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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  7,  1900. 
truth.  There  is  a  good  deal  said  now  about  the  conveyance  of  disease 
germs  by  flies,  mosquitoes,  and  other  insects,  but  I  do  not  think  that 
the  flea  is  a  sinner  in  that  way  ;  there  seems  to  be  little  likelihood  of 
germs  attaching  themselves  to  its  horny  body.  It  would  be  unpleasant 
to  think  this  possible,  since  the  flea  of  the  street  vagrant  can  transfer 
itself  to  the  person  of  a  passing  lord.  Quite  bad  enough,  however,  are 
the  effects ;  in  some  individuals  repeated  punctures  made  by  the  flea 
actually  set  up  a  sort  of  fever,  which  rather  suggests  that  this 
insect  must,  like  the  gnat  tribe,  inject  a  poisonous  fluid  after  it  has 
pierced  the  skin. 
Many  folks  are  surprised  when  they  are  told  that  the  flea  commences 
life  as  a  slender  footless  grub,  which  at  maturity  spina  a  cocoon,  from 
which,  in  due  course,  the  leaping  insect  emerges.  Very  little  notice 
has  been  attracted  by  this  grub,  because  it  does  not  seem  to  be  a  blood¬ 
sucker,  and  lives  where  it  is  not  likely  to  be  looked  for,  or,  if  sought, 
discovered,  owing  to  its  minute  size.  Evidently,  one  of  the  places 
which  would  be  likely  to  yield  it  is  the  hair  of  some  animal  that  is 
infested  by  fleas.  A  lady,  says  one  entomologist,  was  nursing  her 
favourite  dog,  and  afterwards  found  in  her  lap  a  host  of  tiny  objects, 
which  on  examination  were  ascertained  to  be  flea  eggs.  This  explana¬ 
tion  may  account  for  the  early  life  of  some  of  the  fleas  that  belong  to 
various  animals,  but  it  hardly  helps  us  to  clear  up  the  history  of  our 
particular  flea,  possibly  the  larva  or  grub  might  live  amongst  the 
clothes  of  dirty  people.  Mata,  rugs,  carpets,  hassocks  are  believed  to 
be  the  principal  abodes  of  flea  grubs.  Churches  are  too  often  made 
by  these  insects  their  headquarters,  the  grubs  living  on  the  cushions, 
matting,  or  hassocks,  and  then  as  fleas  attaching  themselves  to,  and 
departing  with,  the  visitors  or  worshippers.  Miss  Ormerod  relates  an 
instance  that  came  under  her  observation,  where,  on  the  periodical 
removal  and  beating  of  hassocks  in  a  churchyard,  armies  of  fleas  were 
seen  travelling  in  all  directions,  showing  that  they  are  favourite  resorts 
of  the  insect. 
It  is  impossible  to  accept  the  theory,  for  such  it  only  can  be,  that 
the  old  fleas  feed  the  young  ones  by  disgorging  blcfod  which  they 
have  themselves  sucked.  In  fact,  the  notion  is  ridiculous,  and  the  fate  of 
the  juveniles  would  be  bad  indeed,  when  the  wandering  habits  of  the  flea 
are  taken  into  account,  supposing  they  did  depend  on  parental  attention. 
A  flea  that  is  in  London  some  morning  may  travel  with  somebody 
hundreds  of  miles  before  night.  Again,  some  have  suggested  the  flea 
grub  may  prey  upon  various  mites  or  Acari,  which,  no  doubt,  do 
commonly  occur  upon  the  materials  where  the  insect  is  reared.  The 
insect  was  allotted  a  place  in  Miss  Ormerod’s  annual  report  upon  insects 
for  1898,  and  I  think  we  may  accept  her  opinion  on  this  subject.  She 
believes  that  with  their  trenchant  jaws  the  flea  grubs  bite  up  and 
thrive  upon  the  dry  substances  they  live  amongst,  their  food  being 
solid,  while  that  of  the  adult  is  liquid.  Of  course  she  does  not  assert 
this  about  fleas  in  general,  though  it  may  be  true,  but  speaks  as  to 
Pulex  irritans  in  particular.  The  fact  is  not  unimportant,  since  there 
are  lurking-places  of  the  flea  grub  which  are  exposed  to  atmospheric 
influences,  and  their  growth  is  favoured  by  dry  weather.  Hence,  after 
the  hot,  dry  summers  of  1898,  99,  adult  fleas  were  very  abundant  and 
ti’oublesome.  Possibly,  but  I  throw  this  out  as  a  conjecture,  the  moist 
weather  of  last  February  may  be  the  cause  of  a  less  number  of  fleas 
than  usual  this  spring  in  some  districts.  That  fleas  deposit  eggs  in  the 
spring  is  certain,  and  that  brood  of  grubs  is  said  to  feed  up  rapidly,  but 
there  may  be  also  a  winter  brood,  produced  by  eggs  deposited  during 
the  autumn. 
Miss  Ormerod  gives  instances  reported  to  her  of  the  sudden 
appearance  of  fleas  in  such  numbers  as  to  amount  almost  to  a  plague 
Thus  the  village  of  Haslington  was  found  to  be  swarming  with  them 
cottages,  fields,  a  large  farmhouse  (the  inmates  of  which  were 
scrupulously  clean,  indoors  as  well  as  out),  really  in  colonies,  not  only 
the  poor,  but  the  better  class  of  people  being  troubled  j  all  ordinary 
means  to  get  rid  of  them  proved  of  no  success.”  This  lady  advises  a 
research  for  the  grubs  whenever  that  can  be  done,  and  the  washing  of 
articles  they  may  haunt  with  hot  soapsuds.  Those  things  which  cannot 
be  washed  might  be  sprayed  with  benzine. — Ento.mologist. 
The  Tea  Crop  In  India. — The  tea  out-turn  for  the  month  of 
May  in  the  Assam  and  Sylhet  and  the  Terai  districts  was  normal,  in 
the  Duars  and  Darjeeling  poor,  while  in  Cachar  both  the  out-turn  and 
prospects  are  good.  In  Darjeeling  the  immediate  prospects  of  the  crop 
are  fair.  In  some  portions  of  the  Assam  district  the  leaf  is  backward 
owing  to  the  generally  unfavourable  weather  which  prevails. 
Notes  on  Ferns. 
Maidenhair. 
To  have  Adiantum  cuneatum  in  good  condition  for  cutting  the 
plants  must  not  be  grown  in  a  close  atmosphere,  or  the  fronds  fade 
almost  directly  they  are  removed  from  the  plants.  Those  started  in 
brisk  heat  early  in  the  season  should  have  pushed  freely,  aud  may  now 
be  prepared  by  placing  in  a  cooler  temperature.  If  the  plants  are 
gradually  hardened  to  this  treatment  they  will  not  only  solidify  the 
fronds  already  made,  but  they  will  continue  producing  them,  which  in 
their  turn  will  be  ready  for  cutting.  Thus  a  succession  of  fronds  will 
be  maintained  for  a  long  time.  During  the  whole  of  the  summer 
months  this  Adiantum  should  not  be  subjected  to  too  much  heat,  for 
it  is  not  required  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  plants  do  much  better  in  an 
intermediate  structure.  My  most  useful  plants  for  the  late  summer 
and  autumn  were  started  in  heat,  and  then  grown  in  a  cool  hou.-e  until 
the  fronds  were  used.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  divide  into  two  or  three 
plants  that  have  had  the  fronds  used  from  them  and  are  too  large  for 
5  or  6-inch  pots,  and  place  a  portion  at  this  season  of  the  year  in  wire 
baskets  7  or  8  inches  in  diameter,  growing  them  at  the  back  of  a 
vinery  suspended  so  that  they  can  be  reached  from  the  path  when 
they  require  water.  The  plants  really  do  better  when  grown  on  this 
principle  than  when  in  pots,  and  yield  abundance  of  fronds  for  cutting. 
Sporeling  plants  required  in  a  very  small  state  in  thumb  pots  tor 
decoration  must  not  be  grown  in  too  much  heat,  or  their  fronds  become 
weakly  and  their  beauty  is  destroyed. 
Davalllas. 
These  are  amongst  the  most  useful  of  Ferns  for  cutting,  and  such 
varieties  as  D.  bullata,  D.  elegans,  D.  canariensis,  D.  dissecta,  and 
others  thrive  much  better  in  small  baskets  the  same  as  advised  for 
Adiantums  than  they  do  in  pots.  While  making  their  growth  these 
plants  enjoy  the  moist  heat  of  a  vinery,  and  the  cooler  treatment 
afterwards  also  suits  them  admirably,  hardening  their  fronds  for 
cutting.  Although  these  varieties  grow  remarkably  well  under 
comparatively  cool  treatment,  they  nevertheless  produce  more  than 
three  times  the  number  of  fronds  when  grown  in  heat.  D.  dissecta  is 
deciduous  during  the  winter,  but  it  is  no  worse  for  this,  as  it  starts 
freely  into  growth  directly  it  is  introduced  into  heat.  Plants  that 
were  started  three  or  four  months  ago  have  abundance  of  fronds,  and  a 
few  weeks’  cool  treatment  will  render  them  durable  when  cut.  The 
fronds  of  these  Ferns  when  well  hardened  are  amongst  the  very  best 
that  can  be  grown  for  packing  to  travel  a  long  distance. 
Microlepla  hirta  cristata. 
This  a  charming  Fern  for  decorative  purposes  in  4  or  6-inch  pots 
singly  in  vases,  or  even  in  the  centre  of  the  dinner  table.  From  a 
large  plant  it  is  not  difficult  to  cut  a  number  of  small  pieces.  These 
soon  establish  themselves  in  small  pots  in  heat,  and  should  then  be 
grown  in  a  vinery  or  an  intermediate  structure,  potting  them  as  they 
require  more  root  room,  for  if  grown  in  too  warm  a  temperature  they 
become  a  prey  to  scale,  and  fail  to  produce  their  beautiful  crested 
fronds.  Young  plants  started  now  will  be  symmetrical  specimens,  if 
not  crowded  together,  for  use  during  the  autumn  and  winter. 
Polystichum  proliferum. 
Where  small  Ferns  are  required  for  associating  with  other  plants 
for  room  embellishment,  this  should  be  raised  in  large  numbers.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  serviceable  plants  that  can  be  grown,  will  give  less 
trouble  in  preparation  than  probably  any  other  variety,  and  is  easily 
increased.  The  old  fronds  should  be  pegged  upon  the  surface  of  light 
soil,  and  young  plants  are  produced  the  whole  length  of  the  fronds. 
When  these  are  sufficiently  large  and  well  rooted  the  fronds  should  be 
cut  off,  the  young  plants  lifted  and  transplanted  into  pans  singly  until 
they  are  large  enough  lor  2-inch  pots,  which  is  the  case  in  a  very  short 
time  if  kept  in  a  vinery  or  warm  moist  structure.  For  many  pur¬ 
poses  of  decoration  the  plants  need  not  be  potted,  but  lifted  from  the 
boxes  when  required.  If  larger  plants  are  necessary  those  that  have 
done  duty  can  be  transferred  into  4  and  5-inch  pots,  or  be  planted  out¬ 
side,  for  this  Fern  is  perfectly  hardy. 
Selaginella  Kraussiana. 
Probably  this  is  the  most  useful  species  that  can  be  grown  for 
covering  the  surface  of  pots  and  for  all  other  decorative  purposes  for 
which  such  plants  are  required.  Plants  in  shallow  pans,  small  pots, 
and  boxes  should  be  prepared  at  intervals  of  two  to  three  weeks, 
according  to  the  demand.  When  used  for  the  surface  of  pots  and 
other  similar  purposes  I  have  found  ic  to  last  decidedly  best  when 
established  in  shallow  pans,  so  that  the  roots  and  a  portion  of  soil 
can  be  removed  with  the  plants.  A  sufficient  stock  of  established 
plants  should  always  be  kept  on  baud  and  thoroughly  hardened 
in  a  cold  house  some  weeks  previous  to  being  used.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  establish  a  stock  on  the  surface  of  Vine  or  Peach  borders,  or 
other  similar  positions,  in  a  little  ligkt  sandy  soil  ready  for  filling 
pots  and  pans  as  required. — F.  L. 
