580 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
— had he indicated more gana 
es of his information, and thus hav 
enabled sede if they so desire, to s 
the subjeot at greater length. 
urally, France and her colonies occupy the 
colonies, among which latter it is significant to find 
Madagase I preface 
and eloquence, M. Baltet sums 
individual enterprise is encouraged and s 
by State aid, M. Balte t has, nevertheless, a warm 
tk f Fre 
Trade, Of Poland, for 8 he saye, “Ah! if 
the old patriots had tted to retain the use 
of their maternal language, h ke many horticultural 
would there be to be 
enumerated!” Of the United States he writes :— 
“Tt is a y 5 nation Were with yet 
and energy, entering courageo into the exten - 
sion of horti Nm! and 5 Fader 
‘Forward!’ the portals of the Union are thrown 
pen to emigrants, the laws tend to * them 
cultura l 
n supports the individual ar of culti- 
tors between the Atlantic and the Pac 
"We regret our inability to reproduce ox eloquent 
passage in which M. Baltet deals with the empire 
of zaan We can only give the substance of his 
remarks :— 
= Wiad than its neighbour (China), the Empire of 
Flowers throws open its gates. Hail to the home of 
Camellia, the 8 the 
ran in horticulture, 2 
anthemum— Japan vetera 
ere in the aa ‘ie the Trocadero. From th 
uttermost East, its representatives have come to 
ren the perfume of our Roses, to test the merits 
of our Pears and our Grapes; they occupy the benches 
pride well calculated to stir our 
aspire to be the French of the East!’ Japanese 
deners, you have bravely w p in the 
English, this reads like “tall tal 
original French it conveys no such impression, and, 
indeed, it embodies the truth 
An important subject for enquiry (among many 
bsg is suggested in this volume, that is, as to 
e advantages of State aid in the promotion of 
— — and horticulture, In this country we 
rely mainly, or enti tirely, | on Private e ep M. 
the efforts 
of ini individuale. I In n Holland and Great Britain horti- 
no State aid, and yet in 
few, if 
and till lately provided no means the 
instruction of the erg communities in the practice 
of those arts by which they are expected to be 
ult upwards of 200 com- 
petent inthe, and a ernie fi school of hor- 
ticulture at Versaille ides numerous other es- 
tablishmenta of a si similar kind i 
say nothing of the 
faculties, 
n the provinces, to 
provincial universities and 
out, in 
universities, each with ita botanic 
garden and botanic institute, Denmark, with 3 
population less than half that of London, has five 
sees al schools encouraged by government aid. 
may be said that State aid such as is afforded on 
oo Continent is natural in countries governed on 
autocratic principles, but is contrary to the feelings 
of more democratic countries. Let us turn, there- 
fore, to the United Susan which is about the most 
democratic government on the face of the glo be, 
here we find the Department of Agriculture taking 
= N of horticulture and its requirem 
a staff of sixty experts and 1 perma: — 
cade dispersed throughout the country. 
are about fifty colleges, ee ental and research 
e aid; indeed, all officered 
officials, and most of them not confining 
their efforts to tuition and researeb, but scattering 
broadcast among those interested “ bulletins” con- 
taining the most recent information on cultural 
topics, plant diseases, &c. 
It would seem that whilst any interference with 
private enterpri co matters i 
e injurious, in s 
j x$ 
collection and publication of statistics, governmental ` 
aid is essential, 
The general results of M. Balzet's work show that 
during the last half century, moral and material 
raen have been shown 5 the civilised 
orld by the organisation of te cal education, 
either officially or by privat e enterprise by the 
rchards, 
flower gardens, forcing- houses conservatories and 
the like, The supply of the markets has been im- 
proved, and the consumer mauna erf benefited ; 
parks and gardens have been placed at the disposal 
of the public; the thirst after novelties and the 
desire to extend the boundaries of knowledge have 
of explorers and the 
— of union between the 
horticulturists of all coun 
been 1. it will be seen 5 M. 
Baltet has compiled a work of reference which b 
many will be 
gratitude of his colleagues, and, better still, power- 
fully promote the progress of cultural science and 
art—in other words, the general welfare. 
NEW OR NOTEWORTHY PLANTS, 
wi 
otism, ‘We ™ LAELIA 8 var, ALBANENSIS, 
Tuts, the largest and most b 
showiest species of the genus 
flower at Messrs. F. Sander & Co. Nurseries, 
St. Albans, and as it is the handsomest flower 
which has ppeared among thei any im- 
portations of Brazilian Lelias, it is desired by 
r. San connect it with the by i 
arietal na o describe its beauties is im- 
flat petals and large circular-fronted labellum, and 
other points desired in varieties highly 
developed, t a distance, it resembles a large 
wer, with an intensely dark purple labellum. 
ä is seen that the sepals and petals 
are white, with an exquisitely delicate tracery of 
light rose-purple over the whole surface, The t ube 
is sulphur yellow very k pu lines, 
which lines follow toward margin of the lip, 
making a darker veining on "the intensely bright 
dark 5 and purple colour of the broadly 
expanded front of the lip, whose apex is lighter in 
colour than the sides and central portion. The 
spikes bore the one three, and the other four 
flowers; and so the remarkable size and beauty of 
the Sower i is fixed and not to be accounted for, as it 
might bə if but one or two flowers wer th 
plant, J. OB. l 
OpowrocLosscm CRISPUM, ‘‘Sanper’s MoxARCER.“ 
In general appearance this ot —— 
, perhaps, most nearly resem 
the handeomely-spotted 0. & Stevensi, but 2 
7 
in constant use, which will evoke the 
flowers are larger; it has a clear 
the middle; a very lar 
appearing at the — 
margin, 
ge rich chestnut-red bh 
which h 
and is a stately and beautiful thing, James O'Brien, 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEAMING 
SEEDLING 8 AT OARK WOOD. 
WYLAM-ON-TYNE, E 
Tue seedling Orchids raised in the nie 
Norman C. Cookson, Esq., under the care of Mr, 
Wm. Murray, have become ce never 
Orchids are cultivated. I have visited tho cola 
many times, and at various seasons, and always fini 
something in flower that I never saw or heard of 
before. Some . ripening of interesting r 
curious crosses, and w of never-fai 
interest, eee as in ‘i stages of development, from 
tiny, oscopic plant, to the larger 
examples that < * sah the flowering stage, 
Although the seedlings are the most interesting of 
the Oakwood Orchids, the system of Propagation and 
some choice plants, 
10 
Courtauldiana x was raised by Mr. 
i 
the time of my visit M. falcata was in flower, tht 
flowers as large as those of — 
Veitchii, and of a uniform o colour. 
It is a cross between M. Veitchii and i. ig S 
choice varieties of Odontoglossum crispum, such 
the distinct and handsomely-spotted variety variety Cooke 
soni, are propagated much more freely than I thought 
Odontoglossums were raised here, but they nein 
reached the flowering s believe Mr. Cookstt 
raised seedling Odontogloseums as early as 1882, 
e being O. erispum, and the sood parett d 
Skin we 
greatest work has 
Dendrobiums, quite a revolution barini 3 
effected in this genus, By crossi 
Dendrobium nobile nobilius with 
and well-mar F 
remarkably beautiful forms gr : 
some with petals of a p 
mar he lip. T 
drobium is not yet excelled by any 
t ; we ve 
January to Jane. Amongst the hybrid g 
tures are now to be seen man Li 
A notable example is 
the Chinese D. Linawianum 
large size, the colour of the sepals and pe 
of fosy- purple fading to whitish atthe bai 
