170 THE GARDENER. [Aprii. 



seed, HS it is a dwarf heavy cropper, and matures somewhat early. 

 Of course the pods of this, or of any other white -seeded variety, 

 can be used when in a young state, but it is not advisable to pick 

 many, or the crop of seed will be late. In many instances the warm 

 borders are limited in extent — room cannot therefore be spared for a 

 crop of Haricot Beans : in such cases they may be tried in a warm 

 open position. Here, much of a long south border I found occupied 

 with Winter Spinach ; but as we cannot afford to destroy this, I shall 

 follow with Beans, principally for seed, and shall consider the space 

 profitably employed. W. Iggulden. 



— ^^-^^^jij^s-Ms- 

 nST O T E s. 



If I were asked to name the most useful of all the Orchids now in 

 cultivation, I think I should say Calanthe Veitchii. I should hesitate 

 a little, of course, for Dendrobium nobile is not to be lightly disre- 

 garded in a question of this kind — nor, for the matter of that, is 

 Ccelogyne cristata either ; but I fancy most people would least like to 

 be without the tall rosy - flowered spires of Mr Dominy's hybrid 

 Calanthe during the dull winter season. All those on whom the 

 modern fashion for cut-flowers makes great demands must grow all 

 three Orchids named, in quantity; and then with white Roman 

 Hyacinths and Lily of the Valley, Spiraea and Tea-Rose buds, Bou- 

 vardias and Ferns, there may be no lack of Christmas blossoms. 



Yes ! there is no doubt that Calanthe Veitchii is well worth having. 

 I speak feelingly on the point, and any of my gardening friends who 

 have it in great plenty may send me a bulb or two of it by parcel-post. 

 If no loss to them, it will be a great gain to me. While speaking of 

 this Calanthe, one should not forget C. nivalis, a pure snow-white 

 kind, seemingly rather rare, but most beautiful. Flowering as it does 

 after C. vestita is past, is rather an advantage than otherwise. It 

 should be looked up by those who have it not. 



Another lovely Calanthe — far finer in colour than the darkest and 

 best forms of C. Veitchii — -was another seedling named after its raiser, 

 C. Sedeni. This was once exhibited and certificated at South Ken- 

 sington, but was never, I believe, seen again. One must sympathise 

 with Mr Seden in his loss of such a gorgeous thing ; and I sincerely 

 hope that P. H. Gosse, Esq. of Torquay, may not have to undergo such 

 a trial of patience, since I hear that he has been fortunate enough to 

 raise a lovely batch of hybrid Calanthes, including two or three beauti- 

 ful and distinct forms. 



That clever ex-Mendelian Orchid - grower, Mr W. Swan, now in 

 charge of the Fallowfield Orchids near the busy town of Manchester, 



