October 27, 1888.] 



THE GABDENEBS' CHRONICLE. 



475 



Several varieties of Oncidium Forbesii, Cattleya 

 Loddigesii alba, Vanda cu-rulea, Barkerias, and a 

 few other plants, made a fairly good, seasonable 

 display. J. D. 



Cattleya pumila. 



This plant, noticed in the account of Mr. Sillem's 

 Orchids, p. 474, was described by Sir W. Jackson 

 Hooker as one of small size, "the minute rounded 

 pseudobulbs and the narrow leaves, together with 

 the obtuse, short, and almost fimbriated lip, will, 

 I think, clearly distinguish it from those hitherto 

 described." It had been sent to a Mr. John Alcard 

 from Essequibo, and who flowered it just fifty years 

 ago. There is much confusion amongst this section 

 of Orchids, but Messrs. Veitch, in their Manual of 

 Orchidaceous Plants, give L. pumila specific rank, and 

 have expunged Cattleya marginata. This was intro- 

 duced in 1842 by M. Pinel, a French merchant, who 

 sent L. pumila under this name to M. Morel of Paris. 

 Lindley also figured it under the name of Cattleya 

 pumila in the Botanical Btyister, 1844, t. 5. He also 

 says it is a native of Brazil, and could not be found 

 at Essequibo. An allusion is made to its name of 

 C. marginata as " expressing the appearance of a 

 beautiful pale border to the blood-red blotch of the 

 lip." C. Pinelli was also alluded to as having been 

 received from Messrs. Rollissons. The flower had 

 white sepals and rose-coloured straight, not curved, 

 petals. C. spectabilis of Paxton's Flower Garden is 

 also L. pumila. The correct arrangement is, there- 

 fore, as follows : — The type form, L. pumila, L. p. 

 var. Dayana, L. p. var. pra-stans. J. Douglas. 



Cattleya Bowringiana. 

 A fine batch of this useful autumn and mid-winter 

 flowering Orchid is now in bloom at Messrs. ¥. 

 Sander & Co.'s nursery at St. Albans. Some of the 

 spikes bear fourteen flowers, each being a bouquet 

 in itself. The importation has been prolific in fine 

 varieties, their colours varying from pale lilac to 

 bright rose. No pure white variety has yet appeared, 

 but the importation is watched with interest for one 

 to unfold its flowers.' 



Cultural Memoranda. 



POLYGALA DALMAISIAXA. 

 This is a strong growing and free flowering green- 

 house plant, of drooping or trailing habit, producing 

 Pea-like flowers of a bright Peach colour from the 

 points of the shoots. From November onwards 

 cuttings of the young growth may be taken and 

 inserted round the edge of 3-inch pots filled with 

 peaty soil and having a surfacing of silver-sand ; put 

 in heat, watered, and kept close until rooting takes 

 place. They should then be potted ofl' singly into 

 the same sized pots, shifting them into larger pots as 

 they require it. Plants in 4} inch and (3 inch pots — 

 their flowering shoots being allowed to bang over the 

 edges of the stages iu the greenhouse and conserva- 

 tory — are effective and pleasing. The shoots should 

 be pinched two or three times in the earlier stages 

 of growth to cause them to branch freely. 



Pimelea Hbhsbbsoni. 



At the present time this pretty, hard-wooded 

 greenhouse plant is not met with so frequently as 

 it used to be some twenty years ago. This is to be 

 wondered at, as plants of it in pots ranging in size 

 from 4.V inches to 15 inches in diameter, are very 

 effective and useful decorative subjects. The flowers, 

 of a beautiful pink colour, are produced from the 

 point of the shoots during the summer months. The 

 plant is easily propagated from cuttings of the 

 young growth, treated as recommended for Polygala 

 Dalmaisiana. 



Cyclamens. 



Plants now developing flowers will be benefited by 

 being watered two or three times a week with tepid 

 liquid manure, and an occasional surface-dressing of 

 Beeson's bone manure may be afforded. Seed may 

 now be sown for flowering next autumn, using 



seed-pans from 9 to 12 inches in diameter, and 

 from 3 to 5 inches deep, drained efficiently, and 

 filled with a mixture of three parts light sandy loam 

 and one of leaf-soil. In sowing the seed cover it 

 lightly with the soil, and place the pans on a shelf 

 in a stove or warm pit, where the temperature is not 

 likely to rise above 55°, or fall below 50°. When the 

 seedlings are large enough to handle prick them out 

 into pans or 6-inch pots, and into a like kind of 

 soil; water with a fine-rose pot, and place again in 

 heat near to the roof-glass. In due time pot them 

 off singly into small 60's, making the soil moderately 

 firm about the roots, and keep the plants in a 

 growing state, the object being, not to check growth 

 from the time they have started into leaf until they 

 have done flowering, but shifting them into larger 

 pots as thev require it, and treating them in the way 

 indicated. >/. W. Ward. 



enough water. Where practicable, occasionally give 

 the plants a heavy syringing: this not only cleans the 

 foliage but keeps the buds plump. If the buds stand 

 too thickly take ofl' one quarter of the number now, 

 and later, if none fall, one quarter more. F. Boss, 

 Bletchingky. 



Plants and Their Culture. 



The Conservatory. — The majority of th'.' summer- 

 blooming soft-wood plants being now over, and 

 those with tender foliage being removed to warmer 

 quarters, as also the dwarfer and more select of the 

 hard-wooded plants to positions where their require- 

 ments can be suitably met, the opportunity is afforded 

 of giving those that are left and the permanent sub- 

 jects a thorough cleansing before re-arranging them 

 for the winter. One of the most important points in 

 the management of a conservatory is thorough 

 cleanliness, for, however artistically it may be 

 arranged, shortcomings in this matter are almost 

 sure to obtrude themselves, and which detract very 

 much from the lull enjoyment of this part of a 

 garden. Being more often than otherwise con- 

 tiguous to the mansion, its use as an agreeable 

 retreat or lounge is frequently considered of more 

 importance than the conditions most favourable to 

 plant growth ; therefore at all times endeavour 

 to have it sweet, clean, and tidy, with as 

 much show as possible. Many climbing plants, 

 as Bougainvillea, Passiflora, Plumbago, Bignonia, 

 may have their shoots thinned out and be partially 

 cut back, and regulated in such a manner as to 

 admit the fullest light possible to the plants beneath. 

 At the same time the glass, woodwork, floors, pots, 

 should be made clean. Where the house admits of 

 it, much may sometimes be done to give new 

 interest by simply changiug to fresh positions some 

 of the permanent inmates, and by introducing 

 groups of plants with either [foliage or flowers of 

 one colour in prominent positions. Many other 

 ways and means will readily suggests themselves 

 to the gardener. 



Amaryllis. — As the display of bloom next year will 

 depend in a great measure on the preparation of the 

 bulbs the previous year, effort should be made 

 to ripen and mature them thoroughly; and any bulbs 

 which have made a late growth and have not yet 

 finished growing had better be encouraged in their 

 growth until the last set of leaves becomes full grown, 

 when, as in the case of the main portion of the 

 stock, they may be gradually ripened by placing 

 them in a house having a warm, dry atmosphere. 

 When the leaves begin to turn yellow less and less 

 water may be afforded the plant at the root, but do 

 not suddenly withhold water to such an extent that 

 the leaves flag very much, although a little flagging 

 would not matter. Those bulbs which have been 

 already matured should be kept quite dry and stored 

 away for the winter. If the pots are laid on their 

 sides they may be stored under the stages of the 

 greenhouse, of course keeping them dry till the time 

 for starting them in spring comes round. 



Camellias, — The present is an anxious time, as one 

 is eager to ascertain if any of them are likely to drop 

 their flower-buds, an evil against which precaution 

 should be taken. Take care, therefore, that the 

 soil does not get dry, and should there be any short- 

 comings in the supply of water at the root— and this 

 is specially to be guarded against in the case of large 

 plants planted out and in large tubs. It is a good 

 practice to form a ridge of soil about 1 foot from the 

 stems of plants in tubs, and sometimes it is requisite 

 for those in borders, and to pour the water inside of 

 the enclosure, therebv ensuring the proper wetting 

 of the centre of the bail— the outside soil usually gets 



The Flower Garden. 



Shrubs. — This month is perhaps one of the best 

 in the year for lifting and transplanting evergreens, 

 except hollies, trees, and shrubs ; but in the event of 

 inability to begin such work now, advantage may be 

 taken of fine open weather between now and the end 

 of next March. Where new plantations are to be made 

 the soil should be trenched two spits deep, and if of a 

 poor character it will be found advantageous to work 

 in with the staple a liberal dressing of manure. 

 Heavy retentive soils should be drained, or it will be 

 useless to attempt to grow Conifers and many of the 

 choicer evergreens. In transplanting large speci- 

 mens move them with a good ball, and in some cases 

 such work ought not to be done unless the plants 

 have undergone previous preparation, digging out a 

 trench at a reasonable distance from the bole and 

 refilling with light soil. Deciduous subjects may be 

 moved later. 



Flower Beds. — Those which are intended for early 

 spring flowers mav now be planted. In my opinion 

 a bed should be planted with two distinct species or 

 varieties and no more, and these should usually be 

 euch as will flower simultaneously, i.e., with subjects 

 whose chief beauty is their flowers. The following 

 plants are good for the purpose; — Wallflowers 

 edged with Viola Blue Bell, Arabis with Polyan- 

 thus or double-flowered Daisies, Myosotis dissitiflora 

 and Alyssum alpestre, Erythroniurns deus-canis with 

 Crocus, ChionodoxaLucili:c,and Snowdrops. Each and 

 all of the above go well together, and will be found 

 to make pleasing beds. By way of a change foliage- 

 plants should be employed as an edging; the two 

 first-named look well with a broad band of Stachys 

 lanata or variegated Vinca, and golden-leaved 

 Thyme or Sedum acre aureum might be used with 

 some of the others. J. Horsefield, Heytesbury. 



Fruits Under Glass. 



Melons. — In order to impart flavour to these 

 fruits at this season a high and dry temperature must 

 be kept up in the house — 70° to 75° at night. In 

 the daytime when the inside temperature reaches 80 c 

 with sun-heat a little ventilation should be afforded, 

 closing the house so as to secure a temperature of 

 85° in the afternoon, and this should not sink below 

 75° at 10 p.m. Caution is required in watering to 

 avoid the risk of the fruit cracking. 



We have still a nice crop of fruit from pots, 

 M'Indoe's Scarlet Premier, Penrhvn Seedling, High 

 Cross Hybrid, and Gulden Perfection are the sorts 

 wo grow. The fruits swell well for this season, 

 and the flavour is fairly good. Fruit which is cut 

 now will keep sound much longer iu a dry fruit room 

 than earlier in the season. 



Cucumbers. — Plants raised from seeds sown in the 

 beginning of August will now be in full bearing ; in 

 fact they will show a great deal more fruit than 

 should be allowed to remain, and it is always best, 

 in order to preserve the plants in vigorous health 

 during the winter, to crop with moderation. As the 

 nights lengthen and cold increases, a greater amount 

 of fire-heat must be employed, and this means more 

 moisture, but it is not advisable to syringe the 

 plants much and it should be supplied principally 

 by sprinkling the paths and beds. 



Where the bottom-heat is wholly dependent upon 

 hot-water pipes the plants must not be allowed to 

 suffer from dryness at the root, and when the beds 

 require water the maximum day temperature should 

 be reached before applying it, and the warmth of the 

 water should be 5° higher than that of the bed. Keep 

 a quantity of friable loam, leaf-mould, and spent 

 Mushroom-bed manure in equal parts on hand, to 

 place over the roots whenever they appear on the 

 surface. Prior to applying 2 inches of this dust the 

 roots with Thomson's manure, which will be found 

 a sufficient stimulant without having recourse to 

 dung-water at this season. Attend to the pinching 

 and training of the shoots with regularity, and 

 remove all damaged leaves from the plants before 

 deeav sets in. Wm. Baillie, Luton Hoo. 



