December 3, 1904. 
THE HARDENING WORLD . 
£81 
Mutual Friends. 
During this passing autumn I have spent many days in 
the dull and seemingly uninteresting occupation of endeavour- 
ing to rid m.y plants of mealy bug. As every gardener knows, 
this is about the most troublesome pest to contend with in 
the cultivation, of plants under glass. 
For some time I have longed for some new method of de¬ 
stroying this pest, and hoped that the method of destruction 
by hydrocyanic acid gas might this year have been, adopted. 
But such was not to be, for it was my duty to clean; the plants 
under my charge with a solution of soft soap. 
The plants I allude to were those of some well-established 
Figs;, and many a, dreary hour have I spent in, cleaning them. 
Oh, how I have longed for ,some incident to break the mono¬ 
tony, and how welcome the note of the hell 1 has sounded when 
it has called me to; the bothy. One day, when so; engaged, my 
attention was attracted by an anti running in an excited state 
up a branch of my Fig tree. Noting its business-like actions, I 
followed it on itsi journey with mo little interest. On and on 
it travelled, overcoming many obstacles ini a most determined 
manner, until it reached a, little crevice in the bark of the 
Fig tree. At this point, lit, hesitated, and after feeling about 
with its antennae (that) is, the feelers attached to the head), it 
entered the crevice. Being curious to, know the cause of the 
ant’s disappearance, I removed the bark, and, much to, my 
astonishment, I found concealed two plump specimens; of mealy 
bug. 
At, first I thought, I had found a, helpmate in the form of 
the ant, for being carnivorous, I thought, the ant intended to, 
devour the mealy bug or to, ea,rt it away to its home. How¬ 
ever, the ant, at first appeared somewhat indignant on. being 
so disturbed, but after a time it returned to the pair of mealy 
bugs, and was evidently enjoying itself, although I failed to 
see hiew. 
Being stiill curiousi to know the meaning of this visit, I left 
the ant, and its treasures undisturbed for a, few minutes. On 
my return I found the ant joined by a comrade, who, likewise 
seemed to be enjoying itself, but, stnamgel to say, the mealy 
bugs were still comfortably nestled. 
I killed the peisit with my knife and noted the result. The 
ants ran about in a, most excited state, occasionally returning 
to the squashed bugs, and after feeding from, them they re¬ 
turned home. On their return, journey they met another ant, 
who, not, seeming to, take the warning- given by the two, dis¬ 
appointed ants, pursued its way to the spot where the bugs 
were killed, and after feeding from them it retraced its path. 
Not long afterwards I observed another instance of this 
kind, and being determined to know more about, the relation¬ 
ship between the ants and mealy bug, I watched the movements 
through my pocket, lens. The ant was apparently stroking 
the bug with its antennae, and I noticed that the bug in return 
excreted a, substance through the two pore® at its hack. The 
ant waisi eager* to receive this sub-stancei, this evidently being 
the reason for its visits. Herbert Cowley. 
On the Editor’s Table. 
Flowers from Amport House. 
Mr. William, James Penton, gardener to the Marquis of 
Winchester, Amport House, Andover, Hants, writes to, say, 
“ Please find enclosed for your inspection a few Boses cut to-day 
(Nov. 14th) cut, of doors after 6 deg. of front, on, the 13th. 
Kindly note colour and perfume. Hoping they will reach you 
safely.” 
Amongst the Rose® he sends the White Mine. Abel Cha- 
tenay, the outer petals of which are slightly tinted with pink. 
Viscountess Folkestone might be described as white, tinted 
with flesh in the, centre and is very sweetly scented. The or¬ 
dinary China, or monthly Rose was also, in, very good condition 
from the small buds to the fully expanded state, the blooms 
being richly tinted with pink and deliciously scented. Some 
half-expanded buds 1 of Gross an Toplitz were, very charming 
in rich crimson colour, and sweet-scented even, at this stage of 
blossoming. Tire leaves of this variety are also large, some- 
wliat leathery and glossy. Count,esse de Sudre might be de¬ 
scribed as a, rich rose-red and leas open in the centra when fully 
expanded, but, was otherwise very desirable at this season of 
the year. The mo>st charming of all the Roses sent was Papa 
Gentler, with shell-pink petals more or less tinted with salmon 
on the back, and with a silvery white! hue on the inner face 
of the edges. This was also' sweetly scented, In the early 
ASPARAGUS MEDEOLOIDES MYRTIFOLIA. (Seep. 975. 
stages the hud ,is long and conical, hut some of the blooms 
become quite globular as they attain, size;. They also had 
the scent, of this class of Rose. 
Along with the Roses came two varieties of double East 
Lothian Stocks, namely, pink and white. The flowers of these 
were perfectly clean, and there; were some of the, flowers on 
the; top yet, to expand. Both varieties were sweetly scented. 
There wa,s also; a, bunch ef a, light, blue; Delphinium, aptly named 
Cantab. The flowers were; still perfectly fresh, and the silvery- 
white petals in, the centre made a pleasant contrast to, the 
blue. Veronica Andecsoni variegata, is also 1 flowering splen¬ 
didly at Amport, judging from the spray of blossom sent, with 
its variegated leaves and racemes of light purple flowers, 4 in. 
to 5 in. long. After G deg. of frost about the, middle of No¬ 
vember this must be counted very satisfactory for the open 
garden. 
