September 20, 1864. j JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



233 



Specimens were exhibited from Vancouver's Island of the 

 under-named Pilices — -viz., Gheilanthes (Cassebeera) farinosa, 

 Botrychiuni virginicum, Polystichum aerostichoides, Adi- 

 antum pedatum, Allosorus crispus (evidently identical with 

 the British type), and a very peculiar form of Polypodium 

 vulgare, with the tips of some of the pinna? terminating in a 

 horn-like process, extremely curious, the horn projecting from 

 a kind of pocket or sheath. The plant, if permanent in its 

 peculiarities, might well be named Polypodium vulgare cor- 

 nutum. Of this oddity only one example had been gathered 

 in the island. The Cheilanthes above-named, as might be 

 expected, is described as rare. Amongst other Cryptogams 

 exhibited were unusually large examples of Asplenium lancec- 

 latum, gathered by Mr. A. Stansfield, jun., on the coast of 

 Merioneth. 



PACKING ORCHIDS FOR IMPORTATION. 



On perusal of your Number for September 6th, I observe 

 information is solicited on the mode of packing Orchids for 

 importation. I therefore venture to give a few hints from 

 my experience. 



As Wardian cases are not procurable wooden boxes must 

 be used ; packing in hampers of any kind would be useless. 

 First, then, gather moss, not sphagnum or water moss, 

 and thoroughly dry it, so as to be like hay, because it will 

 then absorb any superfluous moisture from the plants, and 

 likewise give out all that is necessary for their require- 

 ments. It'must be borne in mind that the foliage and 

 roots of the plants must be dry before packing. In doing 

 this be careful not to fix the tops nearly so firmly as the 

 roots, and both ought to be only moderately firm. For every 

 layer of plants insert a few sticks to keep them in place. 

 Now, as to the situation in the vessel : this must be be- 

 tween decks, in order to keep them at as equable a tem- 

 perature as possible, but care must be exercised not to place 

 them near any fire, or steam boiler. They will not need any 

 airing on their passage, as once admit sea air to your plants, 

 and destruction will follow. If practicable choose an over- 

 land route in preference to the long sea voyage. I condemn 

 the use of charcoal, sawdust, cotton, bran, and the like, for 

 packing, the absorbent properties of which would inevitably 

 destroy the greater part of the Orchids before arrival, these 

 materials having no power to give any portion out of what 

 they take in. Having unpacked many cases in which these 

 materials were used, I found such to be the result. 

 _ The above statements, based on my own practical expe- 

 rience, I tender with pleasure. 



In a future paper (if agreeable), I will give a few hints on 

 the importation of Phalrenopsis, Sophronitis, and Burling- 

 tonia. — A Loveb op Oechids. 



[Such a communication will be very agreeable. — Eds.] 



I am much obliged by the courtesy of " W. B. d'A." Mr. 

 Williams's Manual I had already consulted, for I possess 

 both editions, as I do Appleby's, which in some respects I 

 value even more, though both are excellent. I have myself 

 repeatedly imported Orchids from Brazil, and from the West 

 Indies. My correspondents in these eases, acting under my 

 directions, stuffed the plants in, when at rest, the former in 

 ■barrels with no packing material, but about one-third of the 

 whole bulk of small charcoal poured in over the plant ; the 

 latter in a large box with the long twining roots of a Cactus 

 (dry) put between the Orchids for dunnage. 



The Brazilian consignments turned out in capital con- 

 dition, dirty enough of course ; but that I quickly got rid 

 ■of by washing the plants in tepid water before I spread 

 them on dry moss in the shade, or hung up those that were 

 affixed to blocks. I lost scarcely a plant. 



The West Indian lot also came over in beautiful order 

 and prospered well with one or two exceptions. I am in- 

 clined, however, to prefer charcoal dust, especially if the 

 Orchids are not perfectly at rest when packed, because of 

 its_ absorbent and antiseptic properties. Tour correspondent 

 is in error in supposing it " heating " and ". causing to sweat 

 and rot." Its action is quite in the opposite direction. 



But I have had no experience in importing from so distant 

 : a region as India ; and since the great expense of Wardian 

 .cases and of the overland rputjc is out of $je question for 



me, I wished to know how the evergreen leafy-stemmed 

 kinds — as Vandas, Saccolabiums, &c, would bear being 

 packed in closed cases and sent round the Cape. 



Mr. Williams's information is most valuable, but he does 

 not tell us whether the Phalainopses, &c, that he imported 

 from Manilla (Manual, page 9, second edition), were in 

 Wardian or in closed cases. He presently comes to speak 

 of a close box in which Phalamopsis was packed in dry bark, 

 " a bad material " as he says, and as I should certainly sup- 

 pose; but I do not gather whether these plants were de- 

 stroyed or only retarded. Then he reports well of "plants " 

 from India packed in dry soft shavings; but he does not say 

 that these were of the Vandoid type, though I presume they 

 were. Finally, he gives no hint by what route all these 

 consignments came. 



May I not hope to receive a considerable per-centage safe 

 if my friend be careful to pack when thoroughly at rest, to 

 fasten the heavier plants to the bottom, sides, and lid of the 

 case, to stuff in very dry elastic moss with the lighter plants 

 in the centre, and to throw in a peck or two of charcoal dust 

 over all ? 



I may add, that I have received repeated consignments of 

 terrestrial Orchids from South Africa, sent by the same 

 friend, and packed in loose charcoal. Many of these have 

 arrived alive, though the majority have been dead— a result 

 not to be wondered at, when we consider that they were all 

 Ophrydere with soft viscid tubers, diminutive in size, and 

 taken up just when my friend happened to meet with them. 



If any of your correspondents who have actually imported 

 oriental Orchids would kindly give the result of their ex- 

 perience, mentioning in detail the form of package, the 

 packing material, and the route, it might be valuable to 

 many an enterprising — Okchidophilus. 



ME. BEATON'S BEDDING GEEANIUMS. 

 We announced some time ago that the late Mr. Beaton's 

 entire stock of seedling Geraniums had become the property 

 of Mr. William Paul, of Waltham Cross. Since then many 

 of these have bloomed, and during the past season of exhi- 

 bitions some of the best of them have been seen at the 

 principal metropolitan shows, where they have invariably- 

 attracted a large amount of attention and admiration, and 

 notices of them have appeared in our own pages and those 

 of our contemporaries. It is with pleasure that we now 

 announce that Mi-. William Paul will be prepared to send 

 out, in the last week of October, nine of the most beautiful 

 varieties that have already bloomed, varieties of which we 

 truly say the like have never been obtained; possessing, as 

 they do, not only novelty, but singular beauty of colour and 

 remarkable profusion of bloom, such as have never yet been 

 met with in the class of " Bedding Geraniums." At page 4 

 of our present volume, will be found some notes on six of 

 the varieties shown by Mr. Paul at the Royal Horticultural 

 Society's Show. From what we have seen of them sub- 

 sequently, we can not only indorse the statements there 

 made, but we can say that we have seen them in much 

 greater beauty than they have been when shown at any of 

 the great exhibitions. 



A FEW DAYS AT MARLBOROUGH. 



Theke are three oft-quoted Latin words which, being 

 translated into plain English, mean "to enjoy one's leisure 

 with dignity." Well, I happened to have some leisure ; 

 but as to the dignity of the thing, why, I am lying fiat upon 

 my stomach, having the stump of a sawn-off Oak tree for 

 my writing-desk, with magnificent Ferns gracefully fanning 

 my head and shading me from the noonday sun ; and I am 

 taking pencil notes on the back of a printed bill, which 

 describes a cottage-garden show that was to take place in 

 the grounds adjoining the ruins of old Savernake Lodge, 

 Savernake Forest, on the 1st of August. When I write for 

 the public I object to inform them whether I am busy or 

 ill, circumstances for which I cannot deceive myself into 

 the b.ejief that they would care one fig about ; but where to 

 pitch, my tent for a few days to try and relieve myself of 

 hqrrid neuralgic pains in the head and face, that was the 



