August 14, 1866. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



123 



saw was iu the pardon of Sir Hugh Williams, at Bodelwyddan. The 

 cochiiieul insert was the noxt subject referred to, an Opuntia bearing 

 that insect ha\ing been exhibited by Mr. (iiilliford, and some details 

 were given as to the mode of collecting the insects and preparing the 

 valuable dye which they yield. The variegated Rroussonetia papyri- 

 fera was then referred to as a handsome variegated plant, equally hardy 

 with the plain-Ieavod sort, and tho use made by tho Japanese of the 

 inner bark of the latter in producing a bibulous"paper, was mentioned, 

 as well as the fact of a tough cloth being manufactured from it by the 

 natives of the South Hoa Islands. The other plants noticed were 

 Tracht'lium Cfflrulenm, Ac-eua novavzealandire, nearly allied to Burnet, 

 and an Odontoglossuni from Maraquita, remarkable as a botanical 

 curiosity. Attention was also directed to a Hollyhock spike, in which 

 several shoots had become united, as sometimes happens with Aspara- 

 gus,, and it was remarked that tho upper blooms were fair, though 

 they would not pass muster with a florist, whilst of the lower flowers 

 ovory oue had developed florets. 



Mr. Batcmau said that though there were numerous novelties among 

 the Orchids exhibited, they all laboured under the difficult; which 

 other new Orchids experienced — that of not being in a condition to 

 exhibit their beauties to the best advantage. The first to which he would 

 allude was Vanda Bensonii, named after Lieut. -Col. Benson, Deputy 

 Adjutant-General of Rangoon, an enthusiastic collector of plants. 

 As exhibited, it had miserable foliage and only a few flowers ; but 

 native specimens showed that it had not only fine foliage, but produced 

 fourteen or fifteen flowers in a spike. There was also a remarkable 

 Bolbophyllum, from Borneo, exhibited by Messrs. Veitch, having 

 beautifully netted leaves, and an Aciueta, from Central America, with 

 large clusters of yellow flowers, and very distinct from any species 

 at present known ; also, from his own garden, Cudogyne corrugata, 

 so called from the wrinkled appearance of its p3eudo-bulbs. Among 

 the most remarkable of the old kinds was Laelia crispa, in beautiful 

 bloom. This, which was first ranged under the genus Cattleya, had 

 kept him waiting twenty-five years, but he had at length been rewarded 

 by its flowering. Some varieties wero obstinate in doing so, and 

 others were the reverse, and he could now congratulate the members 

 of the Society on having a free-flowering variety for distribution. 

 From Mr. Bull there came an example of Peristeria elata, or tho 

 Dove plant, known also in Panama as El Spirito Santo, in conse- 

 quence of the singular resemblance of the column of the flower to a 

 dove. The plant first flowered in England with Mr. Harrison, of 

 Liverpool, in the year iu which the Liverpool and Manchester Rail- 

 way was opened, and very few persons who had a love for plants did 

 not avail themselves of that opportunity of going to Liverpool to see 

 this beautiful plant and the rest of Mr. Harrison's wonderful collec- 

 tion of Orchids. He hardly knew any plant giving a more perfect 

 representation of an animal form than the Peristeria, for the resem- 

 blance between it and the beautiful silvery wings of a dove might 

 almost be said to be perfect. Of Oncidinm Lanceanum there was 

 also an example, and coming from Surinam it required a high tem- 

 perature. He remembered having sent to Demerara, now nearly thirty 

 years ago, a collector, who, having come across this plant on a tree 

 bending over the Essequibo river, and knowing that Henchman, another 

 collector, employed by Messrs. Low, was but a day and a half behind 

 him, stripped the tree of all the plants that he possibly could take and 

 buried the rest, so that the other collector might not secure the same 

 prize as himself. He would leave it to others to say whether or no 

 anch a course was right, and though it would admit of some discussion, 

 he would not pretend to defend it ; but this he knew, that the proceed- 

 ing of Colley was very advantageous to him (Mr. Bateman), for ho 

 was enabled to make exchanges on tho most advantageous terms, bis 

 plants being worth ten guineas instead of two. Poor Colley (for that 

 was the collector's name), died two or three years ago, and he might 

 mention that his widow, a very respectable person, still lives at 22, 

 Hereford Street, Lisson Grove, Paddington, though in by no means 

 good circumstances, and, as she is an excellent ct>isim'r/r t some. of 

 those present might be disposed to employ her. Among other Orchids 

 for distribution was a handsome spike of Phala'nopsis grandiflora, the 

 queen of bridal Orchids, furnished by W. Wentworth Buller, Esq., 

 of Strete Raleigh, who informed him that the plant from which it was 

 cut had not been out of bloom for two years, and in that time had pro- 

 duced no less than thirty-two spikes, as many as five having been 

 in flower at one time. In connection with Notylia bicolor, an in- 

 significant-looking Orchid, Mr. Bateman remarked, that Mr. Wilson 

 Saunders was about to publish a work called " The Refuge," in which 

 all small Orchids which could not make their way in the world by 

 their gay flowers, would have justice done to them. With reference 

 to Allamanda Schottii Hendersoni, of which Mr. Bull had sent cut 

 blooms for distribution, Mr. Bateman cautioned those who might 

 obtain them to be careful, for he knew that if the petals of Allamanda 

 cathartica were put into the mouth they caused pain for a consider- 

 able time afterwards. Attention was then directed to a cut specimen 

 of Renanthera Lowii, between 7 and 8 feet in length, and bearing 

 thirty-two blooms, shown by E. Wright, Esq., of Birmingham. It 

 was remarked that this magnificent Orchid is a native of Borneo, 

 where it was discovered by Mr. Low, jun., and on its first introduction 

 named Vanda Lowii. This Renanthera was remarkable for the great 

 length of its spikes, and he might mention that, fine as the specimen 

 before the meeting was, he had seen one a year or two ago at Mr. 

 Rucker's, at Wandsworth, which very much surpassed it, for it had no 



less than twelvo racemes equally long with that exhibited, which by 

 reoSOB of their gr*mt length were festooned across the path, producing 

 a most striking effect. A peculiarity which he might mention was, 

 that tho two or three flowers nearest the base of tho shoot were in 

 this species different from tho rest, being thick, fleshy, and of a 

 tawny colour. Granadillas were tho next subject to which Mr. Bate- 

 man alluded, and of these he had brought some (fruit of Passirlora 

 ednlis), from his own garden, that the visitors might taste — a privilege 

 which he seldom enjoyed himself, so fond of them wero his family. 

 The proper way to eat the fruit was like an egg, with or without 

 sugar, according to taste. With reference to Passirlora macrocarpa 

 Bplendens, Mr. Bateman said he had received a letter from Mr. 

 Hullett, who had offered it for sale at a very long price, giving the 

 testimony of the correspondent from whom ho had received the seeds 

 as to the enormous size of the fruit, but Mr. Bateman recommended 

 intending buyers to wait till they had seen fruit of 14 or 15 lbs. 

 weight, which, no doubt, would be honoured by the Fruit Committee 

 with a " double first class." After noticing a collection of Goose- 

 berries from tho Chiswick Gardens, and a hardy Rubus, not in con- 

 dition, bnt said to be excellent for game preserves, and to have fruit 

 partaking of tho qualities of the Raspberry and the Blackberry, Mr. 

 Bateman passed on to a Grape having a flavour somewhat resembling 

 that of the Strawberry, but partaking of the foxy taste of most of the 

 native American Grapes. He might add that America had been known 

 to the Greeulanders long before the discovery of Columbus, aud from 

 the ahundance of its wild Vines, it had received from them the name 

 of Vineland or Winelaud. 



Six new Fellows were elected, and the Loughborough Horticultural 

 Society, Sherborne Floricultuval and Horticultural Society, and Tam- 

 worth General Horticultural Society were admitted into union. 



Weekly Show, August 11M.— For tho best collection of miscella- 

 neous plants exhibited* by nurserymen, Messrs. Cutbush, of Highgate, 

 received the first prize. In the class for the best collection of vege- 

 tables, the first prize was awarded to a very meritorious exhibition, 

 consisting of vegetables and herbs, from Mr. Hill, Angel Row, High- 

 gate ; the second to Mr. Plester, gardener to Mrs. Rush, Elseuhara 

 Hall ; and the third to Mr. Whiting, of the Deepdene. In the Mis- 

 cellaneous Class Messrs. Cutbush received an extra prize for a col- 

 lection of twelve plants; and Mr. Tonkin, gardener to S. T. Keke- 

 wicb, Esq., Peamore, near Exeter, for an excellent specimen of Smooth- 

 leaved Cayenne Pine. 



GARDENING NOTES. 



The importance of gathering all ripe fruit before the morn- 

 ing sun has reached it cannot be too widely known. The 

 Melon, especially, is scarcely fit to eat if gathered warm, and the 

 flavour of Figs and wall fruit generally is affected to a marked 

 degree by the condition of the fruit at the time of its removal 

 from the tree. I believe vegetables also come under the 

 rule. 



In passing lately through Paris, I had again the opportunity 

 of noticing the diligent care with which the flower-beds and 

 grass plats are tended in the public gardens, and in the Bois. 

 The bedding plants are surrounded with a thick mulching of 

 rotten manure, which is well watered twice or thrice a-day. 

 The grass parterres are also well watered for hours together 

 during sunshine, by hose perforated with innumerable small 

 holes, which spread a gentle dew in all directions. These 

 hose are set on " travellers," so that they can be easily moved 

 from place to place. They water a tract of 100 yards in length 

 by about 10 in breadth at once, and without any trouble be- 

 yond the first placing in position. 



Large trees are transplanted in Paris, and having been sur- 

 rounded by haybands, have a funnel placed at the top of the 

 stem to receive water, so as to keep the haybands constantly 

 wet to prevent the tree from languishing. 



In the gardens of the Tuileries, and in those round the Louvre, 

 a pretty effect is given to the flower-beds by an earth border 

 between the grass-bed and the flowers. This is formed of 

 finely-sifted earth, and being slightly damped it keeps its place, 

 and, moreover, prevents washings round the grass borders. 



In planting, weeding, &c, over soft ground, it strikes me 

 that it would be weU for the workman to wear a kind of snow 

 shoe, to save the ground from being trampled hard. Such 

 shoes would be easily attached to the foot, and any handy man 

 could readily make them. They would save much time and 

 trouble in lieu of shifting boards, &c, and, being pointed in 

 front, might be easily slipped beneath the leaves of growing 

 plants without doing injury. 



A pretty effect may be produced on lawns, &c, if, at the time 

 of laying the turf, planks be first put down a few inches below 

 the surface, arranged in various patterns (stars, letters, crests, 



