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JOUBNAIi OV HOBTICULTOKR AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



I Febraary 6, 1873. 



others may prefer ornamental ami variegated-leaved plants, 

 Palms, etc. Be that as it may, both may indulge their tastes, 

 or a compromise may he made, and some of both grown with 

 an eqiial chance of success. There are, however, but very few 

 flowering plants that form satisfactory companions to Ferns 

 and cool Orchids. 



The second section which I recommend my readers are 

 plants that should not be subjected to a lower temperature in 

 winter than about 48'— at least such has been my experience 

 with them. These may have some ornamental-foliaged plants 

 .and warm-country Ferns mixed with them ; they improve the 

 atmosphere, and produce a pleasing effect in the general arrange- 

 ment of the house. Indeed, amateurs who may be the fortunate 

 possessors of a vinery will find those species and varieties in- 

 cluded in this section thrive extremely well in such a structure ; 

 the leaves of the Vines will afford a sufficient and agreeable 

 shade from the sun's ravs dm-ing summer, and when they fall 

 iiway in autumn, ample light wUl be obtamed for the Orchids 

 during the duU winter months. 



It will also be necessary to say a few words respeotmg soil 

 and potting. As a general rule, it may bo accepted as a fact 

 that a mixture of rough fibrous peat and good living sphagnum 

 moss in about equal parts wiU be found to suit them well ; add 

 to this a few pieces of charcoal and a little sharp sand, and 

 when mixed it will be ready for use. In potting, see that the 

 pots are quite clean and dry before using them ; and if new 

 pots are to be employed, let them he in water for twenty-four 

 hours before they are required, in order to get them saturated 

 with water, otherwise they will materially injure any young 

 roots which may come immediately in contact with them. 

 The pots should be tilled about two-thirds up with drainage 

 material, which should be perfectly clean potsherds and a few 

 large pieces of charcoal, and upon this the soil may be placed. 

 The plant should be raised upon a small coue-Uke mound of 

 soil a Uttle distance above the level of the rim, and the base of 

 the plant should be upon the top of the mound. This eleva- 

 tion is necessary in order to allow the water to quickly pass 

 away from the "pseudobulbs, and thus prevent decay. Care 

 and judgment must be exercised, however, in this operation, 

 for if the cone of soU is carried up too high it becomes exces- 

 sively ugly; whilst, on the other hand, when properly done it 

 has a veiy pleasing effect, more particularly if a layer of living 

 and growing sphagnum moss is placed over the surface, and a 

 few plants of the small but beautiful Sundews planted amongst 

 it. I have been often asked my opinion respecting the boiling 

 of the sphagnum before using it for potting, the object being 

 to destroy any slugs or members of the small-shelled genus 

 Zonites which sometimes are found in tolerable abundance 

 amongst it when fresh gathered ; but I must and always have 

 had the gi-eatest objection to the practice of boiling, for I 

 1 5ve to see the moss growing, and at the same time I consider 

 the more hfe that can be maintained contiguous to the roots 

 of these plants, the more vigorous will be their growth ; and 

 I would sooner spend a week in the careful examination of a 

 batch of fresh-gathered moss, and pick-out the enemies with 

 my fingers, than plant a single Orchid in boiled sphagnum. _ 



The treatment of Orchidaceous plants includes nothing 

 difficult to either learn or practise, and anyone who really 

 loves his plants will soon become a sufficient adept to see if 

 the treatment is in accordance with the requirements of each 

 or any particular species or variety. In general it may be 

 accepted that, whilst growing, an abundant supply of water is 

 absolutely necessary to their well-being ; for it is upon the 

 humidity of the atrnosphere, and that alone, that they subsist. 

 After growth is finished many kinds require the water supply 

 to be entirely withheld, whilst others will not suffer their roots 

 to become dry at any season with impunity ; but as I shall 

 treat upon these peculiarities in detail as the various genera 

 and species come under notice, it is not accessary to dwell 

 upon the subject at gi-eater length in this place. 



Another thing will be worthy the attention of amateur.-, and 

 that is more care than is usually bestowed upon their plants 

 when in bloom, for I have frequently observed that they do 

 not derive that amount of pleasure from their plants when in 

 bloom, which it is possible to obtain with a little forethought 

 and care. There are two reasons which bring about this state 

 of things. Tlie first is the practice of allowing the plants to 

 grow and flower in the same situation ; the consequence of this 

 i^, that as the temperature and atmosphere are maintained in 

 the same state for the sake of the majority of the plan ts, the ah- 

 is f .r too densely charged with moi.sturu to allow of the flowers 

 lasting long. Another cause which I have frequently observed 



destructive is the syringe being used carelessly, and thus the 

 flowers ai-e wetted daily, and, in consequence, soon become 

 spotted, and fade away much more quickly than they would 

 have done if carefully preserved. The question then arises, 

 What must be done to enable amateurs to reap the full benefit 

 of their flowers ? To remedy these defects the best plan un- 

 doubtedly is to provide a small house in which a somewhat 

 lower temperature and drier atmosphere is maintained, and 

 where the syringe is not used ; but at the same time it should 

 be borne in mind that dryness in the atmosphere should not 

 be carried to extremes, or the evU wiU be as great, although 

 brought about by directly opposite causes ; therefore sufficient 

 moisture must be maintained in the air by pom-ing water upon 

 the floors and stages. This remedy, however, is not within 

 the reach of all amateurs, therefore the next best plan is for 

 the cultivator to set apart a portion of the house in which all 

 plants in bloom may be grouped ; this should always be the 

 coolest end of the house, and, to give a graceful and varied 

 effect, a few Ferns, Palms, and other ornamental-fohaged 

 plants should be mixed with them. Growing Orchids is 

 entirely undertaken with the idea of the production of flowers, 

 and consequently it behoves the cultivator to reap the ut- 

 most pleasure from them compatible with the health of the 

 plants. In conclusion I may add, that in consequence of the 

 thick fleshy texture of the majority of Orchid blooms, they 

 last an immense time when cut and placed in vases for the 

 decoration of the drawing-room or boudoir, and that they form 

 exquisite and chaste ornaments for dressing a lady's hair, es- 

 pecially if backed lightly with a sprig of Gleichenia or Maiden- 

 hair Fern. — Expebto Crede. 



ESTABLISHMENT OF LORANTHUS EUKOP.EUS 



AT GLASNEVIX. 



Valuable, interesting, and many as have been Dr. Moore's 

 contributions to science, with none of them, perhaps, wUl his 

 name be more intimately associ.-ited than in connection with 

 the successful experiment the details of which he made public 

 in the very interesting paper on the estabUshment at Glasnevin 

 of the Loranthus, both on the common and Evergreen Oak, 

 which he read at a meeting of the Eoyal DubUn Society. It 

 appears from what he stated on that occasion that his efforts 

 to establish the Loranthus were by no means of recent date. 

 More than twenty years ago he got his friend Mr. Bellenden 

 Kerr to procure seeds of it and have them forwarded to Glas- 

 ueviu from Vienna. The seeds duly arrived, and we believe 

 in good condition. They were duly attached in various ways 

 to different parts of Oak and other trees, and overj' care taken 

 to insure success, but, after looking fresh and viell for a con- 

 siderable time, they ultimately dropped off. 



In 1869, on occasion of the great Horticultural Congress, 

 Dr. Moore visited St. Petersburg, where, among the asscmblid 

 savan-^,he met the accomplished Professor of Botany at Vienna. 

 In compliance with a request then made, this gentleman in 

 due course forwarded to Glasnevin, not merely berries of the 

 Loranthus europfeus, but a fine specimen of it on a small Oiik 

 brauch, and laden with berries. The bunch was suspended 

 and otherwise secured within a barrel, and thus safely trans- 

 mitted to Dubhn. Having pre\-iously failed to get the seed to 

 germinate on the bole or other branches, though tied on the 

 inner bark as well as the surface, it luckily occurred to Dr. 

 Moore to try them on the soft young wood. He did so, attach- 

 ing them to the spot from which a bud had for this purpose 

 been removed. After some months, hopeful indications of 

 success were manifested, and in the course of 1870 Dr. Moore 

 had the gratification of seeing his efforts crowned with success, 

 and Lor.mthus europa^us at last numbered among the many 

 living pl.mt varieties to be found at Glasnevin. Its progress 

 in the young state is remarkably slow, and, moreover, this 

 species, nnUke our Mistletoe, being deciduous, the plants 

 established at Glasnevin, both on the common and Turkey 

 Oak, are as yet, more especially at this season, not very con- 

 spicuous objects. We congratulate Dr. Moore and th': noble 

 institution with which he is connected on the success of his 

 experiments. Interesting, no doubt, as it is, looked at from 

 the botanical and scientific standpoint, it is even more so 

 when viswed in its horticultural aspect. We are induced to 

 regard the success in the pi-esent instance as the forerunner of 

 other successes in the same direction, which will result in the 

 introduction and successful cultivation in our stoves .nud green- 

 houses of some of the gorgeius Indian Loranths, which are at 

 once the wondtr and admiration of scientific travellers, cloth- 



