236 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 169. 



are produced, one year after another, at intervals of two or 

 three inches. The pseudo-bulbs are ovoid, compressed, with 

 edges more or less acute, and are terminated by a single 

 leathery, elliptic, oblong leaf, which varies from six to twelve 

 inches in length, and is about two or three inches wide. The 

 stout, erect scapes are produced from the base of the pseudo- 

 bulb, and are from twelve to fourteen inches high, often carry- 

 ing as many as eighteen or twenty large flowers on the upper 

 portion. The lower portion of the scape is clothed with large, 

 pale-brown, leafy bracts, the outer surface of which is spotted 

 with purplish red, as is also the epidermis of the scape itself. 

 The flowers appear in March and April, and each individual, 

 borne on a pedicel about two inches long, would occupy as 

 much space as a circle with a diameter of two inches and a 

 half. The roundish petals and oblong-clawed petals are of a 

 deep glossy brown — as if the surface were varnished — with a 

 narrow undulated margin of clear yellow, which is very attrac- 

 tive. The base of the petals is creamy yellow, blotched with 

 purple brown. In comparison with the sepals and petals the 

 lip is rather small ; it has an obcordate emarginate blade, 

 narrowed toward the base, where it widens out into a small 

 lobe on either side, having a three-toothed crest in the centre. 

 The color is clear, bright yellow, with a forked stain of orange- 

 yellow at the base, in front of the crest. The white column 

 has its " wings " decorated with purple spots. 



It must be admitted that, at first sight, the original botanical 

 description of 0. brevifolium would do very well for what is 

 known to be 0. coronarium, especially when Lindley adds 

 what would seem to be an emphasizing remark, " flores 

 magintudine et facie Oncidii crispii." By a stretch of imagi- 

 nation the same might be said of 0. coronarium. But it is 

 important to point out that 0. brevifolium is described as 

 having leaves often not much longer than two inches, and as 

 carrying its flowers on drooping scapes, while it is well known 

 that the leaves of 0. coronarium are much longer than two 

 inches, and that its scapes are erect. For ordinary purposes 

 these two particular points should be enough to enable any 

 one to distinguish between the two species, although there 

 are other points of difference in the structure of the flowers. 



0. coronarium grows wild in the northern part of the 

 United States of Colombia. It was first discovered by Funck 

 and Schlim in 1847, in the vicinity of Ocana, at altitudes 

 varying from 7,000 to 9,000 feet above the level of the sea, and 

 it is to the latter traveler we are indebted for having first 

 dispatched living plants to Europe — to the nurseries of M. 

 Linden, of Brussels. 



Although one of the finest Odontoglossums in cultivation, 

 it is very seldom seen in a good condition. There is always 

 a certain amount of difficulty about its culture, and this being 

 recognized, it is possible that many growers make matters 

 worse by being too careful with it, coddling it in fact, an opera- 

 tion seldom successful. There are some, however, who ex- 

 perience no difficulty -in growing this species well, and one of 

 the finest specimens I have seen in flower was grown in the 

 collection of Mr. R. N. Dale, of Bromborough Hall, Cheshire. 

 It was exhibited at a recent meeting of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society, but was first shown on May 1st, 1872, by M. Linden, 

 and obtained a first-class certificate under the erroneous name 

 of O. brevifolium. 



Owing to what may be called the traveling propensities of 

 the pseudo-bulbs (the production or evolution of which is 

 analogous to that of the common Solomon's Seal), it is not 

 possible to restrain the growth of this plant within the bounds 

 of a pot in the usual way. Some other means must be 

 adopted to suit its peculiarity, and one of the best is to fix the 

 rhizome to a teak raft, having rough peat and sphagnum 

 moss to grow in ; the raft may then be stood in a pot filled 

 with large clean crocks, which may be covered over with fresh 

 moss to obliterate the otherwise unsightly appearance. O. 

 coronarium will thus thrive in a moderately cool house, with 

 plenty of light and air, and copious supplies of water, with 

 frequent syringings during warm weather and the period of 

 growth. 



Isleworth, London, W. J. Weathers. 



^Eschynanthus. 



HTHESE showy epiphytal plants are admirable for baskets in 

 -*- the conservatory v Being natives of India and the Indian 

 islands, they require a high temperature and moist atmos- 

 phere. They are generally of a scandent habit and should be 

 allowed to droop over the sides of hanging baskets. A mix- 

 ture of fibrous peat, sphagnum moss, a little loam and lumps 

 of charcoal makes the proper soil for them, and should have 

 a liberal supply of water when growing, both at the roots and 



over the foliage. The orange or scarlet flowers are produced 

 in both terminal umbels and from the leaf-axils. 



A. cordifolius is a very free-flowering species, with dark 

 green heart-shaped leaves. The flowers are in clusters, deep 

 red striped with black, the inside of tube being orange. The 

 variety is one of the best summer bloomers. 



A. speciosus is more erect in growth, and bears very freely 

 large fascicles of erect, long-tubed flowers of rich orange-yel- 

 low, with black markings. 



A. grandiflorus bears large deep crimson and orange flow- 

 ers, and A. Lobbianus rich scarlet flowers. 



A. splendidus is a garden hybrid of very easy cultivation. 

 The flowers remain a long time in perfection. The leaves are 

 long, lanceolate and of a very light green color. The flowers 

 are large, bright scarlet, spotted with black on the. edges. 



There are many other varieties, but all have the same gen- 

 eral characteristics, and they are among the most beautiful 

 summer-flowering stove-plants in cultivation. 

 Maywood, N. J. James P. Taplin. 



Dahlias. 



T 1 HE Journal of Horticulture gives, in a late number, some 

 *■ valuable statistics showing the relative positions of the 

 best-known varieties of the Dahlia as revealed by their ap- 

 pearance at exhibitions in England in eight years — i. e., from 

 1883 to 1890. Here are the first twelve in each section in the 

 order of their rank : 



Show Dahlias.— Mrs. Gladstone, pale blush ; Harry Keith, 

 rosy purple; W. Rawlings, crimson-purple ; J. Cocker, purple ; 

 Hon. Mrs. P. Wyndham, pale yellow and rose ; Henry Walton, 

 pale yellow and scarlet ; R. T. Rawlings, clear yellow ; Mrs. 

 W. Slack, blush white and purple; Colonist, chocolate and 

 fawn ; Maud Fellowes, pale pink and purple ; Goldfinder, yel- 

 low and red ; Mrs. Langtry, cream and crimson. The premier 

 position has been held by Mrs. Gladstone, which is by far the 

 best of all show Dahlias, five years in succession. 



Fancy Dahlias. — Mrs. Saunders, yellow and white ; Rev. 

 J. B. M. Camm, yellow and red ; Goethe, yellow, red and 

 white ; Chorister, fawn and crimson ; Duchess of Albany, 

 orange and crimson ; Flora Wyatt, orange and red ; Henry 

 Eckford, yellow and red ; Mrs. N. Halls, scarlet and white ; 

 Peacock, maroon and white ; G. Barnes, lilac and crimson ; 

 M. Campbell, buff and crimson ; Hugh Austin, orange and red. 



In the following short lists the varieties are arranged accord- 

 ing to the total number of times they were staged in competi- 

 tion at the last two exhibitions of the National Dahlia Society : 



Pompon. — E. F. Junker, White Aster (Guiding Star), Dark- 

 ness, Favorite, Gem, Rosalie, Isabel, Golden Gem, Lady 

 Blanche, Grace, Little Duchess, Whisper. 



Cactus and Decorative. — Mrs. Hawkins, Empress of 

 India, Panthea, Amphion, Juarezii, Constance, Charming 

 Bride, Cochineal, Henry Patrick, William Darvil, Zulu and 

 ' Honoria. 



Single. — Amos Perry, Miss Henshaw, Duchess of West- 

 minster, Mrs. B. Coninck, W. C. Harvey, Cetewayo, Duchess 

 of Albany, Formosa, Hugo, Marion Hood, Miss Ramsbottom, 

 Miss Roberts. 



Hardy Narcissus. 



THE Narcissus season is now closing in, and, so far as one 

 can judge at present, has been a complete success. 

 Apart from the newer varieties tried this year for the first 

 time, there are several other points worth recording. It has 

 been fairly tested and proved here that Irish-grown Narcissus 

 are better ripened, and, in consequence, flower better than 

 Holland-grown bulbs. The bulbs received from Ireland were 

 not remarkable for size, but from most of them two flowers, 

 and from many three flowers, were produced, and good flow- 

 ers, too. This fact may be of use to those who force Narcissus 

 largely, for complaints are common this year of the flowering 

 of bulbs grown in Holland. As to the covering of late-planted 

 bulbs, as heretofore advised, one point should have been em- 

 phasized more strongly, which is, that after planting if is 

 absolutely necessary where field-mice abound, as they do here, 

 to allow the frost to penetrate to the depth of two inches in the 

 soil. This will keep the mice above ground, otherwise the 

 Narcissus-bed would be a perfect paradise for them, with 

 the covering of dry leaves to nest in. 



One of the best of newer kinds tried this year is N. bicolor 

 prcecox. This is in flower with the earliest kinds, almost two 

 weeks before N. bicolor Horsfieldii, and in shape and color is 

 almost identical except that it is smaller ; but one cannot have 

 too many bicolored varieties, especially when they are as good 

 as Grandee or Grandis, which is equal in every respect to 



