October  9,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
335 
would  not  seriously  damage  the 
plants.  Fritillaries,  about  which 
I  wrote  recently  in  these  pages, 
seldom  fly  into  gardens,  though 
they  are  welcome  visitors,  beauti¬ 
ful,  and  speedy  on  the  wing. 
Probably  the  likeliest  to  appear  is 
the  silver-washed  fritillary,  some¬ 
what  of  a  rover.  Even  the 
splendid  purple  emperor  has  been 
known  to  visit  a  garden,  his  fine 
sense  of  smell,  we  suppose,  in¬ 
forming  him  of  the  presence  of 
over-ripe  or  fallen  fruit,  since 
their  juices  are  to  him  a  source  of 
enjoyment. 
Conspicuous,  if  not  handsome, 
is  the  black-veined  white  species, 
with  semi-transparent  wings,  and 
well-defined  blackish  or  brown 
markings.  This  butterfly  is  said 
to  be  fond  of  the  Broad  Bean 
bloom,  and,  being  sociable,  it 
sometimes  occurs  in  parties  upon 
wild  flowers  in  patches,  such  as 
Great  Ox-eye  Daisy.  It  is  rather 
scarce  and  local  in  our  island, 
which  is  quite  as  well,  so  we 
seldom  come  upon  it  about 
gardens  now.  Likely,  this  insect 
was  once  commoner,  for  an  old 
Chelsea  entomologist  records 
having  seen  the  caterpillar  plenti¬ 
ful  upon  Hawthorn  in  hedges 
amongst  suburban  market  gar¬ 
dens.  On  the  Continent  there'  are  many  localities  where 
the  gregarious  caterpillars  are  abundant,  and  cause  serious 
injury  to  the  fruit  crops  some  years.  They  resemble  our 
lackey  caterpillars  in  living  under  a  web  at  first,  becoming 
full  grown  in  May.  Occasionally  a  clouded  yellow  butterfly 
(Culias  edusa)  is  tempted  into  some  garden  near  Clover  and 
Lucerne  fields  on  sunny  autumn  davs.  This  is  handsome  and 
easily  recognised,  even  at  a  distance,  but  it  is  dexterous  in 
avoiding  the  net. 
Place  of  honour  amongst  our  garden  beautifiers  belongs 
to  the  strong-winged,  many-hued  butterflies  of  the  Vanessa 
tribe.  Brave  and  brisk  is  the  red  admiral,  V.  Atalanta.  His 
Latin  name  tells  of  his  speed,  and  he  will  fearlessly  alight 
upon  a  flower  close  to  our  feet.  This  is  one  of  the  few 
butterflies  that  take  excursions  after  dark,  and  sometimes 
it  comes  to  the  sugar  spread  by  entomologists.  “  Admirable  ” 
some  say  the  name  was  originally,  and  indeed  it  is  to  be 
admired.  Both  sides  of  the  wings  are  lovely,  the  under 
having  a  charming  combination  of  grey,  pink,  and  brown. 
This  butterfly  appears  in  gardens  as  a  pioneer  of  spring. 
Having  hybernated,  the  summer  brood  is  out  during  August, 
and  specimens  occur  till  October,  if  the  weather  keeps  fine. 
Still  more  familiar  to  us  is  the  small  tortoiseshell  (V.  Urticse), 
which  on  sunny  days  visits  some  gardens  by  the  dozen.  It 
is  one  of  those  butterflies  which  seem  to  be  attached  to 
the  residences  of  man.  Specimens  often  hybernate  in  sheds, 
conservatories,  and  dwelling-houses.  The  caterpillars  live 
upon  the  stinging  nettle.  Not  unusually  we  observe  them 
by  parties  of  hundreds  about  June.  Then  we  have  a  large 
tortoiseshell  amongst  our  native  species,  but  V.  polychloros 
is  rather  local,  and  unknown  in  some  counties.  I  have 
observed  individuals  visiting  gardens  in  Kent  and  Hert¬ 
fordshire.  It  might  be  a  commoner  butterfly,  since  the 
females  are  prolific,  depositing  each  about  four  hundred 
eggs,  the  caterpillars  being  sociable,  and  living  with  us  on 
Elm,  Poplar,  or  Willow.  But  they  may  occur  on  Cherry 
and  Pear,  for  in  France  the  caterpillars  have  been  so 
abundant  in  orchards  as  to  strip  these  trees. 
The  peacock  butterfly,  akin  to  the  preceding,  prefers 
roadsides  and  open  fields  to  gardens,  but  it  has  one  favourite 
amongst  cultivated  species,  and  that  is  the  Michaelmas 
Daisy.  When  settled  upon  a  flower  with  closed  wings,  this 
butterfly  looks  almost  black.  Its  beautiful  eyes  are  hidden 
from  view.  That  capricious  dame,  the  painted  lady,  which 
5s  numerous  some  years  and  quite  invisible  others,  is  a 
possible  visitor  in  September  or  October,  when  the  wild 
flowers  are  getting  scarce.  Now  and  then  these  pretty 
butterflies  abound  on  Ivy  blooms,  from  which  they  may  be 
taken  with  the  fingers,  so  intent  are  they  upon  the  honey. 
Our  Kentish  Hop  grounds  have  lost  the  comma  butterfly, 
which  used  to  be  rather  common  locally  ;  but  the  insect  is. 
still  to  be  found  in  some  counties.  Its  caterpillar  feeds  upon 
the  Red  Currant  as  well  as  the  Hop,  so  the  butterfly  some¬ 
times  appears  about  gardens  in  spring  and  autumn.  The 
wings  are  curiously  angled.  Stragglers  from  amongst  the 
meadow  species  of  butterfly  wander  over  flower  beds, 
especially  the  prettily  marked  Pyrarga  Megoera,  also  called 
the  wall  butterfly,  from  its  habit  of  alighting  upon  walls  or 
palings  during  its  excursions  in  the  sunshine. 
Again,  we  have  sundry  small  butterflies  which  give  live¬ 
liness  to  our  flower  domain,  varying  with  the  season.  Very 
notable  are  some  of  the  blues,  especially  Lycana  Icarus, 
common  from  May  to  September,  the  males  being  pure  blue, 
the  females  blue  mingled  with  brown  or  grey.  Deeper  in 
colour  is  the  azure  blue,  L.  Argiolus,  flying  in  May  or 
September.  Its  little  caterpillar  lives  upon  the  flowers  of 
Holly  and  Ivy.  Bright  and  pugnacious  is  the  small  copper 
butterfly,  which  likes  to  drive  its  companions  away  from 
flowers.*  It  is  fond  of  those  of  the  Verbena,  and  is  about  in 
early  summer,  also  during  autumn.— Entomologist. 
SOIL  FOR  STRAWBERRIES 
The  N  ew  Jersey  State  Experiment  Station  (TJ.S.A.)  lias 
made  a  fruit  survey  of  that  State,  and  reports  that, 
for  the  northern  section  of  the  State  65  growers  preferred 
a  sandy  soil  for  Strawberries,  18  a  clay  loam,  and 
3  slaty  soils.  In  the  central  section,  57  growers  preferred 
sandy  soil  and  23  clay  loams.  In  the  southern  section 
of  the  State,  where  the  great  majority  of  Strawberry  growers  are 
located,  625  preferred  sandy  loam  and  349  clay  loam  soils.  From 
the  southern  section  statistics  were  also  obtained  as  to  the  yields 
on  the  different  soils.  In  1893  the  average  yield  secured  by  290 
growers  on  clay  loam  soils  was  2,909  quarts  per  acre  ;  on  sandy 
loam  soils  the  same  year  240  growers  secured  an  average  of  2,508 
quarts  per  acre — ±01  quarts  per  acre  in  favour  of  the  heavier  soils. 
The  following  year  the  differences  were  still  more  marked.  On  a 
clay  loam  the  average  yield  of  306  growers  was  3,223  quarts,  while 
on  sandy  soil  387  growers  obtained  an  average  of  2,359  quarts  pei- 
acre — a  gain  of  864  quarts  for  clay  soils.  On  the  whole  it  would 
seem  that  wherever  yield  is  of  special  importance,  clay  loams  are 
likely  to  make  the  most  satisfactory  Strawberry  beds.  For  early 
crops,  however,  it  is  advisable  to  select  a  quick,  sandy  loam, 
southern  exposure,  and  early  varieties;  for  late  crops,  a  northern 
exposure,  clay  soil  and  late  varieties. 
