124 THE GARDENER. [INIarch 



The paucity of flower in the plant-stoves is quite made up for by the beauty of 

 some of the winter-flowering Orchids. Foremost amongst them was a fine spike 

 of Saccolabium giganteum introduced by the ^Messrs Veitch from Rangoon. I 

 well remember the delight of Mr Ijateman when it was exhibited at one of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society's meetings in December. This is the only winter- 

 flowering Saccolabium; it is also deliciously scented. The beautiful little Sophro- 

 nitis grandiilora is now in full beauty, as also is Odontoglossom pulchellum ; 

 this has white flowers, and is held in high estimation by the ladies. Barkeria 

 Skinnerii is nearly over. Liulia albida, L. acuminata, L. anceps, and L. 

 Dawsonii, are now in flower. There was also a fine spike of Odontoglossum 

 Alexandra3. This is perhaps one of the most useful Orchids in cultivation : it is 

 easily cultivated, and may be had in flower every month in the year. Dendrobium 

 nobile is a well-known useful species ; and coming into flower were plants of 

 Dendrobium crassinoda, a very remarkable Dendrobe, with singularly-formed and 

 naked stems on which are borne upwards of two dozen most distinct and beautiful 

 flowers. These are 2 4 inches in diameter, white, tipped with purple, with a dark 

 orange lip tipped with rosy purple. There are also some immensely large plants 

 of Coelogyne cristata ; this is a grand Orchid in flower between now and March. 

 Lycaste Skinnerii, and its variety alba, are fine cool-house winter-flowering Orchids. 

 A fine plant of Angraecum sesquipedale was coming into bloom, with its bold, 

 singular-looking, waxy-white flowers ; it requires a large amount of heat and 

 moisture. 



Flowering in a greenhouse temperature are some fine specimens of Lapageria 

 rosea and L. alba : of the last named there are fine specimens trained to umbrella 

 trellises ; the pendulous white flowers hanging from the outer edge of the trellis 

 are very effective. Linum trigynum is in flower all the winter in a temperature 

 of 50'^ ; the flowers are a deep orange yellow. In the same house with the Linum 

 I observed a small plant of Rhododendron Princess Royal, and Mr Dominy in- 

 formed me that from a large plant a truss of flowers could be cut nearly all the year 

 round. In one of the cold span-roof pits are a number of small plants of the sin- 

 gularCalifornian pitcher-plant, Darlingtonia Californica. It can be wintered in a cold 

 frame. The plants were throwing up suckers very freely, and they were in small 

 pots, growing in a mixture of peat, sphagnum, and silver sand, with a few broken 

 crocks to keep the material open. The pots should also stand on a cool damp 

 bottom. J. D. 



January 5. 



THE CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 



{Continued from page 76.) 

 THE MULBEREY. 

 Although there are several varieties of this excellent yet much-neglected fruit, 

 the only one, so far as we are aware, which is in general cultivation in Britain, is 

 the Morus nigra or black Mulberry. It is very easy of propagation and after- 

 management, although in certain circumstances it has proved itself to be very 

 shy in bearing until the tree had attained some considerable age. 



The Mulberry may be propagated either from seed, by laj^ers, suckers, or by 

 cuttings. Budding, grafting, and inarching are sometimes adopted, but as there 

 are no good or permanent results to be obtained thereby, there is no need to refer 

 further to these modes of propagation. When young trees are to be raised from 



