290 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 9. 1865. 
designed and executed by Messrs. J. Weeks & Co., horticultural 
engineers, of King’s Road, Chelsea, by whose tubular boilers the structure 
is also heated. 
- Mr. Martin J. Sutton of Reading recently contributed a letter to 
The Times upon Sixpenny Telegrams, in which he refers a3 follows to 
the remark of Mr. Shaw-Lefevre, that “the name and address of the 
sender are, except in the most abbreviated form, mere surplusage.’’ “ A 
very considerable portion of our business transactions is carried on by 
wire, not with other houses of business, but with agriculturists throughout 
the length and breadth of the country. I have to-day had our boobs 
examined, and find we have 1060 customers of the name of ‘ Smith,’ of 
which number no less than 323 are John Smith ; 465 ‘ Jones,’ 96 of 
whom are John Jones ; 450 ‘Browns,’ 87 John Brown ; other 'surnames 
such as ‘ Williams ’ and ‘ Robinson,’ joined to other Christian names 
such as ‘ Richard ’ or ‘ Robert,’ showing a similar relative proportion of 
identical appellations. Under such circumstances I think you will not 
be surprised that we should be of a different opinion to the Postmaster- 
General as to the address of the sender, except in the most abbreviated 
form, being mere surplusage. The name in such cases being of little use 
alone, the address of the sender is practically the only means by which 
he can be identified.’’ 
SPECIALTIES AT UPPER HOLLOWAY. 
Amongst the spring exhibitions in the London nurseries this season 
that provided by Mr. B. S. Williams has received a large share of atten¬ 
tion. Every one of the numerous houses there has contained some attrac¬ 
tion, but the special features have been the Orchids, Amaryllises, Iman- 
tophyllums, and bulbous plants, which have individually and collectively 
formed a most interesting display. By a gardener visiting the metropolis 
the Victoria and Paradise Nurseries is regarded as one of the establish¬ 
ments which must be included in his tour, and whatever season is selected 
for the journey there is always plenty to be seen in the extensive col¬ 
lections which have gained so wide a fame. From April onwards through 
the three following months is, however, preferable to permit of an accurate 
idea_ being formed respecting the wealth of plants stored in the unpre¬ 
tentious but convenient houses devoted to them. A hurried glance 
through the chief departments a week since may be briefly described to 
show how well the season has been commenced. 
ORCHIDS. 
In connection with the culture and popularising of Orchids during the 
past forty years no one person has worked more indefatigably and suc¬ 
cessfully than Mr. B. S. Williams, and wherever these plants are grown 
or admired his name ranks high as an authority on all practical matters. 
A life’s work has been devoted to them, their culture has been simplified, 
and their popularity proportionately extended. The fame Mr. B. S. 
Williams has obtained as a practical orchidist is therefore well merited, 
for all lovers of this most interesting family of plants owe very much to 
him, and the debt is being continually increased. 
It is somewhat too early to expect the fullest display of Orchid 
flowers, but amongst Cattleyas, Vandas, Dendrobiums, Cypripediums, and 
Odontoglossums there are numerous beautiful species and varieties in 
bloom, while many others are fast approaching that stage, and will main¬ 
tain an increasing show of flowers for several months. This is paiticu- 
larly the ca c e with regard to the Cattleyas and Lielias, of which 
innumerable sheaths are showing that will shortly render several of the 
houses extremely gay. Many fine varieties of C. Triame are in good 
condition, bearing large brilliantly and delicately coloured flowers, while 
the handsome healthy plants of C. Mendelii, C. Warneri, C. gigas, Lielia 
purpurata, and scores of other later-flowering forms are promising more 
satisfactorily. Of the charming white Lselia an ceps, importations of 
which were sold a short time since, Mr. Williams has secured a fine stock, 
for, highly valued as this choice variety is at the present time, the demand 
will greatly increase as its merits become better known. White-flowered 
Orchids of all kinds are rapidly advancing in public favour, and in several 
cases, as for instance with Lycaste Skinnerii, while ordinary forms can 
be purchased for a few shillings, the pure white variety (which is also 
well represented in the Holloway collection) realises a greater number of 
pounds. All the varieties of Lielia anceps are esteemed for their beauty 
and durability, and it is therefore not surprising that L. anceps alba is 
becoming so general a favourite. 
Vandas succeed admirably at Holloway ; stout vigorous plants, well 
clothed with foliage down to the pot, are attractive by the distinctness of 
their habit even when out of flower. Just now, however, there is a 
particulaily good show of V. tricolor and V. suavis varieties, several of 
the plants bearing numerous fine spikes. The magnificent Dalkeith 
variety of V. tricolor is in especially good condition, one plant having 
four spikes of nine flowers each, large and superbly coloured. The sepals 
and petals are white with bold rich chocolate spots and a bright crimson 
lip,, a charming contrast which renders it quite distinct from all other 
varieties and greatly superior to the majority. V. tricolor insignis is also 
beautifully marked, though the lip is of a paler tint. V. suavis with its 
purple-spotted flowers also adds materially to the interest of this house. 
Some of the tallest plants have been cut down and repotted this season, 
and under good care are rapidly recovering from the check. In skilled 
hands this operation is perfectly safe, and might be advantageously adopted 
in some private collections where plants have become excessively tall, and 
perhaps, as often happens, bare of leaves for nearly half their height, 
Amongst miscellaneous Orchids in flower the Dendrobiums are promi¬ 
nently noteworthy, as they contribute largely to the floral display in. 
several of the houses. 0. fimbriatum oculatum with racemes of golden 
flowers, the lip deeply fringed and blotched with maroon in the centre, is 
especially beautiful ; the well-known and useful D. thyrsiflorum with 
numerous racemes of white and golden flowers is similarly attractive- 
The celebrated D. nobile nobilius, recently certificated at the Royal 
Botanic Society’s Spring Show, is also flowering, and in regard to this- 
plant Mr. Williams states that it was obtained four or five years since in 
France. D. VVardianum, with massive and highly coloured flowers, the- 
bright purple D. Freemani, and graceful D. Devonianum, and several 
others are flowering more cr less freely. One of the most elegant and 
pleasing of small Orchids is Ionopfis paniculata, which has light graceful 
panicles of blush and pale purple flowers that are seen to the best ad¬ 
vantage when the plant is suspended from a roof of a house. The- 
fragrant Dendrochilum glumaceum, which should be included in every 
collection of Orchids, fills the air with its pleasing perfume. The hand¬ 
some yellow and brown Oncidium sarcodes, abundance of Cypripediums, 
the late-flowering Calanthe Sanderiana, and many others are also attrac¬ 
tive in the various houses. 
In the cool house Odontoglossums and Masdevallias are grandly repre¬ 
sented, the fine stock of these Orchids including all the best varieties 
obtainable. That general favourite, OJontoglossum Alexandras, has 
received particular attention, none but good well proved varieties being 
tolerate L They are of several types, pure white, heavily spotted or 
flushed with rose, each of which is in its way equally beautiful, and finds 
its special admirers. The flowers are distinguished by their substance* 
purity, and well-filled outline, thinness of petals or general roughness of 
flower being sufficient to cause any variety to be at once excluded. 0. Pes- 
catorei is largely grown, and though the varieties are less numerous some 
are equally beautiful, being charmingly spotted with purple in the lip- 
One notable little Orchid of the O. Rossi type is 0. aspersum (fig. 52), 
which has been flowering freely during the winter. It is regarded as a 
natural hybrid, of which one ot the parents is probably 0. Rossi. There is, 
however, also some approach to O. maculatum in the colouring of the 
petals. The sepals are heavily spotted with rich browD, the rest of the 
flowering being white, or with a yellowish tinge, and the outline of the 
flower resembles 0. Rossi, or rather the variety known as majus. The 
dwarf 0. Oerstedti, with its diminutive white flowers, the showy gold and 
brown O. triumpbans, the white-lipped 0. Halli leucoglossum, the bright 
rosy and distinct O. roseum, and numbers of o hers that cannot be referred 
to, are also flowering. 
IMA N T0PHYLLTTM3 AND AMARYLLISE3. 
Last year some reference was mads to the handsome structure that it 
was intended to devote to Amaryllises and Imantopbyllums in this nursery, 
and uow it is filled with these plants it proves that the good expectations 
foimed concerning it as an additional attraction were fully justified. The 
house is span-roofed in two divisions, each nearly 40 feet long, with a 
centre and two side stages in the first division for the Imantophyllums, 
and similarly placed beds for the Amaryllises in the second. In very few 
establishments is a house devoted to Imantophyllums, and it is only 
when numbers of pdants are thus seen together that an adequate idea can 
be formed of their recommendations for decorative purposes. For some 
years Mr. Williams has given special attention to them and all the best of 
the continental novelties have been secured, most of which are distinguished 
