502 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 8, 1893. 
THE CYCLAMEN. 
These have been well shown at many of the winter 
and spring exhibitions, and they form one of the 
most showy and easily-grown of winter flowering, 
subjects it is possible to cultivate. It is when we 
notice a pleasing subject in full beauty and well 
grown that we decide to try their cultivation on our 
own account. This must be my excuse for a few 
words upon what might at first sight seem an un¬ 
seasonable article. 
Cyclamens continue in bloom throughout the six 
dullest months of the year, viz., from November 
until the end of April; and, as we now possess such 
an improved strain, and good seed is fairly cheap, 
there is no reason why all greenhouses should not 
contain a few of these charming plants. First and 
foremost, purchase seed of a good strain. Quantity 
should never be the object when buying seeds. Two 
or three amateur friends of mine club together, and 
are thus able to obtain a little seed of the very best 
strains of florists’ flowers, without any extra expense 
than if they dealt separately and bought of second 
class quality. This is a hint well worth following. 
Sow the seed in August or September, using a 
compost of leaf soil, loam, and sand in about equal 
proportions. Cover the seeds about a quarter of an 
inch with soil. As soon as the seedlings appear, 
prick them off into pans or pots, say about two 
inches apart each way. Stand them on a shelf, 
close to the glass, and partially shaded from fierce 
sun. Never, from the seed until they flower, should 
Cyclamen be allowed to get dry or receive any check 
to their growth. A cool house or pit suits them 
much the best in summer, and a temperature of 55 
to 60 degrees is ample during the winter months. 
Let them remain in the seed pans that they have 
been pricked into all the winter, potting them in 
3-in. pots during February or March. The same 
compost with the addition of a little thoroughly 
decayed manure, and about half the quantity of 
sand, will suit them well at this stage, and when re¬ 
potting into their flowering pots. During the 
summer, while they are in pits or frames, frequent 
damping overhead during bright days will aid them 
very much, and tend to check the attacks of red- 
spider. It is well to fumigate weakly, twice or thrice 
in succession, upon the appearance of this pest. 
To grow a good Cyclamen takes from fifteen to 
sixteen months, but they are so little trouble, and 
give such splendid results for six months, besides 
being even better the second season, that few will 
discard them when once grown. It is an excellent 
plan to sow a little seed each other year, as they are 
of less service after flowering the second season, al¬ 
though I know of many bulbs which have been 
growing and flowering well for six or seven years. 
But this is the exception rather than the rule.— 
Experience. 
-- 
INSECT INJURIES IN 1892. 
Extomologically the year has been one of some 
interest, not the least important feature being that 
Miss E. A. Ormerod, owing to increasing work and 
ill-health, has been compelled to resign her post as 
honorary consulting entomologist to the Royal Agri¬ 
cultural Society of England. Her annual reports to 
that body will be much missed, but she still con¬ 
tinues her independent help to all troubled with 
insect pests, and she has very kindly written the 
following report on the insect injury of the year :— 
" During the past year a greater number of kinds 
of crop and fruit insect infestations have been 
present than are usually observable. Of most of 
these up to date an enumeration was given in The 
Times of September 26. They included attacks to 
almost all our common field crops, but were rarely 
serious, excepting locally. The widespread visita¬ 
tions were chiefly of Pea weevils and of Mangold leaf 
maggot, also of caterpillars of diamond-back moth 
on Turnips and allied plants ; severe mischief from 
Mustard beetles in various districts, and also severe 
mischief from Corn aphides, commonly known as plant 
lice. Of the above attacks the Pea-leaf weevil is one 
which rarely occurs as a serious field pest, but last year 
it caused much loss in Worcestershire and Bedford¬ 
shire, and especially in Essex, where, from observa¬ 
tions even of a single reporter (in the neighbourhood 
of Chelmsford), 1,000 acres were found to be 
seriously damaged, and repeated sowing needed, 
each successive crop being swept off. 
“ During the autumn information came to 
hand of the presence of a minute Mangold beetle 
(an atomaria) which is exceedingly injurious to young 
Beets or Mangolds even from their germination, and 
which, being extremely small and mainly an under¬ 
ground worker, has thus probably escaped detection 
as the cause of bad unexplained mischief here for 
some years back. An eelworm attack 'of great 
importance to gro.vers of delicate fruit, under glass, 
has at date of writing been submitted for examina¬ 
tion. It is excessively destructive by literally over¬ 
whelming the roots of various kinds of plants (in the 
present case Tomatos and Cucumbers) with gall 
growths. It multiplies very rapidly and numerously, 
and once established it is almost impossible to 
exterminate, and, where climate suits, affects crop 
roots, as those of Peas, Potatos, &c. In every 
respect, as far as I have as yet seen, it agrets with 
the eelworm known as the Heterodera radicicola. 
Every attention, including consultation with the 
highest Continental authority, is being given to this 
attack, which is of grave importance, and it will 
shortly be fully reported on. 
“ The infestation of the ‘ Mediterranean flour 
moth,’ of which the caterpillars have of late years 
become a great trouble in our wheat flour mills, 
has become still more difficult to exterminate by 
extending into an international infestation. It has 
been exported from London direct to Moscow ; it is 
now established in many mills in France, and has 
spread in the United States to Santo Clara County 
on the shores of the Pacific. 
" More inquiry than usual has been sent regarding 
insect attacks to colonial produce. Early in the 
year communication took place regarding applica¬ 
tions which checked attack of a large beetle grub to 
Sugar-cane in Mauritius, and also communication 
extending over many months, by request of the Agri¬ 
cultural Society of Barbados, and with the co-opera¬ 
tion of many residents in the West Indies, and of 
London firms, regarding a small ‘ shot-borer’ 
beetle (Xyleborus perforans) which caused much 
harm to Sugar-cane in Barbados, St. Vincent, and 
other West Indian islands. An attack of a good- 
sized beetle, highly injurious to Cocoa trees, was also 
identified (as the Steirastoma depressa), and in this 
case also measures which it was considered might 
lessen the evil brought forward. 
"In the East Indies communication has taken 
place from one or more of the Tea-growing districts, 
and consequently on a series of experiments as to 
effects of applications for keeping down ■ red spider ’ 
a ton and a-half of a special soft-soap mixture has 
recently been ordered for export. 
“ From the south of Africa (King William's Town) 
inquiry was sent as to an infestation of large hairy 
moih caterpillars (Bombyx), of which the presence 
(as in Europe) caused harm to stock feeding where 
the hairs had fallen—only in this case in the serious 
form of abortion. Also from the north of Africa in 
the neighbourhood of Algiers specimens were sent of 
mole crickets, with inquiry as to prevention of the 
great damage they were doing to underground 
portions of crops. Inquiry was also sent through 
our own Royal Agricultural Society regarding 
damage done in vineyards of Mr. Gilbey by a beetle 
allied to our English Turnip flea beetle. Other 
inquiries of less importance were forwarded, but 
the above observations show the increasing interest 
taken in "the subject of the possibility of checking 
loss from insect ravage by reasonable measures. 
“ At home steady advance is being made, with 
success, notably in respect of treatment of orchard 
pests, also a troublesome insect pest to Hops, known 
as the • string maggot,’ has been found amenable to 
being cleared out by very practical farm treatment. 
At present the difficulties of Mustard-growing from 
insect infestation are under consideration in various 
districts, and practical experiment being arranged 
for from which there is every hope of benefit. 
“ But in the great advance which is steadily made, 
year by year, in knowledge of how to lessen loss 
from crop insect pests, it cannot be too strongly 
brought forward, and insisted on, how much of this 
is owing to the observations (and clear reports of 
their observations) by our farmers themselves. Few 
of them (as of the general public) may know the 
scientific names of insects, but the)’, in many cases, 
know the habits excellently, far beyond what is 
known by some of those who, in the present move¬ 
ment, think themselves competent to rank as 
instructors. Technical instruction is, doubtless, 
often much needed, but where this is not based on 
personal field study, as well as study of trustworthy 
authorities (a matter requiring more attention than 
it receives), erroneous instruction is apt to be 
disseminated, and there are few cases in which 
those almost wholly inexperienced in agricultural 
requirements can lay down rules, trustworthily, 
on the subjects of treatments of crops and weeds, 
cultivation, soils and manures, chemical applications, 
adaptations of ordinary and special implements, 
uses of special methods of feeding stock on land, and 
many other details. For a mere so-called * entomo¬ 
logist ’ this information is not needed, but those who 
take post as teachers of ‘ agricultural entomology ’ 
are bound to comply with the requirements ; and 
from the applications from both sides of the subject 
which come to my hands owing to my own long 
connection with crop insect prevention, I can say 
that I believe the matter is not receiving the atten¬ 
tion it requires as sound well-based, and kindly help 
to our agriculturists."— Bell's Messenger. 
-—*-- 
Hardening Miscellany. 
BAUHINIA CANDIDA. 
There are several species of Bauhinia in this coun¬ 
try, mostly perhaps in botanic gardens. They con¬ 
sist of climbing or erect and shrubby plants which 
flower handsomely in their native habitats, but less 
often under cultivation, although they can be grown 
as easily as any ordinary stove plant. No doubt 
they require more sunshine than our country is 
favoured with, as a rule, in order to thoroughly ripen 
the wood and set the flower buds. B. purpurea 
flowered in the Palm house at Kew, about nine or 
ten years ago. and the subject of this note has been 
flowering for some time past in the same house. It 
is a much smaller plant than B. purpurea, being at 
present about 4 ft. to 5 ft. high, erect and grown in a 
pot The flowers are large, fragrant and white with 
a pale yellow blotch and some darker veins upon 
the upper petal or standard. In general appearance 
they more resemble those of Hedychium coronarium 
than any of our native plants of the Pea family. 
They were mostly disposed on the upper branches 
and were very effective when the most of them were 
at their best. The leaves are oblate, and bifid at the 
apex. The cultivation of this species might well be 
undertaken in private gardens. The plant stood all 
last summer upon the side bench of the Palm house 
close up to the glass. 
GARDENERS' HOLIDAYS. 
It may interest some of your readers to know that 
the young gardeners of Falkirk and district recently 
formed themselves into an association (the Falkirk 
and District Assistant Gardeners' Association) for 
the purpose of petitioning their employers for a 
half-holiday on the Saturday afternoon. I am glad 
to say that the association has been very successful, 
most of the gentlemen in Falkirk and the surround¬ 
ing district having conceded the half-holiday to their 
gardeners. The success of the Falkirk and District 
Association may encourage gardeners in other 
districts to take similar steps. After the above 
association had been wound up, some of those present 
spoke of the advisability of forming a gardeners’ 
mutual improvement society, and with a view to 
forming such a society a meeting will be held shortly. 
Such a society will no doubt be a success, as there 
are many gardeners in the district, some of whom 
have met with much success at the leading shows in 
Scotland. I think such a society would be both 
instructive and beneficial to all in the district who 
take an interest in gardening.— A. G. 
ERYNGIUM OCHROLEUCUM HELVETICUM. 
The flowers of this variety are smaller than those of 
the type, but they are of a richer, almost golden- 
yellow hue, more especially if the plant is grown out 
of doors. The plants vary from 6 in. to 12 in. in 
height, and are so freely branched that they form 
pyramidal and attractive bushes even when raised 
from cuttings. Each branch as well as the main 
stem ends in a corymb of flowers that keep up a 
succession for a long time. The calyx before the 
expansion of the flowers is of a rich brown hue, 
contrasting very favourably with the yellow flowers. 
The type, as is now pretty well known, has large, 
soft yellow flowers, almost resembling a sulphur 
