March 27, 1897. 
The gardening world 
471 
carefully attended and gradually hardened off, will 
give excellent plants for turning out in warm 
positions outside early in May. The best and 
hardiest for this work is Canadian Wonder. 
Tomatos. —No delay should take place now in 
sowing the main crop for walls and outside planting 
generally. Sufficient heat must be applied to get a 
quick germination; but after this occurs the 
seedlings should be brought on as cool as is consistent 
with keeping them in health Place them always 
near the light, and do not allow them to become drawn 
in the seed boxes, nor suffer for want of fresh 
potting in the earliest stages of growth.— J. R. 
THE PUNT HOUSES. 
The Stove. 
It is now quite time that the blinds were affixed to 
the houses, for the sun is now so powerful that scorch¬ 
ing will ensue unless shading is given. Inequalities 
in the roof which would prevent blinds from working 
must be lightly painted over with summer cloud shad¬ 
ing. The sides of the house must also be treated in 
the same way. In fixing the blinds it will be as well 
to give all the pulley wheels a drop of oil in order 
that they may work smoothly and easily. We are 
just upon the verge of a very catchy month when 
the blinds may have to be lowered and raised several 
times a day, so it will be advisable to get things in 
working order now and thus save both time and 
temper presently. 
Bougainvilleas. —Old plants which have been 
spurred back like Vines usually make a lot of shoots 
for which there is no room. These must be thinned 
out gradually, until finally only sufficient to cover the 
roof nicely is left. The shoots that are to remain 
must be brought down gradually to the wires in the 
same way as those on a Vine; indeed they re¬ 
require to be treated in a similar fashion all through. 
Stephanotis. —The shoots are making great head¬ 
way now, and will require to be gone over frequently 
for tying, for if they once get tangled it becomes a 
matter of great difficulty to deal with them afterwards. 
Keep the syringe well to work morning and afternoon 
amongst them, so as to prevent green fly from gaining 
a foothold. 
Ferns in Baskets.— It often happens that basket 
Ferns are allowed to remain year after year in the 
same position without having anything done to them. 
The present is a good time to remedy this mistake. 
It may be a matter of some difficulty to transfer the 
plants to other baskets, and in such a case they should 
be allowed to remain in them, only removing as much 
of the old soil as possible. This may be done by 
means of a pointed stick, and the syringe may sub¬ 
sequently be called into play. The holes must then 
be carefully filled up with fibrous loam and peat with 
sand. A few tufts of sphagnum moss may also be 
worked in here and there. If the plants have been 
much disturbed it will be advisable to take them into 
a close pit for a week or two to recover themselves of 
the check. After this assistance they will be in a 
much better position for standing the more trying 
atmosphere of the large stove. 
Adiantums for Cutting. —In most establishments 
a stock of plants from which to obtain fronds for 
cutting is a necessity. If these plants are to be placed 
jn the stove they must have a corner all to them¬ 
selves, where the water from the syringe may be kept 
off them. If any part of the house has been perman¬ 
ently shaded this will be the best place to put the 
Ferns. Whilst the plants are throwing up their 
young fronds clear water will be all that is necessary, 
but when they have become fairly advanced liquid 
cow manure may be given twice a week. This should 
be given weak at first, but the strength may be 
'slightly increased as time goes on until it is of a fair 
strength. 
Nymphaeas. —The warmer weather has caused 
these to make great progress of late, and the young 
leaves are pushing away strongly. Keep a smart look 
out for green fly which is very likely to attack the 
plants at this stage. The best method of getting rid 
of it is to sponge the affected leaves with tobacco 
water. 
Gardenias may still be propagated by cuttings. 
Take off the tops of some of the old plants that have 
finished flowering and insert them in small pots filled 
with light sandy soil. Plunge them in a nice bottom 
heat and an atmospheric temperature of not less than 
70° Fahr. Keep them fairly close for a few weeks 
and syringe regularly, when they will soon make 
roots. Old plants which are planted out in borders 
will usually furnish plenty of suitable stuff for 
cuttings, and the cutting back that they get as a 
consequence will help to keep them in shape. 
Acalypha musaica.— Bearing in mind the useful¬ 
ness of this Acalypha as a table plant it will be well 
to get up a good stock of it. The present time is very 
suitable. Take the offshoots from the older plants 
to serve as cuttings. The tops may as well follow, 
since the old plants are apt to become too leggy for 
service. In a brisk bottom heat the cuttings will soon 
root, and if potted on will make handy little stuff by 
the end of July. A musaica is certainly the most 
useful member of the genus, but A. wilkesiana, 
A. marginata, and A. obovata, may also be grown if 
there is room for them.— A.S.G. 
THE ORCHID HOUSES. 
East India House. —Amongst Orchids that require 
the heat and moisture of this division, the foremost 
place must be accorded to the Phalaenopsis, and 
under favourable conditions they are easily grown. 
But what are favourable conditions ? In my opinion 
it is a stove or house that is always naturally moist ; 
and one that does not require damping down every 
five minutes to keep it sufficiently humid. 
Phalaenopsis are found growing on bare rocks, 
and if you examine the leaves of imported plants 
their condition bears out the collectors' statement; 
for they are as tough as leather. Yet, being as they 
are, without any pseudobulbs to support them, it 
stands to reason there must be an immense quantity 
of rainfall during the growing season, which, with 
us is from March to October. Whilst it is wise as 
far as possible to take Nature as our guide in the 
culture of plants, it would not do to follow her too 
closely in respect to the culture of Orchids ; for under 
glass their character becomes changed to a certain 
extent. Thus, although they may be grown in ex¬ 
posed positions with very little shade in their native 
habitats, under cultivation it is next to impossible to 
grow them successfully if exposed to the sun other 
than a few hours early in the morning and very late 
in the evening during the summer months, because 
under glass the leaves become very succulent and 
susceptible to injury by becoming scorched if too 
much exposed. 
As the flowering season is now over and the plants 
are starting into growth, they should at once receive 
attention ; for although the sphagnum moss appears 
to be in good condition it will hardly carry them 
through another season. Besides, a little fresh 
material has a wonderful effect on all plant life. 
It is a good plan to pick out all the old moss and 
as many of the crocks as possible, without damaging 
the roots, and then wash the roots as thoroughly as 
possible by the aid of the syringe and a can of tepid 
water, allowing them to stand and get somewhat dry 
before putting in fresh crocks, and finishing off with 
live sphagnum moss. When done give a gentle 
sprinkle with the syringe and keep shaded heavily 
and close for a few days if the weather is bright 
until they get a fresh start. 
The temperature may range from yo° to 8o° during 
the day and from about 65° to 70° at night according 
to the weather. 
Cattleya House. —Odontoglossum citrosmum 
which is just commencing to grow, should receive 
special attention as regards moisture at the root, and 
how it is afforded, or the flowering will not be 
satisfactory. After a long season of rest a thorough 
soaking causes the young growths, which are barely 
an inch high to damp off, or to come away without 
the spikes which should now be developing ; there¬ 
fore careful treatment as regards moisture must be 
the order.— C. 
-- 
(Meaning* 
Science 
The Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris). 
—Amongst insects which may be reckoned truly 
friends of the gardener, not the least important are 
the Tiger Beetles, of which Cicindela campestris is 
the common species. A very detailed account of 
its life history, together with illustrations, is given in 
the March number of Knowledge. The beetle is 
about half an inch long, with wing-cases of a 
beautiful green, ornamented with five yellow spots. 
The head is golden green, tinted with crimson, as 
are the antennae, legs and wing-cases. The name 
Tiger Beetle is given on account of its powerful and 
sharply toothed jaws, from its ferocious nature 
towards other insects for which it lies in wait, and 
springs upon them like a tiger. When it reaches the 
perfect or beetle form it lives but a week or two, the 
male dying soon after mating, and the female after 
depositing her eggs singly in small burrows in sandy 
ground which the species frequents. The creature has 
very long legs, and large membranous wings under the 
wing-cases ; both the latter sets of organs are spread 
out horizontally when flying, which it executes at 
remarkable speed at will. When catching its prey 
it runs or flies with great rapidity according to 
necessity. 
The larva of the Tiger Beetle is a singular looking 
creature with a long body, an immense head and chin. 
The fifth abdominal segment bears two curious- 
looking tubercles, surmounted by small and stout 
spines. These are of service to the creature when 
lying at the mouth of its burrow in wait for prey. 
The spines are pushed into the sand when the larva 
is in the act of catching some other insect, and give 
the creature an immense leverage, thereby preventing 
at from being dragged from its burrow. The big head 
of the larva fills the mouth of the opening of the 
burrow, so that an unwary insect fails to detect any 
burrow or enemy until suddenly pounced upon. The 
jaws of the larva are curved, resembling a bull’s 
horns, and close above its head, instead of beneath 
it, as in most or all other insects. A fly can be seen 
it some distance from the hole, but when from Jin. 
to |in. from the mouth of the burrow, the larva of 
the beetle would pounce upon it with lightening speed 
and disappear with it down the hole. The Tiger 
Bettle is, therefore, a friend of the cultivator by de¬ 
stroying his enemies. 
Duration of life.—The larva of the Tiger Beetle 
is certainly by far the longest-lived form of the insect. 
It lives for 2J years, during which it catches various 
kinds of insects upon which it preys. When full fed 
it turns over on its back and after it has rested about 
7 days, the larval skin slits on the back of its head 
and is quietly slipped off, as the creature passes into 
pupa state. This skin is practically thrown off as an 
old garment, but the owner gets the credit of some¬ 
times being so economically inclined as to devour the 
" old clo.” After reaching the perfect state, it passes 
a third winter in its burrow, before rising to the sur¬ 
face to enjoy its brief life in the winged state. 
The following subjects were shown at the Scientific 
Committee meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, on the gth inst. : — 
Beetles with Grapes.—Mr. McLachlan had 
received some small beetles found about the roots of 
Vines, about a quarter of an inch long, with a blunt 
thorax and rather sluggish in manner. They proved 
to be Trox sabulosus, and were introduced in the 
crushed bones used for manure Not being vegetable 
feeders they do no harm to the Vines. The best trap 
would be a dried rabbit skin with the inner side 
downwards. 
Larvae of Daddy Longlegs—He also received 
a sample of propagating soil in which Iceland 
Poppies were grown, abounding with the cater¬ 
pillars of this fly. Bisulphide of carbon, cyanide of 
potassium (J to 1 per cent, solution in water), or to 
remove the soil and burn it, were methods recom¬ 
mended in such cases. 
Apple Root with Adventitious Buds.—Dr. H. 
Muller exhibited a specimen, thickly covered in 
places with innumerable buds, usually known as 
•• Burr Knott.” The original cause is obscure, but 
Dr. Masters observed that such roots are often cut 
up and used for propagating. 
Hyacinths, &c., with Root Failure.—A col¬ 
lection of bulbous plants were received from Mr. W. 
C. Atkinson, of Aigburth, Liverpool, in which the 
roots had been very imperfectly developed, but then 
arrested and decayed. Mr. Douglas undertook to 
investigate the case, Dr. Masters observing that the 
bulbs might not have been properly ripened before 
lifting. 
Drift Wood from Arct'c Seas —Dr. M. T. 
Masters exhibited specimens of wood obtained by 
Dr. Nansen. They had travelled from Siberia to 
Franz Joseph Land, and consisted of the Siberian 
Pinus Cembra (dwarf form), Willow, Elm, &c. 
