2i0 



JODBNAL OP HORTIOULTDBE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



[ March 25, 1875. . 



few Ininps of charcoal added. Before filling the baskets a layer 

 of potsherds should be placed in the bottom, and over it some 

 clean live sphagnum ; the moss that is mixed with the compost 

 should also be fresh. The base of the pseudobulbs should 

 just be covered when the plant is put into the basket. 



The Stanhopea is not very subject to the attacks of insect 

 pests. Red spider, however, is occasionally troublesome in 

 hot weather, but a free use of the syringe and tepid water will 

 either prevent their attack or dislodge them after they have 

 gained a footing. When the bulbs are matured water should 

 gradually be withheld, and they should only have enough to 

 prevent them from shrivelling. 



S. TiGKiNA is one of the finest of the species. The flowers 

 are very striking and handsome ; the ground colour is orange, 

 irregularly spotted with reddish brown. It is a Mexican species, 

 and was introduced in 1836. Dr. Lindley observed that the 

 flowers of S. tigrina are larger and handsomer than those of 

 any other known species, even exceeding those of the magni- 

 ficent S. Devoniensis. It flowers in August. Mr. Bateman 

 states that it was originally imported from the neighbourhood 

 of Xalapa by Messrs. Lowe & Co., and that it is among the 

 easiest of the genus to cultivate. The fragrance of the flowers 

 is Tery peculiar, resembling a mixture of Melon and VaniUa. 



LONG-STEMMED AURICULA. 



A coEKESPONDEKT in the Journal of March 11th writes about 

 a long-stemmed Auricula, and "D., Deal," gives him no 

 satisfaction. 



Some varieties, such as Martin's Mrs. Stnrrock and Camp- 

 bell's Lord of Lome, are very prone to make long bare stems. 

 In my judgment your correspondent may safely shorten the 

 stem, and replant as deep as the leaves. 



If the stem is furnished with roots so far as it is under 

 ground, let him look for a slight contraction of the stem, some- 

 what like the joint of a finger, and here he may cut. Let him 

 dip the stem in powdered charcoal, and let the cut base rest 

 on the same. I have always found it necessary to be careful 

 about the proper place for cutting the stem or tap root. Those 

 contractions I speak of seem the best place for a new point of 

 departure. Of course your correspondent will take care to 

 preserve a suflicieney of roots ; and I would not recommend 

 the operation to be performed except in May or end of July. — 

 Fbedebick Tymons, Clk., Cloghran. 



DALKEITH.— No. 3. 



ALTHonoH there is no flower garden proper at this fine 

 place, yet there are flowers in immense quantities in the first 

 order as to culture, and extremely effective as to taste in ar- 

 rangement. These are planted in borders contiguous to the 

 glass ranges and bounding the walks of the Idtchen garden. 

 No great variety of plants are used, but rather large quantities 

 of the few which flourish the best, and are the most distinct 

 and suitable are cultivated. 



It will not be necessary to detail the mode of planting, yet, 

 as giving a general idea of extent and arrangement, we notice 

 the 10-feet-wide borders on each side of a broad walk 4G0 feet 

 long. These are scolloped back and front, and have a row of 

 circles (! feet in diameter down the centre. These circles were 

 filled with Lobelia speciosa, having a centre plant of Centaurea; 

 the scollops being filled with Cerastium, Gazanias, and Gera- 

 niums Manglesii, Amy Hogg, Trentham Rose, ttc. Another 

 walk, 350 feet long, has similar borders, but planted differently. 

 Ageratum, Crimson and Purple King Verbenas, Dactylus glo- 

 merata, and the still fine old Geranium Trentham Rose being 

 mainly used. These borders are broken by several detached 

 beds. 



We take, as an example, a large circle raised to a height of 

 about 4 feet at the apex of the bed. It was planted as follows : 

 The outer line fl:j inches) with Sempervivum californicum, 

 followed by a similar width of Arabis lucida variegata; next, a 

 row of large plants of Sempervivum tabula>forme, backed by a 

 curcle of Polemonium variegatum. From this circle the bed is 

 divided into six panels, fiUed with Irtsiue Lindeni and divided 

 by Polemonium running up to the centre, which is finished by 

 a fine plant of Yucca aloifolia variegata. That is a grand bed, 

 the luxuriance of the Iresine and Polemonium being strikingly 

 effective. 



We yet come to another walk with its flanking borders even 

 longer and finer in effect than the others. In these the brilliancy 

 of Trop-Tjolum Cooperi was the telling feature. Even now I 



have not half enumerated the brilliant borders of Dalkeith, 

 but some idea is given of their extent and richness. We 

 now take a rapid run through the kitchen-garden department, 

 extending to eleven acres under crops, and containing a large 

 collection of all the best sorts of hardy fruits. There had 

 been a fine crop of Pears on both walls and standards, some 

 of the best sorts being in 1874 fully as fine from the standards 

 as from the wall trees, such as Beurre Diel, Beurri; Ranee, 

 Marie Louise, Williams's Bon ChrLtien,Duehessed'AngouU-me, 

 Beurre de Capiaumont, Ac, of which the fruit room contained 

 good specimens. Apples were only a light crop, but the fruit 

 was good in size and quality, although the light soil is not 

 naturally well adapted for Apples, Plums, or Cherries. Small 

 fruit had also been a very good crop, and large quantities of all 

 kinds are grown, principally for supplying Iruit for preserving. 



With a liberal supply of manure, fine crops of vegetables 

 are raised, the leading sorts being grown in large breadths to 

 meet the wants of the establishment. Very few sorts of a 

 kind are grown, good crops of good quality being more an 

 object than mere variety. Most new vegetables of merit, or 

 supposed merit, have a fair trial, but very few of them stand 

 the test against older and well-tried sorts. Prominent amongst 

 the newer vegetables is Veitoh's Autumn Giant Cauliflower 

 and Osborn's Forcing French Bean, both of which do well 

 here, and have taken the place of older sorts in pse at the 

 same time. We noticed a large breadth of the "Dalkeith" 

 Brussels Sprouts, a compact-habited and very prolific variety, 

 that has been grown here for many years, and which has been 

 found to keep in a bearing state longer than any other sort 

 grown. 



We observed a commodious gardener's house had just been 

 erected, and further and better conveniences for the young 

 men are contemplated, the Duke being proverbial in providing 

 for the dwelling and comfort of all his dependents. The town 

 of Dalkeith is of pleasant aspect, and evidences more than a 

 common display of window gardening. This is at all times a 

 pleasing feature, and a sure sign of the cleanliness, thrift, and 

 intelligence of the inhabitants. The taste for domestic flori- 

 culture is no doubt fostered by a judiciously-managed Horti- 

 cultural and Industrial Society, and the numerous gardens, 

 both large and small, in the neighbourhood. 



This closes our notes of what is undoubtedly one of the 

 best, and best managed, gardens of Britain— a garden which a 

 holiday gardener would do well to visit ; he will see sound 

 thorough practice rather than mere show, and will receive a 

 courteous welcome from one of the most able and worthy 

 members of the craft — the intelligent superintendent — Mr. 

 Dunn. — J. Weight. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The Potato being a product of national importance, a 

 Committee has been formed to give the utmost encourage- 

 ment to its cultivation and improvement, and to promote the 

 production of new and improved varieties, and to bring these 

 more prominently before the public an exhibition is proposed 

 to be held in London. We have seen the schedule of prizes, 

 which are liberal, and when advertised, so that growers may 

 see that the promoters are trustworthy, we have no doubt they 

 will heartily respond. 



De. Kalendee of Linderhiihe, near Cologne, gives an 



elaborate account, in the Kulnisclie Zeitiimj, of the new enemy 

 to the Potato which has caused such ravages in the Potato 

 plantations of the United States — namely, the Colorado Beetle 

 (Doryphoradecemlineata). The general opinion on this beetle 

 is rather uncertain ai present, some considering it almost 

 harmless, while others attach great importance to its being 

 prevented from visiting Europe. Dr. Kalender applied to the 

 Prussian Miniiter for Agriculture, and obtained the most 

 reliable information, which is based upon a report of Mr. C. 

 Riley, in the "Annual Report on the Noxious, Beneficial, and 

 other Insects in the State of Missouri." It appears that the 

 insect passes the winter in the ground, but as soon as the 

 Potato plants have developed their first shoots the beetle shows 

 itself. The females then deposit their orange-coloured ova, in 

 lumps of ten to twelve, upon the under surfaces of the leaves; 

 the larvie appear after five to eight days, and begin their 

 destructive work, which lasts two or throe weeks, after which 

 period they transform into nymphff ; ten to fourteen days later 

 the young beetles appear ; thus one summer can see three or 

 four generations, of which the last one passes the winter in the 

 ground. The jusect does not couilue its devastations to the 



