238 Notes and Gleanings. 



and have no greenhouse or glass-pit to keep them in. Such skeletons need little 

 care in winter. All young plants raised from cuttings must have light as well 

 as be kept from frost. 



Editors of "Journal of Horticulture:" — 



Your correspondent " E. S. R., Jun.," in January number, in an article on 

 " Parlor-Plants," recommends treating Ricliardia A£tliiopica a little diiferent 

 from what I would propose. Instead of turning the plants into the open ground 

 in spring "to rest," turn the pots on their side in some shady spot in the open 

 air where the sun's rays will not reach the pots : leave them there, giving no wa- 

 ter, till end of August. By that means, they will '• rest indeed." About the end of 

 August, turn them out of the pots, shake off every particle of soil from the 

 plant, remove all the offsets, pot them in good rich soil, put in a sunny, sheltered 

 spot, and water sparingly till they begin to grow. By this method, more and finer 

 flowers can be produced than by planting out the callas in spring, or leaving off- 

 sets on plants when repotting in autumn. I would also recommend raising Pri- 

 7)mla sinensis from seed every summer, as the plants are stronger, and the 

 flowers will be as fine if care is used in saving seed, and will save the trouble 

 of keeping over old plants. This does not refer to the double or semi-double 

 varieties. Thomas Skene. 



Gamsons, Dec. 29, 1868. 



Native Cypripedia. — Our native Cypripedla will bear forcing very well if 

 judiciously applied. Mr. Menand has frequently had C. acaule in flower about 

 this season : and he now has a pot of C. parvijlorum in bloom, with a dozen 

 flowers ; and a pot of C. spcctabile so advanced, that a week or ten days more 

 will develop its flowers. 



A gentleman who resides in Cleveland, O., informs me that he grows the 

 native Cypripedia with great success in his open garden by excavating a pit 

 on the shady side, a foot and a half deep, and cementing it entirely water-tight, 

 except that a few holes are left on the sides four to six inciies from the top. He 

 fills the pit with swamp-muck. 



I have succeeded well by planting pots in the open ground, but have never 

 tried the Cleveland plan, which I regard as preferable. When pots are planted 

 in the open ground, a cork should be fitted in the hole at the bottom, and one or 

 two holes made in the sides near the top, so that the surface will be drained 

 while the supply of wet at the bottom is still unexhausted. 



C. spectabile especially is such a beautiful flower (equal in delicacy of color 

 and form to most of the tropical orchids), and so easily cultivated, and in shaded 

 pots too, where few other plants will bloom, that I am surprised it is not more 

 generally grown. Roots can be got in abundance in this vicinity ; and in April, 

 or perhaps in May, they may safely be removed so as to secure bloom the same 

 season. Very few florists grow our native plants ; but Mr. Menand is an enthu- 

 siastic botanist, and can always furnish any quantity of roots of C. spectabile, 

 C. parviflortun, and C. pubescens. G. B. IV., Jun. 



Troy, N.Y., March i, 1869, 



