5o6 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 460. 



poor reputation among- cultivators, but there is no difficulty 

 that may not easily be overcome with rational treatment. It 

 is quite possible that all the Laslias named would thrive better 

 out-of-doors for four months each year, beginning with June, 

 if a light airy structure is not at hand for them. We have for 

 several years had plants of the white form of L. anceps that 

 have steadily refused to flower when grown in the greenhouse, 

 but when placed in partial shade with Cypripedium insigne 

 during the past summer they improved in strength to such an 

 extent that some are now about to bloom, and all show a de- 

 cided increase of vigor. They were placed in a position where 

 the sun shoneon them untilabout 11 o'clock, when large Elms 

 afforded shade during the hottest portion of the day. We tried 

 this plan because the new growths were not stiff enough to 

 hold the leaves rigid, and they had a tendency to lay over to 

 one side to their permanent disfigurement if left alone. Some- 

 times Cattleyas show these symptoms, especially those of the 

 two-leaved section, such as C. Leopoklii and C. Bowringiana, 

 and there is no suier sign of too much heat and not enough 

 air; perhaps not during the day, for at that time of year the 

 temperature is beyond control, but at night enough air is not 

 allowed to circulate among the plants. As we could not pro- 

 vide a cooler structure with the proper amount of light, we 

 put the plants outdoors. The leaves were tied up to maintain 

 a normal position ; they at once began to stiffen, and the re- 

 sults were all that could be desired. 



It is well known that there are several types of white La?lia 

 anceps. Some flower freely, as L. Hilliana and L. stella, but 

 many need to be grown very strong to induce them to bloom, 

 as L. Sanderiana. There is no doubt, however, that all will 

 flower each year with proper care, which includes plenty of 

 water. Mexican Laelias enjoy a spraying overhead once a 

 day, and even more often on very hot days, provided the 

 material in which they are grown is suitable and in a whole- 

 some and porous condition. Nothing but good sound 

 Osmunda-root should be used to grow them in, with no 

 addition of moss, as this will decay and make the whole inert. 

 A very little moss might be used as an index to the state of the 

 material in winter, but not enough to blend it through the 

 whole potting material, as is generally done. 



It is sometimes advised to keep these plants dry so as to rest 

 them after flowering, but this is a great error. They need 

 recuperation, it is true, but nothing effects this so well as 

 moisture. After blooming, the bulbs are shriveled from the 

 strain upon them, and a fascicle of new roots is pushed from 

 the base of the flowering bulb, which seeks more food in the 

 way of new material and moisture to make good the loss. 

 This is an infallible guide to the right time to repot any Orchid, 

 and it should be rather anticipated than otherwise, for delay 

 will injure the young tender tips of these new roots. As soon 

 as the flowers are cut from Mexican La?lias the roots should, 

 therefore, be examined, and if repotting is required this should 

 be done at once. Only a little compost should be used, rather 

 than too much, owing to the great quantity of water that may 

 be necessary in hot weather. 



Laelia autumnalis will now be going out of flower. Our 

 plants have already been taken out of the old receptacles and 

 placed in new ones, with fresh material. If they are to be 

 grown suspended from the roof of the greenhouse it is best to 

 use charcoal for drainage, as it is much lighter in weight and 

 stores moisture well. L. Arnoldiana, L. Gouldiana and L. 

 anceps will need attention soon, as they each go out of bloom. 



Laelia albida is not usually a success grown in pots or bas- 

 kets. The plants, whether newly imported or established 

 pieces, will grow best if tied with copper wire to pieces of Fern- 

 root sawed out flat to the desired size and about two inches 

 thick. The pieces should be wired on the flat side and sus- 

 pended at the ends of the house. This has proved a good way 

 to grow many of the species that have been most intractable 

 under other methods. 



Cattleya citrina is also a Mexican plant and is short-lived in 

 cultivation. Some inferior dried scraps came into our posses- 

 sion some time since and they were also wired to a block of 

 fern fibre. We did not expect them to thrive, but some have 

 flowered ; all are growing stronger and most will bloom at the 

 next flowering period. This Cattleya is unique in being the 

 only species found in Mexico, in its yellow color and in its per- 

 sistent habit of growing downward. These features, added 

 to its delicious fragrance, make it one of the plants that culti- 

 vators are anxious to grow well. Growing it on a block is, 

 perhaps, not so generally practiced as circumstances would 

 seem to warrant. 



Cattleya Walkeriana, though of Brazilian origin, may well 

 be classed with the foregoing, owing to its habit of winter 

 blooming, its dwarf, almost round, bulbs, and bad reputation 



from a cultural standpoint. We had a dozen scraps once, 

 newly imported and rather unpromising in appearance ; these 

 were pegged on a block of Fern-root and suspended near the 

 glass. There is great improvement in the size of the bulbs 

 made here over those grown in their home. The plants flower 

 freely and are a pleasing sight now, when some have three 

 and four flowers to a stem. Grown in this way it is a decidedly 

 handsome plant. 



South Lancaster, Mass. E. 0. Orpet. 



Care of Frames in Winter. 



TVTO gardening establishment is complete without a number 

 *- ' of cold frames, and in the spring season there are seldom 

 enough for the requirements of a garden. We use all our 

 frames during the winter season, and by careful attention to 

 ventilation, picking over the plants, covering securely on cold 

 nights, removal of snow from the protecting shutters and other 

 details, the returns are satisfactory even during the dead of 

 winter. We find that sashes 6j£x4 feet are a convenient 

 size, glazed with 9-13 double thick glass. We prefer Singa- 

 pore fibre mats to straw ones. They are fully as warm, mouse- 

 proof, not liable to rot if laid by damp, more durable, and they 

 leave no litter on the sashes. With ordinary care they should 

 last at least six years ; some in use here for nearly five years 

 are but little the worse for wear. Match-board shutters seven- 

 eighths of an inch thick are placed over the mats ; if iron handles 

 are screwed on the ends ot these shutters (as well as on the 

 sashes), they are much easier to move about. A good coat 

 of paint on the upper surface improves their appearance and 

 is a preservative. 



For such plants as Double Daisies, Polyanthus, Pansies and 

 Wallflowers, which are not reliably hardy here, we do not use 

 mats or shutters at all. As soon as the beds are frozen firm 

 we fill below the sashes with perfectly dry leaves, which are 

 removed on the first coming of spring weather. Parsley and 

 Lettuce may also be protected in this way, although we prefer 

 to uncover them with our other plants and give them all the 

 light possible. Good parsley, however, may be had all winter 

 long by merely covering the plants with a good coating of the 

 leaves. We have just packed a layer of dry leaves about the 

 side of our Lettuce and Violet frames, and these are covered 

 with shingles or boards to throw off moisture. Violets in 

 frames are looked over once a week and all decaying or dis- 

 eased foliage removed and the surface scratched over where 

 green slime appears. We depend entirely on frames for our 

 supply of Violets, and are never without them during the 

 most severe weather. Marie Louise is still the best of the 

 double sorts and is a persistent winter bloomer. Lady H. 

 Campbell, much paler in color, flowers poorly in frames and 

 evidently needs more heat to develop its flowers. Farquhar 

 is giving us excellent flowers and of larger size than any other 

 sort we grow. Some growers complain of disease in this 

 Violet, but the finest flowers we have seen this season are of 

 this variety, and no spot was seen on the stock. Wellsiana 

 still proves much the best of any single Violet we have grow- 

 ing; the steins are stiff, flowers large, dark purple in color, 

 with a fine odor. The Czar still proves a most useful variety 

 and blooms very freely all winter. Luxonne, while better 

 than the much overrated California, lacks the stiff stem and 

 deep color of Wellsiana. We have discarded California, though 

 some growers think highly of it. As a rampant grower it 

 exceeds any other sort we know, but its flowers lack substance 

 and are little superior in color to our wild Violets. It seeds 

 freely, and large numbers of young plants appeared in a peren- 

 nial bed near our Violet frame all summer, proving almost as 

 troublesome as Chick weed. Snow cannot lie on Violet frames 

 more than a few days at a time without serious injury to the 

 plants. All the sunlight possible must be given during the 

 dark months, and it is useless to expect flowers in winter 

 without it. 



We have a supply of Lettuces from frames from November 

 until outdoor stijck is ready. We are now cutting plants sown 

 at the end of August and planted in their present quarters a 

 month ago. A batch sown a month later will give nice heads 

 during January and February. For Lettuces we use about two 

 feet of leaves, which are tramped firmly, and over these place 

 a coating of manure and loam. After January a gentle hotbed 

 of stable-manure and leaves, mixed, is prepared at intervals of 

 a month to advance the plants more rapidly. Lettuces dislike 

 coddling, and are ruined by a warm, close atmosphere. They 

 will damp badly if long covered with snow, and a little ventila- 

 tion should be left on in all weathers, so that any steam may 

 escape. Tennis-ball still proves the best all-round variety. A 

 sowing of seed is made on a greenhouse shelf in December, 



