1879. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



167 



In fact I know of no rose, take it all in all, so 

 strikingly grand as the true Bon Silenc ; that 

 with the true Leveson Gower I have kept for 

 my own pleasure, and not in thirty years have 

 I sold a plant of either. 



[With this S. sent some specimens of each, 

 which bear out what he says of the difference 

 between the two. — Ed. G. M.] 



ODONTOCLOSSUM ROSSII and CATTLEYA 

 CITRINA. 



BY 



In the list of Orchids (April number, page 

 107), you do not include by name the above pretty 

 species of Odontoglossum as suitable for parlor 

 culture, though you refer in a general way to 

 the value of most of the group for that purpose. 

 This diminutive plant, whether on a block or in 

 a pot, is a perfect gem, remaining a long while 

 in bloom, and not suffering from that enemy of 

 all house plants, coal gas. 



A very small potted plant of the above re- 

 mained in bloom in a moderately heated room 

 for five weeks from March 1st, and it would be 

 difficult to imagine a more satisfactory specimen 

 for room cultivation. A plant somewhat lai'ger 

 upon a block was in flower in a neighboring 

 greenhouse nine weeks and bore fourteen blooms, 

 though but nine months had elapsed since it was 

 at home in the forests of Mexico, and of course 

 was but very imperfectly established upon its 

 new home. 



Small fine specimens of Cattleya citrina re- 

 ceived at the same time, are also in bloom, and 

 lovely beyond description with their pendent, 

 lemon-colored flowers, with delightful citron fra- 

 grance. Not as permanent as the former for room 

 cultui'e, they last long in the cool greenhouse ; a 

 charming specimen continuing in perfection for 

 seven weeks, which is said to be very unusual. 

 This is from actual personal experience, and 

 shows what can be done with many members of 

 this lovely family. 



BOILERS. 



BY J. HAKRY TAYLOR, NICETOWN LANE, 

 PHILADELPHIA. 



In the February number of the Monthly ap- 

 pears as sensible an article upon the heating 

 of greenhouses as I have seen for some time. 

 F. W. Poppey, the writer of the article, evi- 

 dently has given the subject much thought. 

 Last Summer I started as an amateur, and the 



first tough point to settle was the boiler. After 

 lookiDg into the merits of all the patent boilers 

 I could hear of, my decision was to cut loose 

 from all of them and put in an ordinary loco- 

 motive boiler of from ten to twelve horse power, 

 and I venture to say the same amount of glass 

 is nowhere else heated with the same amount of 

 fuel unless this style of boiler is used. I am 

 heating nearly 6000 feet of glass, and carry a 

 temperature of from 40" to 80" in four houses. 

 Judging from the amount of fuel on hand, the 

 cost to date for coke and coal will not exceed 

 $G0. The cost of the boiler with alterations 

 ready to connect to 4-inch pipes, was $175, de- 

 livered and put in the pit. They may be bought 

 as low as S50, but the above is a fair price for 

 one of 12-horse power as good as new. 



The advantages of this boiler over all others for 

 making steam are too well known to make it 

 necessary to describe them here. If it gives 

 steam quicker than any other boiler, of course it 

 heats water faster. It requires no building in. 

 To get all the heat possible the boiler should 

 extend into the greenhouse (in the pit), and then 

 wall up flush with the face and feed from the 

 outside. The brick flue extends the length of 

 the house, giA^ing it as much rise as possible. 

 On account of so much heat being taken up by 

 the water, it requires rather more rise than if 

 water was not used. That portion of the pit 

 extending into the greenhouse should be large 

 enough to admit of a person getting all around 

 and under the boiler to make repairs, clean out, 

 etc. I am well aware that a wrought iron boiler 

 will not stand the neglect that a cast iron one 

 will. But with care the life of a steam boiler is 

 about fifteen years ; and if these boilers are 

 treated the same as the boilers on our Monitors 

 are, when not in use, they will last longer. 



ABOUT ROSES. 



BY A. C. LANIER, MADISON, IND. 



I send you a copy of a letter which explains 

 itself. The author has charge of one of those 

 beautiful estates near Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He 

 is the most successful cultivator of the rose that 

 I ever met with. His plants are one mass of 

 bloom from November until late Spring. He 

 tells a plain, unvarnished tale : 



" You ask me how I manage my roses to have 

 them bloom in early Spring. I prefer two year 

 old plants, but use good strong one year old 

 ones, if compelled to do so-. I plant my roses 



