2 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 1, 1885. 
the children removed from school; think—oh, the horror! — 
of them all starving through your rash words. Then, many 
men are now impoverished by having acted hastily who were 
once in well-to-do positions, and would now thankfully re¬ 
turn to them—if they could. You cannot get work in London. 
The nurseries are full to overflowing, and hundreds knocking 
at their doors hopelessly. I have known men leave because 
the cook was, they thought, over exacting about the vege¬ 
tables and was sharp-tongued—as cooks often are, and will 
be to the end of time. Be good-natured with the cook; 
nothing like a good-tempered reply will soothe an angry 
woman. Of all things use no bad words, which are bad in 
thomselves and bad for you, but will be magnified by the 
cook to the master. I have heard of a man who used to 
swear, but when he became a good man he relieved his feel¬ 
ings in irritable moments by saying, “ Pepper, salt, mus¬ 
tard ” over and over again, and he said they did just as well. 
Remember this, my bugle note of warning. 
Another stirring word. Something was written about 
Sunday work in gardens, then a word about being always or 
often too late to do what was necessary in a garden on 
Sunday ; that they loved their bed, and were not about until 
eight o’clock. I can explain this. It is the Saturday night 
late shopping which causes men to be late on Sunday morn¬ 
ing. If masters would but pay their men on Fridays, then 
their wives could shop on Saturday morning, and so the men 
would not be late doing the necessary Sunday work, and 
Sunday worship would, of course, be less interfered with. 
I have often spoken of the delights of gardening ; of the 
purifying, elevating nature of horticulture, and never were 
gardens so numerous and so enjoyed. During the summer 
months of this year I was from illness a resident in one of 
our most health-giving and beautiful inland watering places. 
My house at the back looked upon the garden of a large and 
successful tradesman, whose devotion to Boses is well known. 
Every morning as I dressed I saw him enter his garden ; 
how he examined each Bose ; how he enjoyed his saunter 
among his flowers, and talk with his gardener; how prepared 
he was by that visit for the supervision of his large business; 
how calm, how pleasant to him was that morning hour ! 
But there are the great of this world, men who wield the 
destinies of nations, they often love flowers. The Primrose 
was, we all know, the favourite of Lord Beaconsfield, the 
man of the most marvellous career of modern statesmen, for 
he had neither birth nor fortune to help him. There is 
another, the greatest of living statesmen, Prince Bismarck. 
The Heather blossom is his favourite flower. It was no mere 
chance that these two great men have felt an especial fond¬ 
ness for these flowers that grow wild about their homes ; but 
we may see a proof that amid their toils they had the quiet 
mind amid the disturbance of politics. Yes, g6ntle and 
simple love the sweet flowers; many cultivate them assi¬ 
duously. We all need their influence, and all at times feel 
that influence. May those whose calling it is to provide 
flowers for our enjoyment have a prosperous year. I have 
given words of advice which, I hope, are suitable, and will 
be taken well; and I remain, good readers and writers, your 
old friend, —Wiltshire Bectoe. 
COOL HOUSE ODONTOGLOSSUMS. 
The object we have in view is to recommend those cool 
house Odontoglossums which are useful for growing in quantity 
to supply choice winter flowers in establishments where cut 
flowers are in great demand during the winter. Thousands of 
Odontoglossums of the O. crispum type are sold annually at 
quite as cheap a rate as many ordinary softwooded plants; at 
least hundreds of good plants are sold from £5 to £10 per 
liuudred in some of the large Orchid-growing nurseries. By 
good plants I mean established imported pieces, which, with 
proper attention, grow freely, and soon reach a flowering size. 
If Odontoglossum flowers are required in quantity, it is of no 
use to grow a few plants, several hundreds should be had, and 
considering the price at the present time, the cost should be the 
last consideration if choice flowers are desired. Excuses are 
often made when the plants are looking unhealthy, that it is the 
fault of the house. Large lofty houses, we admit, are unsuitable, 
but any kind of small house should grow them well if the 
cultural details are managed properly. Cool Orchids require 
a house devoted to them if possible, and in many gardens in the 
south they are growm in houses facing the north, but I have seen 
them equally as successful in houses running north and south. 
Means of ventilation must always be provided, but carefully 
avoiding draughts. 
During the early spring months good established imported 
plants could be obtained, at which time probably they would 
require repotting, but we prefer keeping them for about a fort¬ 
night before doing so. Early in February is a good time for 
repotting established plants, at which time those that have 
finished blooming commence making fresh growth. Those that 
are showing young flower spikes should not be repotted _ until 
they have flowered, and probably they would remain until the 
autumn, but of course judgment must be used. Young growing 
plants which were repotted in early spring, or imported at that 
time, often require repotting in early autumn, at which time 
healthy Odontoglossums of the O. crispum type grow and 
improve wonderfully, soon commencing to form new roots in 
the fresh compost. 
The best potting material is equal parts of cleanly washed 
sphagnum and very fibrous peat, with all the fine particles sifted 
out, a good sprinkling of clean potsherds and charcoal. The 
pots may contain two-thirds their depth of clean potsherds, the 
compost being placed firmly about the roots of the plants, the 
crowns being elevated above the rim of the pot. Some plants 
when being repotted require most of the old compost shaken 
from the roots ; others, when the compost is sweet and healthy 
and filled with roots, need not be disturbed more than is 
necessary. After the plants are repotted they should receive a 
thorough supply of tepid soft water, (and such should always be 
employed), applying through a fine-rose syringe held close to the 
compost. The house may be kept rather close and shaded from 
sun until the plants commence making fresh roots, when suffi¬ 
cient ventilation should be given to keep the house cool without 
a draught, and the atmosphere must not be allowed to become 
arid. The outside temperature must be the guide to ventilating. 
Odontoglossums can have too much water, and the best guide _we 
have found is to keep the compost after repotting fairly moist, 
when the sphagnum will commence growing, and when estab¬ 
lished, only apply water when the tips of the sphagnum appear 
to have a white tinge. This will keep the sphagnum in a healthy 
growing condition, which will be a sure sign that the potting 
material is also right as regards moisture 
Syringing the plants should not be practised, it is only bene¬ 
ficial after a warm summer’s day, and then only lightly. Syringe 
between the pots twice or three times a day during the spring 
and summer, but on wet days it will not be required more than 
once. During late autumn and the winter months damping 
should be sparingly performed, and especially in cold weather. 
The plants must be shaded from bright sun through the spring 
and summer, but do not allow the blinds to remain down any 
longer than is necessary. Fire heat should be applied to pre¬ 
vent the temperature falling below 45° to 48°, and only then, 
except on cold damp days, when a little warmth in the pipes is 
very beneficial.—A. Young. 
UNDER GARDENERS. 
Under gardeners and subjects relating to them have been 
thoroughly discussed from time to time. I have hitherto 
avoided entering into these discussions, because they have 
frequently been directed to prove the degeneracy of the present 
young gardeners in comparison with those that existed in the 
“ good old times ” that are past, but I have a few thoughts on 
the matter that may be suggestive to others. 
I am under the impression that many gardeners shirk much 
of their responsibility, for it is the “ chief’s ” duty to school or 
train those under him for higher positions when the time arrives. 
If we ignore this fact, and young gardeners are degenerating, 
upon whom does the discredit fall ? Young men are in a very 
large measure what they are trained to be, either quick useful 
capable men, or slow inattentive and worthless. The former, I 
am proud to think, largely predominate, while the latter exist, 
not only amongst the gardening fraternity, but in every branch 
of industry. I. readily admit it is impossible to educate some 
men, but these are the few and not the majority. A gardener 
of the old school—undoubtedly a good man in his day—said to 
me some years ago, “1 am paid for thinking, and you for 
doing,” which appeared then, as it does now, very well upon 
the surface, but the remark bears no further investigation, for 
