ma 23 



1 



s 9 8 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



267 



SCARCITY OF LATE PEARS. 



Work for the Week. 



r. G. Wythes, does well in calling attention to this 



M< w Mr G. Wythes, does well in caning <*..«. — 



l KC °"Tcft there are many varieties of pears catalogued as 



^ S «nn from January till April, and yet few of them are found to 

 , n£ , ,n season irom j an 7 r situations 



WARM ORCHIDS. 



t 1 



avcmucb to do, not onl> 



varieties of pears catalogued as The rep otting, top-dressing, and re-basketing must be proceeded with, as 



the season is advancing rapidly for this kind of work for many species and varieties. 

 — f , That soil and situations The dendrobiums generally that require a warm temperature will have in most 



cood condition after the turn ot Uie year. iaa* cases finished their season of flowering (except in cases where they have been 



_u An. not only with the time of ripening, but also wnn J e retarded for exhibition and other purposes), and must receive general attention 



and be placed in their growing quarters, after being well sponged over with soft- 

 soap water and loosely tied to neat sticks. Where grown in pots, a mixture of 

 fibrous peat with all the small dust shaken out, the best sphagnum cleanly picked 

 and washed, a little charcoal and broken crocks will suffice. The plants must be 

 kept well above the rim of the pot, and the pots used must be as small as possible, 

 according to size and condition of the plants. Green fly is a great pest at this 

 season and attacks the young growths and flowers, so a fumigating with XL All 

 will be necessary occasionally. The roller blinds must be used to keep the atmos- 

 phere humid, as root action is now vigorous. Dendrobium fimbriatum and its var. 

 oculatum, D. thrysiflorum, D. chrysotoxum, D. suavissimum, D. aggregatum, D. 

 densiflorum, D. Jenkinsi, and others in this section will in some cases have finished 



o "rs all who have had much experience m their cultivation 

 7lu and also that seasons vary, and cause a cons.derable difference 

 ,U u ; many of them are available for use. Still, it is puzzling to 



! How nurserymen compile their lists. If they were compiled years 

 scover now nuiaci^ f_*:— ,„ 0 ^ „^,„r> oc standards in open 



go, wh en 

 retards, then one 



manv of the varieties were grown as 



could understand that there would be a difference in 



■ ■ o rinpnintr as many were grafted on the pear and white thorn 

 ^fuu^uSc^ is mostly tfsed, and being shallow rooted the 

 ftob less matures much earlier, and though they may seem hard 

 l,t ao • ' they soon change, even when kept in a very 



xks; but now 



I have had fruit of this 



the time of gathering 

 x>l place. 



We will take, for example, Beurre Did 

 .rie'v a pound in weight each, gathered from espaliers, which kept in 

 Sd condition till the middle of January. The fruit was allowed to hang 

 rthe trees till the middle of October, and then stored in a cool place, 

 [ere in the south, the fruit is seldom good after the middle of Novem- 

 »r even when the greatest care is taken in gathering and storing, 

 orrelle refuses to grow with me in any position, yet in some gardens this 

 a fine variety, of both excellent flavour and appearance ; in North 

 Iditl I grew it against a south wall, and grafted on the pear stock, and 

 3 pear could have been finer in flavour at the end of January. Hacon's 

 comparable was also very fine on the light sandy soil in the district 

 >ove referred to, but here, even against a south wall, it cracks, and is of 

 >usc Glou Mor^eau, on the same warm, sandy soil was excellent. 



hered the second week in October from cordon and espalier trees, 

 e fruit remained in good condition till the end of January ; but here, 

 1 a cold, stiff soil, the fruit cracks badly, and what few are perfect 

 ►ually ripen about the middle of November. Ne Plus Meuris, grafted 

 1 the pear, and grown as an espalier, was excellent on the warm, sandy 

 lilin Denbigshire ; but here the fruit is of but little value ; there fair- 

 itd specimens were obtained, but here in the south they are neither so 

 rge or of such fine quality. Winter Nelis, a fine old pear that should find 

 place in every garden, as it is of first-rate quality, and though not 

 rge, will usually give a crop of fruit. At Buxted it ripens too early, 

 pccially when grown on the quince, for though we had a good crop 

 t season, the fruit was all ripe in November, not a specimen being 



icrc 

 «cci 



ft even till the following month, though they were not gathered until 

 lite late in October. Zephyren Gregoire is a fine-flavoured variety, but 

 « Winter Nelis, is only of medium size, and therefore finds but little 

 vour with those who grow only for exhibition. In favourable seasons night and day. 

 is will keep good, even in the south, till January. Van Mons. Leon le 

 % when grown on the pear stock, is particularly fine ; I have had 

 mens weighing eighteen ounces that have been in grand condition 

 the middle of January, but in some seasons, and on cold, stiff soil, it , 

 niost unsatisfactory. 



Jean de Witte, when grown on the pear stock, will keep in condition 

 ly two months longer than when grown on the quince. This fine old 

 ar is not thought so much of nowadays, since all the rage has been 

 nuge fruits, but if flavour is to count for anything, then both this and 



XL ?"!? r • °™l have a place ' Ber &amotte Esperen is another 

 tfium-sized variety that does not find so much favour as it ought s the 



DnLT;l^° ng n gr °T^ r> but the fruitfuln ess of this variety should 

 amend itself to all. Like most others, however, when grown on the 



Like Mr. 

 me the fruit 

 The only 



r 



J 



nee the fruit ripens fully a month earlier than it ought 

 Mes, I am greatly disappointed with Le Lectier, and with 

 <T£ ;,T m December > and of but second-class quality. 



be cons S idpZ r fi Wa . S f 6 ' P re u sident Barabe was fair ?y l«4 but could 

 JonX fo H C,aSS ' 1 ha ^f *Pf eaten a fruit of Beurre 



ffiS^^^/^r^^J^ fuI1 >' ri P e > and ^en in the 

 ^curable seasons it will not keep beyond the middle of Novem- 



rre Ranee 



n fivonrpH .:.! S en SO J gntty as to be almost worthless, 



" fdv o7the S ftS and on warm ' sand y S0iI > the fruit is 



niagamst -,n l , n 50 ' 1 here lt 15 ^ Ulte worthless. 

 , " :? " st . an eas * wall m some 



good. 



Chaumontel, 



n the fruit i. j .—"-seasons, is quite passable, though in 



» able tXn KrT/n gnUy V CVen at x, the best " is seld ° m ™ have 



*** Ute varieties J h« r l ° v™^ 5 S? 1 ' as a rule > il is one of 

 < especially XnT™ J ose P hme de MaJ ines is sometimes very 



the quince 



^nngm^Vn^ H«« on tne qu. 



^ than when Vo J! C, n U,c ^ mto maturity, causing the fruit to 4 ri 



^«iy is as bad "JSTSsS , P T St ? Ck? if this be so > th ™ the 



m&* date, we S aeri fire rt 56 ' f Jf th ° Ugh WC ma y have more frui < at 

 »ft whenH-.'-.:. sacnnce more than is uained bv hei™ w i,h«„f a 



henH«J - more tnan is 



« «£S haTe rt to klnd is SCarce - 



by being without good 

 I should be glad to know 



ff* their experience ] - bjcc ' aS ' l r uld be ver >' interesting 



J? as long as postibl^?f Sf " S k T° W that ' "* allowi «g the fruit 



S^^ous kinds of ^^stor^ V rmrd US npening> but w t th ^spect 

 * be mar* ;-!t S ot . stock s used to play such an important par?, it 



more nt n , UJV - U w F ici y ^uc 



B **tcd Park CarSns ^ *° 



opinions. 



H. C. Prinsep. 



2^BKT GUIDE 



flowering, and now require also repotting, &c. ; these should not be repotted unless 

 they really require it, as often a top-dressing is quite sufficient, Cattleya minucia, 

 C. Ashtoni, and C. Johnsoni— the result of a cross between C. Ilarrisonia: and C. 

 gigas — will first be commencing their new growth, and if any of these require 

 attention they must receive it at once. Pot-shaped baskets are the best to use, 

 suspending these from the roof along with the rest of the choice cattleyas, kelio- 

 cattleyas, &c. Cattleya Harrisoni^, C. amethystoglossa, C. guttata, C. Leopoldi, 

 C. velutina, and C. Forbesi, will all require top-dressing or potting. Cattleya 

 Skinneri will probably be flowering and must receive less water, as it is liable to 

 damp ; the driest place in the house ought to be chosen for it. Cattleya 

 Bowringiana will now be rooting fast, so more water must be afforded. Cock- 

 roaches, woodlice, and slugs must be well kept down in the cattleya house, other- 

 wise they will eat off" all the roots. Cattleya Mantini (now a general favourite 

 with orchid growers, especially its var. nobilio), the result of a cross between C. 

 aurea and C. Bowringiana, thrives well in a basket suspended from the roof, and if 

 not already attended to must receive attention forthwith. 



Oncidium sphacelatum and 0. sphacelatum majus may be grown in any warm 

 house kept at 55 or 60 degrees during the winter months ; and it may be found in 

 almost any amateur's collection, and is one of the easiest of orchids to grow ; it 

 will now be showing flower, so a few more degrees of heat will assist it. Those 

 that are failing to flower and require repotting should receive immediate attention, 

 and the compost should consist of rough fibrous peat, sphagnum, a little charcoal, 

 and a little silver sand ; the pots need to be drained half their depth with clean 

 crocks, and tied firmly down with a few sticks. Sufficient water must be given to 

 keep each bulb plump. Oncidium flexuosum is another old orchid, and when a 

 place suits it well it should not be removed ; it thrives well suspended in square 

 baskets in the store in a compost similar to that advised for O. sphacelatum. 

 Thrips and red spider trouble these, and the syringe ought to be used about them 

 on favourable occasions. More damping will be required now, and shading will 

 also require attention ; pests will trouble us very much, so fumigating must be 

 done occasionally as a preventive. The temperature may rise a few degrees all 

 round, but the ventilation must be well watched to guard against cold draughts by 



—Thomas Stafford, Tyntes field Gardens. 

 CONSERVATORY AND GREENHOUSE. 



At no other season of the year is it necessary to use so much discretion in 

 affording ventilation to these structures as now and for the next few weeks. At 

 the time of writing there is bright sunshine, which quickly raises the temperature, 

 but as a searching east wind is also prevalent it would be better to let the temperature 

 rise somewhat higher than usual than to open the ventilators for an inrush of cold 

 air. For the most part plants of all descriptions have either been repotted 

 recently, or are developing young and tender foliage, therefore anything approach- 

 ing a draught through the house would prove anything but suitable to the well- 

 doing of the plants. Fresh air for a short time daily, whenever the weather is 

 favourable, is necessary to encourage clean healthy growth, but until the outside 

 conditions become more balmy, this should be admitted from the highest point of 

 the house, using the side ventilators with caution. The desired temperature is 

 more easily secured, and a nice growing atmosphere maintained by turning off 

 artificial heat, early on bright mornings, and dewing the stages and other parts of 

 the house with tepid water several times during the day. We are not in favour of 

 using heavy blinds for shading greenhouse plants generally so early in the season, 

 as this is apt to promote weak growths ; a temporary screen, however, will now 

 be necessary at mid-day, especially for plants in full bloom and also rbofe whose 

 roots have been disturbed. It is undoubtedly the best and neatest way 10 shade 

 palms, camellias, &c, growing in lofty houses to paint the roof-glass over with 

 summer cloud, or some other mixture which 1 will not wash off readily. This sa< 

 much time and trouble, as the plants enjoy both shade and m <^ u f re * 

 shade, until the autumn, proves an advantage m every way. Established palms 

 tree ferns and the like planted in the borders of the conservatory will require 



onwards, and the syringe should be freely used about 

 the stems and fronds of tree ferns, to ensure free and clean growth. Hanging 

 ^SSt^^fO^ be gradually watered ™ 



become established, as anything approaching dryness at the roots now would 



Pr °T^ -e among the finest plants grown, and may 



be had in succession by means of gentle forcing. On no account sfro ^ much 

 heat be employed or a scarcity of moisture in the atmosphere be allowed, 

 thrips would probably attack the foliage and the blooms fail to open properly. To 

 ^?t£^S unifoL, pinch out the points of those shoots not set with flower 

 buds. Another class of plants that might be grown side by side with these are 

 the daphnes, as the same treatment suits both Neither will ^^^^^1 

 any length of time, and to keep them m robust condition, syringe them hberally 

 during fine weather and admit plenty of air, closing the house early while they are 

 making new growth. Now is a good time to pot these Clean pots carefully 

 drained, are necessary ; and the compost should consist of good fibrous loam one- 

 seventh of decayed manure passed through a fine sieve, and coarse sand—a liberal 

 quantity of the latter should be used, and press the compost firmly round the roots. 

 Plants that are in a good condition at the roots, but somewhat straggling m habit, 

 may be pruned into shape. They will break freely if not over-watered and the 



Aiitumn-struck cuttings of marguerites should be potted on 



.saves 



S^ 1 ^^. «W« °on th thf^l n - f °- the r w J? oIe is the "Gardening Year Book," 



Maria Lane, London.— [Advt.] 



as required, using old potting soil to ensure sturdy growth and plenty of bloom. 

 Unless small decorative plants are required early, pinch out the flower buds as 

 Ihey show, until within a few weeks of when required ; as the pots become filled 

 with roots, u^e soot water, which gives substance to the bloom and deep colour to 



