362 



JODBNAIi OF HOBTICDLTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ October 2-2, 187-t. 



Turning to the glass structures my attention was arrested 

 by the vigorous condition of most of the plants, more especi- 

 ally Orchide, which were divided into two classes — stove and 

 cool-house Orchids, and their condition showed unmistakeably 

 how well Mr. Mnrton understands the culture of both, so as to 

 give to each species the heat necessary to grow it well, a dis- 

 tinction which in a great many cases is not at all understood. 

 AU were in the most vigorous health, but I only took the 

 names of a few, among which were the following : — 



Lrelia anceps, with seventy flower scapes; a very fine plant, 

 promisiug to be even finer another year. 



Lycaste crnenta, a very large and fine plant, likely to bear 

 dozens of flowers. 



Cattleya Dowiana, a very large fine plant, said to have pro- 

 duced a large number of flowers. 



Cattleya crispa, by some called Laelia crispa ; a very fine plant, 

 having at the time of my visit nine epikea and nearly one 

 hundred flowers out, besides which it was equally promising for 

 the future. 



Cattleya Mossite, very good and large. I believe this was one 

 of the approved varieties of this fine Orchid. 



Dendrobium Bensonie. A large and very fine plant of this 

 species was said to have been beautifully in flower some time 

 ago. 



Dendrobium chrysanthum. Mr. Murton thought this about 

 the best of some fifty or more Deudrobes he was acquainted 

 with, and the plant he had was certainly a promising one. He 

 thinks there are more varieties than one of this species, and 

 that the best of these has the richest colour of the family. 



Benanthera coccinea, a very fine specimen ; had been highly 

 ornamental when in flower. 



Oncidium ampliatum majus. An immense mass of this. Very 

 good. 



Oncidiums of several other species, of which I did not learn 

 the specific names, all good, and all occupying the cool house. 



Dendrobium eburneum. Although there was a very large 

 plant of this choice showy plant, yet Mr. Murton thinks D. chry- 

 santhum is superior ; as it was, this was equally good as a plant. 



Calanthe vestita, also very large and fine. 



Phalienopsis Schilleriana, a large plant also. I understood 

 had been very fine and good. 



Vanda teiis, also very large and fine. 



The above are only given as a few of the many fine Orchids 

 cultivattd at Tredrea ; and in regard to their being all so 

 large, it may be said that there is not the motive to multiply 

 them as is often done in a nursery, and sometimes also in 

 private gardens. Here it would seem that a really good spe- 

 cimen is more valued than several small ones : hence almost 

 everything was iaige and fine. And as an example of what 

 plants were common at this place, I may mention that there 

 were two masses of that old but universal favourite Vallota 

 purpurea in full flower in pots at the time of my visit. On 

 one of them I counted thirty-six flower-spikes all bearing large 

 brilliant flowers, and the other had twenty-five spikes. Two 

 such noble plants are not to be met with every day, and a few 

 such would have much weight at a flower show. I may add 

 that Eochea falcata was equally good ; indeed all flowering 

 plants were so, as were some Ferns ; but stove plants, having 

 only their foliage to recommend them, were not encouraged. 

 Although more extensive collections are to be met with, I 

 doubt whether there are any really better grown ; it consists, 

 too, of only the best kinds, all inferior ones being discarded. 



I may, perhaps, be pardoned mentioning that one of Mr. 

 Mui ton's neighbours is an experienced traveller, whose name 

 is well known to all who care for what is really good and choice 

 cf the trees and shrubs of the mountainous parts of South 

 America, and his name is associated with Orchids as well. I 

 allude to one of the Mr. Lobhe, for there were two brothers, 

 both collectors of plants, one in the east and the other in the 

 west. One, I believe, is now no more ; the other still lives in 

 this part of Cornwall, his native home, his health having 

 suffered, as may be expected, from the privations endured 

 in his travels. With such an intelligent neighbour we might 

 almost envy Mr. Murton, while the intending exhibitors of 

 Orchids at forthcoming shows would be likely to envy his 

 fine specimens which comparatively few will see, not that they 

 are ever denied to anyone, but the place is out of the track of 

 those who usually cultivate such plants — a fact which reflects 

 the more credit on Mr. Williams and his gardener for their 

 being so good.— J. EonsoN. 



Tallies. — A cheap and nnobjectionable tally for outdoor 

 work is still a desideratum. After trying several sorts, I give 

 the preference to Maw's earthenware No. 5, though very 



brittle. I write on them with a solntion of chloride of pla- 

 tinum thickened with a little gum, and then make them red 

 hot in a clear fire. The writing is permanent, but as it is 

 difficult to write neatly on the earthenware, I generally nee 

 numbers, though this again involves the trouble of keeping 

 and referring to a book. — G. S. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



We are informed that an Isternational Hobticdltuhal 

 Exhibition will take place at Antwerp, commencing on April 

 4th, 1875, under the anspices of the Eoyal Society of Horticul- 

 ture and Agriculture of that town, and promises to be on a 

 large scale. An International Exhibition of Fruits will 

 also be held at Amsterdam in October, 1875, under the manage- 

 ment of an influential committee. 



A NEW HoETicnLTniuL Garden has been opened at St. 



Peteesbueo under Imperial patronage. It is fifteen acres in 

 extent, and is to be devoted principally to illustrate how native 

 plants may be combined for pretty and tasteful decorations. 

 One large portion is to be devoted to Conifers, in order that 

 there may be, even in winter, green promenades.— (A'adirc.) 



Some large Walnuts have recently been on view in 



Covent Garden Market, weighing as much as 5J ozs. when 

 gathered. They were grown at Teddington, and are well- 

 flavoured perfectly-formed fruit. 



On the Itth inst. the Eight Hon. the Lord Mayor, Sir 



Andrew Lusk, M.P., and the Lady Mayoress entertained the 

 Master, Wardens, and Court of Assistants of the Fruiterers' 

 Company, in accordance with an ancient custom, at dinner at 

 the Mansion House. The invited guests also included the 

 Masters of the Merchant Taylors', Mercers', Masons', Mu- 

 sicians', Painters', Pewterers', Plasterers', Poulterers', Saddlers', 

 Skinners', Spectacle-makers', Stationers', Tallowchandlers', 

 Turners', Vintners', Weavers', Bakers', Barbers', Blacksmiths', 

 Broderers', Butchers', Carpenters', Clockmakers',Clothworkers', 

 Coach and Coach-harnessmakers', Cordwainers', Distillers', 

 Farriers', Girdlers', Glass-sellers', Joiners', Leather-sellers', 

 and Loriners' Companies. The dinner was served in the 

 Egyptian Hall, and was principally given to the Fruiterers' 

 Company in commemoration of the settlement long ago of an 

 old grievance between them and the Corporation, arising out of 

 the Lord Mayor for the time being from year to year in ancient 

 times claiming a metage on fruit brought into the City market. 

 This impost became so irksome to the traders that at length it 

 was commuted into a voluntary offering by them to the Chief 

 Magistrate annually of a choice selection of fruits of the 

 season, he in turn inviting them to dinner at the Mansion 

 House. 



■ — - Attention is being again directed to the cultivation 

 OF Cinchonas in St. Helena, which at one time promised so 

 well, but which has, owing to changes in the Government, 

 been allowed to lapse into decay. Some seven or eight years 

 since, when the island was under the governorship of Sir 

 Charles Elliott, Dr. Hooker strongly advised a trial of the 

 plants to be made, and plantations were formed at Diana's 

 Peak. So satisfactory was the progress of the plants that the 

 Government consented to the selection of a gardener from 

 amongst the best or most intelligent of those to be obtained at 

 Lew. One was chosen and sent out, and, to quote from a 

 recent number of the St. Helena GunrcUan, " All went well so 

 long as Sir Charles Elliott was at the head of affairs : plant- 

 ations were formed, and the gardener, Mr. Chalmers, was 

 treated as one having the charge and responsibility of an im- 

 portant colonial experiment, and the plants grew well up to 

 the time when Sir Charles Elliott left and Admiral Patey was 

 appointed in his stead. The new governor at once decreed 

 that the plantations at Diana's Peak were a mere foolish waste 

 of money, that the gardener sent out from Kew would be better 

 employed at Plantation House, and employed he was, chopping 

 firewood and raising Beans, Peas, and Eadishes, and selling 

 them for the benefitof the privy purse of Government House, and 

 the Cinchona plantations were left to go to ruin or to flourish 

 by their own unaided vigour, as the case might be." The 

 result of three years' cultivation and three years' subsequent 

 neglect seems to be, that although there are a few dead and 

 sickly plants, nearly all the trees are in full vigour and luxuriant 

 growth. There are about three hundred flourishing plants, 

 many of which are 12 feet high, and 3 to 4 feet in diameter. 

 The bark is also a quarter of an inch thick, and has an intensely 

 bitter quinine taste. Many of the plants in the St. Helena 



