164 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 163. 



and badly shaped and of a dirty greenish white color, which 

 gets confused with the blotches. Three varieties are recorded. 

 One of them, Candidulum, was introduced over thirty years 

 ago, it is said, by Messrs. Low, of Clapton, a form with no 

 blotches on the sepals and petals, and only one or two, or even 

 none, on the lip. This seems to be the same as the plant some- 

 times called Candidissimum. The variety Pattisonianum is 

 not well known. Reichenbach described it in 1868 as having 

 large white flowers, and as being a native of Oaxaco, whence 

 it was introduced by Baron Karwinski. The name commemo- 

 rates Dr. Pattison, who was the first to flower this plant, and 

 Phalcenopsis Luddenanniana, in England. 



About 1833 the typical O. nebitlosum was found growing on 

 the trunks of Oak-trees in Oaxaca, Mexico, by Baron Kar- 

 winski, but it was not until the severe winter of 1837-38 that it 

 found its way into cultivation in England through the means 

 of Mr. Bateman, and then the first consignment did not last 

 long, as the plants were coddled in a too high temperature, in 

 accordance with the inexperienced views of Orchid-growers of 

 that time. Some years later two other well-known plant col- 

 lectors — namely, Galleotti andGhiesbreght — obtained plants of 

 this species, and the latter sent a consignment to Monsieur 

 Linden, in whose establishment at Ghent it flowered in 1856. 

 Since this time it has often been imported, but not in great 

 quantities. 



A temperature varying from sixty to sixty-five degrees 

 Fahrenheit in winter to seventy or seventy-five in the 

 height of summer is suitable for O. nebitlosum. In late spring- 

 time growth begins, and constant attention to watering is 

 requisite from this time and onward during the summer 

 months. The plants should be shaded from the sun when it 

 becomes very hot, and plenty of air ought to circulate through 

 the house without causing one to feel a draught. The usual 

 compost of rough fibrous peat, with a little fresh sphagnum 

 moss and charcoal, in combination with first-class drainage, 

 is required in order to grow strong, healthy plants, with a fair 

 show of flower-spikes. 

 Isieworth, London, w. John Weathers. 



Zonal Pelargoniums for Winter Blooming. 



P 



ERHAPS the so-called Geranium is more widely known 

 and grown than any other garden plant, and its dazzling 

 colors are seen everywhere in summer. But its true value is 

 never known or thoroughly appreciated until it is used for 

 decorating a conservatory or window-garden in winter. In 

 the summer season a sudden storm will destroy its masses of 

 flowers in an incredibly short time, and days must elapse 

 before the plants regain their fair appearance ; but this is not 

 the case with specimens protected from the weather, which 

 produce an uninterrupted and brilliant display through 

 the dull winter months. Besides this, it is only with such 

 treatment that the best color of each individual variety is 

 secured, and the infinite variety of tints, from the deepest 

 crimson to the purest white, is defined. It is true that there 

 are certain varieties whiclvare most useful when grown out-of- 

 doors during the summer, while others are only valuable for 

 conservatory decoration. It is therefore necessary to have a 

 selection from both classes if we would have a continuous 

 bloom. 



Many people think that greenhouse space had better be 

 reserved for something better than Zonal Pelargoniums, and, 

 therefore, those plants which are used for bedding in the 

 summer are simply kept alive during the winter in a starved, 

 kept-over condition. But if the best winter-flowering varieties 

 are selected, and have an opportunity given them to develop, 

 they will prove worthy of the most careful attention. 



For successful winter-flowering Geraniums must be grown 

 especially for the purpose, just as roses are grown. Strong 

 cuttings should be taken from April to June, according to the 

 size of the plants desired, and their duration of flowering, 

 and inserted singly in small pots of sandy loam. Cuttings 

 may also be rooted in sand and afterward potted, if care is 

 taken that they should neither be dried up nor drenched with 

 water. As soon as they have made a new growth, and the 

 small pots are filled with young and active roots, they should 

 be re-potted into tour and a half or five-inch pots, using this 

 time, as a potting soil, two parts of fibrous loam to one of 

 thoroughly rotted manure. An old spent hot-bed, where leaves 

 have been liberally used in making it, is an excellent manure, 

 and so is a spent mushroom-bed. Of course, if the loam is 

 stiff it will be necessary to add some sand to keep the soil 

 open, and the pot should be carefully crocked and drained, 

 because these plants need frequent watering in hot weather. 

 Over a layer or two of crocks in the pot a thin layer of 

 cinders that have been sifted through a sieve with a half-inch 



mesh will serve to keep the soil out of the crock and, 

 at the same time, keep earth-worms from the soil, as they do 

 not like to travel through the sharp cinders. The plants 

 should be placed in an ordinary frame, on a good cinder ash 

 bottom, and protected from drenching rains and wind and 

 scorching sun. When planted out they need all the sun they 

 can possibly get, but, while in pots, they will dry out so much 

 more quickly that it is preferable to shade them a little to pre- 

 vent the roots from drying, for this would give them a serious 

 check. 



The plants should be pinched back to make them bushy, 

 and all flower-stalks should be picked off as soon as they are 

 large enough to handle, and early in August those which are 

 meant for early flowering should have their last shift into 

 nine or ten-inch pots, , in which the soil may be rather coarser 

 than that in which they have been growing. They should be 

 kept out-of-doors, watered well and well guarded against the 

 ravages of caterpillars, which are apt to eat the under side of 

 the leaves, and disfigure them. They should be housed in 

 September, although, if the weather is dry, they may remain 

 out longer, but the plants will suffer if the weather is damp 

 and cold. A warm, airy and ligh.t house is best for them, and 

 the temperature should be kept at from fifty-five to sixty-five 

 degrees. They will need a few stakes, which are slightly 

 spread, and the shoots should be tied so as to keep the centre 

 of the plant open. The pinching of the flower-buds should be 

 discontinued, but any strong-growing roots should be pinched 

 back. After the pots are filled with roots weak liquid manure 

 should he given occasionally, and also a top-dressing of well- 

 rotted manure and a little bone-flour. Good plants in six-inch 

 pots may be had from cuttings struck in June. 



The following is a good list of varieties suitable for the con- 

 servatory or window-garden : 



. Single-flowered Varieties. — White : Queen of the Whites, 

 Improved, International, Lily, Mrs. Benedict. Pink: Lady F. 

 Russell, Mrs. Joynson, Norah. Salmon : Countess of Derby, 

 Mrs. D. Saunders. Purple and Magenta : Richard Dean, Dr. 

 R. G. Tucker, Lord Churchill. Crimson and Scarlet : Mr. H. 

 Cannell, Brilliant, H. Cannell, Jr., Hyacinth, Rev. H. Harries, 

 Lynette, Judge Brown, Fiery Cross. 



Double-flowered Varieties. — White : La Cygne. Salmon : 

 Queen of the Fairies. Scarlet: Golden Dawn, M. Bruant. Pink: 

 Mary Geering, Glorie de France.' Deep Crimson: Black 

 Knight. 



Dongan Hills, Staten Island. W. Tricker. 



The Best Chrysanthemums in England. — The yearly analysis of 

 the leading Chrysanthemum-blooms shown at the numerous 

 English exhibitions is always interesting to those who make a 

 specialty of this flower everywhere. While American varie- 

 ties are becoming very numerous and taking year by year a 

 leading place in our exhibitions, no grower can afford to neglect 

 the varieties among which our English friends find the prize- 

 winners. Comparatively little interest seems to be taken here 

 in the Chinese incurved section, no stand of these worthy of 

 notice having ever been seen at any of our shows. As a mat- 

 ter of interest we note the leading twelve varieties of 1890 at 

 English exhibitions in the order of their rank : Miss M. A. 

 Haggas, Miss Violet Tomlin, Empress of India, Queen of Eng- 

 land, Lord Alcester, Golden Empress of India, Jeanne d'Arc, 

 Lord Wolseley, John Salter, Princess of Wales, Prince Alfred, 

 Golden Queen of England. As compared with former audits, 

 this shows a falling off of Empress of India, which variety has 

 occupied the foremost place for a number of years. The lead- 

 ing Japanese varieties show the usual shifting of places. The 

 first dozen were : Etoile de Lyon, Sunflower, Avalanche, Ed- 

 win Molyneux, Madame C. Andiguier, Mademoiselle Lacroix, 

 Val d'Andorre, Maiden's Blush, Jeanne Delaux, Stanstead Sur- 

 prise, Mr. Ralph Brocklebank, Stanstead White. Eight of 

 these varieties are introductions of 1886 and later. Whether 

 the new kinds are really so superior to the older varieties, or 

 simply that their novelty causes them to be grown more 

 largely, only future exhibitions will show. It is curious to ob- 

 serve the almost entire absence of American varieties from 

 the list of sixty-three varieties, Volunteer (Henderson) being 

 Number 45, and Florence Percy (Allen) Number 46. The lat- 

 ter variety, like Mr. Ralph Brocklebank, is not highly esteemed 

 with us, as it always comes very thin. 



Elizabeth, N. J. / • N. Cr. 



Ipomcea pandurata. — This plant is going the rounds of the 

 catalogues as the " Perennial Morning Glory," and it will 

 probably be widely distributed this year. It is quite safe to 

 say that all who buy the plant will also buy experience. It is 

 also true that the plant is very beautiful, a perennial and quite 



