November 21, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



403 



white,°flesh, pale peach, yellow, fawn, salmon, rose, pink, ear- 

 mine, 'cherry -red, scarlet, maroon, crimson, purple (blue), and 

 black. Further, I think, form and size should not be left out, 

 for many votes will undoubtedly be influenced by these con- 

 siderations, and deservedly so, for I say at once for myself, 

 that I should discard all the globular and cup-formed tribe 

 from any selection, as not to be compared for a moment to the 

 open recurved flowers, whilst the small ones, as a rule, would 

 find but equally scanty favour. Be this, however, as it may, 

 an election and selection based on the above three definite 

 cardinal points would be of real service to every Rose-grower, 

 and assist many who, like myself, may be desirous of planting 

 by way of contrast a row of some forty or fifty of the best 

 kinds for a border, including specimens of every colour-, as he 

 would be able most safely to do when the result of the coming 

 election, if carried out on such principles, was known, but 

 which he would have great difficulty in doing if only a simple 

 answer were given to the above very vague and general ques- 

 tions of Mr. Hinton, without any reason assigned for the 

 grounds of the electors' choice. — Senatetjr Vaisse. 



[We publish the above letter with the following remarks 

 from the Rev. C. P. Peach :— 



In selecting twelve and fifty best Roses it is generally 

 understood that those Roses only should be chosen which are 

 good, not only for exhibition purposes but for garden purposes. 

 In judging Roses as cut for exhibition, each Rose is judged 

 for its own individual merit as a bloom, apart from any 

 merit that the tree itself may possess, and no Rose would 

 be judged either for its form alone, or its colour alone, or 

 its size alone ; the best Rose on an exhibition table is that 

 which is best in all these points, and a failure in any one 

 point would at once lose it a mark. There are also other 

 points to be taken into account in judging, and these are 

 beauty and vigour of foliage, and freshness of colour, also 

 whether the Rose is at its best — for instance, a Rose may not 

 be sufficiently opened (too much in the bud stage), or it may 

 be rather passe ; in the first case it has not reached its full 

 development, and therefore it is difficult always to decide how 

 good the Rose may be when fully opened, and in the second 

 case the Rose is past its best. There are several Roses, again, 

 as Madame Furtado, Francois Lacharme, and Henri Lede- 

 ehaux, which are beautiful on the exhibition table when shown 

 at their best, and which would not be classed among the best 

 fifty Roses, because they are too weak in habit for most gar- 

 dens. I have found as a rule that amateurs are quite as 

 capable of forming correct judgments as to Roses as nursery- 

 men, provided always that they have grown sufficient Roses to 

 be familiar with the best examples. Nurserymen have the 

 advantage in judging new sorts, as obtaining them earlier, and 

 very often seeing them for one or two seasons before they get 

 into amateurs' hands^ I do not think the classification into 

 colours available, because no two persons would agree as to 

 the tones of colour so as to distinguish between flesh and pale 

 peach, fawn and salmon, rose and pink, carmine and crimson, 

 and so on; besides, who has three black Roses or three purple 

 Roses (blue) ? 



I think that the election of Roses carried out by Mr. Hinton 

 will give very nearly correct results, because the number of 

 persons voting will correct eccentricities and fancies, and as 

 a general rule those Roses which are best for exhibition pur- 

 poses are also best for gardens ; in fact there are few excep- 

 tions to this rule, and it is hardly worth anybody's while to 

 grow ordinary garden Roses — that is to say, Roses not fit for 

 exhibition, when so many of the finest varieties in cultivation 

 are quite as easily grown. When the returns are made it will 

 be desirable to give the colours as approximately as possible, 

 and also the growth, habit, &c, so as to give information to 

 intending planters. — C. P. Peach.] 



Spanish white, or, as it is commonly called, whiting, mixed in 

 pure, raw, linseed oil; let it stand until it is thoroughly mixed, 

 then reduce with oil, and add the drier sufficient to dry it. 

 This makes a good, hard, durable paint for first coat. Reduce 

 it to an ordinary thickness for priming, and apply with an 

 ordinary brush. It must be thoroughly beaten together, so as to 

 work out all the lumps of the whiting. If colour is desired, or 

 the woodwork is very much stained by age, take about one-half 

 common whiting, one-half white lead, throw in small portions 

 of red lead and chrome yellow to overcome the blackness of the 

 wood, or add umber for a drab colour. Fresh paint is always 

 best. Small portions of Venetian red and lampblack will do 

 for a dark colour. — (Mechanics' Magazine.) 



PBESERVATION OF WOODWORK. 



Underground. — Take boiled Unseed oil, and stir-in pulverised 

 charcoal to the consistency of paint. Put a coat of this over 

 the timber, and the exclusion of damp will be perfect. Bass- 

 wood posts have been taken up after having been set seven 

 years, that were as sound when taken up as when first put 

 into the ground. Time and weather seemed to have no effect 

 on them. The posts should be well seasoned before the oil 

 and charcoal are applied, and the paint should be thoroughly 

 dry before they are put into the ground. 



Out-door. — The best priming for old woodwork, and, in fact, 

 all woodwork that is exposed much to the weather, is simply 



NOTES ON DENDROBIUM.— No. 1. 

 Dexdkobiuh is one of the most numerous genera of Orchids, 

 comprising some of the most lovely objects in the whole 

 order, and, being of comparatively easy culture, they are 

 highly esteemed by most cultivators. In their habit, as well 

 as in the colour of their flowers, they are very variable, some 

 having minute growths only 2 or 3 inches long, while others 

 are furnished with gigantic growths from 5 to 6 feet or more 

 in length. The flowers vary in colour from a green or yellow- 

 ish white to the richest yellow, rose, purple, and some almost 

 indescribable tints. By paying a little attention to forward- 

 ing and retarding the blooms as needed, Dendrobiums may be 

 had in flower every month in the year ; indeed, I have not the 

 least doubt but that this may be done with one species alone — 

 namely, our old favourite D. nobile. Most of the Dendro- 

 biums being of a pendulous character, they are well adapted for 

 cultivation in hanging baskets. Some succeed well on blocks 

 of wood, and others of more sturdy and upright habit may 

 be placed in pots ; but for convenience, if room is scarce, 

 these may be suspended from the roof, and under these cir- 

 cumstances they have, doubtless, a better chance of ripening 

 their growths, which it is important that they should do in 

 order to insure a free-flowering habit. 



To grow Dendrobiums well, attention must be paid to the 

 growing, and also to the resting season. Naturally they are 

 found principally on trees, mostly those overhanging running 

 streams and rivers. On this circumstance we must lay the 

 foundation of our treatment, and that needed during the grow- 

 ing season will first claim our attention. The species which 

 come from India and the Indian islands of course require the 

 warmer house ; those from Australia will do well in a com- 

 paratively cool one, although some of them are benefited by a 

 little more warmth while growing. 



The East Indian species, by far the largest number, should 

 be placed in the Indian house as soon as any signs of growth 

 are perceived. A brisk temperature must be maintained, say 

 from 70° to 85°, or even higher by sun heat. Never allow 

 them to become dry at the root, at the same time keep up an 

 abundance of atmospheric moisture, and during hot bright 

 days an application from the syringe overhead will be found 

 very beneficial. Maintain a clean and healthy state of the 

 foliage, which would otherwise soon become the victim of red 

 spider. I may say, when using the syringe be careful not 

 to lodge any water in the points of the growths, otherwise 

 they are apt to decay. With regard to air, it should be given 

 as freely as the external temperature will permit, so as to 

 carry off any superabundant moisture that may rise. 



When attacked with green or yellow fly during growth, great 

 care should be taken in smoking ; choose rather to operate 

 often than with an overdose to injure the plants, which are 

 tender at that stage. In case of thrips, Pooley's tobacco 

 powder will be found a safe and effectual remedy, dusting it 

 rather thickly on the plant. Let it remain for several hours, 

 then syringe or sponge it carefully off, applying it again if the 

 thrips has not all disappeared. 



As soon as growth is completed the plants should be re- 

 moved to a cooler house, where they can obtain plenty of 

 light, and there gradually dry them off to a certain extent — 

 not so as to allow them to shrivel to any great degree. The 

 back bulbs are almost sure to do so, but if shrivelling is per- 

 ceived in any of the leading growths, stop it at once by giving 

 little moisture at the roots. I might remark that should any 

 plants seem inclined to push another growth, it is as well not 

 to check them till that is completed. 



The compost best suited for the Dendrobiums is fibrous peat 

 mixed with some small-broken crocks, silver sand, and sphag- 

 num moss. Let the pots, pans, or baskets be perfectly clean. 



