Mi 



9, 1912.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



151 



LETTUCE PETITE NOIRE. 



This variety of Cabbage Lettuce is grown 

 extensively in tne Paris district throughout 

 the winter, and furnishes the bulk of the winter 

 supply of Lettuce in our own markets. It 

 appears, therefore, difficult to understand why 

 its cultivation is not more common in private gar- 

 dens. The method is simple enough, and plants 

 raised from seed sown in August are fit for cut- 

 ting in November. The plants exhibited at the 

 R.H.S. meeting of February 20, from these gar- 

 dens, were grown from seed sown at the end of 

 September, our principal sowing for the winter 

 supply. The plants commence to come into 

 use about the middle of December, 

 sown thinly under a 



ground prepared in the usual way, no attempt 

 whatever being made to obtain bottom heat; 

 the seedlings are pricked out under other 



come 

 The seed is 



only slightly thinned, and the stronger growths 

 shortened a little at the tips. 



Moss and Provence Roses should be pruned 

 fairly closely, but the China and Dwarf 

 Polyantha Roses need only the decaying flower 

 growths of last autumn cut away. Rugosa varie- 

 ties need no pruning except to keep the plants 

 in bounds. The long growths upon Penzance 

 Sweet Briars will throw the greater quantity of 

 flowers, and should be retained so far as is pos- 

 sible. Avoid leaving any portion of the shoot 

 above the last bud, and see that this is placed so 

 that the resulting shoot will grow outward rather 

 than towards the centre of the plant. 



I would warn Rose-growers against pruning 

 too early. I never prune until the end of March, 



the need for maintaining a little more humidity 

 in the atmosphere, there is not much to add to 

 my remarks of last month. 



There will be need of a slight shading on the 

 glass during extra bright days, which will lessen 

 the necessity for admitting air at such times. 

 When cold winds prevail, feed the plants with 

 liquid stimulants more freely, and, if a little 

 manure water is sprinkled upon the walls and 

 paths, the foliage will benefit in substance and 

 health. Practice. 



ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



cloche, or cloches, on no matter how tempting and promising the sea- HYBRIDS OF KfiLIA SUPERBIENS. 



cloches 



are pricked 

 soon as they are large enough to 

 handle, and they are planted at the rate of five 

 plants to a cloche, the cloche measuring 16 inches 

 across, or they are planted in cold frames at 

 distances of 10 inches apart each way. 



The main details to be strictly carried out are 

 to prick the plants out as early as possible, to 

 apply shading when the sun shines strong in the 

 autumn, and on no account or on any occasion to 

 afford ventilation, as I have proved for several 

 years that this variety grows better in confined 

 air. If well watered at the time of planting, 

 nothing further is required till the Lettuces are 

 ready for cutting, with the exception of remov- 

 ing any weeds that may appear, and providing 

 coverings of the ordinary description during 

 severe weather. As the plants will grow equally 

 well in cold frames and under cloches, the variety 

 Petite Noire, which any seedsman can supply, 

 has much to commend it for furnishing a winter 

 supply, and the produce is particularly crisp, 

 tender, and succulent. W. H. Honess, Hope- 

 dene Gardens, Holmbury, Surrey. 



son may be. Teas and Noisettes I do not prune 

 until the first and second weeks in April. 



Planting may still be done, provided the roots 

 are not placed in soil in an uncongenial condition. 

 They should also be trodden firmer than in early 



autumn planting. Cut the plants down about 



half their length in the case of ordinary growers, " Tring 

 when planting late; but those of extra vigour, 



From the 



Right 



Hon. Lord Rothschild's 

 gardens, Tring Park, Tring (gr. Mr. A. Dye), 

 come flowers of three interesting and pretty 

 hybrids of Laelia superbiens, one of which is 

 specially interesting on account of the mystery 

 of its parentage. The best known is L. Nemesis 



Park variety " (anceps Williamsii 

 X superbiens), the two-flowered inflorescence 



THE ROSARY. 



CULTURAL NOTES FOR MARCH. 



It is necessary to decide first for 

 the Drunincr j a undertaken 



is 



The chief work in the Rose-garden during 

 March is pruning, an operation which calls for 

 the greatest care and intelligence on the part of 

 the operator x ' * 



what purpose tne pruning w 



J ether . to secure quantity or quality of bloom. 

 I he various types of Roses need distinct treat- 

 ment, but in my remarks I can only generalise, for 

 to treat the subject fully would occupy too much 

 space. First thoroughly eliminate all frosted, 

 dead or deteriorating wood. Next cut away all 

 superfluous shoots, more particularly those in the 

 centre of the plant or any that tend to grow in 

 that direction. 



The chief reason for pruning Roses is to make 

 the most service of their best wood. If the 

 plants were allowed to grow at will they would 

 soon be carrying a quantity of comparatively 

 useless growths, a large proportion of which 

 would not be in the necessary healthv condition 

 to afford good results. ~ 



Fig. 64.— winter lettuces in frames and cloches at hopedene gardens. 



(These Lettuces were awarded a Silver Banksian Medal at the R.H.S. meeting on tie 20th ult. See p. 127, ante.) 



such as the Wichuraianas, will need cutting down 

 to the ground. Plants that have died should he 

 replenished by specimens in pots. The roots 

 should be turned out carefully and replanted in 

 good soil. They will make the bed uniform 

 during the first summer. 



In an earlier note I advised the potting up of 

 a few plants, both standards and dwarfs, for this 



having blooms 6 inches across, the sepals and 

 petals white tinged with rose, the labellum bear- 

 ing five prominent yellow ridges with dark purple 

 veining on each side, the tips of the side lobes 

 and broad, front lobe bright rose-purple. 



Laelio-Cattleya Choletiana (C. Mossiae x L. 

 superbiens) has slightly larger flowers than L. 

 Nemesis, but of the same colour, the chief differ- 



strongest growers need very little pruning at 

 this season beyond cutting away unripened points 

 irom the maiden growths of last season. It is, 

 However, sometimes well to thin these out from a 

 mass, m the case of such kinds as Dorothy Per- 

 kins and a few of the Ayrshire Roses. The 

 Crimson and Blush Ramblers simply need any 

 short spurs thinned out from the centres, and the 

 rods that flowered last season cut away entirely 

 In almost all cases it is the long, flowerless 

 growths of the preceding year that are of most 

 value. These shoots will produce flowers from 



i^u * Y £? ri P ened e y* or bud throughout their 

 length. They will be even more floriferous if 



bent somewhat or brought into a horizontal 

 position. 



Some pillar Roses, such as Papillon, Gruss an 

 leplitz and Bardou Job, give better results if 



The majority of the purpose, and, where this has been done, suitable ences being the suppression of the ridges on the 



plants are available. After pruning, add a good Up 

 mulch, and fork the materials very lightly in the 

 soil about the plants. 



which is 1-ass distinctly trilobed, and 



Mossiae. The third 



The spade, especially 

 when inserted deeper than 4 inches, cuts off and 

 otherwise damages a great number of roots. 

 Retain as much as possible of the long maiden 

 growth upon wall Roses, even if it necessitates 

 crossing a few of the branches. They can be 

 cut away after the flowers are over, and it is a 



pity to sacrifice any really good shoot because 

 it is indifferently placed. 



ROSES UNDER GLASS. 



March is a trying month for Roses under glass ; 

 there is often a bright sun, making the house 

 very warm, but accompanied by a keen wind 

 which so often appears to be the forerunner of 

 mildew and insect pests. With the exception of Cattleya. 



panded in front like C. 



and largest flower is recorded as L. super- 

 biens x Sophronitis grandiflora, the cross having 

 been made at Tring Park by the late Mr. Hill 

 in the presence of the Hon. Walter Rothschild. 

 No evidence, however, of Sophronitis grandiflora 

 appears, the flower being in most respects similar 

 to L.-C. Choletiana; it is 6 inches across the 

 petals, which are 14 inches wide. The labellum 

 suggests that it might be a cross between L. 

 superbiens and C. Warscewiczii, the expansion of 

 the crimped front lobe being similar to C. 

 Warscewiczii. The flowers are white suffused 

 with rose-pink, the disc of the labellum yellow, 

 the base white veined with purple. 

 — four perfect, four imperfect — are 



The pollinia 



of Laelio- 



