April 14, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



275 



more than the warmth of an ordinary greenhouse. This re- 

 marks applies, however, to but a few species. The following 

 produce their flowers during winter, but many others of this 

 genus are summer-flowering. 



D. barbatuluh. — This is a very beautiful species, often cul- 

 tivated under the erroneous name of D. Heyneanum. It is a 

 small-growing plant, succeeds best upon a block of wood, and 

 must not bo dried very much at any season. The flowers are 

 pure white, slightly spotted with deep red at the base, and are 

 borne upon erect spikes. Its very elegant blooms are produced 

 at the end of winter. Native of Moulmein. 



D. bigibbum.— A very elegant, but somewhat difficult plant 

 to manage ; at least, it has hitherto proved so with me. It is 

 a native of the north-east coast of New Holland, and conse- 

 quently requires more heat than plants coming from the more 

 southern parts. The pseudo-bulbs are stem-like, and the 

 leaves, which are few in number and somewhat small, are con- 

 fined to the upper portions of the spikes, which are erect, and 

 bear in 6trong plants about ten flowers, which are moderate- 

 sized. Petals and sepals very round, somewhat thick, and deep 

 lilac in colour. The Up is three-lobed, and darker than the 

 petals. It lasts a very long time in full beauty. It should be 

 grown in the same temperature as the East Indian species, but 

 rested in a cooler house, and care must be taken that it do not 

 suffer from want of water. Pot it in peat and sphagnum, in 

 which some silver sand has been mixed, and use plenty of 

 charcoal for drainage. 



D. cheysanthum. — An old and free-growing speoies, which 

 should be grown in a basket. It blooms at various times of 

 the year, very frequently in midwinter. The stem-like pseudo- 

 bulbs are pendulous, and about 3 feet in length ; the flowers 

 are rich golden yellow, with a dark spot on the lip, producing a 

 beautiful effeot. Plenty of water and moderate heat during 

 the growing season, with a slight rest, will ensure an abundant 

 Crop of blooms. It comes from northern India. 



D. cheysotoxum. — Pseudo-bulbs erect and much swollen, 

 bearing upon the apex several dark green, somewhat leathery 

 leaves. The flowers are produced upon long pendulous ra- 

 cemes, and are pale yellow in the sepals and petals, with a 

 darker Up. It blooms during February and March, sometimes 

 later, and retains its beauty a long time. It should be grown 

 in a pot, and subjected to a thorough rest after the growths 

 are mature. From Moulmein. 



D. crassinode.— This is a plant of such recent introduction 

 that I can say but little of it practically, but it is such a gem 

 that it must not be left out. The stems are much swollen at 

 the joints, as its name implies, and from these thiok nodes the 

 flowers are produced in great profusion. The sepals and petals 

 are thick and waxy white, tipped with deep rose, the petals 

 being much larger than the sepals ; the lip is roundish ovate 

 in shape, white, tipped with rose, and the disc is bright orange 

 yellow. It is a most lovely species, blooming late in winter 

 and early in spring, and from the great substance of the 

 blooms it lasts a very long time in perfection. Native of Siam. 



D. denslfloruh. — Although not, strictly speaking, a winter- 

 flowering species, this plant often produces its flowers early in 

 March, which is often very wintry. The pseudo-bulbs are 

 about 12 inches or more long, becoming thicker from the base 

 upwards, and supporting several broad, leathery, deep green 

 leaves upon the apex. From amongst these, or just below 

 them, the long and dense pendulous bunches of rich amber- 

 coloured flowers are produced. It is one of the handsomest of 

 the genus, and it can by a little retarding be made useful for 

 public exhibition. Pot culture suits this species best, and it 

 should be thoroughly rested when the growth is complete. 

 Native of northern India. 



D. fihbriatum oculatum. — A tall-growing plant, flowering 

 generally very early in March. It should be grown in heat, 

 and then be removed to a cool house and kept dry. The 

 growths are between 2 and 3 feet high ; flowers large, deep 

 orange yellow, with a deep Lruwn velvety blotch at the base of 

 the lip. It requires pot oulture. Introduced from the Indian 

 bills. — Expeeto Ceede. 



they are open moisture overhead should be avoided, as it is apt 

 to disturb the paste of the eye, and to give the flower a smeared 

 appearance." Now to this I utterly demur. I never allow 

 Auriculas to have a shower of rain on them from January to 

 December, and least of all should I think of allowing them at 

 this season. Independently of the flowers, there are many of 

 them which have beautiful mealy foliage, and when a drop o{ 

 rain falls on fhis it leaves a smeary spot, which destroys the 

 beauty; so let me, as a very old Auricula- grower, lift up my 

 voice against this direction. 



Auriculas are very late this season, but, as far as I can see 

 promise well. I do not think there can be a good show of 

 them on the 20th of this month. By-the-by, I saw in a con- 

 temporary the other day a list of sorts purporting to be given 

 by Mr. Charles Turner, but there must have been some mis- 

 take — there were no grey-edged flowers in it, and some of those 

 classed as green-edged were grey-edged. I would here add a 

 list of a dozen good ones, not very expensive : — 



Green Edges, 

 Hudson's Apollo 

 Campbell's Lord Palmerston 

 Oliver's Lovely Ann 



Grey Edges. 

 Waterhonse's Conqueror 

 Fletcher's Mary Ann 

 Fletcher's Ne Plus Ultra 

 — D., Deal. 



White Edges. 

 Popplewell's Conqueror 

 Taylor's Glory 

 Heap's Smiling Beauty 



Selfs. 

 Martin's Mrs. Sturrock 

 Netherwood's Othello 

 Lightbody's Meteor Flag 



AURICULA CULTURE. 



I have so often derived valuable instruction from Mr. Keane's 

 directions in " Work for the Week," and hope often to do so, 

 that I feel very unwilling to find fault ; but in the directions 

 given at page 247 I find the following — " Whilst the blooms 

 [of Auriculas] are unexpanded, slight showers will be of ser- 

 vice, when not accompanied with cutting winds, but as soon as 



FLOWER SHOWS, COMPETITORS, AND JUDGES. 



Why do the London flower shows not pay ? How is it that 

 the thousands who used to flock to them for recreation and 

 instruction no longer visit them in like numbers, and our 

 London Horticultural and Botanical Societies cannot now be 

 made to pay their expenses ? This is to be deplored, because 

 flower shows are unexceptionable as a source of recreation, and 

 stand high among those good and useful institutions which 

 instruct, refine, and help to bind together the various classes 

 of the community. Men of all shades of religious opinion, all 

 parties in politics, rioh and poor, may here meet together and 

 Bmile upon eaoh other if they will. The extinction of our 

 flower Bhows would in my judgment be a national loss. I 

 therefore sympathise with the noble efforts the London Societies 

 are making to uphold them, and ODly wish that I could help 

 them more than it is in my power to do. 



But why do they not pay ? No doubt many reasons combine 

 to account for it. In addition to what I have already advanced 

 (see Journal of Horticulture, pp. 220, 221), one principal 

 reason (and this, perhaps, includes some of the minor reasons), 

 is that they are not " fast " enough for the taBte and fashion 

 of the present age. The breakneck pace at which society loves 

 to travel, even at the risk of serious discomfiture, is impossible 

 here ; " fast express " trains do not run on this line. The 

 plodding industry necessary to success in horticulture, and the 

 results which flow from it, seem alike tame and dull to fast and 

 fashionable life ; while the more thoughtful and sober-minded, 

 to whom we may consistently appeal for help, are, consciously 

 or unconsciously, influenced more or less by fashion. 



Among the minor causes which are antagonistic to the success 

 of Our London shows, although, perhaps, favourable to the 

 advanoe of horticulture in general, is the fact that most cities 

 and large towns have now good shows of their own ; the inha- 

 bitants are interested in supporting them, and will not go far to 

 see what, in their estimation of things, may be seen as well at 

 home. Further, our shows for the last few years have been too 

 similar in character — so much so, that the ordinary observer 

 pronounces them the same thing over and over again. Then, 

 perhaps, quite latterly they have not been so good in the eyes 

 of the public, or so important in the eyes of the exhibitors, as 

 they used to be. Hence the general public does not come 

 because the shows are not so fashionable as formerly, or are 

 wanting in freshness, and exhibitors are withdrawing because 

 the shows are not more numerously attended. 



And here I would pause to ask, Do our present competitors 

 and judges fairly represent the intellect of the horticultural 

 community in England ? In the paBt it has been taken for 

 granted that it was so, and as there is no purpose to serve in 

 arguing over the past I shall content myself with irjquiring, 

 Is it so in the present ? Here is a question which should 

 not be shelved because the answer to it may affect individual 

 interests, nor should it be settled without a searching investi- 

 gation of the facts. Let anyone who has a fair knowledge of 

 English gentlemen, English nurserymen, and English garden- 



