JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



319 



amongst the side shoots which may have been broken in tying 

 down. Tbe bud may be out to about li inch in length, and a 

 corresponding piece cut out of the stem, so that it may fit in 

 exactly. I have clothed many very naked old stems in this 

 way. The thickness of the bark of Vines is very variable and 

 exceedingly deceptive. Have a care, then, that the inner bark 

 is reached ; that a corresponding piece of the wood of the stock 

 is bared to that of the scion. Bark to bark, we are told, is the 

 rule in grafting ; but it should be the edges of inner bark to 

 the edges of inner bark, for it is there only that the union 

 takes place. 



After having fixed the grafts and tied them, cover over the 

 part with Mastic L'Homme Lefort, the best material which 

 can be used for grafting Vines. — Archambaud. 



"WINTER-BLOOMING ORCHIDS.— No. 5. 



DEN'DROBIUM— Contitiu. ■./. 



D. heterocakpum is a very pretty and easily-grown species, 

 which, during the last dozen years, ha3 been somewhat over- 

 looked by what I call aristocratic Orchid-growers ; lately, how- 

 ever, we have had some rather extensive importations of this 

 plant, and these have proved what a useful and beautiful 

 winter bloomer it is. The stems are nearly round and pen- 

 dulous, producing oblong, acute, dark green leaves, which are, 

 however, deciduous. The flowers are produced very freely, 

 and are deliciously scented ; the sepals are linear-oblong and 

 acute, the petals ovate-acute ; both are thick in texture, and 

 deep primrose yellow in colour ; the lip is somewhat fiddle- 

 shaped, deep yellow, with two deep crimson spots towards the 

 base. In some varieties the colours are much paler. It lasts 

 in full beauty a very long time, and fill3 the house with its 

 grateful perfume. It should be grown upon a block in the 

 East Indian house, and subjected to cool and comparatively 

 dry treatment after the pseudobulbs are fully formed. The 

 plant appears to be plentiful in Assam. 



D. Hillii. — In general appearance this plant resembles 

 D. speciosnm, and as a species is undoubtedly very nearly 

 allied to it. The growths are much taller, and not so stout ; 

 the leaves thick and leathery, somewhat oblong, and very dark 

 green ; the racemes long and pendulous ; the flowers very nu- 

 merous and creamy white ; the sepals and petals are linear, 

 and the lip oblong. D. Hillii should have pot culture, and be 

 grown in moderate heat. After the stem-like pseudobulbs are 

 formed it should be gradually inured to a greenhouse tem- 

 perature, and ultimately be removed to the open air for a 

 month or six weeks, to be afterwards taken back to the green- 

 house until the flowers begin to push, when a little more heat 

 will be advantageous. It blooms during midwinter, and iB a 

 very effective kind. It is a native of Queensland. 



D. lingceforme. — This is a curious little Australian species 

 not possessed of much beauty, but its feathery racemes of 

 white flowers are elegant ornaments for ladies' hair, and on 

 this account the plant should be extensively grown by all 

 amateurs. The leaves ate about an inch long, very thick and 

 fleshy, flit and furrowed on the upper surface, convex below, and 

 deep green. The racemes are erect, about 4 inches in length ; 

 sepals and petals long, linear-acuminate, and pure white ; lip 

 smaller, pale yellow, dotted with red. I* should be grown upon 

 a block in a cool house, and blooms profusely. 



D. lituiflorum. — Although this plant can be kept from 

 flowering until the end of April or beginning of May, it is more 

 strictly an early spring bloomer. The pseudobulbs are up- 

 wards of 2 feet in length, slender, and pendulous ; leaves 

 oblong-lanceolate, thin, light green, and deciduous. The 

 flowers are large, usually produced in pairs ; sepals lanceolate- 

 acuminate, rich bright lilac ; the petals are much larger than 

 the sepals, and rich purple; lip convolute and incurved, rosy 

 lilac, with a deep violet spot at the base. This very beautiful 

 plant is rather difficult to cultivate, but amply repays the 

 grower for every attention bestowed upon i'. The East Indian 

 house i3 the proper place to keep it in, and it should be grown 

 npon a block of wood, or in a basket suspended from the roof, 

 where it can have abundance of light, but be sheltered from 

 the direct rays of the sun. During the growing season it re- 

 quires careful attention in watering, and the folmge should be 

 frequently syringed. Native of the East Indies. 



D. Jenkin-ii. — An elegant, small, compact-growing species, 

 which should be grown upon a block. The pseudobulbs and 

 leaves are both small, and dark green ; the flowers are rather 

 laxly set upon the spikes, ground colour light yellow, shaded 



with rich golden yellow. It is a beautiful little plant for sus- 

 pending from the roof of a Wardian case. Native of Northern 

 India. 



D. nobile. — This superb old plant has been in cultivation 

 since the year 1834, and is still one of the moBt beautiful 

 Orchids in cultivation even at the present day ; it is too well 

 known to need much description. The stems are erect, bearing 

 many oblong, obtuse leaves, and the flowers are produced in 

 great profusion ; the sepals are oval, petals much broader, waxy 

 white, suffused with bright rosy pink ; the lip is cordate and 

 cucullate, white, with a deep crimson blotch. In addition to 

 this being one of the very handsomest kinds, it is also one of 

 the most easily grown ; it succeeds well either in a pot or a 

 hanging basket. I prefer it in the former. The soil should 

 be peat and sphagnum ; give it good heat, and plenty of water 

 when growing, afterwards remove it to the greenhouse, and 

 keep it dry ; when the flowers begin to show, place it in a little 

 warmth, and soon the exquisite blossoms will unfold. No 

 person with even a very small greenhouse should be without 

 this magnificent plant. It is widely^distiibuted throughout 

 India. 



D. nobile pendulum resembles D. nobile in every respect, 

 except that it has pendulous growths, and it is, therefore, ad- 

 mirably adapted for hanging baskets. The flowers are large, 

 and resemble those of D. lituiflorum in colour. It is very 

 elegant, and, like D. nobile, flowers during midwinter, lasting 

 several weeks in bloom. 



D. nobile Wallichianum. — Many people consider this a 

 distinct species, but I am inclined to believe it is only a variety 

 of my old favourite, D. nobile ; it is stronger in its growth than 

 that plant ; the flowers which are produced at the same season 

 are much larger, the lip is longer, and the colour is much 

 darker, being rish rosy crimson, and the large spot at the base 

 of the lip is very intense. The treatment should be the same 

 at that recommended for D. nobile. The flowers of these plants 

 are very useful for bouquet-making, and they last a very long 

 time in water. 



D. moniliforme (of gardens). — A plant which has had its 

 name called in question so much during the past year or two 

 that I really am at a loss to know how to name it. The plant 

 is in habit somewhat like D. nobile, but more Blender, and 

 the treatment of that Bpecies will also suit it well. The flowers 

 are bright cherry colour and white, faintly shaded with lilac, 

 and very freely produced, affording a pleaBing contrast during 

 winter. Native of Japan. — Experto Cride. 



CRYSTAL PALACE AUTUMN SHOW. "^ 

 On opening your Journal of last week I was pleased to see 

 that there is some hope of resuscitating the autumn show at 

 the Crystal Palace, and that the florists have taken the matter 

 up. I hope the growers and exhibitors of fruit will not be 

 behind. We sadly want an autumn show of fruit, and the 

 Crystal Palace is a good place at which to hold it ; we can 

 scarcely expect the Company to hold exhibitions at a loss, but 

 with the help of gardeners and their employers this might 

 easily be prevented. The Society for the Encouragement of 

 Florists' Flowers would do well to invite exhibitors of fruit to 

 assist them, as a successful exhibition in September is not 

 possible without fruit. I have brought the matter before my 

 employer, who will be willing to subscribe to a fund for the en- 

 couragement of fruit. I will subscribe a guinea myself, and if 

 other exhibitors will take the matter up success is certain. — 

 James Douglas, Loxford Hall, Ilford. 



PANICUM VARIEGATUM, AND ITS CULTURE. 



This variegated Grass, brought from New Caledonia, when 

 well grown is one cf the most beautiful plaut3 introduced of 

 late, and very useful for the decoration of the stove and con- 

 servatory. So quickly does it make a specimen that it is very 

 valuable. I grow mine in three different ways. 



As a basket plant it has a charming effect when suspended 

 from the rafters of the stove ; drooping quite a yard, it looks 

 like a ray of sunlight. The ground colour of the leaf is a. 

 bright green, fully one-half being occupied by pure white stripes, 

 tinged with pink. 



I have also planted it out with Ferns and Lycopods on roek- 

 work, where it succeeds remarkably well, and is very effective. | 



I also grow it as a pyramid plant, and as such it is a gem. 



The soil I use is fibrous peat, silver sand, and a little loam, 

 well mixed ; for drainage I employ broken crocks or charcoal. 



