January 22, 1858. 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



55 



Work for the Week. 



COOL ORCHIDS. 



The temperature of the odontoglossum house at this season of the year at dusk 

 should he about 50 degrees, falling two or three degrees by the morning. During 

 ; evere frost, or in very cold windy weather, the temperature may be with safety 

 allowed to fall to 45 degrees at night. It is advisable, however, in such weather 

 to cover the lower portion of the roof, where the plants are near the glass, with mats, 

 ihese coverings being removed in the morning as soon as it is light and immediately 

 the temperature commences to rise. The day temperature should be several 

 degrees above the figures indicated. Damping should be done, if necessary, in 

 1 he morning when the house has reached its maximum temperature ; a little 

 bottom air should also be afforded, passing between the hot-water pipes before 

 coming into contact with the plants. In mild weather, such as we are having 

 now, we keep a little bottom air on the odontoglossum house both day and night. 

 Imported plants of Odontoglossum crispum should be potted in equal parts of 

 peat and fresh sphagnum moss. I find it best to pot them in comparatively small 

 pots, as they then become established quickly and are more readily managed. The 

 pot; should be three parts filled with clean crocks and charcoal, and the specimens 

 should be made firm in the compost by the use of small wooden pegs, allowing a 

 space between the leading pseudo-bulbs and the rim of the pot sufficient for the 

 development of the following year's growth. Great care should be taken in water- 

 ing these until they become established ; they should be sprayed over on bright 

 days to help plump up the bulbs. 



Sophronitis grandiflora, a native of the Organ Mountains of Brazil, will be 

 making a grand show in the cool house at the present time. It is a very hand- 

 some orchid, its large and beautiful flowers lasting six weeks or more in perfection. 

 This species thrives best on blocks of wood or in shallow pans suspended from the 

 roof in the warmest end of the house ; it delights in shade, and should never be 

 exposed to bright sunshine. If pans are used they should be three-parts filled 

 with clean crocks and charcoal, the compost consisting of sound fibrous peat and 

 fresh sphagnum moss in equal parts ; this may have a slight rise to the centre of 

 the pan, but great care should be taken to make the specimens firm, so that they 

 will not be moved out of position when taken down for watering. While growing 

 they should never be allowed to become dry, and if kept in a moist atmosphere 

 and free from insects they will thrive. Masdevallia tovarensis is a very distinct and 

 beautiful orchid, its pretty, sweet-scented, white flowers, generally produced in 

 pairs, being invaluable for many decorative purposes ; the plant moreover lasts a 

 long time in flower. Care should be taken in watering the species at this time of 

 the year and a watchful eye should be kept for thrip, which if allowed to accumu- 

 ate will soon dishgure the foliage, and cause the plants to dwindle away. Wash 

 the fo .age with XL All liquid insecticide, when the first trace of thrip is seen, but 

 even this must not be used too strong. Use the insecticide at the rate of one wine 

 ?lassfull to a gallon of clean, soft water.— G. Shill, New Hall Hey Gardens. 



M . . STOVE PLANTS. 



ibrm.s ,!,Tf e S , h °!? ld los j i? obtaining and placing under cover a supply of good 

 vSSS&^S^ a "d. burnt refuse, so that there may always be plenty of 

 2f l VTl n f ht condition for potting and other purposes whenever necessary. 



ucces ful ! , 0< ? ? Cat ' bones ' P atent manures > and other requisites for the 

 : iencie ™ , T ^ ° f St ° Ve u PkntS ' and order in sufficient to ^place any defi- 

 S?'suwJ^ T 7 £* ?° thing to hinder P° ttin g operations when the 



oZvSvusllZ* Under - h ^ d - £/ CW ba S S ° f COCoa " nut ^ bre refus e will be 



uch subjects al L^r 11Xmg V he SGl1 f ?' P ro P a g atin g purposes, also for starting 

 ucn subjects as caladiums, achimenes, gloxinias, &c. 



>ouse S where Til ^"T ™l y dev f lo P* d > poinsettias should be removed to a 

 ess humidhv in IhT^^u ° f 2 5 d - egreeS is mainta iued, and where there is 



toT starve hem wT^^ ^ 15 nCCeSSary t0 maintain in the stove - D ° 

 'hich they W be £ Water unti U heir beauty has passed, after 

 »ot fall below y co 11 'VI dly C ° rner in a ho ^ where the temperature does 

 rith the exception 2 f \ Th fl C SamC renmks ^ to Euphorbia jacquinteflora, 

 une extent a X n " J*!? flo ^" n g ls ov « it must not be dried 4 off to the 

 denies, and the ZI T^ T V sacanth us rutilans is now throwing out its 



y means of w£e P as in ^ ** S S° d ^ inVmed > 0r be slun S to the ™ f " 

 "arlet IbweiTto Urf^f Tt 7 ^ S ^ W ° ff lon £ Pendulouf racemes of 

 ix inches to a hot ?i, i Under g° f od tre atment these racemes will hang from 



hydrocotyhfolia B Z ? r° ^ -° f P ° L Beg ° niaS > SUch as B ' ma * icata ' 

 lultitlora, B R n ^ w ^J^^\ mspa ^ J B ' nitida ' B " coralina > B - h y brida 



nd should al receive il^'l °^T' " e . ad y ancin g ra Pi<% towards flowering, 

 ' receive liberal support from stimulants. 6 



P!ace in the *tove fh^^fTu J*"" 1 3 "" luli *" ls - If these have to be afforded 

 ■ U'oxineas and achti nL I e ™ where , the y will not be syringed. A few tubers 

 °wers. A good olan ^ ?™ f* - Started * afford an early supply of 



«k then, fiTclo e to^tf - mg S lox ? n,as u 18 to f hake them free of old soil, and 

 * tubers a mixture of on. JV CUttmg b ° X ' pIacmg below them and between 

 ith a good addition of sanrf^H V° T\ each ? f c °coanut-t,bre and leaf-soil, 

 Keen the *t n nd P°wdered charcoal. 



"se of five d greerbTlvfrn'^PT 1116 t S de S rees at n ^ 



' the requ isite \ r eL^ Sbould there be a difficulty in keeping 



t to do so, be c2mS I a her , than get the pipes excessively hot in attempt! 



^e intermediate h 0use mav r J & fe, and keep the atm osphere dryer. 

 «U a thorough syrK W £ ST C ^ Clght d / g ^f COolen Afford ^ ^liage 

 ™P well amongYt "he g nrV 1 ° nCea ? ay ' P^bh/ about noon ; towards dusk 

 " c J<ly the man on duty shoul'/n ° n / he P u thS ; t? d if the house « a Pt to dry 

 » fires the last thin* 2 2E i $ d ° Wn <h(XOa ^7 again when he goes round 



1 n, g ht --J. Tunnington, Ripley Caslle Gardens. 



Whenever the ^ K .'T C HEN GARDEN. 



0 ' k ing, a sowing orpeasmavr 011 ^-' E u d the SOiI in a SuitabIe condition for 

 yarded the old round seeded v m ^ qUarters - We have long since 



^ of superior q u a K ed van .f ies, as there are now so many of the marrow 



»«s are, however, mere « rfS ? 6 as e , arly and * P rod uctive. These marrow 

 ^ precaution be taken Ti^if^^ so early on cold, wet soil, .unless 



« Plan to def, r the 2^3*2 T Y %T i ft is ' therefore > b y far the 

 ^er the row s lo ggj of s uch d j he rf ^ y 



f ^on i; slow P at S **2* h ™ tlDf l the 2 round ^wn again. 



^ themselves through he S o ^ ° f , \ h * y T> S ° ^ the V 0 ™* P Iai ^ wS not 

 prospect of the weat! er becnZ " ^ ^ whicb 5me there will 



acr^ mght ***** than from 8 ,r Sh ° UM - d ° B " **** m ^ S^her^d from 

 ^ h l ^'.'y necessary ihTJ^Z V*" ^ the Same date ' lt is 



SL k U <*» 'etaintd t IS Ched 1° the r °° tS at the time of planting; 



he dlfficu,t y ^ transferrin. ?h i^^' fr T &1X t0 SCVen inches there 

 th * 'oou to an y !tfio^^^ e f P lmt f to the quarters without disturb- 



extent, but there is more satisfaction in sowing them in 



pots, as these are more portable, and can be readily moved should occasion require 

 A sowing of broad beans should now be made, choosing some of the lone pod 

 varieties, as these are more productive than the Mazagan. There are naw several 



g £ ee ^A rmS r CSe that are ver y g° od > and of fine fl avour when cooked. Thev 

 should have preference to the older forms. Where these are desired extra early 

 sowings should be made in boxes for transplanting, as such will be found very 

 serviceable. Broccoli have been turning in very rapidly of late, so much so that 

 many of the early kinds will be over before their usual time. That fine variety, 

 Snow s White, has been unusually good this season. As soon as any show signs 

 of turning in, protection should be afforded them, as otherwise should a sharp 

 frost visit us they will be spoiled. Green vegetables of all kinds have been very 

 plentiful up to the present time, so that there has not been such a demand for 

 roots. Pay special attention to the sowing of small seeds, such as mustard and 

 cress, not putting in more at one time than will suffice for a supply ; small and 

 frequent sowings are the most serviceable. Often, too, small celery is required 

 in the kitchen, so that frequent sowings of this should be made. 



Where mushrooms are grown in large quantities the manure for making the 

 beds must receive proper attention by being frequently turned over, until such 

 time as a sufficient bulk has been brought together to make up the beds. There are 

 but few places where sufficient accommodation is provided for the preparation of the 

 various things necessary to maintain a constant supply of all kinds of vegetables, and 

 ample shed room is one of the things lacking in most gardens. Where sufficient of 

 these useful places are provided, there are many subjects that could be stored in them 

 both in summer and winter to great , advantage. It is not altogether the frost 

 that destroys our vegetable crops, for often they suffer as much from damp as" 

 any thing else. Open sheds are therefore very useful for storing endive, broccoli, 

 lettuce, and others of like nature that suffer in this way. They are also of value 

 in summer, particularly when facing north, for retarding, and for mushroom 

 culture. Those possessing such accommodation would do well to utilise it for 

 the protection of broccoli that are just turning in, for if these are taken up with a 

 ball ol earth attached and laid in, they will receive but little harm. This is by far 

 a better mode of protection than hanging them up, as this causes the flavour 

 to deteriorate sadly. Never cover the foliage unless there is actual danger of the 

 hearts being spoiled by frost. Whenever the weather is unfavourable for outdoor 

 operations, examine the roots in the store-house, and, where the supplies of any 

 of them, such as artichokes and turnips, are likely to run short, sufficient should 

 be put under cover for use, in case we should have frost to prevent those in the 

 open ground from being lifted, but, as all such vegetables are sweeter when used 

 fresh from the ground, no more should be housed than is necessary to keep up a 

 supply. Onions in lofts and seed potatos should also be looked over, and any that 

 are found decayed removed. It is by timely attention to these things that much 

 annoyance is often averted. A good quantity of suitable labels should also be 

 made, in order that, when the seeds are sown or planted, they may be properly 

 named.— II C. Prinsep, Buxted Park Gardens. 



FRUITS UNDER GLASS. 



Peaches already started may be kept well moistened overhead with the syringe 

 daily ; borders and paths, too, should be freely damped down to produce the 

 partially-saturated atmosphere which is conducive to a good start. Trees already 

 in flower should be kept rather dry as regards top growth, and a daily visit to the 

 house just before noon should be paid to give the trees and trellis sundry smart 

 taps with the hand to free the pollen, and this should be sufficient attention in the 

 matter if the blossom is plentiful and vigorous. If, on the other hand, flowers are 

 scarce and not robust, it would be wise to go over each one and brush the anthers 

 and pistils with a camel-hair brush or a hare's foot. Keep a fair amount of heat 

 in the pipes, especially during the early part of the day, and ventilate daily, little 

 or much, in accordance with the weather. Late trees should be pruned and tied 

 forthwith, and another thing that must not be neglected is to see that the border is 

 in a satisfactory state as regards water. My opinion is that more bud-dropping is 

 caused by letting the trees go through the winter months in too dry a state at the 

 roots than from all other causes whatsoever. Some varieties are especially prone 

 to bud-dropping, but it may be induced in all by drought; and my advice is that, 

 if there is any doubt about the matter, the borders shall be thoroughly soaked 

 forthwith. Mulching, too, should not be neglected, especially in those houses 

 where the borders are trodden on throughout the growing season, but, before 

 mulching, all cleansing operations should be finished. Insecticides and tree washes 

 are so numerous and so good that one need not particularise, but, whatever is tried, 

 it should be used in accordance with the vendor's directions, or, if any variation be 

 permitted, it should be on the side of weakness, especially in case of mild weather 

 and forward buds. Houses in work should have a minimum temperature of 50 

 degrees, and the usual rise with sun heat 



With lengthening days strawberry forcing will become an easy matter provided 

 proper care is taken to keep the plants well up to the light and to afford plenty of 

 room for those in flower. The temperature for batches just moving should be the 

 same as recommended for peaches, those which are in flower may be kept from 

 five to ten degrees warmer ; early flowers should be carefully fertilised with the 

 camel-hair brush so that there shall be a sufficient set from the earliest and 

 strongest flowers on each plant. Batches just brought under cover should be 

 allowed to commence growth before they are fumigated or dipped, as the few days 

 thus spent in a genial temperature will wake up any dormant insects and hatch 

 eggs that would escape destruction if the work was done at the time the plants 

 were brought in. Where working vineries are the only available places for straw- 

 berry foicing the plants should be thoroughly syringed daily, except when they are 

 in flower, and again when the fruits are ripening, as it is only in this way that it 

 is possible to prevent an attack of red spider that would eventually injure the 

 vines. Strawberries should always be kept well watered from the time of starting 

 until the fruits are ripening, and any neglect of this simple matter will be fatal to 



the prospects of a good crop. 



Any grapes which may still be hanging should be cnt at once and bottled, so 



that the vines may be pruned before there is any chance of their bleeding. Even 



the use of styptic will not avert bleeding if the sap has begun to rise, and there is 



absolutely no reason for deferring the cutting of grapes to so late a date. I have at 



the present time a considerable number of Muscat of Alexandria bunches in perfect 



condition that were cut and bottled before the end of September, and both berries 



and stems are as plump as on the day they were cut. After pruning the vines, 



clean and suspend them at once, then remove the top inch or two o. the border and 



replace with new soil. Melon seeds may now be sown and the young plants will 



probably overtake those s^wn earlier, besides being stronger ; sow two seeds in a 



three-inch pot of loamy soil, and remove the weakest if both germinate. The soil 



for sowing should be moist enough to induce germination without any watering 



further than a light spraying with the syringe now and then before the young 



plants appear. Plunge the pots in bottom heat as near the glass as may be in a 



house with a minimum temperature of 65 degrees ; cover with a sheet of glass until 



the plants are well above the soil.— J. C. Tallack, Livermere Park Gardens. 



