400 THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



near to the plants open night and day, except in the most severe 

 weather. If potted, the compost of charcoal, crocks, and sphagnum 

 cannot be too loose and open ; but I find it succeeds best upon a 

 shallow raft of hard thorn or elder-wood. It delights to twine its 

 great thick roots on timber, or to shoot them out into the genial moist 

 atmosphere. 



There has been a good deal written, at one time or other, concerning 

 the "resting" and "drying off" of orchidaceous fjlants, and there are 

 some species which will not succeed for long unless so treated. Plei- 

 ones and Calanthes are examples ; but there is a large proportion of 

 species that do not require — even although they may withstand— a 

 period of absolute repose. It is more to the point to grow Orchids in 

 small, light, span-roofed houses, where they may occupy positions near 

 to the glass, and so obtain full advantage of sunlight and air. Plants 

 so grown flower freely without any of that " resting " or " ripening " 

 process to which the Orchid-growers of the past attached so much mys- 

 tery. Give Orchids plenty of sunlight, air, and moisture, especially 

 atmospheric moisture, and abundance of flowers will be the result. 



Of good hardy flowers for October there is no scarcity. The best 

 just now are Primula capitata, bearing dense purple flower-heads on 

 long stalks. Rudbeckia Newmanni is producing its black-eyed, golden, 

 daisy-like flowers in abundance ; so also is the purple-flow^ered Senecio 

 pulcher. Tritomas contrast boldly with the silvery plumes of Pampas- 

 grass and late-planted Lilium auratums, and specimens are still gay and 

 showy. Eryngium amethystinum is still effective ; so also are single 

 Dahlias and Michaelmas Daisies (Asters). Aster laevis is one of the 

 best now, forming a dense mass of nearly blue flowers, each the size of a 

 shilling. How comes it that the golden Jasminum nudicaule is flower- 

 ing thus early? (Oct. 11th.) Summer-flowering Chrysanthemums are 

 yet gay. Of all perennial Sunflowers, the finest is Helianthus multi- 

 norus simplex maximus (Parker), a noble plant now bearing flowers 

 4 to 6 inches in diameter, and of a fine golden colour. 



I was at Hampton Court the other day with some friends, and while 

 admiring the best portions of the carpet-bedding very much, I could not 

 help regretting the fact that hardy flowers are so wretchedly poor there. 

 And yet, in but few other gardens I just now remember are hardy 

 flowers more appropriate than at Hampton — an old English residence, 

 and one of the few palaces at which somewhat of the old-fashioned 

 pleasaunce still remains. The sunken gardens on the route to the old 

 '•penny wonder" (I mean the Vine, not the maze) were doubtless once 

 enlivened with the Daffodils, Carnations, Rockets, Bears' Ears, and 

 other old English flowers, of which Parkinson speaks so knowingly 

 and so lovingly in his 'Paradise." He would be a wise man in his 



