Jolt 14, 1888.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



35 



seen also in some Orchids, viz., in the Disa and 

 others, with the labellum uppermost, is seen also in 

 this Hippeastrum. I noticed from a distance that 

 there must be something abnormal in this flower, the 

 lower petals being unusually large, and this was 

 because one of the large outer ones was lowermost. 



It is not impossible that in all the curious modi- 

 fications we observe in flowers, we may sometimes 

 exaggerate the influence of insects in bringing about 

 such variations. Supposing such a flower as this to 

 occur in Nature, and to become fertilised in the 

 usual way by pollen of a normal flower, probably 

 this variation would be neutralised, and thus 

 extinguished; on the contrary, if other similar 

 abnormal flowers were in the vicinity, and their 

 pollen happened to fertilise this one, the influence of 

 both parents would then be concentrated in the 

 same direction, and probably in subsequent gener- 

 ations more abnormal ones might occur, and so 

 eventually give permanence to this variation, with- 

 out any special influences having been exercised, by 

 any special insect to modify progressively the flower. 

 The organs of reproduction, being in the normal 

 position, would require no change in the insect to 

 effect fertilisation. 



It would appear, therefore, that every variation 

 in a plant need not necessarily be of some advantage 

 to it, in order that it may be perpetuated, and, so to 

 speak, become a reason for selection. I believe that 

 many variations in flowers may have originated 

 accidentally (if this term be admissible), and that 

 they are there now because they were inherited with 

 other useful variations. 



In connection with Hippeastrums, I have seen a 

 very interesting and curious variation, viz., the 

 flower-scape, instead of originating in a side bud, is 

 the prolongation of the central or terminal bud of 

 the bulb. When the bulb flowers, therefore, its life 

 ends, and it perishes, leaving only the effects to con- 

 tinue that variation. In the Hyacinth, however, the 

 flower-stem appears to be also a continuation of the 

 central bud, yet the bulb lives on, enlarges, and 

 flowers again [from a lateral bud]. Not having, 

 however, made a study of the Hyacinth bulb, I 

 cannot say whether this is really so or not. Perhaps 

 some one else may be in a position to throw light 

 on this point. E. Bonavia, M.D. [See Henfrey's 

 Elementary Course of Botany, ed. 1884, p. '27, with 

 illustrations. Ed.] 



LIFTING AND EEPLANTING 



DAFFODILS. 



The question of lifting the bulbs of Daffodils 

 depends so much upon soil and climate that no 

 general rule will meet all cases alike. Like Mr. 

 Walker I should like to be able to lift and replant 

 the bulbs every year, but not being a nurseryman it 

 does not follow that I should do so in every case. In 

 the case of all the robust, strong rooting varieties I 

 should prefer to lift a third of the stock every year, 

 feeling sure that all kinds are benefited by being 

 lifted after the third season of growth in the same 

 place. Delicate and fine-rooted kinds like N. pal- 

 lidns precox are certainly best lifted every year, 

 indeed unless this is done here we should find no 

 bulbs left after the third year. The same is tme of 

 N. triandrus, N. tazetta in variety, and more espe- 

 cially the wild Indian, Cyprian, and African kinds. 

 The Dutch seedling varieties live and flower freely 

 for years on suitable soils, but even these never give 

 such fine trusses or bunches of flower as when 

 replanted every third year. 



We must never forget that on all soils at all con- 

 genial to the Daffodil there is a time when the bulb 

 exists without either roots or leaves. At this par- 

 ticular season it is like a cricket-ball, and as then 

 dug and replanted it is benefited by the operation, it 

 being of course taken for granted that the operation 

 is rightly performed. As to the " lifting and 

 storing " of Daffodil bulbs, it is a question of con- 

 cern to the nurseryman only. He must keep his 

 stock aboveground for sale, and that he extends this 

 season far too long is well known to all amateurs 

 reall .' conversant with bulb culture. After all, we 

 will excuse the trader, because some amateurs who 



do not know anything of the economy of bulb life 

 never think of ordering their " flower roots " until the 

 last moment, and then they too often grumble that 

 their bulbs do not bloom well : 



The real amateur cultivator of bulbs has nothing 

 to do with storing bulbs in any shape or form. It is 

 a necessary evil to the dealer, but to the amateur 

 storing should always mean deterioration. When 

 the amateur or gardener digs his bulbs, they should 

 be at once replanted in well-prepared soil, or if 

 stored at all it should be in dry soil or in sand — 

 never on open shelves exposed to the air, nor in ex- 

 posed heaps to sweat and become covered with the 

 mycelium of fungi. Any bulb exposed on shelves to 

 the atmosphere loses somewhat by evaporation— it is 

 for the time being " a fish out of water." 



Most of our Daffodils are planted in rows of twelve 

 to eighteen bulbs in a row, and our method of digging 

 and replanting is as follows : — We bring as many 

 10-inch flower-pots as there are rows, and into these 

 the bulbs are placed as they are dug, along with the 

 label belonging to each kind. The bulbs in the pots 

 are at once covered over with dry soil until they are 

 replanted again, which takes place as soon as pos- 

 sible. Out of the ground and in again is our plan, 

 and as so treated we get very fine growth the next 

 season. 



In preparing the soil for replanting we use no 

 manure, but plenty of sea-sand and burnt earth, and 

 refuse of all kinds from the rubbish fires. The ground 

 is worked up fully 2 feet in depth, and the bulbs in 

 the rows are entirely surrounded with sand before 

 the soil is filled in over them. 



On deep rich soils of a sandy or gravelly character 

 Narcissi generally lose their leaves and roots at the 

 end of July or early in August, but on some northern 

 cold wet soils the leaves and roots do not die off so 

 early or so suddenly, and in such places elevated 

 beds well dressed with sea-sand and burnt earth 

 assist the natural ripening-off process Crude farm- 

 yard manures should never be used for Daffodils, 

 and I believe when Mr. Walker manures his land, as 

 he often does, pretty heavily, it is devoted to a crop 

 of Peas, or Potatos, before bulbs are again planted 

 thereon, and a similar rule obtains in Holland. We 

 have certainly had as fine blooms of N. Horsefieldii, 

 N. bicolor, N. Sir Watkin, and other kinds from 

 newly replanted bulbs as ever we had from old- 

 established ones. The fact is, that when yon dig fine 

 big bulbs just at the time before mentioned, when 

 leaves and roots have naturally died away, the 

 replanting of such bulbs in fresh soil developes their 

 contents to the utmost, and finer flowers and leaves 

 are the rule here than if we had left such bulbs 

 beyond the second or third year undisturbed. If the 

 old-established or three-year-old theory was right, 

 one might expect it to hold good with Hyacinths 

 as well as with Daffodils, whereas everyone knows 

 that the contrary is the rule. The rule in Holland, 

 where bulbs of all kinds are, let us say, as well 

 grown and cultivated as in England, is to lift all 

 bulbs every year, and this is done in stock-taking, 

 apart from trade in flowering bulbs, in which latter 

 case it must perforce be done. 



Of course I know that on suitable soils some Nar- 

 cissi will grow and flower fairly well for ten, twenty, or 

 fifty years undug in gardens, and in a naturalised 

 state no doabt some Daffodils have existed in fields 

 and woods or in hill-side pastures for centuries ; but 

 if you dig up these bulbs and cultivate them in a 

 garden their flowers, as a rule, become very much 

 improved. The Tenby Daffodil may be cited as an 

 example of what I mean. 



After all, the best plan in practice is to find out 

 the best course to pursue on one's own soil and in 

 one's own locality ; and, answering for myself and a 

 soil which naturally suits the Daffodil, I find 

 replanting tender varieties every July or August, 

 and the stronger sorts every third year, to give the 

 the best results. There is one point bearing on this 

 subject of replanting annually worth noting. It is 

 this: when Daffodils get out of health and vigour 

 nothing restores their energy like annual replanting 

 in clean fresh soil and sand. Freshlj imported bulbs 



of N. moschatus from Val d'Arras, and of N. ornatus 

 from the French meadows, are dug in leaf, sometimes 

 in bloom ; hence it follows that such bulbs receive a 

 check from which it takes them a year or two to re- 

 cover, but the replanting annually of plump well 

 ripened home-grown bulbs at the right season is a 

 very different question. 



Of all the yellow Daffodils N. maximus is the 

 only one which seems to become stronger if left un- 

 disturbed for three or four years in our soil. One 

 must remember that three-year-old clumps of Daffo- 

 dils are thicker and so look stronger and more flori- 

 ferous t'lan replanted bulbs at 6 inches apart, but 

 that they really are stronger or more floriferous is 

 open to doubt. After all it is a question every culti- 

 vator must decide for himself, but annual replanting 

 being beneficial to weak-rooted, and delicate varieties, 

 it follows that it is likely to be of service now and 

 then to the stronger growing kinds although they 

 may not absolutely require annual attention. F. W, 

 Burbidgc. 



Orchid Notes and Gleanings. 



ORCHIDS AT BOCKING PLACE. 



Every collection after a time acquires some 

 special features — some section of Orchids, large or 

 small, which are better represented than another. 

 The collection of S. Courtaald, Esq., at Braintree, 

 is noted for its Masdevallias, which consist of the 

 best and showiest, and also the more minute 

 of this interesting genus. As .a really gorgeous 

 and showy plant, M. Veitchiana and its larger 

 variety, M. V. gigantea, stand first, then comes the 

 varying but always beautiful M. Harryana, of which 

 about a score of varieties, whose colours run from 

 pale lilac to brilliant scarlet, are in bloom. 



The vivid and free-flowering varieties of M. ignea 

 rank next in point of showiness, and the numerous 

 section of chimreroid Masdevallias, chiefly growu in 

 baskets, are curious, beautiful, and continuous-flower- 

 ing. Over a hundred species of Masdevallias are to 

 be found in the house set apart for them, and from 

 the healthy condition of all it is evident that Mr. 

 Alfred Wright, their grower, well understands their 

 culture. Besides the showy species above alluded to, 

 in bloom are Masdevallia porcelliceps, M. simula, M. 

 Bonplandii, M. Bruchmulleriani, M. Benedicti, M. 

 Carderi, M. leontoglossa, M. senilis, M. chimera 

 rubra, M. bella, many M. chimoera, M. troglodytes, 

 M. Estrada', M. trichaste, M. triaristella, M. mas- 

 cosa, M. trochilus, M. achrocordonia, M. Schlimii, 

 M. gemmata, M. anchorifera, M. calura, M. campy- 

 loglossa, M. peristerii, M. pu'vinaris, M. torta, M. 

 astuta, M. rosea, and various others, some of the 

 more curious, such as M. gemmita, which seems 

 identical with M. tricha'te and M. triaristella, which 

 is synonymous with M. tridactylitis, being literally 

 covered with their curious beetle-like flowers. 



The requisites to preserve the Masdevallias in 

 good health are found to be an equable cool temper- 

 ature the year round, and especially the maintainance 

 of it as cool as possible during the summer months ; a 

 profuse but regulated supply of rain-water according 

 to the season of the year ; the plants to be kept moist 

 even in the coldest weather ; while the house should 

 be carefully shaded and well ventilated. 



No species of Orchids are easier grown than the 

 Masdevallias if properly treated, or more miserable- 

 looking if the house be kept too dry, warm, and 

 sunny. The plants of the chimasra section, M. 

 tovarensis, are much benefited by being kept 5° or 

 7° warmer in winter than the others. 



Cattleyas are likewise a feature, some grand varie- 

 ties of C. Trianse, C. Mendelii, and C. Mossise, 

 were observed, as well as the phenomenal variety of 

 C. Triance with regular crimson dotted stripes up 

 the segments, which was so much admired at the late 

 Ghent Exhibition. The varieties of Cattleya gigas, 

 do remarkably well with Mr. Courtauld, producing 

 large and handsome flowers. 



The Cvpripadiums of the niveum section v. r. ap- 

 parently in suitable quarters, the flowers on the 



