September 23, 1896.] 



Garden and Forest. 



387 



good soil is used very little manure-water will be needed, and 

 certainly none should be applied until the pots are well filled 

 with new roots. 



Generally all the shoots on specimen plants bear what is 

 known as terminal buds — that is, the flower-buds produced at 

 the ends of the branches are the last ones the plant makes. 

 They occur in clusters, and all should be carefully removed, 

 except the leading one. The variety G. Daniels is an excep- 

 tion. Every shoot on this plant produces a modified crown- 

 bud. If these buds appear well on in September, I take them 

 — that is, allow them to grow by removing the side shoots, or 

 terminals. 



Feeding should continue until the blooms begin to show 

 color, but in decreasing quantities and strength. All plants 

 should be housed before there is danger of frost. A slight 

 frost will not injure them, but there is nothing gained by delay. 

 It is easier to control the moisture supply, and at the same 

 time keep the air dry, when the plants are under cover. They 

 should be dried freely, but direct draughts must be avoided, 

 even on bright days, if at all cool, as the liability to mildew 

 increases as the season advances. When the nights begin to 

 get cool toward the end of September a little fire-heat will be 

 beneficial, if only to keep the air in good circulation. 



Wetlesley, Mass. T. D. Hatfield. 



Orchids in Flower. 



Oncidium incurvum. — This is the period when there are fewer 

 flowers among Orchids, and such as are in bloom are the 

 more conspicuous and valuable. Oncidium incurvum is 

 one that can be relied on to grow freely and to flower at this 

 season every year ; the spikes are a long time developing, 

 often six months, but the longer Ihey are growing the better 

 and larger the spray, for they will sometimes be four feet in 

 length, as we have them now, and covered with side branches 

 that have pretty pink and white flowers that are very fragrant 

 on bright days. It is essentially one of the plants that any one 

 can grow where a warm greenhouse is at command. As the 

 plant is a native of Mexico and Guatemala at considerable 

 elevation, a tropical temperature would be fatal eventually, so 

 a temperature of about fifty degrees in winter is ample, with 

 plenty of air and shade in summer. 



Oncidium ornithorynchum.^This is another species that will 

 thrive under similar conditions as Oncidium incurvum, as it 

 comes from the same localities, and, like it, has flowers that 

 have pink shades, probably the only two in the genus where 

 pink takes the place of the all-predominant yellow that is 

 almost peculiar to the genus. O. ornithorynchum also has 

 long, much-branched flower-spikes that are produced four, 

 and sometimes more, from a single growth, and when these 

 are covered with rosy pink flowers that are deliciously fragrant, 

 a spicy odor that does not tire, but reminds one of Heliotrope, a 

 well-grown plant is decidedly pleasing and a thing of beauty 

 that lasts in good condition for a long time. There is a white 

 variety that sometimes crops up among importations, and it is 

 much valued when one is fortunate enough to obtain it in this 

 way. I saw a 'superb specimen of it in the noted Measures 

 collection last year that created a sensation when shown in 

 London some time later. There is no difficulty in cultivating 

 this species. We used to grow them in perforated pans, sus- 

 pended, but when taking them out it was noticed that the roots 

 carefully avoided the perforations and were to be found only 

 adhering to the pan itself, so it seemed reasonable to suppose 

 they did not grow on trees and would prefer an ordinary 

 flower-pot, and those that were tried in this way show a de- 

 cided increase in vigor ; a small plant that was obtained five 

 years ago in a four-inch pot is now a huge specimen in a pot 

 ten inches in diameter, and will in a few days be covered with 

 flowers. This plant grew so well that twelve more were 

 obtained, and there is quite a variation among them as to 

 color. These Oncidiums should never be dried off, and before 

 the flower-spikes are much advanced the pots must be im- 

 mersed in water to get out the slugs, as these are very partial 

 to the tender-growing flower-stems. 



South Lancaster, Mass. "" E. O. O. 



Vegetable Notes. 



Celery. — Taken as a whole this has been a very favorable 

 season for Celery here. Little or no artificial watering has 

 been required, and so far the plants are perfectly free from 

 rust or spot. The early supply will now require to be earthed 

 up, but we generally leave this until the last possible moment, 

 as a preventive of rust. For the main crop the first week in 



October is early enough to begin the banking-up process, and 

 then just enough to gather the plants into shape. 



Lima Beans. — These have been rather slow in filling out, 

 especially those toward the top of the poles, but we find that 

 an occasional soaking with liquid-manure hastens the process. 

 Burpee's Bush Lima proved very useful for an early supply, 

 and, so far as we have seen, it excels all the other bush varie- 

 ties. It is not quite as early as some others, but the bean is so 

 much larger that it is well worth waiting for. 



Onions.— Last year we tried the transplanting method on a 

 small scale, and were so well pleased with the experiment that 

 our main crop was grown in this way this year. The seeds 

 were sown early in March in flats, and as soon as the seedlings 

 were fit to handle they were pricked over into flats again ; 

 these were eventually transferred to frames and gradually 

 hardened off until they were planted in the open ground about 

 the middle of April. At the time of harvesting we had onions 

 ranging from twelve to fourteen inches in circumference. The 

 advantage over those sown in the open ground in the usual 

 way was so marked that we will only grow a few of these later 

 for pulling green in future. It may be objected to this plan 

 that it requires more time and trouble, but this is doubtful, the 

 sowing and handling over is done when time can be more 

 easily spared than in the bustle of outdoor spring work ; the 

 planting out occupies no more time than the preparing of a 

 seed bed. The ground is merely raked over, the line laid 

 along and the plants inserted in a hole made in the soft soil by 

 the finger. After the line is completed we run along with a 

 foot on each side to make the whole firm and the work is 

 completed. The thinning-out process, which takes consider- 

 able time at a busy season, is entirely done away with and 

 weeding is much easier. Any of the varieties can be grown 

 by this system, but for size and quality the Prizetaker leaves 

 little to be desired. 



Tomatoes. — The outdoor crop is now liable to be cut off at 

 any time by frost, and where a continuous supply is needed a 

 crop indoors should be ready to take its place. This planting 

 sets freely, as a rule, but is so liable to spot that unless it is 

 absolutely required we are inclined to omit it. The younger 

 plants, sown about the beginning of August, will come in for 

 Thanksgiving, and on account of the diminishing brightness 

 of the sun will grow much healthier, and if the atmosphere is 

 kept dry and the house carefully aired there will be little 

 danger from spot. 



Lettuce. — Lettuces are always welcome during the winter 

 months. Successional crops may be planted in frames and a 

 sowing made for the first crop indoors. Where space is 

 limited, a plentiful supply can be kept up in frames till 

 Christmas, after which, if the weather be severe, it is some- 

 what difficult. The old Boston Market is a reliable frame 

 variety, but we prefer Golden Queen for greenhouse work, 

 being less liable to damp, and it matures earlier. Where quan- 

 tity is the object chiefly desired, Grand Rapids would probably 

 be the best ; though somewhat coarser in texture, the leaves 

 are crisp and juicy, while the flavor is all that can be desired. 



Tarrytown, N. Y. William Scott. 



Primroses.— It will be noticed that the hardy species of 

 Primula merely eke out an existence through our hot months, 

 and when the cool night dews begin to fall, growth begins at 

 once. We find that this is the best time to lift, divide and 

 replant such as the Polyanthus, both double and single, and 

 the Japanese P. Sieboldii. We grow a quantity of these hardy 

 Primulas both in frames and outdoors for successional flower- 

 ing, and find them very satisfactory. But they must be treated 

 liberally and not allowed to remain in the same soil for more 

 than a year. At this time the clumps are taken up, carefully 

 divided and reset, three or four crowns together. The soil 

 should be rich. P. Sieboldii, being deciduous and having 

 rhizomatous roots, requires a little different handling. The 

 roots of this Primula are spread over the surface, and they 

 must not be covered to such a depth as to prevent the 

 rhizomes running freely near the surface, or much of the en- 

 ergies of the plants will be wasted. Owing to this habit of 

 surface-rooting it is not so essential to lift P. Sieboldii every 

 year, but a good mulch of well-decayed leaf-mold at this time 

 will serve as a top-dressing and also as a winter protection to 

 any roots that may have become bared of soil through the 

 actionof theweatheror useof the hose. Of all hardy Primulas, 

 P. Sieboldii is the best we have tried. It is as bright in its 

 way as the lovely P. rosea, from the Himalayas, and much 

 more certain. The flowers are useful for cutting, owing to the 

 long, erect, wiry stems. It has proved perfectly hardy here 

 for several years past. 



