230 



The Horlicullnrist and Journal 



Liquid Manure — Temperature for 

 Orchid Houses. — Mr. Rand had found 

 the Bletijis and Zygopetalums benefited by 

 liquid manure ; a temperature of 60° at night 

 was the maximum for East Indian Orchids, 

 while 50'^ was sufiicient for the Mexican 

 species. 



Orchid Culture. — Mr. Rand said that 

 there had been a great deal of needless 

 mystery about orchid culture, owing perhaps 

 to their singular growth and the weird 

 grotesque forms of the flowers. The secret is 

 perfect drainage, keeping the plants clean, 

 never letting the thermometer fall below 60" 

 for East Indian kinds, and 45*^ for "cool 

 orchids " — keeping free from insects, shade, 

 and a good season of rest. These rules are, 

 however, general, and must be somewhat 

 varied for special cases. Mr. Hovey added 

 that there should be four inches of drainage 

 and plenty of water. 



Caclogyne cristatu. — Mr. Rand spoke 

 of this plant on exhibition. It is one of the 

 most valuable species for general cultivation 

 by gardeners. It is not a new idea to grow 

 it for cut flowers — Mr. Such and Mr. Men- 

 and having grown it for this purpose for many 

 years, the spikes selling for from two to three 

 dollars each. It should be grown in sandy 

 loam and have plenty of water. It is easily 

 propagated by division of the pseudo bulbs, 

 and flowers in profusion. The plants are yet 

 somewhat scarce in this country. Mr. Such 

 has a large plant two feet in diameter. One 

 grower in England has a house 100 feet long 

 filled with these plants, which are used for 

 cutting. The flower keeps from two to five 

 weeks, and can be commended as a valuable 

 plant for gardeners. 



Dendrobiuni iiobile. — J as. Cartwright, 

 who exhibited an uncommonly vigorous plant 

 of Dendrobium No/Ale, said it was grown in 

 the shade among roses. It had an abundant 

 shower bath four or five times a day, which 

 was the whole secret of its vigor. It was kept 

 growing till October. If it had been dried 

 off' in August, the flowers would have been 

 Biuch more abundant. 



Azalea mollis.— K small plant and flower 

 of this was presented by Marshall P. Wilder. 

 It is a new Japan species, imported only a 

 few months since from M. Van Houtte, who 

 raised it from seed sent him from Japan, and 

 who says that it is perfectly hardy. The flow- 

 ers are as large as those of the Rhododendron, 

 and borne in clusters from six to eight inches 

 in diameter, and are of a nankeen color, spot- 

 ted with orange. Mr. Wilder's plant pro- 

 duced a cluster of ten flowers. It is hoped it 

 will prove a hardy and valuable acquisition. 



Vanda tricolor.-^^lv. Rand showed a 

 flower from a plant which had 39 expanded 

 flowers. The fragrance is so powerful that a 

 single flower will scent a room. 



JJcudrobiuin tfffjtonicuiu.— One of the 



hardiest of orchids. The flowers are a dazzling 

 white, lasting three or four weeks, and are de- 

 liciously fragrant in the evening. 



Mr. Gray's Geraniums.— Several gen- 

 tlemen of the Flower and the Garden Com- 

 mittees, having visited the greenhouse of 

 Wm. Gray, Jr., at Dorchester, brought back 

 enthusiastic reports of the beauty of the plants 

 and the brilliancy of the flowers, being in gen- 

 eral effect truly magnificent. There were in 

 the house about 120 plants, in 8 or 9-inch 

 pots, and each one a specimen in itself, all of 

 dwarf habit, short-jointed, and covered with 

 healthy foliage — no yellow leaves or bare 

 stems to be seen. The golden and silver tri- 

 colors were grown in smaller pots than usual, 

 and the colors were finely brought out. All 

 the pots were plunged in spent hops, and the 

 temperature by day was allowed to rise to 70*^ 

 while the sun shone, care being taken to give 

 abundant ventilation, but fell to about 45*^ at 

 night, affording exactly the conditions under 

 which geraniums thrive best. One variety, 

 the Bride, of great purity and beauty, at- 

 tracted immediate attention, and the E. ^. 

 Dodwell, Master Christine, Polhj Ki?ig, 

 Madai7ie Werle, Mons. Eugene Bere7izod and 

 Delight were admirable. 



For foliage, the Earl of Roslin, Reine 

 Victoria, Emperor of Brazil and Marshal 

 McMahu7i, among the bronzes, were extremely 



