634 



Garden and Forest. 



[December 31, 1890. 



where there are a few black eye-like spots ; the pouch is rich 

 brown-purple. The whole surface of the flower is very glossy. 

 It is a dusky beauty and certainly one of Mr. Sander's best 

 hybrid productions. C. Castleanum x also received much 

 attention and was admired by many. It is the production of 

 C. superbiens and C. hirsutissimum. The Mower is large, 

 claret-red, with a shade of purple and small black spots on the 

 lower part of the petals. The lip is like that of a good variety 

 of C. hirsutissimum. Mr. Sander is prouder of this than of any 

 of his hybrids. 



Other Cypripediums exhibited were C. insigne longisepalum, 

 characterized by a long dorsal sepal, otherwise a poor form of 

 a good, useful Orchid ; C. Alcides X from C. insigne and C. 

 hirsutissimum, worthless in comparison with its parents ; 

 C. Orpheus X from C. venustum and C. callosum, and cer- 

 tainly unworthy of so good a name. A plant called Silenipe- 

 dium Weidlicheanum x, with 6". Hartwegii and S. Schlimii for 

 its parents, scarcely differs from the old S. Sedeni. C. May- 

 nardi x is the result of crossing C.purpuratum with C. Spiceri- 

 anum, and is not unlike C. Lathamianum x described two 

 years ago. The largest flowered hybrid Cypripedium hitherto 

 raised was one shown under the name of C. Osbornei, the off- 

 spring of C. Spicerianum and C. Harrisianum superbum. The 

 dorsal sepal is two and a quarter inches by two inches, and 

 white, except toward the base, where it is dull red, a line of the 

 same color extending up the middle to the tip. The petals are 

 three inches long by one inch in width, and the pouch in front 

 two inches long and one and a half inches wide. The color 

 of these parts of the flower is glossy brown-purple. Alto- 

 gether a remarkable flower. 



Ccelogyne barbata, with seven flower spikes about eighteen 

 inches long and bearing about forty expanded flowers, deser- 

 vedly obtained a cultural commendation. The white flowers, 

 with a patch of brown-black on the front lobe of the hairy lip, 

 were pretty as well as being unusual. Lcelia anceps, bear- 

 ing about thirty spikes, each with two or three expanded flow- 

 ers, proved its excellence as a winter blooming Orchid. L. 

 Tresiderianum x, a hybrid from L. crispa and Cattleya Lod- 

 digesii, was represented by a well-flowered specimen, as also 

 were the deep rose-crimson colored L. Gouldiana and Cattleya 

 0' Brieniana. Tlr rrr 



London. W. Watson. 



Cultural Department. 



Fern Notes. 



THE multitude of forms and habits to be found among 

 Ferns gives opportunity for displaying their natural 

 o-races in a great variety of ways. Some of them, for example, 

 can be very effectively used on pedestals or in baskets for 

 conservatory adornment, and it may be worth while to give a 

 small list of sorts especially adapted to this purpose. The 

 sorts referred to may, as a rule, be readily obtained, and they 

 do not require special attention in order to induce them to 

 grow, they being strong-growing species that are content with 

 reasonable care. 



The soil should be an open, well drained mixture, as all 

 vigorous Ferns will enjoy liberal watering, and the temperature 

 should be fifty-five to sixty degrees at night in all cases, 

 although Woodwardia radicans and W. orientalis do better 

 in a lower temperature, say forty-five to fifty degrees at 

 night, and under these conditions are less liable to the 

 attacks of thrips. 



The first to which attention is directed, and certainly one 

 of the most graceful Ferns in cultivation, is Goniophlebium 

 subauriculatum, a South Sea-Island species that has long 

 been in cultivation, but yet is not nearly so common as its 

 merits deserve. It has bright green pinnate fronds that 

 sometimes attain a length of eight to twelve feet, and the 

 fronds being freely produced and pendulous in habit, make 

 this plant one of the most striking pedestal ornaments that 

 can be imagined. The sori or fruit-dots of this species are 

 also quite noticeable, being very similar to those of some of 

 the Polypodiums, bright yellow in color and so deeply sunk in 

 the frond as to produce a little protuberance or wart on the 

 upper surface. In fact, the characteristics of the Goniophle- 

 biums have induced some authorities to class them with the 

 Polypodiums, and the plant in question is frequently labeled 

 P. subauriculatum, while it has also been called Schellolepis 

 subauriculatum. 



Another fine plant of the same family is Goniophlebium 

 verrucosum, which is somewhat similar in habit to the preced- 

 ing, but has broader fronds and pinnae. G. verrucosum is 

 also pendulous, but its fronds seldom exceed four to six feet 

 in lenjrth. 



Nephrolepis davallioides furcans is a fit companion plant 

 for the foregoing, being so strong and rapid a grower that it 

 forms a perfect fountain of fronds five or six feet long when 

 grown under congenial conditions. This fine plant is a 

 crested form of N. davallioides, and is not only extremely hand- 

 some as a pedestal or basket plant, but is also one of the most 

 effective varieties for exhibition, while the fronds being of good 

 texture are useful for cutting. 



One or two of the stronger Lygodiums may also find a place 

 in our list, notably L. volubile and L. dichotomum, both of 

 which are fine sorts with large, dark green pinnae, and the scan- 

 dent habit so well known in the Hartford Fern (L. paltnatum), 

 the American representative of this genus. L. volubile and 

 L. dichotomum are both quite strong in growth and evergreen, 

 the fronds continuing to grow until they reach a length of 

 several feet. 



Davallia solida will also become a handsome specimen 

 when well treated, and is best suited for basket cultivation. It 

 is a native of the Malay Islands, and produces a strong rhizome, 

 from which issue its dark green fronds, arching in habit and 

 about two feet long. 



Woodwardia radicans and W. orientalis are both highly 

 ornamental cool-house species, the first being found in por- 

 tions of Europe, Asia and America, while the latter is also 

 Asiatic, being found in China and Japan. Woodwardia radi- 

 cans has already been described in these columns, but it may 

 be repeated that the fronds are produced from a decumbent 

 rhizome, are three to six feet long, pendulous and dark glossy 

 green in color, and are frequently viviparous. 



W. orientalis has much broader fronds than the preceding ; 

 but they are not nearly so long, and are usually dotted all 

 over the upper surface with a profusion of young plants. 



The Woodwardias may be potted in a somewhat heavier 

 soil than the preceding species with good result, but the 

 drainage should be thorough, as they enjoy an abundance of 

 water, and during the summer are benefited by syringing 

 overhead. Some of the best plants I have seen were grown 

 in a house of Camellias, with which plants they shared the 

 syringing. 



Holmesburg, Pa. W. H. Taplin. 



. Tuberous Begonias. 



"THE cultivation of tuberous-rooted Begonias is so easily 

 *■ managed that these beautiful flowers should have a place 

 in every garden as well as in every conservatory. The dry 

 tubers should be obtained early in spring, say in February 

 or March, when they can be had at a very moderate price. 

 It must not be expected that there will be a great percentage 

 of really fine flowers in the cheap kinds, as the best varieties 

 are selected for their superior qualities in color, size and form, 

 and are kept distinct and sold at a dearer rate. Nevertheless, 

 the cheaper varieties are good enough for general bedding if 

 obtained from a reliable source. When an absolute color is 

 desired we must take a named variety of the given shade; but 

 if varying shades are not objected to, then it is as well to get 

 seedlings. The largest tubers are not always the best. Indeed, 

 in my experience with both single and double varieties, I have 

 found that the larger bulbs produced plants of coarser habit, 

 and with foliage and flower lacking some of the finer qualities 

 of those produced from moderate sized tubers. In any case 

 the tubers should be plump and well developed. 



The time of starting the roots must depend upon the time 

 when flowers are wanted. If required for early blooming in 

 the greenhouse or window they should be started in gentle 

 heat about the middle of February in an open light posi- 

 tion. They should be potted in single pots a little larger 

 than the bulbs, using a soil composed of light loam, sharp 

 sand and leaf mould in about equal parts. Good drainage is 

 an essential in growing Begonias in pots, and when potted 

 they should be placed in a temperature of sixty-five degrees, 

 giving ample ventilation without exposure to cold draughts. 

 The tubers will then seldom fail to grow, no matter where 

 placed on shelves or benches, provided there is sufficient heat. 

 When first potted sufficient water should be given to moisten 

 the soil thoroughly and equally, and this condition of moist- 

 ure should be maintained, avoiding a sour or sodden soil at 

 any time. When the plants have pushed up two or three 

 leaves and the roots have begun to show themselves around 

 the inside of the pots, they are fit to be potted into larger 

 pots in a compost containing a trifle more loam than that in 

 the smaller pots, and this will promote a sturdier growth. 



Plants so started will commence to flower about April and 

 continue to do so throughout the entire summer. If flowers 

 are not wanted before June, March or the 1st of April will be 

 early enough to start the roots. At this time less artificial heat 



