•L^nnarj’  8,  1903. 
JOURNAL  GF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
39 
in  three  places  just  below  a  node.  They  were  properly 
watered  and  attended  to,  and  the  roots  kept  rather  dry 
to  induce  the  formation  of  new  roots  on  the  branches.  At 
the  end  of  a  year  there  were  no  roots  formed,  although  the 
cuts  ■were  all  well  callused  over.  One  branch  was  cut 
through  below  the  pots  ;  in  a  day  or  two  the  leaves  drooped, 
and  the  top  soon  died.  The  other  branches  w'ere  first  of 
all  cut  half  way  through  below'  the  pots.  Some  time  after¬ 
wards  more  was  cut  away  from  the  opposite  side  of  the 
branch,  and  at  the  same  node,  leaving  only  a  small  piece 
of  wood  in  centre  of  stem.  This  was  reduced  until  it  w'as 
not  more  than  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  as  the 
stems  refused  to  emit  roots.  Eventually  tw'o  of  them 
formed  roots,  but  never  made  very  good  plants.  It  has 
always  remained  somewhat  of  a  mystery  how'  the  tops 
managed  to  live  on  so  small  a  piece  of  hard  stem,  and  why 
they  w'ere  so  long  a  time,  about  two  years,  in  forming  roots. 
— J.  S.  Upex. 
- - 
Insects  as  Garden  Adornments. 
We  are  rather  apt  to  regard  the  majority  of  insects  as 
being  at  this  season  in  a  slumberous  condition,  and  our  sup¬ 
position  is  not  far  from  the  truth  in  our  temperate  climate. 
Some  exist  as  unconscious  eggs,  or  nearly  unconscious 
pupae,  and  of  the  grubs  or  caterpillars  many  are  found 
sleeping  during  the  winter.  Others,  however,  beneath  the 
earth  amongst  roots,  stems,  and  tubers,  feed  on,  excepting 
in  very  cold  weather ;  those,  also  that  live  in  the  wood  of 
stems  and  branches  usually  continue  eating,  regardless  of 
temperature.  Some  of  these  species  do  unperceived 
damage  now  ;  the  time  of  detection  may  not  come  till  they 
are  full  grown.  But  there  is  partial  compensation ;  cer¬ 
tain  species,  in  their  final  stage,  act  as  destroyers  of  other 
insects,  -while  some  add  a  beauty  to  the  garden  scenes  of 
summer. 
Butterflies  are  occasionally  taken  for  moths  and  moths 
for  butterflies,  and  a  few  insects  are  rather  mothlike  that 
belong  to  other  families  ;  inns,  the  caddis  flies  have  been 
called  w'ater  moths.  Then  we  have  a  number  of  small 
moths  that  resemble  flies,  or  little  species  of  the  bee  tribe, 
and  which  are  akin  to  the  bulky  siDecies  of  hawkmoths. 
Several  species  of  these  clearwings  occur  about  gardens, 
orchards,  and  shrubberies  just  now,  the  larvae  are  feeding 
upon  pith  or  under  bark  ;  probably  they  do  not  become 
torpid  in  an  ordinary  Avinter. 
The  transparent  wings  of  the  moths  sparkle  in  the  sum¬ 
mer  sunshine  as  they  skip  or  jump  from  leaf  to  leaf  ;  they 
are  difficult  to  catch,  though  it  is  seldom  they  take  a  long 
flight.  Hence  it  was  that  at  early  morning,  entomologists 
used  to  be  seen  assiduously  watching  the  elms  in  Hyde 
Park,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Serpentine,  about  midsum¬ 
mer.  Their  object  is  to  catch  the  yellow-legged  clearwing 
on  its  emergence,  before  it  has  time  to  dry  the  Avings  and 
fly  off.  Its  caterpillar  lives  under  the  bark  of  Elms  and 
Oaks,  but  does  no  harm  to  the  trees. 
Gardeners  Avho  see  the  Currant  ClearAA'ing  (Sesia  tipuli- 
formis)  disporting  on  the  leaves  of  the  bushes,  do  not  fre¬ 
quently  connect  it  Avith  a  hidden  foe  of  the  shoots.  It  is 
a  pretty  insect,  the  body  being  banded  with  bluish-black, 
and  yellow ;  but  though  fly-like,  it  scarcely  resembles  a 
Tipula.  The  pale  muscular  caterpillar  has  the  aspect  of  a 
grub,  and,  from  my  observations,  it  must  live  through  two 
winters,  as  specimens  may  be  found  any  month  and  of 
various  sizes.  I  do  not  think  a  bush  is  often  killed  by  the 
species,  but  it  may  cause  the  death  of  large  branches  ; 
some  infested  bushes  bear  very  well,  for  a  time  at  least. 
The  capture  of  the  moths  in  June  with  a  small  hand  net  is 
a  good  precaution,  also  the  burning  of  primings.  It  shoAvs 
moi’e  partiality  for  the  Black  Currant  than  for  the  Red,  and 
meddles  not  Avith  Gooseberries.  Conspicuous  by  its  bright 
red  belt,  but  otherA\dse  dingy  in  colour,  S.  myopsefox’mis  is 
seen  about  gardens  during  May  and  June,  flying  rather  high. 
The  caterpillar  lives  on  the  Pear,  Avhere  it  burroAvs  in  the 
solid  Avood ;  also  on  the  Apple,  in  that  instance  its  abode  is 
amongst  the  smaller  branches.  I  have  had  specimens  sent 
me  that  were  found  Avithin  the  Apricot,  but  that  tree,  so  far 
as  Ave  knoAV,  is  seldom  attacked  by  the  insect.  Occasionally 
the  red-tipped  clearAving  (S.  formicseformis)  appears  in 
gardens,  making  an  excursion  from  the  Osiers  or  Willows 
Avhere  it  has  been  bred.  Some  years  it  causes  considerable 
mischief  by  damaging  Osiers  groAvn  for  basket  making.  All 
the  little  clearAvings  have  a  brush  of  movable  hairs  at  the 
tail. 
About  this  season  gardeners'  and  fruit-groAvers  have 
opportunities  for  looking  after  the  caterpillar  of  the  leopard 
moth,  or  Zeuzera  pyrina,  AA’hich  Avas  formerly  named  after 
the  Horse  Chestnut,  a  tree  it  rarely  attacks.  It  is  more 
parial  to  the  Ash,  Birch,  and  Elm  ;  also  it  frequently  occurs 
upon  Plum,  Pear,  and  Apple.  Though  some  have  asserted 
the  trees  bear  better  for  a  time,  Avhich  is  doubtful,  the  in¬ 
sect’s  operations  certainly  Aveaken  the  vitality  of  the  trees 
in  AA'hich  it  feeds.  Hence  it  is  advisable  to  clear  off  any 
infected  wood  Avhich  can  be  removed,  and  where  the  cater¬ 
pillars’  holes  appear  on  the  trunk,  syringing  Avith  a  poi¬ 
sonous  liquid  may  reach  its  retreat.  The  moth  reposes  on 
the  trees  by  day,  and  flies  at  night  in  June  and  July,  the 
males  dying  soon.  It  is  a  shoAi  y  insect ;  the  Avings,  Avhite 
and  semi-transparent,  are  copiously  studded  Avith  black 
spots,  and  the  thorax  is  similarly  adorned.  Each  female 
deposits  at  least  three  hundred  eggs,  but  a  check  upon  the 
increase  of  the  species  is  given  by  its  natural  foes.  Birds, 
especially  the  sparroAv,  have  been  noticed  eagerly  picking 
the  moths  from  trees  during  the  day,  and  at  night  it  often 
falls  a  victim  to  bats. 
Another  large  and  handsome  moth,  having  a  formidable 
name,  is  the  great  tiger,  Arctia  caja,  Avhich  turns  up  in  July 
among  Ioav  plants,  or  may  be  observed  flopping  about,  this 
verb  exactly  describing  its  heavy  mode  of  movement.  Upon 
the  upper  Avings  are  the  tiger-like  markings  in  cream  colour 
upon  broAvm  ;  the  under  Avings  have  a  red  ground  colour, 
Avith  black  spots.  Its  hibernating  caterpillar  is  Avell  pro¬ 
tected  from  the  cold  by  its  hairy  coat,  and  sometimes  prefers 
to  Avinter  within  a  garden  under  cover  of  a  shrub,  beginning 
to  feed  early  in  spring.  When  getting  large,  it  is  conspicuous 
by  the  long  grey  and  black  hairs,  AA'hich  ha\'e  given  it  the 
popular  name  of  “  Avoolly  bear.” 
This  is,  hoAvever,  occasionally  bestoAved  upon  kindred 
caterpillars  that  are  protected  by  hairs  from  the  attacks  of 
most  birds.  Usually  this  tiger  caterpillar  feeds  on  a  variety 
of  loAV  plants,  but  one  sometimes  mounts  a  tree,  and  it  has 
been  taken  off  an  Apple  or  a  Lime.  The  cream-spot  tiger 
(A.  villica)  noAv  and  then  turns  up  in  a  garden.  It  is  not 
quite  equal  in  size  ;  its  caterpillar  is  mostly  found  on  chick- 
Aveed.  A  rather  late  caterpillar  of  autumn  is  another  of  the 
very  hairy  species.  It  occurs  till  the  end  of  September,  and 
aftei’Avards  Ave  often  notice  the  cocoon  upon  palings  or  tree 
trunks,  perhaps  spun  up  in  a  leaf,  the  broAvn  hairs  being 
combined  AA'ith  silk.  We  discover  the  species  upon  numerous 
plants,  but  scattered  about.  We  may  pick  them  from  Roses 
in  August,  and  next  month  find  some  on  Hollyhocks  ;  they 
rarely  touch  Chrysanthemums. 
The  moth  of  the  Avhite  ermine  (Spilosoma  menthrastri)  is 
a  June  insect  of  moderate  size,  creamy  Avhite,  having  maiiy 
black  spots  and  a  yelloAv  body.  Its  movements  are  sluggish, 
but  it  is  a  pretty  species.  Its  relative,  the  gold-tail  (Por- 
thesia  similis),  is  still  more  torpid,  and  drops  from  a  tAA'ig,  if 
touched,  like  a  little  ball  of  Avhite  avooI,  its  habit  being  to 
feign  death  AA'hen  in  danger.  This  moth  is  nearly  pure  ryhiW» 
but  the  extremity  of  the  body  has  a  tuft  of  golden  yelloAv. 
It  is,  in  our  experience,  a  harmless  species,  for  the  bright- 
coloured  caterpillar  feeds  chiefly  on  the  HaAvthorn,  but  not 
in  parties.  The  Avhite  pencils  of  hairs  and  the  scarlet 
tubercles  make  it  conspicuous.  It  feeds  a  short  time  in  the 
autumn,  then  makes  a  slight  cocoon,  and  emerges  about 
April  to  recommence  eating. 
The  broAA'ntail  (P.  chrysorrhcea)  claims  a  passing  notice, 
for  it  is  nearly  allied  to  the  preceding,  only  the  tail  tuft  is 
broAvn,  and  the  caterpillars  of  the  two  species  resemble  each 
other  closely,  though  their  habits  are  different.  During 
autumn,  the  broAvntails  live  in  companies,  and  then  form 
Avinter  nests,  each  containing  from  about  thirty  indiA'iduals 
to  tAvice  or  thrice  as  many.  Its  food  is  varied,  and  in  the 
reign  of  George  III.  the  species  caused  a  scare  by  its 
appearance  on  fruit  trees.  Of  late  years  it  has  been  com¬ 
paratively  scarce,  but  some  tAventy  years  ago  I  observed  a 
considerable  number  of  the  winter  nests  at  Renton,  near 
Gravesend,  upon  mixed  hedges  of  Elm,  Blackthorn,  and 
Whitethorn.  So  far  as  I  could  discover,  they  did  not  occur 
upon  fruit  trees.  Still,  there  A\'as  a  risk,  and  I  called  the 
attention  of  farmers  and  others  in  North  Kent  to  the  pre¬ 
sence  of  a  dangerous  insect  by  thousands.  Very  little  aa  us 
done  towards  the  removal  of  the  nests,  but  Nature  happily 
Avrought  a  cure,  and  a  Avet  spring  killed  them  nearly  all.  I 
have  seen  feAv  since. — Entomologist. 
