69 4 



TBE GAR DENE US' CBR0N1CLB. 



[Decesiber 15 1888 



the old foliage decays. All the above grow well 

 together in a cool-house. 



Section 2.— Now we come to the grassy-leaved 

 section whose greatest misfortune, I believe, has 

 bsen their generic name, Disa, causing gardeners to 

 come to the conclusion that they require growing 

 with and on the same lines as the beautiful D. 

 grandiflora, whose culture is now well understood by 

 so many. The grassy-leaved section comprises D. 

 graminifolia, D. lacera, D. barbata, D. lugens, D. 

 venusta, D. spatulata, D. Zeyherii, and D. ferruginea, 

 and others, the two last named having broader and 

 s ifter leaves than the others named, which are rather 

 hud and rush-like. All these growin very different 

 s : tuations to the grandiflora section, and are always 

 found in the open, growing with Heaths, Agapanthus, 

 &c, and generally in sandy peat of precisely the 

 same quality as that used for potting Heaths and 

 New Holland plants in this country. The presence 

 of the Heath with this section of Disa should in 

 itself be a sufficient guide to their culture, and those 

 who grow the grassy-leaved and blue Disas in the 

 same way as D. grandiflora need only ask themselves 

 how Cape Heaths would fare under such treatment. 

 None of the Disas of this section have stolons, but 

 increase by the old tubers making one or more new 

 ones, the progress of which I have watched by keep- 

 ing the tubers in sphagnum and uncovering and in- 

 specting them frequently. This section of Disa 

 will grow with D. grandiflora if placed on a shelf or 

 in some situation where the air is not too moist, or 

 they may be grown in a cold frame or with Cape 

 bulbs. They are all deciduous, and the main point 

 of difference from the evergreen section is that they 

 require a distinct period of rest and even absolute 

 drying off at the end of the summer or at any period 

 commencing six weeks before the flowering time 

 of each species ; indeed, it is the neglect 

 of this drying off which has been the chief 

 reason of the blue Disas not flowering in 

 gardens, for I find that so tenacious of life are they 

 that they survive healthy in the tubers under the 

 most inconsistent treatment, although the flowers 

 are not produced. In point of fact, they require a 

 season of growth and rest, like the Nerine ; and, like 

 the Nerine, a drying off until the flower-spikes 

 appear is necessary, otherwise the energies of the 

 plants are diverted to the object of growth instead 

 of the production of flowers. All this section of 

 Disa -will do best potted in sandy peat, and kept 

 below the r m of the pot as in ordinary plants, and, 

 above all things, a pure clear air not heavily charged 

 with moisture is essential. Generally speaking, 

 the grassy leaved Disas are winter-flowering. 



A South African correspondent says: — "In the 

 case of the blue Disa the flower-spikes always 

 precede the leaves. It comes into flower in South 

 Africa in December, January, and February, which 

 are the hottest and driest months ; after being in 

 flower six or eight weeks the flowers fade and up 

 come the leaves, which remain green for about six 

 months." With respect to the remarks about their 

 flowering in the hot weather, we must recollect that 

 Our winter is the Cape summer, but as bearing on this 

 I learn that a great number of African terrestrial 

 Orchids grow in shady places, or, as in the case of 

 these grassy-leaved Disas and Satyriums on southern 

 slopes, which, we must also remember, is the shady 

 aspect in the Cape. With the Disas as with other 

 Orchids, we must not consider the question of heat in 

 the winter, or attempt to imitate what they get at home, 

 as we can better secure the good culture of the plants 

 by acclimatisation to our temperate culture. In my 

 opinion a clear light, but not direct sunlight, in the 

 Summer, and a clear pure air, are of the highest 

 importance to the culture of these plants ; and when 

 the theory of proper management is grasped, all of 

 them I believe can be as well grown by the amateur 

 with a cold frame as by the gardener with greater 

 resources ; indeed I have several species, including a 

 large specimen of D. racemosa, with fifty or sixty 

 growths which have never known a single degree of 

 artificial heat since they were imported eighteen 

 months ago. 



In a future number I will give a few notes of the 

 culture of Lissochilus, Disperis, Huttonica, &c, but 

 I must here state that I believe by far too much 

 water is given to all Cape terrestrial Orchids (except 

 the marsh-growing ones) under cultivation, and that 

 they succeed best when watered simply as Hpaths or 

 other plants. James O'Brien, Hxrrow-on-the HUl. 



PLANTS CERTIFICATED 



Durixq the Half Year exdixg Deo. 31, 1888, 

 BY THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The following received First-class Certificates: — 



Adiautum versaillense ... Williams, Aug. 28. 



„ Waltoni diffusum ... Walton, Oet. 9. 



Allium pedemontanuni ... Ware, July 10. 



Auguloa Ruckeri alba C. Dorman, July 24. 



Aster Townahendi Ware, Sept. 25. 



Beet (ornamental) Meiregor's 



Favourite Williams, Sept. 25, 



Begonia C. Showell Canne 1, Aug. 14. 



„ General Chiches'.er ... Cannell, Oct. 9. 



,, Mrs. Lascelles Cannell, Aug. 28. 



,, Mrs. Lynch Cannell, Aug. 28. 



„ Mrs. Stark Cannell Oct. 9. 



,, The Lady Cannell, Aug. 28. 



Campanula isophylla alba ... Ware, Aug. 28. 



Cauaa Admiral Courbet ... Cannell, Aug. 28. 



,, Capricieux Cannell, Aug. 28. 



,, Francesque Morel ... Ware, Aug. 28. 



„ Geoffroy St. Hillaire ... J- Veitch & Sons, Sept. 25. 



„ Paul Bert Cannell, Sept, 2?. 



,, Madame Just Cannell, Aug. 28. 



„ Ulrich Brunner J. Veitch & Sons, Oct. 9. 



Carnation K. H. Elliot ... Laing & Mather, Aug. 11. 



,, Elaine J. Douglas, July 24, 



„ Germania Hooper & Co., July 10. 



,, Madame Carle May, Sept. 11. 



„ Scarlet Bedder K. Dean, July 24. 



Carpenteria californica ... Miss Jekyll, July 10. 



Cattleya Harrisi Baron Schroder, Oct. 23. 



M Lamberhurat, hybrid ... Baron Schroder, Oct. 23. 



Chrysanthemum Avalanche ... G. Stevens, Nov. 13. 



„ Capucine J. R. Pearson & Sons, Oct. 23. 



,, Elsie Stevens, Oct. 9. 



„ E. Molyneux G. Stevens, Oct. 23. 



t;«„«w r nn S W". Holmes, Oct. 23. 



„ Lincoln s Inn -} R 0weQi ' cfc _ ^ 



„ Magicienne R. Owen, Oct. 23. 



„ Mr. Garner G. Stevens, Nov. 13. 



,, Mrs. H. Hawkins ... Hawkiua & Bennett, Sept. 11. 



„ Sunflower W. Holmes, Oct. 23. 



Cuelogyne Sanderiana BaronF.deRothschild.JulylO. 



Croton Aigburth Gem Ker & Son, Aug. 14. 



Dahlia Admiration Turner, Sept. 25. 



,, Agnes Turner, Sept. 25. 



„ Beauty of Brentwood ... West, Aug. 28. 



,, Duchess of Albany ... Cheal. Angust 28. 



„ Euxydice Keynes. Williams & Co., 



Sept. 25. 



,, Honoria Keynea, Williams & Co., 



Sept. 25. 



„ Hugo Turner, Sept. 25. 



,, John Cooper Humphries, Sept. 25. 



„ Juliette Turner, Sept. 25. 



,, Lady Montefiore Cheal, Sept. 25. 



„ Little Darkie Keynea, Williams & Co., 



Sept. 25. 



„ Little Ethel Keynes, Williams & Co., 



Sept. 25. 



,, Lothair Turner, Sept. 35. 



,, Matthew Campbell ... Keyuea, Williams & Co., 

 Sept. 25. 



„ Maud Fellowe3 Turner, Sept. 25. 



,, Mikado Girdlestone, Sept. 11. 



,, PaDthea Keynes, Williams & Co., 



Sept. 25. 



,, Victoria Cheal, August 28. 



,, Vivid Turner, Sept. 25. 



,, Whisper Keynea, Williams & Co., 



Sept. 25. 



Delphinium Horus Kelway, August 28. 



,, Prince of Naples Kelway, July 10. 



„ Ustane Kelway, July 10. 



Dianthus splen lens R. Dean, Sept. 11. 



Eremurus Olgce Ware, Sept. 11. 



Eacallonia Philippiana ... J. Veitch & Sons, July 10. 



Gaillardia splendidissima ple- 



nissima. Kelway, Aug. 28. 



Gladiolus accia Kelway, Aug. 28. 



,, Besler Kelway, Sept. 11. 



„ Bullion Kelway, Aug. 28. 



,, Castro Kehvay, Sept. 11. 



,, Cebes Kelway, Aug. 28. 



,, Magas Kelway, Aug. 28. 



„ Mago Kehvay, Aug. 28. 



„ Nicon Kelway, Aug. 28. 



Gymnogramma Bearcei ro- 



busta J. Veitch & Sons, July 10. 



Harpalium rigidum serai- 

 plenum Ware, Sept. 25. 



IrU Enterprise Gordon, July 24. 



„ Kaiser Wilhelm Gordon, July 24. 



Leolia Ameaiana x Baron Schroder, July 24. 



■ i porphyritea Baron Schroder, Oct. 9. 



,, Victoria x Baron Schroder, Nov. 13. 



Lastrrea montana ramo-coro- 



nans Birkenhead, July 24. 



Lilium nepalense Low, Sept. 11. 



„ Wallichianum Ware, Sept. 25. 



Nerine excellens Ware, Sept. 25. 



Nepenthes Dicksoniana X ... J. Veitch & Sons, Oct. 9, 



Nothocltena Muelleri Birkenhead, July 24. 



Odontoglosaum Karwlnskl ... Vanner, Aug. 28. 



n„„.\i:„T„ xr„„+;„-; f E. Crook, Oct. 23. 



Oncid.um Mantinu -j y VhjMi & Suns ^ ^ 



,, ornithorynchum Williams, Sept. 11, 



Oreocome Candollei C. Noble, July 24. 



Oatrowskya magnifica J. Veitch & Sons, July 10. 



Papaver orientale var. Blush- 

 ing Queen Ware, Aug. 14. 



Primula. Swanley Pink ... Cannell, Dec. 11. 



Prunus domeatica variegata ... Paul & Son, July 10. 



Pteris tremula elegans ... H. B. May, July 10. 



Rhododendron Purity J. Veitch & Sous, July 24. 



„ Souvenirde J. H. Mangles J. Veitch & Sons, July 10. 



,, Yellow Perfection ... J. Veitch & Sons, Oct. 23. 



Romneya Coulteri Ware, Sept. 11. 



Rose Cheshunt Scarlet ... Paul & Son, July 24. 



„ Duchess of Albany ... W. Paul & Son, July 24. 



Saccolabium cceleste Williams, July 24. 



Scolopendrium vulgare uri=>tu- 



]atum Birkenhead, July 24. 



Skimmia Formani Foreman, Dec. 11. 



Stuirtia pseudo-Camellia ... J. Veitch & Sons, July 24 



Tritonia aurea maculata ... O'Brien, Sep!\ 11, 



VEGETABLES. 



Cabbage, Ellam's Dwarf Early J. Veitch & Sons, July 9. 



,, Express Vilmorin & Co., July 9. 



,, Myatt's Early Market ... Watkins & Simpson, July 9. 



Chicory Asparagus Willard, Dec. 11. 



Onion Southport Red Globe ... J. Veitch & Sons, Nov. 13. 



Pea The Abbot Hurst & Son, July 26 



FRUIT. 



Melon Glenhurst Perfection ... C. J. Waite, Sept. 25. 



Raspberry Superlative ... J. Veitch & Sons, July 26. 



Stacbys tuberifera Carter & Co., Nov. 13. 



Strawberry Countess ... July 9. 



,, King of the Earlier ... Laxton, July 9. 



,, Lucaa July 9. 



„ Noble Laxton, July 9. 



BOTANICAL CERTIFICATES. 



Disa graminifolia 



,, lacera 

 Lffilia monophylla 

 Trichocentrum Ella 



Tautz, Sept. 11. 

 Smee, Aug. 28. 

 Williams, Sept. 11. 

 .White, Aug. 28. 



Orchid Notes and Gleanings. 



CCELOGYNE MASSANGEANA. 

 Although not long introduced, this species has 

 become a much valued one ; certainly its merits en- 

 title it to be so, for it grows and blooms freely, and 

 its flowers are extremely handsome, and continue a 

 long time in perfection. The pendent scapes are 

 from one to 2 feet long, sometimes producing con- 

 siderably over twenty flowers, and as each of these is 

 from 2 to 3 inches across, a flowering plant when 

 suspended has a very pleasing effect. The sepals and 

 petals are narrow, oblong, and of a light, almost 

 transparent, yellow ; the lip is three-lobed, the lateral 

 lobes on the inner side being of a rich maroon-brown 

 beautifully veined with yellow ; the central lobe is 

 reddish-brown at the front, having a margin of creamy- 

 white and three yellow ridges traversing the whole 

 length. This Orchid is best grown in a basket of 

 peat fibre and sphagnum, and requires a position at 

 the warm end of the Cattleya-house. It is figured in 

 vol.xvii of the Gardeners' Chronicle (March 18, 1882). 

 W.B. 



CffiLOGYNE GaRDNERIANA. 



This handsome species is quite distinct from the 

 other Ccelogynes in cultivation, and worth growing 

 on account of its flowering during the winter. It 

 has dark green, somewhat flask-shaped pseudohulbs 

 each bearing two broad lanceolate leaves. The 

 flowers, borne on drooping racemes, are pure white, 

 with the exception of the apical lobe of the lip, 

 which is yellow. The flowers do not open widely, 

 and each is clasped at the base by a large, stout, 

 greenish bract ; the sepals and petals are narrow, 

 about 2 inches long. It is a native of Khasya, 

 having been originally introduced about fifty years 

 ago. It succeeds well grown in the Cattleya-house 

 in a compost of peat and sphagnum. W. B. 



Disa (grandiflora) uniflora. 

 The very interesting notes on Disas in last week's 

 Gardeners' Chronicle recall to my mind an experi- 

 ment I tried in their culture last summer, with the 

 view of testing their behaviour under outdoor treat- 

 ment. About thirty small plants were placed in a 

 cold frame the second week in May. Towards the 

 middle of June the light was taken entirely off, and 

 the plants exposed to the weather day and night, 

 with the exception of slight shade in sunny weather. 

 On October 1 we had 13° of frost, to which the 

 plants were exposed with only the glass protection 

 of a cold frame. Their foliage and the soil in their 



