488 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTOEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Docember 22; 1870: 



tare of tarred Btring, or other substance suitable to tbe pur- 

 pose. The poles are of willow because they take root after 

 insertion in the soil, and there/ore do not rot, but last for 

 almost any length of time ; the wire is galvanised because it is 

 less liable to rust, and is not unsightly. When the willow 

 poles are inserted, holes are dug in the places where wanted, 

 and the poles, with the attached wire, are held inwards at an 

 angle of 60° or thereabouts ; they are then driven in to the 

 required depth, and afterwards pulled outwards till they are 

 perpendicular, when they are tightly rammed in : by thiB means 

 the wires are rendered stiff by the tension. This plan appears 

 to answer admirably ; it would answer still better if two wires 

 instead of one were attached to the willow poles. Such a 

 contrivance is, of oourse, applicable to Raspberry canes, Holly- 

 hocks, Sea. 



And now winter is again upon us with all its apprehensions, 

 and, which must not be forgotten, all its blessings. Among 

 the many pleasant souvenirs which the recurrence of Christmas 

 and the New Year bring, few, I will venture to say, will be more 

 acceptable to the readers of " our Journal " thin the genial 

 kindly article of " Wiltshire Rectok." — A. H. Kekt. 



CULTIVATION OF PEARS IN POTS. 



Many consider the Pear the best kind of fruit, and all 

 know that, at any rate from September to M*rcb, this fruit is 

 exceedingly valuable for dessert. The excellent speoimens of 

 Josephine de Malines exhibited by G. F. Wilson, Esq., of 

 Weybridge Heath, are well worthy of notice as showing what 

 can be accomplished by skill. 



Mr. Wilson's trees are allowed to remain in the orchard 

 house until the fruit are set, when they are removed to a 

 favourable position out of doors. Such fruit of Josephine de 

 Malines as exhibited could not be produced from trees planted 

 out as pyramids or bushes. Two trees of Josephine de Malines 

 were planted out at this place about five years ago ; one of them 

 is grafted on the Pear, and the other on the Quince. They were 

 both good trees when planted ; the ground was twice trenched, 

 and prepared with suitable loam ; they grow well, and some- 

 times have plenty of blossom, hut little good fruit have they 

 produced. In the season of 1866 about two dozen medium- 

 sized fruit were produced, which ripened in February, and 

 were of excellent flavour. With thi3 tingle exception the pro- 

 duce has been worthless. 



The varieties which have done best as pyramids and bush 

 trees are Williams's Bon Chifitien, Louise Bonne of Jersey, 

 Marie Louise, Beurre d'Amanlis, Napoleon, Triompbe de 

 Jodoigne, and Jargonelle. A very large tree of Beurre Bosc 

 annually bears good crops of fine fruit. Beurre d'Aremberg 

 also does well as a pyramid on the Pear. 



On walls the finer sorts of Pears can be grown to great per- 

 fection, but not finer than they can be produced from trees in 

 pots. I had some pots of Louise Bonne and Beune d'Amanlis 

 which were this season turned out of doors, when the fruit was 

 set, to ripen ; and that ripened out of doors was not only higher- 

 coloured and of a better flavour, but quite as large as that pro- 

 duced under glass. 



There is one Pear which can be highly recommended which 

 has been grown here two seasons — Madame Trty ve. It ripens 

 in September, and although good Pears are plentiful at that 

 season, it can be added to the most select collection. I selected 

 six fruit of several of the varieties grown in pots, and weighed 

 them. The following are the weights : — ■ 



lbs. ozs. 



6 Williams's Bon Chretien 3 12 



6 Rivers's Beurre d'Aremberg 1 9 



6 J eraev Gratioli 1 8 



6 Beurre d'Amanlis 3 8J3 



fi Ducbesse d'Orleans 2 2^ 



G Madamo Treyve 2 3% 



6Beu>reDiel 3 14 M 



C Oouseiller de la Cour 3 10% 



G Louise Bonne of Jersey. (The tree, grown in a 13-inch 



pot, had three dozen good fruit.) 2 12 



Pear trees in pots delight in rich surface dressings and 

 plentiful supplies of water until the fruit is approaching lipe- 

 ness, when it ought to be supplied to them more sparingly. 

 About twice a-week they should have manure water. During 

 winter, and until March, the pots may be plunged out of 

 doors. 



To amateurs and others who have not a large extent of wall- 

 Burface this method of cultivating the finer sorts of Pears might 

 be a source of much prufit as well as pleasure. The Eame 



trees can be grown for many years in comparatively small pots;, 

 some of the trees hare are about nine years old, and are in> 

 15-inoh pota. — J. Douglas. 



WINTER-BLOOMING ORCHIDS.— No. 11. 



PHAJUS. 



A genus of terrestrial Orchids of noble growth, containing; 

 some twenty or more species, but I purpose introducing only 

 two of these to the attention of my readers, and they are in- 

 valuable for winter decoration. These species are extremely 

 easy to cultivate, if it be only remembered that they are terres- 

 trial, and not epiphytal ; and the soil I have found to suit there, 

 well is a compost consisting of good turfy loam, fibrous peat,. 

 and well-decomposed manure in about equal parts, and juBfr 

 sufficient river or silver sand should be added to the whole tO' 

 make it feel gritty. In this mixture pot the plants just pre- 

 vious to their growth commencing, and be sure the pots are 

 well drained, and that the plants are not elevated above the- 

 rim, but potted like any other stove plant. Treat them libe- 

 rally with water, and give them a good place in the East Indiana 

 nouBe during their period of growth; after this is completed 

 gradually reduce tbe supply of water, and remove them to a 

 cool place, where they may remain until the end of October or 

 beginning of November, when they should again be brought 

 into heat, and moderately supplied with water. This treat- 

 ment will soon cause the flower-spikes to Bhow up, and grow 

 more or less quickly, according to the weather prevailing at 

 this lime of year. Under this mode of management I have 

 usually had some of my plants blooming at Christmas, and 

 found them exceedingly useful just at the time when flowers 

 are scarce and much wanted. If grown in small pots they 

 may be used to great advantage for the decoration of apart- 

 ments, and should they not be required for this purpose, they' 

 are equally serviceable for cutting. 



P. GBANDiFOLius. — This plant seems to have been intro- 

 duced into this country from the gardens of China, where it 

 appears to have been cultivated for a long time, and I am not 

 aware that it ha3 ever been sent to us from a locality where it is 

 found in a wild state. It is a fine plant, producing large,, 

 plaited, evergreen leaves, which are from 1 to 3 feet in length,, 

 broadest in the middle, and tapering to a long point ; the- 

 flower-spike is about as long as the leaves, but erect, not- 

 spreading like them, and therefore Bhows well above them.. 

 The flowers are large and numerous ; the sepals and petab- 

 brown tinged with yellow ; the lip large, white in front, browc 

 at the base. It continues long in flower, even in a cool house,. 

 or in the dwelling bouse, without injury. 



P. Wallichii. — This resembles the previously named specie?,- 

 in general appearance, but is more robust, the leaves are longer- 

 when fully developed, and the flowers are also larger. Th6- 

 sepals and petals are of a rich brown suffused with orange- 

 yellow ; the lip buff in front, but purple towards the base,, 

 where it is also tinged with orange. It is a superb old plant 

 for winter and spring decoration, and it also makes a fine ex- 

 hibition plant, if retarded by keeping it in a cool house withoui- 

 water during winter. Native of the East Indies. 



SACCOLABIUH. 



The plants comprising this genus rank amongst 1he gems of 1 

 the order. All are epiphytes in their native habitats, but under 

 cultivation all the larger-growing kinds thrive best when grown- 

 in pots, the only requisites being the most perfect drainage,, 

 and a little sphagnum moss to rttain moisture about the roots- 

 and help to fix them firmly. The moss should be in a living, 

 state for these plants, and, indeed, I prefer live sphagnum for- 

 all those Orchids which have no peat nor other soil to grow in. 

 Saccolabiums are all natives of the East, and are mostly found 

 in the hottest parts. They require the same temperature and- 

 treatment as Vandas. There are many superb species and. 

 varieties, but as the majority are summer-bloomers, they cannot 

 be included in these remarks. A small, brown, close-fitting 

 scale is very fund of fastening upon plants of this genus, and if" 

 not removed it soon affects their health, and renders them un- 

 sightly. Slrict attention, and careful washing with soft soap 

 and warm water, I have found the safest and best method of 

 exterminating these pests should they at any time make their 

 appearance. 



S. giganteum until recently was beyond the reach of the ma- 

 jority of Orchid growers, but since its price has become reason- 

 able, no collection should be without it. The leaves of this noble 

 plant are upwards of a fcot long, and 3 inches broad, very thick, 



