278 



JOUENAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ April 13, 1 877. 



GoNooEA roETENTOsA. Nat. ord., OrchidaoeiB. Linn., Gyn- 

 andria Monandria. Flowers pale flesh-coloured.- — " The genua 

 Gongora is rapidly being recruited with new species from 

 tropical America, and especially the Andes. Only two are 

 enumerated in Lindley's ' Genera and Species of Orchideje;' 

 upwards of fifteen species are now known, and we have draw- 

 ings of other nnfigured ones. The present one is a native of 

 Cnndinamaroa, in the province of Bogota, and was discovered 

 by Mr. Wallis in 1868. It has been widely distributed by 

 M. Linden, and the specimen here figured flowered with Mr. 

 Bull of Chelsea in AprU, 187i."— {Ibid., t. 6284 ) 



B9E0NIA ELATioR. — Nat. Ord., Eutaceffi. Linn., Octandria 

 Monogynia. — " Belonging to a small group of the extensive 

 genus with dimorphous anthers and enormously large stigmas, 

 which is confined to Western Australia. Though a very dis- 

 tinct species it is a variable one, especially in the amount of 

 pubescence, which is almost absent or bo copious that the 

 branches are almost hirsute with soft-spreading hairs. Its 

 neat habit and abundance of red-brown flowers, which in well- 

 grown species completely hide one side of the branch, render 

 it well worthy of cultivation, as, indeed, are almost all the 

 species of this genua. Nearly fifty species of Boronia are 

 Imown ; they inhabit heathy and rooky places in Australia, and 

 with the various Epaorideae and Tetrathecae, &a., form one of 

 the most beautiful features of the scenery. About fifteen 

 species have been raised and figured in England, but it would 

 be difficult to find half of them now, so entirely has the culti- 

 vation of Australian plants been superseded by easier-grown 

 softwooded things." — [Ibid., t. 6285.) 



Pectis angustifolia. Nat. ord., Composite. — "A very pretty 

 annual, forming dense golden cushions in its native country, 

 from the excessively branched corymbose habit of the plants 

 which grow close together, and the abundance of flowering 

 heads that open at the same time. It was found by all the 

 early travellera in New Mexico, that Colorado district, &o., as 

 by James, Coulter, Gregg, as well as by the later travellers, as 

 Fremont, Wright, Fendler, &o. ; and it was introduced into 

 cultivation by Mr. Thompson of Ipswich in 1865, who sent 

 Bpecimens in that year to Kew." — [Ibid., t. 0280 ) 



Camassu esculenta rar. Leichtlinii. Nat. ortZ., LiliaoesB. 

 Linn., Hexandria Monogynia. — " It was discovered by Mr. 

 John Jeffrey in British Columbia in 1853. As a garden plant 

 my first knowledge of it was derived from our indefatigable 

 correspondent, Max Leichtlin, Esq. The present sketch was 

 taken from a plant which flowered on the rockery in Kew 

 Gardens in May, 1873. The ordinary colour of the flowers of 

 C. esculenta and of C. Fraseri, its representative in the Eastern 

 States, is blue, but in all the specimens which I have seen of 

 the present plant the flowers are white." — (Ibid., t. 6287.) 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GAKDENING. | 



After the heavy rainfall of the past eight days all lawns, j 

 verges, and gravel walks should have a good rolling with a ! 

 heavy roller. The ground being in such a moist condition this [ 

 roiling will prove highly beneficial, and will consoliilate the I 

 walks, and improve the turf for the seaBon. All grass edges may 

 now be neatly trimmed, and with the milder weather the grass 

 will require mowing often. The pruning of Eoses should be 

 completed without further delay. Amateurs can do such work 

 more easily and expeditiously with a pair of secateurs than with 

 an ordinary pruning knife. Prune all Hybrid Perpetuals to two, 

 three, or four eyes, according to the habit of the variety. In 

 all cases cut the shoot back to a vigorous out-looking bud, care 

 being taken to leave an open and evenly balanced head. All 

 borders should be turned, and every part should have a fresh 

 and clean appearance ; in fact where operations are as forward 

 as they ought to be the garden will begin assuming a spring-like 

 appearance, for the deciduous trees are fast peeping into leaf, 

 and ere many days elapse residents in tho southern counties 

 may hope to hear the sweet notes of the nightingale. 



Most amateurs and others with limited glass structures find 

 some difficulty in accommodating the many different plants re- 

 quired for summer display, and it is a good plan to turn the 

 more hardy, such as Geraniums, out of doors. Many kinds of 

 makeshifts are extemporised to protect them during the night, 

 for to-day may be moist and genial, to-morrow may be a cutting 

 odd east wind, or frost may come while we sleep. If the plants 

 are placed on ashes in beds 4 feet in width and a few stout 

 sticks are bent over them and covered nighf.ly with mats or 

 scrim canvas, such plants will be rendered safe, and additional 

 room will be afforded for more tender subjects requiring a 

 warmer structure. It is important now to ascertain whether 

 there are a sufficient number of plants provided for the purpose 

 required, for during this month a large quantity of Alternan- 



theras, Petunias, Lobelias, Verbenas, Mesembryanthemums, &o., 

 can be struck with the aid of the genial heat of a dung frame. 

 Such a frame we consider one of the most necessary appliances 

 to a villa garden, not only as a summer structure for growing 

 Cucumbers and the striking of cuttings, but for the raising of aU 

 tender seeds, such as Cockscombs, Balsams, Globe Amaranthus, 

 and similar plants, which will vegetate readily if attention is 

 given to applying fresh linings as the heat declines. 



Chrysanthemums struck and potted-off will thrive excellently 

 if placed outdoors on beds of ashes and protected as described. 

 Ours have been out for nearly a fortnight, and the rains have 

 been beneficial to them. It is a good plan to support the stems 

 with small sticks ; we use the prunings of Apple and Pear trees 

 for this purpose. Lachenalias are useful plants at this season 

 of the year, and are not so much grown as they deserve to be. 

 A shelf in the oool house and plenty of water is all they now 

 require. The many species and varieties of hardy Primulas are 

 very attractive, and it is a good time to become acquainted 

 with them while they are to be found in bloom, more especially 

 P. denticulata, P. farinosa, and the varieties of P. cortusoides. 

 We saw a charming and lovely little species with white flowers 

 at the last meeting at South Kensington named P. nivalis, quite 

 an amateurs' plant. .-Vsters, Stocks, Larkspurs, &c., may now be 

 sown on a warm border or in frames, covering the seeds lightly. 



Kitchen-garden work will be delayed for a time owing to the 

 heavy rains, especially where the laud is tenacious or heavy; 

 but as soon as possible successions of Peas and Beans must be 

 sown, also Radishes and salads of all kinds. The French Break- 

 fast Eadish is a favourite with us ; it turns in quickly, is very 

 small, and is much appreciated at table. Early Paris White 

 Cabbage Lettuce turns in quickly if the seed is sown and the 

 plants are grown on a warm border ; but for a summer Lettuce 

 Paris White Cos is our favourite. The ground will require 

 stirring amongst Lettuces that have stood the winter, and if 

 some are wanted early tie them together to blanch. All plant- 

 ing of Potatoes must be proceeded with as quickly as possible, 

 and a small sowing of Turnips made. White Dutch and Eed 

 and White Stone are good sorts for early produce. The main 

 crops of Carrots and Beet must now be sown. An useful early 

 sort of Beet is the Egyptian Turnip-rooted. It must not be 

 depended on for the main crop, but where salads are required 

 this Beet is valuable. Dell's Crimson and Pine Apple Short-top 

 are useful sorts for winter supply. Savoys, Kale, and Broccoli 

 should be sown at once for a main crop ; in fact, no time must 

 be lost in the kitchen garden, for any chances thrown away in 

 this department will not be regained throughout the season. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



BABCY FKUIT G-IKDEN. 



Mant specimens of Pear and Plum trees are now in full 

 blossom, and so far the weather has been such that it will set 

 well if frost does not occur again, but our climate is so uncertain 

 that no one can count upon a crop until the fruit is well set ; 

 indeed, oven after this the young fruit may be blackened with 

 frost, but on walls this will be avoided by letting down the pro- 

 tectors. Canvas screens may be used injudiciously to protect 

 the blossoms; they will, if kept too close, especially on Apricot 

 walls, cause the fruit to drop instead of setting, but of this there 

 is not so much danger when the fruit is really formed. One evil 

 to be feared, though, and that not a light one, is that the closer 

 warmer atmosphere causes green fly to increase more rapidly 

 than it would on an open wall. 



We have grafted some Apples. One tree of considerable size 

 had been cut down before the sap began moving ; a large num- 

 ber of grafts were put on to it, and in the course of a few years 

 it will again be a full-sized tree in full bearing. 



Caterpillars and all sorts of insect pests are now on the move, 

 and steps should be taken to destroy them before they do much 

 damage. The most destructive caterpillars are those of the 

 Bombyx neustria or Lackey Moth. They are easily destroyed, 

 as they cluster together when they first emerge from the eggs. 

 When in a more advanced stage they disperse over the trees, 

 and it is then difficult to destroy them. Au old writer says that 

 the best way to keep tliiis caterpillar from orchards is to " plant, 

 according to the size of the orchard, from one to fonr trees oi 

 the Bird Cherry (Cerasus padus). All tho moths in the neigh- 

 bourhood will resort to those trees. The appearance of the Bird 

 Cherry trees will be hideous, but the Apple trees will be safe." 

 Our plan is hand-picking as soon as the caterpillars are hatched. 



The Apple maggot is very destructive, and has sometimes 

 destroyed half our crop of Apples. We have fancied that by 

 dusting the trees before the blossoms open with dry lime some 

 good results have followed. The most effectual remedy is to 

 destroy the fruit that has been attacked, and thus prevent the 

 increase of the pest. 



Aphis in dry seasons does much damage to Plum trees. It 

 can only be destroyed by attacking it in the early stages of its 

 development, and the best way is to syringe the trees with 



