OCtOBER 23, 1889.] 



Garden and Forest. 



513 



large flowers, which emit a delicious odor akin to that of 

 vanilla or of garden Pinks. The sepals and petals, with wavy 

 margins, are yellow, tinged with green, the upper concave 

 sepal and the two petals being covered with large, roundish, 

 purple-brown blotches, which become confluent at the base, 

 while the two lower elliptic-obtuse sepals are nearly purple- 

 brown throughout, having a streak of yellow appearing here 

 and there. The lip presents a striking contrast to the other 

 segments in its color, which is a beautiful rose-purple on the 

 broad, flattish anterior lobe, passing along a narrow isthmus 

 into deep mauve-purple at the base, where there are three 

 projecting plates or crests, and a triangular auricle on each 

 side, while the short, thick column is rendered conspicuous by 

 its roundish, incurved fleshy wings of a bright, shining purple. 



There are several forms of this fine species in cultivation, 

 but the most distinct are Superbum and Louvrexianum, speci- 

 mens of which are now also in flower. The former is dis- 

 tinguished by having larger and more brilliantly colored flow- 

 ers than is usual in the type, but this is probably owing to its 

 geographical distribution, as it is found only in the region of 

 the Rio Negro. The latter variety, however, which is named 

 in compliment to M. D. Massange de Louvrex, of Marche, 

 Belgium, is remarkably distinct, and may be known at once 

 by the pure white apical half of the lip, the deep purple basal 

 portion of which appears to be fluis rendered more intense 

 by the contrast. 



For many years Oncidium Lanceanum was a difficult plant 

 to grow well, but now that cultivators know its requirements, 

 and the conditions under which it grows in a wild state, it is 

 met with in most collections, as it is found to grow 

 just as easily as its congeners. It might be mentioned that in 

 the Rio Negro region, during July and August, which is the 

 dry season, there is scarcely any rain whatever, and the ther- 

 mometer reaches ninety-five degrees Fahr. in the shade at two 

 o'clock every afternoon, and does not sink below seventy-five 

 degrees Fahr. at night. Taking this into consideration, and 

 also the fact that the plants receive plenty of moisture by 

 evaporation from the rivers along whose banks they grow, 

 and also by the tremendous torrents of rain at certain times 

 of the year, it is evident that they must be cultivated in 

 a warm and moist atmosphere, with a temperature of 

 seventy to eighty degrees Fahr. during the period of growth, 

 and at the same time giving abundance of water. When in 

 flower less water is required, and a slightly cooler atmosphere 

 will tend to keep the flowers in good condition for several 

 weeks. When the flowering season is quite over the plants 

 should be placed in a cooler house, where they may enjoy a 

 good rest for a couple of months, but they must receive 

 a little water at intervals to prevent the growths from shrivel- 

 ing, as the plants have no pseudo-bulbs to retain nourish- 

 ment. Weil drained baskets, with a compost of rough, filjrous 

 peat and moss, with ciiarcoal mixed, is very suitable, as the 

 baskets can be hung from the roof, tluis allowing the plants 

 plenty of light. 



St. Albans, Eng. Joku Weathers. 



The Hardy-Plant Border. — It is a common error to suppose 

 that hardy herbaceous plants need little or no care. Hardy 

 plants require as much thought and attention as green-house 

 plants. Many well recommended and ambitious young gar- 

 deners have little experience with hardy plants, and thus the 

 workof plan ting and cultivating them is too of ten left to unskilled 

 laborers. Proper preparation of ground, careful selection, 

 judicious grouping and association of color for definite pur- 

 poses, frequent division and weeding out of worthless kinds, 

 and the propagation of the best species and varieties must 

 always be kept in mind, and all this demands persontd interest 

 and supervision. 



In addition to the propagation of proved varieties, the en- 

 terprising gardener \v\\\, every year, test a few new kinds in 

 nursery beds to ascertain their hardiness and floral merits 

 before they are planted permanently or rejected. Where, as is 

 frequently the case, the owner is away from home during the 

 warm months of July and August, special attention should be 

 paid to the grouping of certain kinds for spring and fall displays. 



The fall of the year is the best time to prepare the ground, 

 and if the soil is not already rich and deep it should be made 

 so. Many kinds are best planted at this season, and the others 

 should be planted as early in spring as possible. The taller 

 growing kinds should be placed so as not to exclude from view, 

 and shut off light and air from the smaller kinds. If any choice 

 varieties do not seem to make much progress, have them housed 

 or stored in a cool frame for the winter, and take up desir- 

 able kinds for propagation during the winter or early spring. 

 Cover the borders with leaves, if obtainable, and just lay 



enough manure on them to prevent the wind from carrying 

 them away. Or light manure will suflice when leaves are not 

 to be had. It is better to leave the surface of the soil rather 

 rough, or broken up, than smooth and finely raked. It takes 

 rain without shedding, holds the moisture better, and is not 

 so liable to be parched by the sun after a heavy rain. 



Wellesley, Mass. T. D. Hatfield. 



Primula cortusoides Sieboldii is one of the brightest colored 

 species, and in this respect stands unrivaled among hardy 

 Primroses. Our first acquaintance with this plant was made 

 when it was grown in pots for decorating the conservatory, 

 and very suitable it is for that purpose, but now that there is 

 no question of its hardiness, and plants are easily procured, 

 one can muster up courage enough to plant them out in the 

 open ground. Care should be taken when selecting a place 

 for the plants, to choose a half shady position where the rays 

 of the sun during the hottest part of the day may not strike 

 them, as in this climate few Primulas can endure complete 

 exposure to the sun. It is well to bear in mind also that 

 this variety is seen to the best advantage when associated 

 with others of the genus, such as Primroses, Polyanthus and 

 Auriculas, and in this way P. Sieboldii shines conspicuously 

 bright, and its large flowers of deep rose, over an inch across, 

 borne on many flowered stems just above the foliage, cannot be 

 surpassed for their pleasing effect in early spring. The foliage 

 dies off completely in fall, and this is the proper time to trans- 

 plant. It should be borne in mind that this species is strictly 

 surface rooting, consequently the roots should be only slightly 

 covered with soil, and should then receive a top dressing of 

 well decomposed manure. This may be removed in spring, 

 just as the plants begin to show signs of starting, as all the 

 nutriment will have been appropriated by the soil ; and as a 

 protection the manure is no longer needed. With us Sie- 

 bold's Primrose hears seed freely, and if this is sown when 

 ripe it soon germinates, and in twelve months makes flowering 

 plants. We have now a fine collection for flowering next 

 spring. Florists have already been at work on this plant, 

 but the progress made toward improved varieties has not 

 been remarkable. The type still holds its own against all the 

 seedling sorts, although some of these are pretty enough and 

 well worth growing. Amongst them are two white varieties. 

 Intermedia Alba and Grandiflora Alba. These have the merit 

 of being very distinct. Amongst others we have tried are Ruby, 

 Laciniata, Lilacina, Clarkieflora and Purple Queen, the varietal 

 names of which are sufficiently descriptive. They are the best 

 of some twelve or more varieties usually seen in trade lists. 



Passaic, N. J. E. 0. Orpet. 



A contrivance for watering lawns is being largely introduced 

 into English gardens where there is a system of water-pipes. 

 It consists of three or four lengths of wrought iron tubing 

 about one and a half inches in diameter, coupled by short 

 lengths of flexible leather or rubber hose. The tubes are 

 pierced at short intervals with wedge-shaped holes large 

 enough to emit a wide-spreading, fine spray. Each length of 

 tube has a pair of small iron wheels attached, which revolve 

 in all directions, so that the apparatus can be turned about with 

 ease. These portable irrigators have this year been intro- 

 duced into Kew Gardens by Mr. Nicholson, the Curator, and 

 have given great satisfaction, so that the lawns at Kew, which 

 generally brown early in the season on the hungry, gravelly 

 substratum, have been kept beautifully green throughout the 

 dry summer. These irrigators are likely to become generally 

 used in parks and gardens, as a firm of hydraulic engineers in 

 London is manufacturing them on the same principle, calling 

 them the Kew Gardens Irrigator. The apparatus is by no 

 means new, having been in use many years in Paris, but, per- 

 haps, it is not known to the owners of summer-browned lawns 

 in America. There are two or three patterns (one with socket 

 and ball fixings), but the one described above works most sat- 

 isfactorily. Besides being used for lawn-irrigation at Kew, 

 Mr. Nicholson has turned it to account in watering specimen 

 trees, which have been greatly benefited thereby, especially 

 evergreens and conifers, which, as a rule, do not get nearly so 

 much moisture as they require even in wet seasons. Fortu- 

 nately, a rational system of tree-cultivation is now practiced 

 at Kew. Formerly, wiien once a tree was planted, it rarelv 

 received further attention, but now they are periodically top 

 dressed with rich soil and thoroughly watered by the irri- 

 gators. The beneficial effects of this treatment of the old 

 trees is seen in a short time by the renewed vigor of branch 

 and leaf. It is hoped that this example, set in a pulilic gar- 

 den, will be followed in private gardens, where trees so 

 generallv sufter from neglect. 



Kew. ' G. 



