H-'av i3 ISCi. 1 



jotraxAL OF y[::i':icaLTUtiE antd corrAGE gardejier. 



401 



trial here. I brought hither the very same plants, but 

 though they grew and made bulbs with the cooler treat- 

 ment they never ripened sufficiently to bloom, and after 

 three or four years' experiment I had to give them up, as 

 they never ripened their bulbs sufficiently to throw out 

 blooming shoots, and it was very unsatisfactory to see each 

 year's pseudo-bulb smaller than that of the previous one. 

 The conclusion I am inclined to draw from this is, that any 

 persons who have vineries for early forcing can grow Orchids 

 in them with ease, and they will find that the actual shade 

 of the Vines is beneficial; but it is leading persons astray 

 to make them imagine that they can grow Orchids with any 

 degree of satisfaction in houses such as are so commonly 

 built for bedding plants and hardwooded plants, as Ca- 

 mellias, Fuchsias, ic, though there may be some kinds of 

 terrestrial Orchids, as Cypripediums, and Bletias, which will 

 do with comparatively little heat. 



Orchids, as I have said before, are very hardy plants in 

 their way, they will stand greater changes of climate than 



most plants ; as an instance of this a plant of Stanhopea 

 tigrina stood the frost of Christmas, 18G0, when scarlet 

 Geraniums alongside were killed, and the same plant was 

 accidentally left out when there was more than 10° of frost, 

 and even then not even the younger bulbs were injured. 

 They have, indeed, to undergo great changes of temperature 

 in tropical climates, as I remember a cousin of mine in India, 

 on the march near the foot of the Neilgherries, telling me 

 his tent was frozen stiff in the morning where Orchids were 

 growing and blooming over his head, and the temperature 

 during the day on their march was as high as 120° in the 

 shade; but, as Mr. Findlayjustly remarks, because ice is often 

 found on Orchids in their natural state it does not at all 

 follow that it would be good for them in our houses, and it 

 is no argument in favour of a generally cool treatment. I 

 hope that others may give the results of their experience on 

 this subject, for although I have given up the attempt to 

 grow Orchids in a greenhouse, I am still interested in the 

 subject.— X. T. Z. 



OPENING SASHES. 

 I SENDyou the following sketch of an idea which, I think, 1 or balance pivots. A is a simple roller suspended about 

 may be of use. It can be employed either for sliding sash | 6 inches or lower from the sash-bars, and a cord, once tv/isted 





around the bars tightly, so as to prevent any chance of 

 sUpping, is fastened at each end to the top and bottom of 

 the sash. A crank at the end of the roller turns it, and as 

 the rope is shortened one end is correspondingly lengthened, 



the other allowing of opening, and yet preventing it opening 

 more than one wants by wind or any cause, unless the roller 

 go with it. — {American Gardener's Monthly.) 



ORCHAE.D-HOUSE FUUIT TEEES SHEDDING THEIR FEUIT. 



I HAVE had a small orchard-house for two years, and this 

 spring I have had an extraordinary show of bloom on my 

 ' Plum, Peach, and Nectarine trees, but the fruit does not set 

 well. Two or thi-ee trees of Kivers's Orange Nectarine were 

 covered with an excess of bloom, and were blooming all 

 through the bright sunny weather we had two and three 

 weeks ago ; but although the trees are large, and have been 

 weU established in 13-inch pots, I have scarcely a fruit on 

 them. They had plenty of air both night and day; were 

 well watered at the roots ; the bees were always at them, so 

 that the pollen would be well distributed; but they were 

 never syringed until the petals had fallen. 



One of my friends, whose house is filled with Apricots, 

 Peaches, and Nectarines loaded with fruit, comforts me 

 by teUing me that the red spider last year weakened 

 the vitality of my trees so much that they could not carry 

 their fruit this season; but the Elruge Nectarine, and 

 the Royal George Peach, are carrying fair crops in my 

 house. 



Another of my friends suggests that the syringing the 

 trees with river water, when the petals had just fallen, has 

 chilled the fruits by the water lodging within the calyx. 

 Will you favour me with your opinion ? 



With regard to Plums in pots, the fruit seems to set pro- 



fusely ; but when it has reached the size of a Radish seed 

 it ceases to grow, and drops off. How am I wrong here .' — 

 T. G. 



[It is difficult to assign a reason for your fruit of Peaches, 

 Nectarines, &c., dropping. Our own, against the back wall, 

 have done so a little this season, and the blossom was very 

 fine. We believe that if we had thinned the blossom well 

 it would not have happened. The bees did us also a little 

 mischief, by carrying off the pollen before it had quite done 

 its work ; but we shall have enough. The trees in pots set 

 very thick, and we wish we could get at them to thin them. 

 Thinning the blossom is a good plan, but we could not do 

 so. The trees against the wall opened bloom first, and the 

 bees worked much on them. It is bad practice to syringe 

 too soon. We have no doubt that our large trees suffered 

 for want of water last season. However, we shall have pretty 

 well enough even where thinnest.] 



Rats Destkoting Rose Tkees. — Have any of your 

 readers who are Kose-growers ever been troubled by rats ? 

 This year I had rows of standards nearly destroyed by 

 them, until I succeeded in catching the marauder in the 

 act. The Roses are now showing a few shoots, but some 



