232 



JOUENAL OF HOETICDLTUKE AND COTTAGE GABDBNEB. 



[ AprU 29, 1869, 



feedlings, and others which Lave been lefore ejhihiled and are ahont 

 to be sent ont. Of the former. Princess of Wales and Mrs. Tom Hood, 

 had Tery bold foliage with highly coloured zones ; of the latter. Sir R. 

 Napier, Mrs. Unnnett, and Southern Belle were very effective. The 

 same firm sent also a large basket of Primnla corlusoidcs amana in 

 fine bloom and hij/h in colour. Mr. Tniner, of Slonph, had his pretty 

 irhite-variegated May Queen, and Mdlle. CLrisliue Xilsson. 



Mr. Kimberley sent Zonal Pelargoniums and Cinerarias ; Messrs. 

 Cutbush, Azaleas ; Messrs. Eeeves, Lily cf the Valley ; Mr. James, 

 hardy Ferns, Pansies, and Calceolarias ; Mr. Wiliie, Kjiriea barhata ; 

 Mr. Bragg, collections of Pansies ; Messrs. Dobson & Son, Cinerarias ; 

 and Mr. P'airbairn, a hanging basket of Bignonia venusta, profusely 

 bung with dense clusters of its orange flowers. Several extra pri;;cB 

 were awarded to the exhibitors of the above subjects. 



PORTRAITS OF 



PLANTS, 

 FRUITS. 



FLOWERS, AND 



AuAMANDA KOBiLis (Noble Allamanda). Xat. Orel., Apocv- 

 nacfse. Limi., Pectacdria Monopjnio. — A magaificcnt thrub 

 from the Eio Branco, tn tbe confines of Erazil and Vcijeznela. 

 Flowers yellow, and 5 J inches in diameter.— (Bot. Mart., t., 5764.) 



EiCHAEDiA JIELANOLLUCA (Black-throated Eicbardia). >:at. 

 Ord., Aroidcrc. Linn., Monoecia Monandria. — Native of South 

 Africa. Flower Rtraw-coloured, with dark purple spot at its 

 baee.— (/i!(/. t., 5765.) 



Dendeobium cbassikode (Thick-knotted Dendrobe). Kat. 

 Ord., Orchidaccffi. Linn., Gjnandria Monandria. — Native of 

 the Siamese provinces of Kiong-koung. Flowers white, tipped 

 with h\a.e.— (Ibid, t., 57(;G.) 



Saccolabil-m EiGiBEUM (Orange-flowered Saccolabel. -Nat. 

 Ord., OrchidacciE. Limi., Gynandria Jlonandria. — Native of 

 Kangocn or Arracan. Flowers orange. — (/tui. (., 5707.) 



Palava flexuosa (Flexuose-stemmed Palava). Wa^ Ord., 

 MalvactiB. Linn., Monadelphia Polygynia. -^ A balf-bardy 

 annual, native of the San Lorenzo valley in Pern. Flowers 

 light manve, white at the base, with a dark intermediate band. 

 —(Ibid, t, 5768) 



'loiLiJCEH—O.-namental Varieties. — "Grown in pots, the 

 Tomato makes a very handsome decorative plant, the Cherry, 

 Plum, and other smallfiuited sorts especially so. 



"The Fecjec Island 2'i.m«fo, remarkable amongst the larger 

 sorts for its decided crimson colour, and for the slightly marked 

 ribs which occur near the base of its fruits. The (hangeficld 

 Tomato, which is the fame as the Large Red Italian, and is a 

 very excellent culinary sort, and remarkably prolific. The 

 Yellow Plum Tomato, a strikingly ornameiital variety, the fruit 

 of which are about the size and shape of a Damson. The Pear- 

 formed Tomato, which is red, and of rather larger size then tho 

 Plum-shaped. The Yellou- Cherry Tomato, whose still smaller 

 spherical yellow fruits, equally with those of the red-fruiied 

 form, are produced in great abtiudance, and have a very attrac- 

 tive appearance. The three latter sorts are especially recom- 

 mended for the great beauty of the plants, when well-grown, 

 and full of fruit. They may be successfully grown in pots for 

 house decoration, and their quality is quite equal to that of the 

 larger sorts from the utilitarian point of view. 



'_' The Currant Tomato is the most ornamental of the whole 

 Reries. In foliage and general aspect it resembles the ordinary 

 hinds, but it is smaller and more slender, and the fruits grow 

 in long, drooping racemes, of which the basal portion only is 

 shown in our figure. These long racemes of fruit, of a bright 

 red colour, give the plant a very beautiful appearance. Messrs. 

 Vilmorin, by whom it has been distributed under the name of 

 Solamim (Lycopcrsicnm) raceinigermn, give the following 

 account of it: — This most ornamental species of Tomato has 

 been received from M. Durieu de Maieonueuve, the learned 

 director of the Bordeaux Botanic Garden. It is a veritable 

 Tomato, the sub-climbing stems of which are very much 

 branched, and bear a profusion of simple or divided racemes 

 from C to 8 inches long, composed of from fifteen to twenty- 

 five smooth, round fruits, disposed in two rows, and of a very 

 bright scarlet colour, so as to give them a strong resemblance to 

 clnsterg of Eed Currants.^'— (F;c?is( and Pomolngist, 3 b., ii., 73.) 



COOL-HOUSE ORCHIDS.— No. '2. 

 It will be admitted by most Orchid-growers that vineries 

 started either in January or February are best suited for the 

 successful culture of Orchids. The Vines should not be very 

 close together, so as to cause gloominess, but ought to extend 

 to the full length of the rafters, so as to afford an agreeable 

 eliade throughout tbe house. I find that a sufficient amount 



of shade is given when the Vines are from 3 feet to 8 feet 

 (! inches apart, and treated on the spur system, though that is 

 immaterial, as they answer equally well for shade when trained 

 on the rod system. When the Vines are nearer together than 

 .'i feet, the shade is so great that the leaves and flower stems 

 have a disposition to grow undesirably long and weak, and from 

 that cause not unfrequently become one-sided. 



Tbe houfe ought to be well ventilated, hatting not only top 

 but side ventilation, for though cold, drying draughts are to be 

 strictly guarded against, a free circulation of air is very desir- 

 able, especially when the plants are making new growths, and 

 it may be in such quantity as to cause the foliage to gently 

 wave about. Cold, dry, cutting winds, such as occur in March, 

 when the growths of the Oichids are young and tender, should 

 be broken by placing over the front openings some hexagon 

 netting, like that used for protecting fruit-tree blossom from 

 frost and the fruit from wasps ; but the best material for 

 the purpose is perforated zinc, which may be nailed securely 

 over the openings when the lights admit ol such a contrivance. 

 The best means of ventilation is by openings in the front walls ; 

 a plate of perforated ziuc placed on the inside of the lights 

 or openings will admit cf air being given during cold days and 

 nights, especially when tho air on entering must pass over the 

 hot-water jiipes before it mixes with the air of the house, as it 

 then becomes waimed and more favouralle to the health and 

 vigour of the plants. The top lights or ventilators will be less 

 likely to dry and cool the atmosphere suddenly than the front 

 ventilation, and they need not, except in the early part of the 

 season, have anything nailed over them, and then hexagon 

 netting is the best material that I have used, though in towns, 

 where smoke and sooty deposits are plentiful, the openings are 

 best covered with woollen netting, which, ly its haiiy meshes, 

 collects a large quantity of soot. Oicbids cannot have too 

 much air, providing the proper temperature be secured, and 

 air is not more advantageous by day than night, v\heu a mode- 

 rate quantity should be given, particularly when tho growths 

 are being made and perfected. Ventilation, winter and sum- 

 mer, is absolutely necessai7 in Orchid treatment — air ought 

 to be given in greater or less quantity throughout the year. 



The medium for fuiLishiug heat should have such an extent 

 of surface that at no time v^ ill the heated surface need to be 

 made very hot to maintain the proper temperature of the 

 house, as it then unduly dries the atmosphere, and is very per- 

 nicious to the plants, especially when they are making fresh 

 growth ; and if there are evaporation troughs the atmosphere 

 is stewing, saturated at one time, and at another, when the 

 pipes are cooler, not nearly so moist, whereas the necessary 

 moisture should be evaporated at a low temperature, and be 

 constantly given off at as low a temperatuie as well can be, 

 and never at one exceeding 140'. It is belter if the water in 

 the troughs do not exceed 120°. 



As to the slages for tho plants, it is well if they are of stone 

 or slate, and they should be far enough from the glass to afford 

 room for the flovrer spikes and leaves of tho Orchids without in- 

 terfering with tlie foliage and fruit of the Vines. As the plants 

 vary in height the distance from the glass must vary in pro- 

 portion; 3 feet should be the minimum, and the maximum 

 should not exceed 4 feet 6 inches or 5 feet. In most vineries 

 erected some years ago tliere are pits occupying the centre of 

 the house, a walk all round, and front and end shelves of stone, 

 wood, or other material. The pit in these houses is the proper 

 place for the Orchids, and its top should be made quite level 

 with rough gravel, having a finer surface- covering of the same, 

 but sifted or washed. On that the pots may bo set, and, un- 

 like placing the pots on sand or tan, the gravel does not choke 

 the drainage, and worms do not easily find their way in. The 

 central bed or stage is the best position ; but the front and end 

 shelves will answer, only at the end of March the front and end 

 lights must be covered with hexagon netting, or other thin shad- 

 ing materia), so as to break the force of the direct rays of the sun. 



In every house, and especially in those for Orchid culture, 

 there should be a cistern or tank for holding water, in order to 

 have always at hand au abundant supply of it at the same 

 temperature as that in which the plants are growing, and it is 

 well when it is rain water, tho best of all for watering purposes, 

 and no other should be used for Orchids without being exposed 

 for some time previously to become softened and warmed, 

 when it may answer nearly as well as rain water, preference 

 being always given the letter. Tanks are also very convenient 

 for dipping any plants that are grown in baskets or on blocks 

 of wood. Their only drawback is the moisture evaporated 

 from them in winter, when a dry atmosphere must be maiiL- 



