plant after the place whero it was first 
discovered. Its pinna) are striped with pale and dark green, 
somewhat after the manner of Ribbon Grass.— (Ibid., t. 5194.) 
MEETING op the ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
The July meeting of the Entomological Society was, as is 
generally the case at this season of the year, not fully attended, 
nor were the communications made to the Society of the ordinary 
interest; indeed, the experience of several past years has shown 
that the meetings in July, August, and September might be 
omitted without much detriment to the cause of science. The 
chair was occupied by the President, J. W. Douglas, Esq. 
Mr. Stevens exhibited a portfolio containing a portion of a very 
extensive collection of European Lepidoptera, lormed by trans¬ 
ferring the scales from the wings of the insects to paper by an 
unknown process, by which the form and markings of the species 
were beautifully preserved, the body being subsequently repre¬ 
sented by colours. It was stated that the collection had been 
formed in Germany, and had occupied the life of its possessor, by 
whom it had been sent to this country for sale. 
Mr. Ianson exhibited some rare Scottish Coleoptcra, including 
Otiorh/ncus sepientrionis , Scolytus Ratzeburghii, &c., lately taken 
in Perthshire. 
Mr. MacLaclilan exhibited a beautiful specimen of Chrosis 
Audouiniana, from Darenth Wood, Kent; and Mr. Rye, speci¬ 
mens of Laccoplulus variegalus, taken near Pevenscy by the Rev. 
1L Clarke. 
The President exhibited some rare Coleoptera, found in the 
exuding sap of trees infested with the larvce of the Goat Moth ; 
all of small size, and belonging to the family Staphylinidre. Also 
a specimen of Conopalpus testaceus, a very rare Beetle, reared 
from rotten Oak branches during the past spring. 
Mr. Lewis exhibited Thiasophila inquilina found in the nest 
of Formica faliginosa near Charlton ; and Mr. Ianson a specimen 
of Homalota subterranea (a species hitherto only found in France) 
taken in the nest of Formica Jlava at Mickleham. 
The Secretary read a communication from R. L. Guppy, Esq., 
of Trinidad, on the habits of a species of Water Scorpion (lla- 
natra sp.), found in a stream in that island. 
ORCHARD-HOUSES. 
WiTn the accompanying sketch I offer a few remarks upon 
the construction, adaptability, and various merits. Nos. 1, 2, 
and 3 are plans of my own invention, which I have had erected 
in various parts, and very successfully. Fig. 1 a, is a section 
and interior view, adapted for either Vines or Peaches, can be 
erected either permanently or temporarily. The roof is in separate 
Fig. 1 a. 
1. Path. 
The wire for training the trees to runs from the top to the bottom of the 
house. A very cheap and convenient house. 
divisions, and bolted together, as shown in fig. 1 B, and screwed 
upon the wall-plate, with a wooden shelter or lap for ventilation, 
same width as glass. The path is sunk below the surface to 
