April 20, 1912.] 



THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE. 



255 



made of varieties of D. nobile and many hybrids ; 

 also handsome hybrid Phaius, and, in the corridor, 

 specimens of Cymbidium Lowianum, C. eburneo- 

 Lowianum, C. Ballianum, C. insigne (Sanderi), C. 

 eburneum, and other Cymbidiums with graceful 

 spikes of bloom. In the many houses containing 

 species and varieties, specially noteworthy were 

 Cattleya Schroderae, C. Trianse, magnificent speci- 

 mens of Phalsenopsis Rimestadiana, P. Schil- 

 leriana, P. Aphrodito, and a brilliant display of 



(B) 







Fig. 117. — (a) a simple arch of bamboo 



D WIRE NETTING, (b) CROSS-PIECE FOR 



AFFORDING R1GTD1TY. 



hundreds of spikes of the bright-red Renanthera 

 Imschootiana. Finely-flowered plants of Angrae- 

 cum sesquipedale, with a few plants of A. San- 

 derianum, A. arcuatum, and others were in bloom, 

 whilst a large number of plants of Dendrobium 

 Wardianum, the greater part of recent importa- 

 tion, although some were imported as recently as 

 early last year, were equally well flowered. 



At the end of one of the houses was a display 

 of Dendrobium nobile giganteum, arranged with 

 the white Dendrobium infundibulum, Cattleya 

 Trianae including one plant with pure- white and 

 another with blush-white flowers, C. Vulcan (of 

 very dark colour), the new C. Olaf M var. 

 Yenusta M (labiata Cooksohise X Parthenia), a 

 pretty white flower with purplish crimson front 

 to the lip, which has a distinct white margin ; 

 Odontoglossum Hallii kucoglossum, and varieties 

 of 0. luteo-purpureum. 



In other houses were Cattleya Dowiana, C. D. 

 aurea, a fine collection of varieties of Lycaste 

 Skinneri, including the best white form and a 

 plant of the rare hybrid L. Imschootiana, a batch 

 of the handsome Dendrobium Sanderse, a good 

 selection of Vandas, Aerides, and Saccolabiums, 

 numerous choice plants of Maxillaria Sanderiana, 

 M. lepidota, a good importation of the true Catt- 

 leya gigas Sanderiana from the locality from 

 whence it was originally received, and a large 

 importation of the best form of Vanda ccerulea. 



A large number of rare and interesting plants 



Fig. 118.— -clustered columns. 



have accumulated in th-3 St. Albans nurseries, sent 

 home by the firm's collectors. Amongst those 

 now in flower are Eria aeridostachya, E. amid, E. 

 marginata, several Polystachyas, Sarcochilus Fit* 

 geraldii, Megaclinium maximum, Ccelogyne 

 lactea, C. Micholitzii, Cirrhopetalum csespitosum, 

 and several other Cirrhopetalums, the showiest 

 being C. picturatum Veitchii, Houlletia Sanderi, 

 Dendrobium spectabile, D. velutinum, Acanthe- 

 Phippium Sylhetense, and some little species not 

 yet determined. In the new houses devoted to 

 Plants other than Orchids are several promising 

 Anthuriunis. J. O'B. 



GARDEN ARCHES. 



Archways, if employed with discretion, may 

 be made very effective objects in the garden. 

 They furnish pleasing supports for a variety of 

 showy plants, and may serve to screen an un- 

 sightly outlook, or mark the boundary of one 

 portion of the garden from another. Varieties of 

 pillar Roses have been multiplied enormously 

 during recent years, and the archway is one of 

 the best means of showing climbing Roses to 

 advantage. Recently introduced Chinese plants 

 include many beautiful vines, and these too are 

 seen to great advantage on archways or pergolas. 



Fig. 117a illustrates a simple but effective gar- 

 den arch. It is formed with a couple of stout Bam- 

 boo canes, covered with wire netting of any de- 

 sired mesh, the netting being wired to the canes. 

 An arch of this description, used as a greenery 

 porch to the doorway of a house having a plain 

 exterior, introduces a pleasing feature. By plac- 

 ing two arches, one at the gate and another at 

 the house door, a pergola may be formed by 

 stretching a few lengths of wire between the tops 

 of each, cross-pieces being introduced here and 

 there, and wired at the intersections. Special 

 attention should be paid to the setting of the 



quired for a pergola extension, 

 of construction 



Two methodi 



119. 



in 



The one lias 



fig- 



are illustrated 

 the horizontal pieces either 

 tenoned into the uprights, nailed or screwed 

 through, the other being halved and screwed. 

 The wiring may be either laced through email 

 staples or twisted round large, square-headed 

 nails, allowed to project about i inch, thus giving 

 a more rustic character to the whole ; as also do 



4/e&. 



3-J^j 



Top of post 



if ^eghirbiU 



Outs. 



FlG. 120. — GATEWAY WITH ARCH. 



Qloa Joinr9o5fcbalfeJ 



Fig. 119.— square-headed archways, 



with details. 



poles to ensure their durability and to prevent 

 premature decay. The part inserted in the ground 

 may be encased in feet formed of any old pieces 

 of piping, preferably of lead, or it may be 

 painted with creosote or tar. Such arches 

 may also be wired up with stout galvanised wire, 

 worked in broad patterns, either on the diagonal, 

 forming diamonds, or by horizontal and vertical 

 wiring forming square or rectangular patterns. 

 In the latter cases, it is best to make them secure 

 at the intersections with fine wire. With 

 either method it will be found convenient to 

 cut a few pieces of wood with notched ends, 

 as shown in fig. 117b, to the correct dimen- 

 sions of the arch, securing them temporarily with 

 string to keep them in a rigid position whilst 

 wiring. Where a more substantial shaft is re- 

 quired a clustered column may be formed by 

 small canes bound together, as shown in fig. 118. 

 Suitable canes may be obtained in long lengths, 

 the butted ends being secured by a short, double- 

 nail and pressed up. A better 



entailing more 



it, p rough-sawn poste. The nails are best fixed in 

 U?u!?i^ 4 position for wiring before the posts are erected 



to prevent jarring or loosening the foundation. 

 Fig. 120 shows a simple design for an entrance 

 mid garden gate, with wiring on the horizontal 

 and vertical system. If preferred, the wood angle- 

 pieces at the top of the arch may be omitted, this 

 portion being constructed in wire, as shown in fig. 

 119. The wood arch illustrated in fig. 119 may be 

 adopted with advantage, saw r n out of these pieces 

 and nailed up. The cement foot gives greater dur- 

 ability, but may be omitted, and the portion 

 embedded given a coat or two of tar. A further 

 improvement to such arches are hoop-iron and 

 wire domes in place of the flat top. These are 

 formed by bending the hoop-iron over in a semi- 

 circle on the diagonal from post to post ; wiring 

 together at the crossing in the centre. Others 





Fig. 121.— domes for archway, with 



DETAILS. 



pointed 



although 

 and 



wired 



ally 



prevents springing 



the bend. 



one. 

 where 

 The 



This 



trouble, 

 effectu- 



happen 

 then 



is 



jointing, 



is the spliced 



joints 



to occur on tne Dena. me whole 

 bound round by a couple of spiral wires, running 

 in opposite directions, forming a lattice pattern, 

 the ends being inserted in a wooden block, firmly 

 wedged or pegged into position, with the inter- 

 stices filled with pitch. This style, with its 

 clustered and latticed shaft, forms one of the 



methods for this class of 



most picturesque 



work. In many cases the 



arch may be preferred, especially 



square-headed 

 where re- 



are taken over from side to side, and back to 

 front, the whole being afterwards wired around 

 horizontally and then vertically between the 

 segments. Another development of the latter 

 style is shown in fig. 121, a wire skeleton crown 

 being formed, over which the plant may be 

 trained. A circular hoop being formed, its ends 

 notched and fastened with wire, it is dropped in 

 a bent-up slot-piece, as shown in the sketch, and 

 wired to each angle, the whole being finished a 

 previously described for the dome. The crown - 

 piece can be bent up easily with a pair of pliers, 

 the ends turned over the hoop, as in fig. 121, and 

 wired on with finer material. W. C. Kerby. 



3 



