466 Answers to Queries. 



I divested them of all their native soil, so that a momentary torpidity ensued ; 

 and there was no opposite qualities of earth to absorb nor prevent the regular 

 filter of water. This was done when they were collected from the field, and in full 

 bloom ; they were then potted, three to six bulbs in each pot ; the pots used were 

 from four to six inches in diameter, and well drained with fragments of lime- 

 stone about two inches deep in each pot. The earth used was Maiden loam, of 

 various qualities, avoiding those of the most arid and argillaceous quality. These 

 soils were not compounded, but each was used separate, with a view to ascertain 

 which kind suited them best. They were then plunged in coal ashes, about 

 three feet to the north of a wall six feel high, where they remained until October 

 or November, when they were plunged in saw-dust, in a cold frame, with the 

 Cypripediums, and other choice herbaceous plants, taken from the classed ground 

 for winter protection. They were removed from the frame to the former north 

 border situation on the appearance of the leaves and flower stems, early in May, 

 where they flowered in succession, very strong ; and some of the kinds by far 

 exceeded those in their natural place of growth ; particularly the Ophrys 

 muscifera ; O. apifera; O. aranifera; which now (August), have fine healthy 

 pericarps, with a full crop of seed in them. The kinds I have domesticated 

 with so much success, are — 



Of Lindley's Eleventh Edition of Of Smith's Compendium Florae 



Donn's Catalogue. Britannica. 



Orchis pyramidalis Orchis pyramidalis 



morio morio 



mascula mascula 



latifolia latifolia 



maculata maculata 



Gymnadenia viridis viridis 



— — — — conopsea — — conopsea 



Platanthera bifolia bifolia 



Ophrys muscifera Ophrys muscifera 



- apifera apifera 



aranifera aranifera 



Spiranthes aestivalis spiralis 



Listera ovata Listera ovata 



Epipactis latifolia Epipactis latifolia. 



" The only perceptible difference in the plants was, that those in the strongest 

 loam had better colours than those in the light loam. The success appears 

 to arise from adopting partial shade, and avoiding the reflection from the soil 

 of the cultivated flower border ; by which means we have grown and increased 

 the Cypripediums with equal success. Four years ago, a weak root of C. spec- 

 tabile, with only one crown bud, was put under the above kind of treatment, and 

 this year it has thirteen stems, ten of which have bloomed. 



' ' I am, Sir, &c. 



" Welbeck Gardens, August 29, 1826." " J. Thompson, Jun." 



Training standard Fruit Trees en quenouille. — " Sir : In the second number 

 of your excellent Gardener's Magazine, an allusion is made to a mode of pruning 

 apple and pear trees by a method very little known, so as to diminish their size. 

 It is termed ' en quenouille. ' May I request you to give a more detailed 

 account of the method in a future number, so as to enable any common gardener 

 to put it in practice. Permit me to add, that you would be doing great service 

 to the public, were you to give a few general and simple rules on pruning in 

 general, as applicable to different sorts of fruit trees. It appears to me that this 

 might easily and profitably be accomplished by classing the fruit trees, according 

 to their mode and place of bearing their fruit. For example ; apples, pears, plums, 

 cherries, bear nearly alike on natural spurs, the whole length of the branches; such 

 branches, therefore, should not be shortened, (excepting to produce wood, &c.) 

 On the contrary, peaches, nectarines, apricots, Morello cherries, &c. &c. bear on 

 the last year's wood, and such trees require shortening to produce young bearing 

 wood, &c. I beg your consideration of this subject in your next number. 



" I am, &c. G. P." 



