690 



GARDENERS" MAGAZINE. 



Work for the Week. 



WARM ORCHIDS. 



L^lia Perrim will now be commencing to flower ; its segments and labellum 

 are rather narrow, otherwise it is a very beautiful orchid, and one that is very 

 welcome, flowering as it does at the. same time as Cattleya labiata autumnalis, 

 C. aurea, &c. ; other points in its favour are its ease of culture and its longevity. 

 Anyone who can grow orchids at all can be successful with thi> ; it thrives well 

 with thecattleyas if allowed plenty of water while in a growing state, and removed 

 to the cool end of the house when resting, the water being gradually diminished until 

 sufficient only is allowed to keep the bulbs in a plump state until growth commences. 

 Lalia Perrini nivea, which is almost white, requires exactly the same treatment. 

 Both the species and its variety require to be kept in a dry atmosphere while 

 flowering, otherwise the damp will affect the flowers. 



Dendrobium album is another late flowering subject that is very welcome, for its 

 beautiful ivory-like flowers, associated in the flowering house with brighter colours, 

 gives a very pleasing effect ; a good specimen well-flowered is very pretty, as, 

 unlike many of the dendrobiums, it flowers on the pseudo-bulbs still carrying 

 green leaves, which enhances its beauty. This orchid must be grown in the den- 

 drobium house, in a compost of rough peat and sphagnum, in pans or baskets 

 suspended from the roof, and when resting, must have a few degrees more warmth 

 than the vinery affords. Dendrobium chrysanthum is another of the same type, 

 but will have about finished flowering ; this is very easy of cultivation, enjoying 

 abundance of water during its growing season, and occasional waterings of liquid 

 manure ; this also thrives welliunder baskec culture in a compost of rough peat and 

 sphagnum and should be suspended from the roof ; some growers are successful with 

 it in a cool house. Schomburgkias will have mostly finished their growth, and in 

 order to prepare them for flowering they will require to be removed to a cooler 

 house and placed as close as convenienr to the glass. 



Galeandra Devoniana is a charming orchid and well worth growing for its 

 beauty, but like many others it is very difficult to grow successfully, and has now 

 become scarce; this enjoys plenty of heat and a good supply of water while 

 growing ; it is a victim to red spider and thrip, and requires to be syringed. Now 

 it has finished flowering it must be removed to cooler quarters for the resting 

 season ; teak wood baskets or pans suspended from the roof suit it well. The 

 shading now on the warm houses is not necessary, except in the case of phalsenopsis. 

 Guard against excessive moisture and too high a temperature ; keep all bottom 

 ventilators open when convenient, only closing them against very cold winds ; the 

 top ventilators should be opened when the weather is favourable.— T. Stafford, 

 Tynlesfield Gardens. 



STOVE PLANTS. 



The stock of panax may be rapidly increased now, and should this be desired 

 the stems may be cut into pieces from one to one and a-half inches long, pressed 

 into pots of sandy soil and plunged in the propagating case, where they will not be 

 long before they form roots and break into growth. The roots also may be cut 

 into lengths and serve d in the same way, and with a little careful attention to 

 potting on as required will soon produce useful plants. Specimens of Dracicna 

 gracilis which have become bare at the base should have the top removed and 

 inserted as a cutting, and the old stem be stood in the propagating house, where it 

 will soon push forth young shoots from the latent eyes ; these, when about four 

 inches ong, should be removed with a heel and inserted in thumb pots of sandy 

 soil and plunged in bottom heat, where they will soon root without the loss of a 

 eat. Old stools of draaunas will throw out young growths more freely if laid on 

 their side instead of being stood upright. Continue to put in a few cuttings of 

 crotons occasionally to supply the place of those suffering injury from frequent use 

 indoors. A few small suckers of Pandanus Veitchi also should be put in from time 

 to time ; highlyxoloured plants of this are very susceptible to damp, also to injury 

 in rooms, therefore it is necessary to have young plants in various stages always 

 ready to take their place. Keep up a regular supply of panicum, tradescantia, 

 and 1 ilea muscosa, as these are useful for house and table decorations, and the 

 season is at hand when ladies generally say, "We cannot get to the gardens often, 

 so we must have the gardens in the house." A few plants of epiphyllum should 

 oe now placed in the stove to bring them into flower ; when the flowers expand 

 keep moisture from them or they will soon be ruined ; when fully in flower 

 gradually harden and place in the conservatory, but be careful not to over water. 



aTI u tS Y? actlve 8 rowt h should be afforded positions at the warmest 

 ena ot the house, while those which have completed growth and are approaching 

 tneir season of rest may be placed at the cooler end ; these latter will require less 

 water than formerly, yet they must not be neglected, but have their wants met 

 witn the same care as given during the season of growth. Success would more 

 irequently attend the efforts of the cultivator were he to give closer attention to 

 plants during their season of rest than they generally receive. Eucharis are grow- 

 ing treely and should receive a little stimulant occasionally ; an application of soot 

 water once a week will be to their advantage. We give our plants a watering once 

 a month with lime water, and I find they are the better for it ; we never rest 

 eucnans, yet they flower freely, and though mite is not altogether absent it never 

 causes us any inconvenience, the foliage being strong and healthy ; we have our 

 most abundant show of spikes during December and the early part of January, 

 wnen, ot course, they are most useful. Continue to dry off caladiums, achimenes, 

 and gloxinias, but do not withhold water from them suddenly. A few of the 

 earnest-res ed tubers of gloxinias may now be started for affording a supply of 

 nowers early in the year, when they will be greatly valued. Palms should receive 

 st mulants regularly-soot water alternated with some good artificial fertilizer 

 will supply their wants admirably; keep the fronds clean by an occasional 

 sponging. Keep decaying fronds regularly removed from ferns, and have the 



e morning so that the moisture may dry up 

 ^ '/A. CV * Q,n S j • ^ mght tem P era ^e of the stove should now range from 65 

 S!r r C °l n £ U t0 . 7 ° de 8 rees on ">ild ones ; day temperature five degrees 

 5?„ t t. 1 ; the interm ediate house 60 degrees at night and 65 by 



day. -J. Tunnington, Ripley Castle Gardens. 



Tm, t;« k THE FLOW ER GARDEN. 



the VSTxSZS. SS?!^* 1 *^ toots should be lifted and stored for 

 uS"; fe ^ **. cho «n for this operation when the borders may be 



w thm ™ • v, rr ? ,n £ the soU oa to 'he paths. The tops should be 



. , WB , T e IZiV* 1DC \ es of the E'ound, and when lifted and the earth 



stems, which mav dm! Ka "fy fastend to the roots and not the 



If convenience admits ISiSjSPS^ With ta " ed °' thin wi ' e - 



frames an.l laid over on th»>ir • 1 y tem PO'arily housed in some opeiished or 



the stools afterwards stor 1 f V° *• inoisture to dr y out of the stems » and 

 sxcluded rhnir*. J* .° r , *mter in any cool place from which frost is 

 and riven. i£?*f.^ be placed together, each variety in a 



away 



fust 



October 22, 1898. 



of Peru, cannas, Salvia patens, hedychiums, &c.. mav hp & nr ~A . 

 same way, removing the tops partially at first. If not already Hon " 0me 7 hat the 

 of pelargoniums or other bedders it may be necessary to <?» f * ny pIants 

 should be potted up into the smallest sized pots the root* mT, k m "^.beds 



:o the smallest sized pots the roots mav he ' ~L ■ ^ 

 placed in and stood out of the reach of frost, keeping the soil StLdrv p^" y 



cut back because of 



potted 



niums potted up at this date should not be cut back because ofThelLknL .^2*° 



flower buds. These old plants are useful for filling the centres ofberk , w n*" 1 

 ing > ear and for providing cuttings in spring if required. Tender olants of »i 11 ° j " 

 should be housed forthwith where this has not already been done ds 

 The summer bedding plants, even if not injured by frost will bv iW u~ 

 somewhat unsightly, and may now be cleared away, especially where the hl5" 



is practised the beds should 



be at once dug. first spreading a slight dressing of rotten manure on the ,S 

 and put in oraer to receive the spring flowering plants, as the earlier now planS 

 the better chances they have of becoming established before winter Sum 

 bedding violas may, if desired, remain in the beds, where they will usually flower 

 profusely in spring. The old flowering growths should be trimmed off and ithl 

 surface of the beds between the plants slightly loosened up, and if other subiectV 

 as variegated pelargoniums and others have been associated, spring flowering onS 

 may now be substituted. Myosotis dissitiflora, or the blue nemophila mav be 

 mixed with white violas ; or Myosotis sylvatica alba, yellow wallflowers or white 

 hyacinths may be associated with violas of blue or purple shades. Pansies and 

 violas prepared during the past month or two will also now be ready for planting 

 and should be in their winter quarters during the present month, if possible the 



same reason bulbs of hyacinths 

 tulips, and various daffodils should also now be planted. The beds for these bulbs 

 should be prepared as for other bedding plants. Hyacinth and tulip bulbs may 

 be planted with a rather bluntly pointed dibber, making the holes for the bulbs 

 about four inches in depth at a distance of six to eight inches apart each way 

 A little sand may be scattered over the surface to work in with the bulbs when 

 planted, although this is unnecessary where the soil is of a light nature. In 

 herbaceous borders the principal flowering subjects now, excepting chrysanthe- 

 mums, are the perennial asters or Michaelmas daisies, which, notwithstanding the 

 drought, have made a brave display the past few weeks. More attention has been 

 devoted to these of late years, and several good varieties added to the list. 

 Seedlings are also easily raised (the seeds should be saved now) and in this way 

 a great variety in colour and habit may be obtained with very little trouble ; by 

 sowing under glass in spring plants may be flowered the first year.— C. Herrin, 

 Dropmore. 



HARDY FRUITS. 



The audit of the recent great fruit show will do much to inform groweis 

 what are the most appreciated varieties of fruit, and at this season intending 

 planters will do well to note that Cox's Orange Pippin heads the list. In my 

 last note I touched upon the importance of selecting trees at this season, and 

 also of lifting to get good wood. The latter work must be yet deferred in this 

 part of the country, lor we have not had enough moisture to make lifting at all 

 safe. Of course, when thorough soakings of water can be given it alters the 

 condition of things, but I fear in few cases there is not enough labour at command 

 to do this. Peaches this year have been good, both in crop and quality, indeed 

 I never remember a better season as regards the quality ; any trees that dropped 

 their fruits badly early in the year will now be making more growth, and it will 

 be well to see that the new wood, unless needed, does not prevent the older wood 

 ripening. It may not be out of place to give the names of a dozen of our best 

 peaches, some of the best nectarines, and other hardy fruits, but, of course, soils 

 greatly influence variety ; ours is a very light soil on gravel. The varieties 

 named, however, are mostly reliable, and my list may be useful to younger fiuit 

 growers. I will place them in their order of ripening. My earliest peach is 

 Waterloo; Amsden's June follows, and is equally reliable, as is Hale's Early, Early 

 < rfoisc Mignonne, Early Silver, Royal George, Crimson Galande, Dymond, Sea 

 Eagle, Nectarine Peach, Late Devonian, and Princess of Wales ; these provide 

 fruit from early July to the end of September, and of high quality. Nectarines 

 are less numerous, and unless the season be a favourable one the late kinds do not 

 always ripen. Our earliest h the Early Rivers, a splendid fruit, and, what is 

 better, it so far has never failed to give a good crop with us ; Lord Napier is our 

 next and best; Rivers' Orange, Newton, Humboldt, and Pineapple follow in 

 order as named. There are other nectarines, but these we find most reliable ; 

 on the other hand, many find Elruge and Dryden excellent for open walls. 



Apricots do not thrive everywhere, but they are delicious fruit and well repay 

 good culture. Breda is reliable with us, as is iShipley or Blenheim and Hemskirke ; 

 none beats the Moorpark, but it is not a good grower," the best as regards growth 

 being Large Early ; the same remarks concerning the soil apply to apricots as to 

 cherries. Plums are so numerous that it may not be necessary to give varieties, 

 seeing so much depends on how they are grown; for instance, the Victoria and 

 cooking kinds do well in standard or dwarf bush forms; Rivers 1 Early Prolific, 

 Diamond, Pond's Seedling, Victoria, Prince of Wales, Prince Englebert, Sultao, 

 1 ershore (Magnum Bonum), Morarch, and Grand Duke are our best croppers. 

 *or dessert Transparent Early Gage, Green Gage, Denniston's Superb, IckwortQ 

 Irnperatrice, Jefterson, Kirke's, Lawson's Golden, Bryanston Gage, Coe's Golden 

 Drop, Reine Claude de Bavay, Purple Gage, and Late Transparent Gage are first- 

 rate, but rnany of them should have wall shelter. Pears will need attention, and 

 here intending planters will find the greater difficulty in selection. I fear in some 

 cases size is preferred to quality, and readers will note that in the audit the large 

 1 itmaston Duchess heads the list ; this is a valuable pear for size, but lacks high 

 quality. Urn glad to see, however, Doyenne du Cornice take so high a position, 

 and no one will make a mistake in planting this, lor it is one of the very best 



ru * — - » — light soil urauou 01 jersey vs vci j u~*-. , ------ . 



Bon Chretien does well in bush or standard form ; Thomson's do;s not do t*d 



as is Marie Louise, and one cannot well oro 



in all soils, but on a wall it is fine. 

 Pitmaston ^ * - ' 



Beurrfe Baltel pere, and though Winter Nelis lacks size it is of grand quality. For 

 toe supplies Easter Beurrf, Nouvelle Fulvie, and Josephine de Malines are oj 



l£fc£ VfiS LC **** Poises well. All collections of 

 ndude Cox's Orange, Ribston Pinnin. Worcester Pearmain, and Duchess of 



■nor nrst supplies ; Lady Sudeley, Wealthy, Blenheim rippm. --s . 

 reasgood's Nonsuch, all the best russets in variety, Claygate k r 



extra attention during 



SnTS 1 ^ Albert, Newton Wonder , Alfr.ston, Northern 



greening, Sandringham, Bramley's Seedling, and Norfolk Beauhn. Of course 



Wythes, Syon Gardens. 



Roots of Marvel others could be added. 



