328 



JODBNAL OF HORTIOXniTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ April 29, 1876. 



noniishment to enable them to withstand the rays of a tropical 

 sun. 



In the open country on the trees skirting the fields of Rice 

 luxuriates Saccolabium Blumei. It is no exaggeration to say 

 that this plant is found in thousands. It is quite beautiful to 

 see a tree covered with this epiphyte in flower. It generally 

 flowers during the first break in the rains about July. It is so 

 very well known to all horticulturists that it is unnecessary to 

 enlarge on the form of its flowers, which are white spotted 

 with rosy purple borne on a long raceme. This plant is rare 

 in the forests, which it appears to have forsaken for com- 

 paratively civilised haunts, and it is never found in such lux- 

 uriance as on the frees by the Eice fields. An explanation of 

 the luxuriance of its growth under these circumstances is very 

 easy. Eice is grown in water, the ground on which it grows 

 being irrigated, so that the ground is under water nearly the 

 whole year, the water being only withdrawn from the fields 

 just before harvest. Thus the epiphytes growing on the trees 

 enrrounding the paddy fields are always deriving nourish- 

 ment from the evaporation continually taking place, and an 

 extraordinary luxuriance of growth is caused by this circum- 

 stance. 



Ai'rides Lobbii is found in this district pretty freely scattered. 

 It is, as a rule, found in the forest in less exposed situations 

 than other allied species. It is a charming plant, and grows 

 after the manner of its Indian ally Aerides Fieldingi, bearing 

 long racemes of flowers, very light pink, spotted with dark 

 pink, the labellum being quite pink and of pointed form. In 

 fine plants the flower-stems have a branching habit, throwing- 

 out spikes of flowers along the main flower-stem, which gives 

 it a most graceful appearance. 



There are many small Orchids botanically interesting, com- 

 mon to the plains of Pegu, but of httle interest to the horti- 

 culturist ; one of these must, however, be excepted — Luisia 

 Psyche. This plant, unlike all other forms of the genus Luisia, 

 bears the most charming flowers. The plant is epiphytal 

 caulescent, growing perfectly erect, with terete rigid leaves, 

 bearing in their axis its beautiful flowers, light yellow, with 

 fine rich purple labellum of velvety texture. 



This is undoubtedly the most remarkable of all the Bur- 

 mese Orchids. The flower looks more like an insect than a 

 blossom, and the form of the labellum is most striking. 

 Luisia Psyche is easy of culture, growing well on a block. It 

 is accustomed in its natural habitat to the full blaze of a 

 tropical sun, and is found on trees growing on dry ground, 

 where no other Orchids, except its alUes, are found growing. — ■ 

 E. S. B. " 



KOTAL BOTANIC SOCIETY. 



The second show of the season was held yesterday, the weather 

 being genial and pleasant both for plants and visitors. The ex- 

 hibition was a very good and attractive one — indeed, the best 

 metropolitan display of the year. We are only enabled to give 

 a cursory review, omitting the awards, which were not com- 

 pleted when we had to leave the corridor. 



In the class for twelve stove and greenhouse plants Mr. Ward, 

 gardener to F. P. Wilkins, Esq., and Mr. Wheeler, gardener to 

 Sir F. n. Goldsmid, Bart., both staged excellent collections. 



For twelve Rhododendrons (nurserymen), Messrs. H. Lane 

 and Son had excellently-bloomed large plants, Mr. Cutbush 

 staging small compact plants in good condition. 



For nine Roses (nurserymen), Mr. C. Turner staged really fine 

 examples, also a good miscellaneous collection. In the class for 

 six Heaths compact and healthy plants were staged by Mr. 

 Wheeler and Mr. Ward. 



For six Azaleas (nurserymen), Mr. C. Turner had splendid 

 large plants ; Messrs. Cutbush & Son small but healthy plants. 

 Messrs. H. Lane it Son and Dobson & Sons also exhibited good 

 collections. In the corresponding class for amateurs Mr. G. 

 Wheeler, gardener to SirF. H. Goldsmid, had massively bloomed 

 specimens. Mr. James also contributed nice plants. 



For nine Cinerarias Mr. James and Messrs. Dobson & Son 

 staged good collections. The class for hardy plants was occupied 

 by a beautiful lot from Mr. Parker, Tooting, and Mr. Wheeler. 



In the class for six stove and greenhouse plants (Orchids ex- 

 cluded), Mr. Ward and Mr. Wheeler staged effective groups. 



For six pots of Mignonette, Mr. Barnes staged beautiful 

 pyramids. Mr. Toms also competed. Mr. Harborough staged 

 a gay collection of Amaryllis. 



Amongst new plants Mr. Bull exhibited remarkable plants of 

 Typhonium Brownii, Amorphophallns campanulatus, Dra- 

 contium asperum, and several Drjecenas. Messrs. E. G. Hender- 

 son sent Pelargoniums Happy Thoughts, Distiiiction, and Comte 

 de Gomer, Daisies, Pansies, Primulas, &c., also standard plants 

 of the beautiful Lithospermumfruticosum, and double Cinerarias. 



Mr. Turner exhibited a hybrid Rhododendron, Countess of 

 Dudley, a beautiful white sweet-scented variety of great excel- 

 lence. Hybrid Azaleas from Mr. Carmichael were effective; 

 Royalty being very fine, and Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael, of the 

 Amffiua type, distinct and good. 



For the prizes offered by the Metropolitan Floral Society for 

 Auriculas there was a gratifying response, the Rev. H. H. Dom- 

 brain, Mr. Douglas, Mr. Turner, and Mr. James staging plants 

 bright, fresh, and beautiful, many of them possessing high 

 merit — creditable to the cultivators and encouraging to the 

 Society. Mr. Turner and Mr. Douglas also staged good mis- 

 cellaneous collections. Mr. Douglas also sent a splendid basket 

 of finelv-grown Primula cortusoides ama?na. 



Cut Roses were sent by Mr. W. Paul, and a basket of plants of 

 the beauti'ul globular Ruse Peach Blossom. The cut Roses 

 also from Mr. Walker, Thame, were very superior. Messrs. 

 Carter & Co. exhibited their new Coleus Duchess of Edinburgh 

 — a distinct and beautiful variety. The same firm sent varie- 

 gated Musk ; and Mr. Hooper, Bith, a box of very good Pansies. 



Messrs. Veitch & Son, Mr. B. S. Williams, Mr. Bull, and 

 Messrs. Cutbush & Son staged highly attractive miscellaneous 

 groups of plants. 



BEDDING GERANIUMS. 



I CAN quite confirm what is said by " C. P. P." on page 289 

 as to the secondary place Mrs. Pollock must now occupy 

 amongst Golden Tricolors for bedding purposes. I find Sophia 

 Cusack, Sophia Dumaresque, Lady Cuilum, Sir E. Napier, and 

 William Sunday all superior to Mrs. Pollock, being equal in 

 growth, but more bright and lasting in colour. As Silver 

 Tricolors I find Italia Unita and Charming Bride admirable 

 for bedding in an exposed situation. 



I do not recollect ever seeing any mention of Souvenir de 

 Sir J. Paxton as a pink-flowering bedding variety. I find it 

 very superior, being of good colour, free yet short growth, 

 stout in the stalk, and its trusses lasting in perfection a long 

 time. I believe it was raised at the Crystal Palace by Mr. 

 Gordon. — J. Eogebs, Langton Hall. 



AQUILEGIA GLANDULOSA. 



This beautiful Columbine is a plant which only requires to 

 be once seen in something like perfection in order to be ever 

 afterwards regarded as one of the finest hardy herbaceous 

 plants we have. Why it is not more generally grown is pro- 

 bably owing to the fact that it is regarded as being more diffi- 

 cult to cultivate than it really is. In heavy clayey soils it will 

 not grow, nor will it survive the winter in damp low-lying 

 situations, even though the soil be of a lighter description. In 

 such places it must be treated as an alpine plant, and be grown 

 either on a rockery or in a prepared border ; and what it seems 

 best to thrive in is a mixture of sandy loam and peat, in which 

 it grows almost as freely as any of the genus. The sepals of 

 the flowers are of a deep bright blue, and the petals of a light 

 cream colour ; and a well-grown plant bearing a profusion of 

 flowers, which are usually from IJ to 2 inches in diameter, is 

 an object not easily passed by. 



There is a variety which was sent out many years ago by 

 Mr. Grigor of Forres, the well-known writer on arboriculture. 

 It is more robust, larger in all its parts, the flowers sometimes 

 measuring as much as -i inches across, and the petals nearly 

 pure white with a blue spot near the bottom of each. 



The best mode of propagation is by seeds, which should be 

 sown whenever they are ripe ; and though few if any of the 

 seedlings will come up before the foUowing spring, most of 

 them will then do so. — R. D. Tatlob. 



PEAKS. 



Having given much attention to the cultivation of Pears, 

 and having tried every system of growth and training, on 

 Quince and free stock, pyramid, espalier, and cordon oblique, 

 1 entirely endorse the opinion of Mr. Lea as to the caprioious- 

 ness, uncertainty, and variableness of almost every variety of 

 this fruit. Like him I fruit annually sixty varieties (indeed, 

 nearer seventy), and find those sorts named by him in the 

 Journal of the 15th keep the best, though many years Knight's 

 Monarch may be added to these ; and as late cooking Pears, 

 Leon le Clerc de Laval and Beurro de Printemps. 



Mr. Lea says he " cannot find Fondante du Comice on any 

 list." He may see it in the catalogue of Monsieur Dauvesse 

 of Orleans of the year 18G5. I have no later. It is there de- 

 scribed as first quality, ripe in October. He will also see 

 Fondantedes Charneuses, a Pear there called "de toutc premiere 



