1885.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



>37 



seed, also from young plants, which the plant 

 produces at the base. Native of East Indies. 



Begonia Socotrana. — This very fine plant is 

 quite distinct from any other in the genus. The 

 tuber produces a quantity ol bulblets, the leaves are 

 orbicular, peltate light green, the flower stem rises 

 8 to 12 inches from the tuber and terminates with a 

 head of bright, deep rose flowers of good size and 

 substance, lasting a long time in perfection. Be- 

 sides its ornamental quality it has also the merit of 

 being strictly a winter flowerer, which adds greatly 

 to its value. As the name indicates, it was dis- 

 covered in the Island of Socotra, by Dr. Balfour. 

 Culture : to be kept at rest during the summer, 

 re-potted in the fall in good compost, started 

 in gentle heat and kept moderately moist. Propa- 

 gated by means of the bulblets. 



Cypripediuin Spicerianum. — One of the prettiest 

 Lady's Slipper from East Indies. The leaves re- 

 semble C. villosum. the flower is borne singly on a 

 stem 4 to 6 inches high. The dorsal sepal is nearly 

 2 inches long, pure white with a purple stripe in 

 the center, petals green, undulated lip greenish 

 yellow, column purple and white. Grows best in 

 pots with sphagnum, fibrous peat, charcoal and 

 potsherds, requires good supply of water during 

 the growth, and should not even in the resting 

 season suffer from draught ; it requires a tempera- 

 ture of 6oO Fahrenheit. Propagated by division. 



The above in flower at the Cambridge Botanic 

 Gardens, as well as the following orchids : 



Cypripediiim hirsutissimum, 

 " barbatum, 



" venustum, 



" Hookerae, 



" Roezlii, 



Calanthe Veitchii, 

 ** vestita, 

 " " lutea oculata, 



Lycaste Skinnerii, 

 Coelogyne cristata. 



Ccelof^yne .speciosa, 

 Oncidium Barkerii, 

 Epidend lum variegatum, 

 L:tlia autumnalis, 

 Angraecum elturneuin, 

 Cymbidium sinense, 

 Dendrobium clirysanthuni, 

 Maxillaria pum^tnlata, 



" variabili-s, 



" " var. lutea, 



GLAZING. 



BY THOMAS ROBERTS. 



With your permission I venture to take part in 

 the discussion relating to the glazing of plant 

 houses. Several years ago a severe hail storm 

 demolished the roofs of a number of houses then 

 in my charge, and with a view to saving from the 

 wreck all that was possible, the work of re-cover- 

 ing with glass was pushed with vigor. The pro- 

 gress was so slow, however, in consequence of 

 digging out the old putty, etc., that the loss from 

 exposure was greater than from the hail and 

 broken glass combined. A short time after that 

 occurrence two forcing houses were constructed 

 under my supervision, and the disaster being 



fresh in mind the following plan of glazing was 

 adopted : 



Instead of the stiles being rabbeted for putty- 

 ing in the usual manner, they were grooved just 

 wide enough and deep enough to permit the glass 

 to slide easily but not too loosely. The panes (to 

 which a little thick white lead was applied to the 

 upper edges) were fed successively into the grooves 

 from the lower edge of the roof, and the only fas- 

 tening found necessary was one or two copper 

 tacks at the foot of the last pane in each row of 

 glass. Space for expansion was left at the top, 

 and although breakages were few during the re- 

 mainder of my charge, repairs were easily and 

 rapidly made and without having to mount the 

 roof. Little difference as to escape of heat was 

 noticed at the time, but I am under the impression 

 that a careful test would result in favor of the 

 grooving system. Green Cove Springs, Fla. 



THE GOOD ECONOMY OF GAS TAR. 



BY A. R. STARR. 



Having read several articles in the Monthly 

 in regard to the injurious effect of gas tar on hot- 

 water pipes, also the one in the March number 

 from the Superintendent of Government Grounds, 

 of Ottawa, Canada, I think the writers wrong in 

 warning all never to use gas tar in any connection 

 whatever in greenhouses, as I consider the proper 

 use of it a great saving in the building and repair 

 of houses, and will give you my experience in sup- 

 port of my belief. First, will state my houses are 

 bank houses, the walls being of stone and about 

 level with the ground, the sill of wood resting on 

 the wall. Five years ago I rebuilt one house that 

 had been built four years ; the sill ends of rafter, 

 also rail of sash resting on the sill, were rotten. 

 Having seen the effect of gas tar in preserving 

 wood when exposed to dampness, I determined 

 to try it ; having my frames prepared before plac- 

 ing it, I gave the sill ends of rafters, also lower 

 rail of sash, two heavy coats of hot tar ; building 

 new benches I treated the ends of posts and the 

 bottom of benches, — in short, all the wood where 

 moisture was liable to remain, — the same, and to- 

 day, after five years, the parts thus treated are 

 apparently as sound as ever. Since then I have 

 used it in repairing of benches and keeping it on 

 hand for that purpose, have never experienced 

 detriment from its use, and after two or three 

 days all traces of unpleasant odor disappear. I 

 would say that in connection with the tar I give it 

 a heavy sprinkling of coarse sand. I am satisfied 



