202 



TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[July, 



COMMUNICA 770 NS. 



POINSETTIA CULTURE. 



BY JAMES m'pHERSON. 



On page 40, February number, is a good arti- 

 cle on the culture of the above plant. I have 

 long practised a method differing somewhat 

 from the one referred to, and described by me in 

 last year's Country Gentleman. It is not a new 

 method, but is not often practised in this countrJ^ 

 The dormant plants are planted in the open 

 ground about the middle of May and encouraged 

 to make a good growth About the latter end of 

 August cuttings of the young wood are taken 

 about nine inches long, and at once inserted in 

 four-inch pots in rich sandy loam, placed in 

 heat, and kept well shaded until struck, they 

 will with good management retain their leaves 

 from the rim of the pot and give splendid bracts. 



ORCHID CULTURE. 



BY MR. MANSFIELD MILTON. 



The increase in the culture of this class of 

 plants throughout Europe and America within 

 the last few j'ears is really astonishing, and the 

 great perfection which is attained in the cultiva- 

 tion of such kinds that used to be considered 

 almost impossible to manage. The high, moist, 

 and almost unbearable temperature which used 

 to be thought indispensable in the successful cul- 

 ture of orchids, has been greatly abandoned, 

 and a more airy and natural temperature adopt- 

 ed and with marked success. The plants are 

 healthier, flower more abundantly, and kept 

 easier free of insects than when the extreme high 

 temperature system was employed. The great 

 rage throughout England, just now, appears to 

 be for what are called " cool orchids," which com- 

 prise some of the finest treasures in the floral 

 world, such as some of the species of Cattleya, 

 Odontoglossum, Masdevallia, Disa, Barkeria, Ly- 

 caste, an(l many others which can be grown in 

 any house when a cool, steady, moist temperature 

 can be maintained free from cold draughts of air 

 passing through amongst the plants. The nu- 

 merous varieties of Odontoglossum Pescatori, 

 O. Alexandra}, and O. Grande, give them an at- 

 traction, making them worthy of a house spe- 

 cially devoted to their culture. The Odontoglos- 

 sum house being a specialty about a good many 

 places in England and Scotland. Of course it is 

 not to be supposed when a cool temperature is 

 mentioned that a cold temperature is meant, and 



that a general collection of orchids will, with 

 impunity, bear a low temperature for any 

 lengthened time is erroneous ; from such treat- 

 ment such plants as Phalsenopsis, Saccolabiums, 

 a good many of the Vandas, and other genera 

 from the East Indies 'may look for a short time 

 in a healthy condition, but spot is eventually 

 sure to make its appearance, and if once this 

 worst of all orchid diseases, gets a commence- 

 ment in a collection of orchids, it is difficult to 

 stop, and can scarcely be cured. The most de- 

 vastating case I ever witnessed of this disease 

 was in a valuable collection of orchids in the 

 North of Scotland. The plants had been grow- 

 ing vigorously for several years, when a change 

 of gardener, who was a strong advocate of the 

 cool treatment system, changed the temperature, 

 keeping it too cold for the welfare of the plants, 

 the result being spot of the most malignant 

 kind upon Phalfenopsis, Vandas, ./Erides and 

 Saccolabiunifs, completely destroying this once 

 beautiful collection. I visited a collection of 

 orchids, a short time ago in this country, com- 

 posed of East Indian and Mexican orchids, 

 wliich have been kept for some time back very 

 cool, and although previously in excellent health, 

 I could observe upon some of those which are 

 natives of very warm countries strong indications 

 of spot making its appearance, while such kinds 

 as are natives of Mexico ajid other parts of Cen- 

 tral America, are in excellent condition, fully 

 substantiating what experience has always 

 taught me, that while orchids from the highlands 

 of Central America do best and keep in the 

 healthiest condition when grown in a cool steady 

 temperature, when sufficient air is admitted to 

 prevent a stagnant atmosphere, such plants as 

 are natives of Moulmain, and other parts of Bur- 

 mah, require a much warmer temperature at all 

 seasons, especially when making their growths. 



One of the most fatal mistakes in growing cool 

 house orchids, is keeping them too dry at all 

 times, which is just the opposite of what they 

 should be, more especially in this country, where 

 evaporation is so rapid. 



Mr. Rand, in his excellent work on Orchid 

 Culture, says : "Orchids must have a house for 

 themselves." This I do not altogether agree 

 with, as the fine specimen plants I saw of some 

 of the most difficult kinds in cultivation at some 

 of the places I visited during my stay in England 

 this winter, which were growing in houses mostly 

 devoted to the culture of other plants, testify 

 that they can be grown, and with success associ- 



