November 4, 1896.] 



Garden and Forest. 



447 



through, and have no more time to spare ; i£ you have not 

 houses built on the most modern principles ; if you are lack- 

 ing patience, then don't attempt raising Orchids from seed on 

 your own account, and you will probably save yourself from 

 much disappointment. If you are fortunate enough to have 

 these necessaries at your command, and feel disposed to try, 

 then, in order to further prevent disappointments, do not be 

 oversanguine about results. Never set a flower if the plant is 

 not in first-rate condition and quite able to bear the stress of 

 producing the big seed-pod, which will take the best part of a 

 year to mature, for it kills weakly plants. Never cross inferior 

 varieties, because the progeny, if reared, would probably be 

 worthless, and cross only those varieties from which, for 

 some reason or another, something good might be expected. 

 Be very careful in labeling the flower directly it is crossed, and 

 remove its own pollen clean away, so that there may be no 

 mistake in the parentage. 



When the seed is ripe the pod will split. Now sow the seed 

 immediately on the surface of the compost, selecting plants 

 which have lately been repotted — recently imported plants 

 that are making plenty of roots, in preference to others — but 

 make sure that any plant on which seed is sown will require 

 to be kept moist for at least two or three months after- 

 ward. The seed germinates more surely on plants that 

 are suspended near the light. Be careful that the seed 

 is not washed away by the first few waterings the plant 

 receives ; afterward there is less danger. If the seed is 

 good it will soon commence to germinate and become 

 round-shaped, about the size of the head of a pin. This 

 is a critical point, for if the compost is not just right those 

 green globules will speedily disappear. Therefore, if the sur- 

 face of the compost appears not to be in a good sound condi- 

 tion, commencing, as it often does, to become sour and 

 decomposed, it is better at this stage to transfer the seed at 

 once to sweet material in tiny seed pots, placing five or six in 

 each pot, a number of which should be placed in teak baskets 

 and suspended in a shady part of the house and kept contin- 

 ually moist. The cause of the surface of the compost becom- 

 ing prematurely decayed is often insects living within the pot. 

 In some gardens the compost becomes literally alive with a 

 small species of fly, and these quickly destroy Orchid seed. 

 When once these tiny globular plants become established in 

 their new pots they quickly form a little leaf, and a little root 

 grasps the compost. After this the rest is comparatively easy. 

 They will soon require to be potted off singly in the seedling 

 pots, and then grown on. Do not overpot, and see that fresh 

 sweet compost is supplied whenever necessary. 



There is yet a large field open to hybridists. Even suppos- 

 ing quite new crosses cannot at all times be made, there is 

 still no reason why crosses already in existence, if good, should 

 not again be reared. By doing so better varieties may be 

 obtained, and, more than that, advanced as we are in Orchid 

 culture, we have still much more to learn before we can say 

 to ourselves, " These plants we possess, and we are absolutely 

 sure of retaining them," for, like other garden plants, Orchids 

 will sometimes die. 



Orchid Notes.— II. 

 A T this season, also, it is best to re\>ot the Miltonias of the 

 ■**• type represented by M. vexillaria.' The growths will be well 

 started by this time, and new roots will begin to start from the 

 base. There is an upward tendency to each successive year's 

 growth, and it is necessary to set the plants lower down in the 

 pots, even though the oldest bulbs may be buried, so as to 

 bring the new growth and roots just below the level of the 

 potting material. The roots rarely go very deep in the pots, 

 but rather penetrate near the surface and on the outsides of 

 the pots. They should not be repotted into pots larger than 

 is absolutely required for the current season's growth. One 

 application of water when not required will often cause deep- 

 seated decay that is hard to arrest. It is better not to use loam 

 in the compost, as some cultivators recommend ; in other 

 words, make the potting material as porous as possible, so 

 that the large quantities of water needed in the growing period 

 may be applied without danger. With an occasional applica- 

 tion of stimulant in a liquid form this lovely Orchid may be 

 cultivated with ease, and improved ye&r after year. Our plants 

 have been taken from the cool house where they have spent 

 the summer, and after repotting have been placed at the cool 

 end of the Cattleya-house, where the temperature will range 

 about fifty-five degrees during the cold weather. A layer of 

 fresh tobacco-stems has been placed under the trellis on 

 which the pots stand to guard against thrips, which, if once 

 they gain a footing, speedily ruin the foliage and blight the 



flower-stems. Our experience with Miltonia vexillaria has 

 shown that it is safer to keep the specimens rather small than 

 to grow them on into pots larger than six-inch. They are easily 

 divided at potting time, and are much more useful for deco- 

 ration if grown in moderately small pots. Hybrids from Mil- 

 tonias are not common, but are represented by one or two 

 notable examples. We have just succeeded in getting a fine 

 seed-capsule on M. vexillaria crossed with M. Clowesii, and 

 hope that good fertile seed may be produced in due season. 



Odontoglossum Rossi is one of the prettiest Mexican spe- 

 cies, and is very useful for boutonnieres in winter. It is easy 

 to cultivate if attention is given at the right time. The growth 

 is maturing now, and a light position in a moderately warm 

 house is needed. The plants have summered in the coolest 

 house, and are taken into more light at this time. If left in the 

 cool house for the winter they would soon dwindle away. O. 

 citrosmum is another Mexican plant that will soon finish grow- 

 ing, and when the bulbs are well matured it is best to suspend 

 the plants near the glass in a light position, giving very little 

 water during the resting season. But we have never found it 

 necessary to let the bulbs shrivel to any degree to induce the 

 plants to flower. We g : ve water sparingly until the spikes 

 appear at the tips of the young growths. Sometimes this is 

 not until midsummer, but rarely does a plant miss blooming. 

 The spikes are strong, often branched, whereas they would be 

 weak if the bulbs were not plump, to aid them at flowering 

 time. There are few Orchids that have such a charm when in 

 bloom as well-flowered plants of O. citrosmum, with the long 

 pendent flower-stems, often a yard long, and the delicious 

 lemon fragrance in early morning. If the plants are not dis- 

 turbed very often there is no trouble in growing them. We 

 use nothing but Fern-fibre for them and rarely disturb them 

 oftener than once in three years. 



Dendrobiums of the Nobile section will now have mostly 

 completed their growth ; they need a cooler temperature, or 

 another start will be made, though there is not so much ten- 

 dency this sunless season as in some other years. Should a 

 start be made we ignore the fact and rest the plants just the 

 same, or the whole machi-.ery of the plant would be thrown 

 out of gear if we attempt fc make up a satisfactory growth at 

 this period in a higher temperature. It is best to avoid too 

 much sun at first when putting the plants to rest. I like to see 

 the leaves a healthy green, also the pseudo-bulbs. The bright 

 yellow they assume with exposure is not so well to start from 

 again after the plants are weakened by flowering. The moss 

 in which the plants have grown may be allowed to become 

 quite dry before water is applied, just enough being given to 

 avoid shrinking of the stems. 



During the past few weeks very little water has been used 

 to damp the house in which the plants are growing, but as 

 soon as more fire-heat is applied more water must besprinkled 

 to counteract the parching effect on the atmosphere ; and also 

 now on bright days, if there should be any, for we have had 

 but two sunshiny days in three weeks. Most of the plants are 

 now going to rest, nearly all the Cattleyas being in this stage. 

 Less water will be reeded to assist in the maturing that leads 

 to abundant flowering. When water is given at the roots we 

 find it well to turn on a little heat under the benches where the 

 largest pots stand, to dry up the superabundance of water that 

 is not desirable at this season. The benches are made of open 

 trellis-work that allows a free circulation of air. If fresh Oak- 

 leaves can be procured, a good supply will be sprinkled with 

 slaked lime and then placed on the ground under the benches. 

 The lime hastens decomposition, kills insects, and the leaves 

 give off a steady supply of food for the roots that are eager to 

 take it up if it is made more available by frequent spraying 

 when fire-heat is much used, as in midwinter. 



South Lancaster, Mass. E. O. Orpcl. 



Perennial Phloxes. 



'T > HESE are among the best and the most popular of hardy 

 - 1 herbaceous plants, being adapted to all places and of the 

 easiest culture. They grow luxuriantly in any good garden 

 soil, and are suitable for the mixed border, single specimens 

 for planting in beds or masses, and they flower from early in 

 August until late in autumn. Great improvement has been 

 made in these plants during recent years. German and French 

 growers having produced some magnificent varieties which, 

 for brilliancy of coloring, size of individual flowers and of the 

 panicles, are marvels of garden skill. The following list 

 embraces some of the most worthy, and includes a number 

 of very distinct colors, from pure white to rich crimson : 



Ascanio, dark rosy salmon, white centre, large flower ; B. 

 Comte, dark amaranth-purple, the richest, largest and best 

 dark variety ; Captain Wilheheny, fiery red, shaded maroon, 



