68 



Garden and Forest. 



[April 4, li 



Coelogyne cristata alba (hololeuca). — This rare albino is now 

 in Hovver witli us (a plant with seven spikes). It dift'ers from 

 the type simply in the absence of the yellow of the lip, tlius 

 rendering it the only instance, I believe, of an entirely pure 

 white Orchid. Though very rare at present, it is like the type 

 — such a free grower that it cannot fail to be plentiful before 

 long. 



Sarcochilus (Thrixspermum) Berkeleyii. — This charming little 

 rarity belongs to the caulescent section of Orchids and in 

 general appearance is not unlil^e a miniature ALrides. The 

 drooping spikes, which are about eight inches long, are thickly 

 set with white flowers with but a dash of amethyst on the lip. 

 The curious sac-like appendage, from which the genus takes 

 its name, renders the flower very remarkable. This species 

 grows well with us among the Pliala-nopsis, in a basket filled 

 with crocks and sphagnum nioss. 



Bertolonia marmorata.' — This is a charming little ornamental 

 leaved plant belonging to the Melastoma family and is valu- 

 able for mixing with Ferns in the green-houses, the leaves are 

 5 to 8 inches long and half as broad, of a bright green beauti- 

 fully streaked with pure white, while the under surface is of a 

 rich purple. It luxuriates in a warm, moist atmosphere in a 

 shady corner. A compost of loam, peat and leaf motdd with 

 a good sprinkling of sand in well drained pots suits it. When 

 they lose their bottom leaves the plants should be taken out 

 and repotted into small pots, sinking the stem as low as possi- 

 ble, so that the new leaves will cover the pot. Keep the plants 

 comparatively dry until they get nicely rooted, after which they 

 should never Ije allowed to become dry. It was introduced 

 from Brazil in 1858. 



Rondeletia (Rogieria) gratissima. — This Mexican shrub bears 

 corymbose cymes of pinkish fragrant flowers. We find that it 

 blooms during nine months of the year, and grows best in a 

 cool green-house temperature, and in a mixture of two parts 

 loam to one of peat. To encourage growth we plant it out in 

 the open ground during the summer months. 



Amaryllis Aulica. — A few large plants of this good old species 

 are in liloom with us now while others are being retarded in 

 the cold house. Most of the bulbs are bearing two spikes 

 each and some of the pots contain 15 to 20 bidbs. This 

 species is evergreen, and need not be repotted more than 

 once in 3 to 4 years, but may be fed with liquid manure during 

 active growth. 



Phalaenopsis Sanderiana. — Some [ilants of tliis grand species 

 now in liloom here show a great variation both in the flower and 

 in the leaf, scarcely two of them being alike. The most attrac- 

 tive kind has the flowers suffused with a delicate rose, which is 

 much darker on the upper section of the flower. This kind is 

 almost invariably found to have leaves marbled as in P. Schil- 

 leriaiia, while the pale varieties possess the green leaves of P. 

 amahilis. Among the best of the paler kinds is that called P. 

 marjnorata, in which the lateral sepals are much spotted with 

 purple. The lip also is beautifully stained and spotted with 

 the same color. It has been suggested that this species is a 

 natural hybrid between P. Schilleriana and P. amabilis, and 

 the great inconstancy in the color of the flowers and leaves 

 tends to strengthen this theory. Some of the plants when out 

 of flower cannot 1 >e distmguishedfrom /". ScJiilleriana,B.\-\(\ otners 

 from those of P. a?nabilis. P. Saiideriana was introduced m 

 1883 from the East Indian Islands. It grows well with us in a 

 warm, airy house, potted in cylinders or liaskets which are 

 nearly filled up with broken crocks, and with a thin layer of 

 sandy peat on the top. Abundance of water should be given 

 at root and overhead during the growing season. When at 

 rest water shoidd be given freely at root, Init the atmosphere 

 should be moderately dry. During this period a minimimi 

 temperature of 60°, with a rise of 10 to 20'^ according to the 

 weather, will suit them. 



Calanthes which have finished flowering should be kept 

 dry, in a temperature of about 60", luitil the new growths 

 begin to emit roots, when they should be shaken out of the 

 pots, the old roots nearly all trimmed off, and repotted in fresh 

 soil, which may consist of two parts fibrous p)eat, one of 

 loam and one of half-rotted leaves. Water should lie given 

 very sparingly until the plants are nicely rooted, after which 

 they need plenty of water and strong heat, with an occasional 

 syringe overhead. After the plants are pot-bound, weak liquid 

 manure may be given them nearly every day. 



Phalaenopsis Harriettis. — This is one of the latest additions 

 to this lovely genus, and was produced by the intercrossing of 

 ]'. amabilis with P. violacca. It is the most handsome and 

 striking of the whole genus. The habit of the plant, size and 

 form of flowers form an intermediate character, but the spike 

 is that of P. violacea, but more slender. The flowers are 

 greenish-white, suffused and dotted with rich, rosy purple, 

 which becomes more intense and is in bars near the base of 

 sepals and petals. The lip is of a rich, velvety purple, with 

 yellow at base. This is the second time only that this species 

 has flowered, and with the increased strength of the plant, 

 there has been a wonderful improvement in size and color of 

 the flowers. This we have also found to be the case with the 

 artificial hybrid P. intermedia, which is now far superior to any 

 imported natural ones. 

 Ktnwood, N. Y. /■'. Goldring. 



Freesias. — These are the best of all our wintcr-lilooming 

 bulbs ; they are of the easiest possible cultivation, bloom 

 abundantly, and the flowers are fragrant and beautiful and 

 have a refined appearance, without any of the coarseness 

 peculiar to the " Dutch " bulbs. The best of all is F. refracta 

 alba ; F. Lciclitlini is also common in cultivation, together 

 with hybrids between these species.. " Dutch " bulbs if forced 

 this year are almost worthless for further use ; Freesias on the 

 contrary improve and multiply year after year. Growers for 

 market plant the bulbs thickly on benches, in about four 

 inches deep of soil ; private growers raise them in pots. By 

 having them in pots we can have them in bloom insuccessional 

 groups for some three months in winter. Any good rich soil — 

 turfy loam and rotted manure — suits them very well. A dozen 

 bulbs in an eight-inch pot will give capital flowers. Pot in 

 August or September, and keep them cool but away from frost, 

 and let them come along slowly. We can force them into 

 bloom by introducing the most advanced plants into warm 

 quarters. After they have done lilooming keep them growing 

 as long as the foliage keeps fresh and green; when it begins to 

 fade dry oft' the plants and keep them dry till potting time next 

 August. The finest Freesias I ever had were grown for two 

 years in the same pots and without repotting. And this 

 year in order to have as good next year, when the plants were 

 coming into bloom I repotted them into larger pots, taking 

 care not to break the ball of roots ; this did not interfere with 

 their blooming at all. They are also easily raised from seed. 

 A few of the plants raised from seed sown this spring may 

 l.iloom next winter, but the majority ot them will not bloom 

 till fhe following year. 



Hydrangea rosea. — This is a comparatively recent introduction 

 from Japan, and in flower and foliage distinct from the older 

 Hydrangeas of our gardens. It is equally available for outside 

 and inside work, and with a miflchingin winter will live out-of- 

 doors ; if the bushes are killed down to the snow line, the 

 shoots from the bottom will grow up in quantity and bloom 

 in summer. This is not always the case with the common 

 Hydrangea, for north of New York, if it be killed to- the 

 ground in winter, the young shoots from the bottom, although 

 they grow larg-e and vigorous enough, seldom bloom well, 

 often not at all. Hydrangea rosea blooms some two to three 

 weeks earlier than does the variety known as Thomas Hogg, 

 and this is more marked when it is forced than when grown 

 out-of-doors. Cuttings of the young wood strike with the 

 greatest freedom. Although the proper color of the flowers is 

 a pretty rose, they often assume a bluish tinge. 



Chinese Primroses. — Sow at once if you wish for good plants 

 for Christmas ; plants for Easter may be sown in summer. 

 Mixed seed as a rule is unsatisfactory; far better pay a little 

 more and get exactly such colors as you want ; the poor varieties 

 require just as much room and care as do the fine varieties. 

 Alba magnifica, white ; Meteor, bright red ; Chelsea Rose, pale 

 rose ; and Chelsea Blue, are most excellent varieties. There 

 is a good deal of emphasis laid on fern-leaved varieties, but 

 their flowers are no better than those of the rounder-leaved 

 sorts ; indeed there is not a pronounced difference between 

 them. Cliinese Primroses should be kept in active growth, 

 moderately moist and slightly shaded all the time, and as cool 

 as possible during the summer months. As the single 

 varieties can be grown so easily from seed it is not worth 

 while to save over any of them for another year. But as the 

 double flowered sorts are uncertain from seed we should keep 

 them over and propagate them from cuttings in the same way 

 as is commonlv done with the old Double White. IV. F. 



