78 



.JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 27, 1876. 



Abont this time Mr. Marty n accompanied through France, 

 Switzerland, and Italy Mr. Hartopp TVigley of Dalby Hall, 

 Leicestershire, who was another of his pupils. These travels 

 produced from the Professor three publications : — "A Sketch 

 of a Tour through Switzerland, &c," 1787, 8vo; a new edition 

 fthe ninth) of " The Gentleman's Guide in his Tour through 

 France, &c," 1787, 8vo; and a most useful "Tour through 

 Italy," 1791, 8vo. 



After his return Mr. Martyn resided about three years on his 

 living at Little Marlow, and during that time issued his 

 "Flora Eustica," two vols., 1702-4, and first published his 

 " Language of Botany, being a Dictionary of the Terms made 

 use of in that Science principally by Linnaeus, with Familiar 

 Explanations, and an Attempt to Establish Significant English 

 Terms," 1793, 8vo. A " Description of Hfemanthus multi- 

 florus, with an Engraving," appeared as a separate Svo pam- 

 phlet. From Little Marlow the Professor removed to London 

 on accepting the honorary office of Secretary to the Society 

 for the Improvement of Naval Architecture. 



But Mr. Martyn's grand labour was the edition of " Miller's 

 Gardener's and Botanist's Dictionary," in four vols., folio, 

 1803-7, dedicated to Sir Joseph Banks. To this he for the 

 first time added " A Complete Enumeration and Description 

 of all Plants hitherto known, with their Generic and Specific 

 Characters, Places of Growth, Times of Flowering, and Uses 

 both Medicinal and Economical ; with the Addition of all the 

 Modern Improvements in Landscape Gardening, and in the 

 Culture of Trees, Plants, and Fruits, particularly in the vari- 

 ous kinds of Hothouses and Forcing Frames." His plan for 

 this work he had communicated to the " Gentleman's Maga- 

 zine " as lonp; before as 1788. 



In 1818 he removed to Pertenhall, the place of his decease, 

 being presented to that rectory (a family living) by the Bev. 

 John King Martyn. He died in June, 1825. 



As a preacher of the Gospel of Christ, which he adorned by 

 his life and doctrines, he was distinguished by stroDg sense, 

 accurate knowledge of human nature, and comprehensive 

 scriptural learning. Candid, courteous, and affable, he con- 

 ciliated the friendship a- d esteem of many eminent men of 

 all parties. Practical benevolence and charity were conspicu- 

 ous traits in his character, and the exercise of them was con- 

 fined neither to place nor party. 



OKCHID CULTURE. 



The increase in the culture of this class of plants through- 

 out Europe and America within the last few years, and the 

 great perfection which is attained in the cultivation of such 

 kinds that used to be considered almost impossible to manage, 

 is really astonishing. The high, moist, and almost unbear- 

 able temperature which used to be thought indispensable in 

 the successful culture of Orchids has been mostly abandoned, 

 and a more airy and natural temperature adopted and with 

 marked success. The plants are healthier, flower more abund- 

 antly, and are kept more free of insects than when the extreme 

 high-temperature system was employed. The great rage 

 throughout England just now appears to be for what are 

 called " cool Orchids," which comprise some ot the finest 

 treasures in the floral world, such as some of the species of 

 Cattleya, Odontoglossum, Masdevallia, Disa, Barkeria, Lycaste, 

 and many others which can be grown in any house when a 

 cool, steady, moiBt temperature can be maintained free from 

 cold draughts of air passing through amongst the plants. The 

 numerous varieties of Odontoglossum Pescatorei, 0. Alexandra, 

 and 0. grande, give them an attraction, making them worthy of 

 a house specially devoted to their culture. The Odontoglossum 

 house being a specialty about a good many places in England 

 and Scotland. Of course it is not to be supposed when a cool 

 temperature is mentioned that a cold temperature is meant, 

 and that a general collection of Orchids will with impunity 

 bear a low temperature for any lengthened time is erroneous ; 

 from such treatment such plants as Phalsnopsis, Sacco- 

 labiums, a good many of the Vandas, and other genera from 

 the EaBt Indies may look for a short time in a healthy con- 

 dition, but spot is eventually sure to make its appearance, and 

 if once this worst of all Orchid diseases gets a commence- 

 ment in a collection of Orchids it is difficult to stop, and can 

 scarcely be cured. The most devastating oaae I ever witnessed 

 of this disease was in a valuable collection of Orchids in the 

 north of Scotland. The plants had been growing vigorously 

 for several years, when a change of gardener, who was a strong 

 advocate of the cool-treatment system, changed the tempera- 



ture, keeping it too cold for the welfare of the plants, the 

 result being spot of the most malignant kind upon Phalaeaop- 

 ses, Vandas, 'Ae'rides, and Saccolabiums, completely destroying 

 this once beautiful collection. I visited a collection of Orchids 

 a short time ago in this country, composed of East Indian and 

 Mexican Orchids which have been kept for some time back 

 very cool, and although previously in excellent health I could 

 observe upon some of those which are natives of very warm 

 countries strong indications of spot making its appearance, 

 while such kinds as are natives of Mexico and other parts of 

 Central America are in excellent condition, fully substantiat- 

 ing what experience has always taught me, that while Orchids 

 from the highlands of Central America do best and keep in 

 the healthiest condition when grown in a cool Bteady tempera- 

 ture when sufficient air is admitted to prevent a stagnant at- 

 mosphere, such planta as are natives of Moulmein and other 

 parts of Burmah require a much warmer temperature at all 

 seasons, especially when making their growths. 



One of the most fatal mistakes in growing cool-house Orchids 

 is keeping them too dry at all times, which is just the opposite 

 of what they should be, more especially in this country where 

 evaporation is so rapid. 



Mr. Band, in his excellent work on Orchid culture, says, 

 " Orchids must have a house for themselves." This I do not 

 altogether agree with, as the fine specimen plants I saw of 

 some of the most difficult kinds in cultivation at some of the 

 places I visited during my stay in England this winter, which 

 were growing in houses mostly devoted to the culture of other 

 plants, testify that they can be grown, and with success associ- 

 ated with other plants. Where there is a large collection of 

 Orchids, or of any particular class of plants, it is unquestion- 

 ably the better way to devote a place for themselves ; but no 

 collection of plants in the country, whether greenhouse or hot- 

 house, can be considered complete without a few Orchids in it. 

 Some of the finest Orchids we have are of much easier culture 

 than plenty of the hothouse and greenhouse flowering plants. 



I have seen some excellent specimens of ornamental-leaved 

 plants and good plants of Orchids in fine flower exhibited at 

 the different horticultural exhibitions in Boston, but very 

 seldom have I seen a good specimen of Stephanotis, Ixora, 

 Franciscea, or Dipladenia exhibited. Horticulturists are not 

 needing, therefore, to be deterred from having in their collec- 

 tions a few Orchids because they cannot set aside a house for 

 their particular culture. BeBtow the same care upon Orchids 

 which other plants require with which they can be associated, 

 and they will amply repay the trouble. 



The following is a list of a few kinds suitable for culture 

 in the greenhouse : — Dendrobium nobile, Cattleya citrina. 

 C. Mossise, Coelogyne cristata, Cypripedium barbatum, C. ve- 

 nnstum,C. insigne, Lycasto Skinnerii, Odontoglossum grande, 

 0. Alexandra, Phajus grandifolius, P. Wallichii, Zygopetalum 

 Mackayi, &a. — M. Milton. — (American Gardeners' Monthly.) 



THE ROYAL GARDENS AT KEW DURING 1875. 

 (Extracts from Dr. Hooker's Eeport.) 



The lessons given to young gardeners in the evening in 

 chemistry, meteorology, structural and economic botany, and 

 upon which the attendance is voluntary, continue to give 

 satisfactory results. 



The following plants of especial botanical interest, amongst 

 others of leas importance, have flowered during the past year 

 in the Eoyal Gardens for the first time in this country. 



Albuca glandulosa, Bak. Androsace sarmentosa, Wall. — 

 (Bot. Mag. 6210.) Anthurium Sanndersi, Hk. f. — (Bot. Mag. 

 6218.) Carica candamarcensis, Hk. f. — (Bot. Mag. 6198.). 

 Flowered, 1874, fruit ripened, 1875. Colchicum luteum, Bak. 

 —(Bot. Mag. 6153.) Columella oblonga, E. & P.— (Bot. Mag. 

 6183.) Crassula Bolasii, Hk. f.— (Bot. Mag. 6194.) Cucumis 

 sativus var. sikkimensis, Hk. f. — (Bot. Mag. 6206.) Decabe- 

 lone Barklyi, Dyer.— (Bot. Mag. 6203.) Dietes Huttoni, Hk.f. 

 — (Bot. Mag. 6174.) Dipcadi hydsuricum, Bak. Diuris alba, 

 Br. — (Bot. Mag. 6201.) Draba hederafolia, Coss. Eranthe- 

 mum hypocrateriforme, Br. Ferula (Euryangium) Sumbul, 

 Hk. /'.—(Bot. Mag. 6196.) Heteranthera limosa, Vahl — (Bot. 

 Mag. 6192.) Hoodia Gordoni, Sweet. Hypoxia pannoaa, Bak. 

 Lewisia brachycalyx, Eng. Milla Leitchtlini, Bak. Michelia 

 lanuginosa, Wall. — (Bot. Mag. bl79.) Nicotiana tahaoum var. 

 fruticosa, Linn.— (Bot. Mag. 6207.) Ornithogalum sororium, 

 Schott. Piaranthus flavidus, N. Brown. Bomanzoffia unala- 

 schensis, Chmss. Senecio chordifolia, Hk.f. — (Bot. Mag. 6216.) 

 Theropogon pallidus, Maxim. — (Bot. Mag. 6154.) 



