196 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 5, 1S85. 
is excessively keen. The stages with their dense covering of growth, the 
path, and the walls are freely syringed, but the plants are never moistened 
over their foliage, as the surroundings being suitably damped are amply 
sufficient. With attention to these matters, a temperature not falling 
below 60° at night, and care in not allowing the plants to be exhausted 
by retaining their flowers too long, have rendered Mr. Philbrick’s Phake- 
nopsids healthy and floriferous in an unusual degree. 
All the principal species are represented, but the greatest portion of 
the display is composed of P. Schilleriana, P. amabilis, and P. grandiflora, 
of which there are scores of panicles, several with over dozen flowers 
each. Of P. Stuartiana there are also several good plants, while the 
superb variety of this named nobilis is very handsome. A flower of this 
is shown in fig. 34, the sepals and petals being pure white, except the 
lower halves of the two lower sepals and the lip, which have numerous 
reddish crimson spots, bold and rich in colour compared with other 
forms of this species. P. Dayana, pure white with crimson spots on the 
lip is pretty, and the small-flowered P. rosea is attractive. Several others 
are included in the collection, but these were all that were in flower at 
the time these notes were taken—late in February. Associated with the 
Phalsenopses are several plants of the elegant and fragrant Angrsecum 
citratum, which appears to excellent advantage in this way. There are 
nearly 300 Phalmnopses, and over 200 panicles have been produced this 
season, though they were not all expanded at one time. 
CATTLEYAS AND LiELIAS. 
The Cattleyas include some grand plants of C. Trianse andjits'varie- 
ties of most varied colours and attractions, all flowering freely. C. Back- 
housiana is prominent amongst these for size, form, and colour of the 
flowers, and at once commands attention amidst the others grouped on 
one side of the house. The petals are very broad, with a faint purple 
tint, showing a tendency to run into streaks, while the lip is of a most 
intense crimsoD, extending for inch into the throat. The flower has 
a bold and striking appearance quite distinct from the others. C. 
Warscewiczii delicata is exactly what its name indicates, very delicate, 
the petals being broad and blush, tinted with little more colour in the 
lip. C. Penelope is also a pleasing variety, pale purplish blush, the lip 
fringed crimson purple, with an orange throat. Several others vary in 
colour and form, one being nearly pure white. A fine imported mas3 
on a great block, and including two or three varieties, is extremely 
handsome suspended from the roof of one of the houses. 
Of Laslias there are numerous fine specimens of L. purpurata, and 
about thirty sheath^, now showing, promise a fine display later in the 
season. Lceb'a anceps and its varieties have been beautiful for weeks past, 
and are arranged to form a good bank with Coelogyne cristata at the end 
of the house. Very remarkable is an uncommonly good specimen of the 
unrivalled L. anceps Dawsoni, which has this year made four breaks, and 
is estimated to be worth at least 80 guineas. The character which strikes 
the observer in this variety is the purity of the white sepals and petals 
and their great substance, the petals being 1^ inch in diameter ; the lip is 
white with a hard blunt purple apex, with crimson veins in the throat and 
a bright yellow ridge in the centre. L. anceps Percivaliana and L. a. 
Hilli, the former blush tinted with a rich purple lip, and the latter white, 
each possessing attractions. Laelia harpophylla, a most useful plant, is 
grown well, and produces its orange scarlet flowers abundantly, contrasting 
well with the plants of Coelogyne cristata which are placed in this group. 
For arranging with any light-coloured Orchids this Lcelia is extremely 
valuable, and will take a prominent place amongst the best of garden 
Orchids. The flowers are of convenient size for buttonholes or bouquets, 
and they last a surprisingly long time when cut. 
■VANDA C-ERULEA. 
The other Dotable plants in the several houses cannot be even 
enumerated. Of Cypripediums all the best species and varieties are 
growm, including several rare and valuable plants. Dendrobiums are 
also favourities. Ccelogyne cristata is in fine condition, several specimens 
exceeding 3 feet in diameter, and one in particular of C. Lemoniana, of 
similar size, is covered with its lovely floweis, pure white with a delicate 
yellow-tinted lip. In the porch of the Phalasnopsis house is a good batch 
of the much-esteemed Vanda coerulea, which is one of the specialties at 
Oldfield, and is very successfully grown. The plants are in tall per¬ 
forated pots, containing roughly broken charcoal and potsherds, but the 
good results obtained are considered due to the vigorous but well-ripened 
growth which every effort is made to secure. During the greater part of 
spring and summer the plants occupy a corner of a greenhouse facing 
due south. The roof of this house is covered by Vinos, and it is freely 
ventilated, but the position allotted to the Vandas is on the front shelf, 
where they are exposed to the sun on all occasions, except when it is 
unusually hot, when a very slight shading is employed. In this way 
grand spikes of large well-coloured flowers are obtained, such as would 
satisfy the most exacting. 
In the cool house large numbers of Odontoglossums in variety are 
grown, the examples of O. Alexandra) being very notable. Masdevallias 
include all the choicest species and varieties, and Sophronitis grandiflora 
is freely employed suspended from the roof with good effect. Many of 
the occupants of this house might be noted, but sufficient has been said to 
indicate the chief features of the Oldfield collection.— Lewis Castle. 
ADIANTUM CUNEATUM AS A WALL PLANT. 
The foliage of no plant is more eagerly sought after by bouquetists 
and florists generally than that of Adiantum cuneatum. Well-developed 
fronds of this extremely popular plant always find a ready sale, though at 
much higher rates during the winter and early spring months. At the 
beginning of the winter months good matured fronds are generally plen¬ 
tiful, but with the close of winter the case is very different, and especially 
so where the demand for fronds is great. Plants which have been well 
matured during the previous autumn will retain their fronds in good 
condition for a considerable time in a much lower temperature than is 
generally supposed. On the other hand, plants that are grown rapidly in 
brisk heat in the early months of the year are useless to the bouquetist 
unless submitted to a lower temperature and gradually hardened. Mr. 
J. Ellam of Cliveden, on whom I called a short time since, grows the 
plant in a way which might well be imitated. In looking through the 
numerous ranges of glass at this establishment we came in turn to the 
fernery—a lean-to structure, if memory serves me right, the back and end 
walls of which were originally covered with Ficus repens, which, though 
good for the purpose, is of comparatively little value besides. In its 
stead, owing to the great demand for large Maidenhair fronds, Mr. Ellam 
has planted a portion with Adiantum cuneatum, the results being satisfac¬ 
tory in the extreme. Strong diagonal galvanised trellis wire in conve¬ 
nient lengths is secured to the wall, leaving a cavity of about 2 inches for 
suitable soil, which, in this case, should consist of rough fibrous. peat; 
this, faced with moss, will be all that is requisite, planting according to 
circumstances. Thus placed, the individual fronds grow to a much greater 
length than by ordinary culture in pots, which is in itself a great gain. 
At the time of my visit a considerable number had been collected and a 
new crop appearing. Those, however, that remained bore sufficient evi¬ 
dence of perfect health in their large and deep green fronds. 
There are some miles of walls in greenhouses in the United Kingdom 
which are either devoid of greenery or are at least covered with useless 
plants. Imagine a wall 100 feet long and 8 feet high planted with Adian¬ 
tum cuneatum, and densely clothed with fronds ! What would be more 
pleasing to the eye, or what give a quicker, greater, or more reliable 
annual return ? With such a wall a system of gathering the fronds would 
be requisite ; such, for example, as clearing ofE a yard at a time in pre¬ 
ference to collecting indiscriminately over the whole, so that by the time 
the end was reached a fresh crop would be ready for use at the other end. 
I am convinced that no plant which we can place against a wall is 
capable of producing such profitable results as this. There are scores of 
walls to my knowledge in lean-to structures upon many of which plants 
will either not thrive or are drawn in a one-sided manner towards the 
light they lack ; such places as these could not be better utilised than in 
the above-named manner, the present being an excellent time for making 
a beginning.—E. Jenkins. 
THE PINE APPLE AND ITS CULTURE. 
[An essay read at a Leeds Gardeners’ Meeting by Mr. Joseph Smith, gardener to 
T. Green, Esq., Askei Hall, Roundhay, Leeds.] 
( Continued from page 178.) 
About the end of April or the beginning of May the suckers are trans¬ 
ferred into 10 and 11-inch pots, well drained with plenty of broken pots. 
A few days before potting they are watered so that the soil is moist for 
the operation. After turning them carefully out of the pots the crocks 
are gently taken from the bottom of the ball, the plants placed in the 
centre of the pots, and the compost, “ which is similar to that used for 
the first potting, is pressed in firmly with a good stick ” until it is at 
least as firm as the ball itself, so that when water is given it will run into 
all the soil alike. They are then plunged in the pits again, allowing 
2 feet from plant to plant in the rows. This being the only shift they get 
they are grown on through the summer as successionsl plants. If they 
should throw up suckers these are belter taken off at once, as they are of 
no use and only tend to rob and impoverish the plants. 
The following summer onwards these plants will produce fruits, and 
from the time of taking off the suckers in spring to the bearing time will 
be from sixteen months to two years, thus producing fruit from six to eight 
months in succession. Suckers taken in September from the earliest 
fruiters and potted will be ready for their largest pots in February, 
making larger plants and coming into fruit a little earlier than those 
taken in February, thus lengthening the fruiting season. 
Having now placed the plants in their growing quarters, the three 
essentials are—first, a suitable temperature ; second, careful watering ; 
and, third, ventilating judiciously. 
Temperature .—When the house is started in February I prefer a tem¬ 
perature of 70° to 75° in the day w’ith sun heat, and 65° at night, and as 
the days lengthen and the sun rises a slight increase in both may be 
allowed until June and July, when it will be quite easy to retain 70° at 
night and 75° in the day, rising to 85° with sun heat. Then with the 
lowering sun and declining days it will be necessary to gently lower both 
until the end of October, when from this date to the starting time in 
February the temperature should be brought to its minimum to allow the 
plants a season of rest, or 60° at night and 65° in the day, allowing it to 
rise to 70° with sun heat; the bottom heat having been also brought 
down to 65° to 70° for the successional plants, and 75° to 80° for those 
swelling and ripening their fruits. 
Water .—This should be applied with discretion and judgment, as the 
Pine Apple will suffer more from excess than deficiency. Experience 
alone can determine when and when not to give it, as no regular system 
of periodical watering can be adopted in our changeable climate. In the 
first garden I served as a lad where Pine Apples were grown the gar¬ 
dener used every Thursday morning to examine them, and it was my duty 
to go with him and pour the water into the funnel-shaped tube that con- 
