240 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. r Man* w, ism. 
a knowledge of tlie actual market value of the component 
parts of such manures is important where a considerable 
outlay is involved. 
The use of pure manures must not be undertaken lightly, 
however, or much mischief may be done. A correspondent 
once came to us for advice who had nearly killed his Grape 
Vines with an overdose of guano ; and another who was 
tempted to apply nitrate of soda to his Celery, used it so 
liberally that the Celery grew almost as high as his head, and 
4 was spoilt.— Edward Luckhurst. 
“ GARDEN-WORK.” 
Under the above title we have decided to issue a weekly periodical 
for the million, from the pages of which all who have small gardens 
in town or country may derive sound information on the culture 
of flowers, fruit, and vegetables. Our desire is to aid in rendering homes 
more attractive, and garden plots more profitable. Members of Cottage 
Garden Societies and allotment holders will find the pages of Garden- 
Work of great service to them, as will the occupiers of small villa and 
suburban residences who cherish their gardens, yet who necessarily fail 
to find the information they need in high-class horticultural publications. 
All readers of the Journal of Horticulture are entitled to a specimen 
copy of the first number of Garden-Work, which will be posted to 
those whose addresses are recorded at this office, also to those who 
procure “our Journal ” from local newsvendors on receipt of a Post-card 
containing the address of the sender. The co-operation of our readers in 
introducing the new paper to persons in their districts who take an 
interest in gardening will be cordially appreciated, and any suggestions 
for distributing copies locally shall have our attentive consideration. As 
the price of the new paper is only one penny it will be within the reach 
of all. 
NOTES ON ORCHIDS. 
Dendrobium Findleyanum giganteitm. —The magnificent 
variety of this Orchid shown by Mr. Salter at Kensington 
recently is the finest that has yet been obtained, and its merits 
were duly appreciated by the Committee, who awarded a first- 
class certificate for it. There is but little difference from the 
ordinary type, except in size; but in this it is greatly superior, 
the flower possessing considerably more substance and exceeding 
3 inches in diameter, with a fine rounded lip 14 inch across, and 
rich golden yellow in the centre. Presumably this has been 
proved to be a true or established variety, as it is surprising 
what effects are produced in the size of Orchid flowers by a good 
system of culture, such as that adopted at Selborne for all the 
collection.—L. 
L^lia anceps var. —A spirited sale of Orchids was held 
at Mr. Stevens’ rooms, King Street, Oovent Garden, on Thursday 
last, when the chief attraction was a new white variety of Lselia 
anceps, of which some wonderfully large imported masses were 
offered. The collector describes it as possessing broad sepals 
and petals, the flowers being over 4 inches across, white, the lip 
being veined with purple and having two crimson side blotches. 
The spikes are said to bear as many as six flowers, and Professor 
Reichenbach considers it to be the variety vestalis, of which 
only one plant is known to exist in England. One magnificent 
specimen about 9 feet in circumference, with pseudo-bulbs 
7 inches long, was sold for seventy-eight guineas after a close 
competition; others with from fifty to 200 pseudo-bulbs, realised 
prices ranging from twenty to sixty guineas, according to their 
health and condition. Very rarely do imported Orchids realise 
such high prices as these noted, especially when it is remembered 
that an ordinary Ltelia anceps can be purchased for 4s. or 5s. 
At the same sale some fine varieties of Odontoglossum Alex¬ 
andra were sold at from ten to fourteen guineas each, several 
being small plants in 60-size or thumb pots. One good yellow- 
flowered variety was included, and a remarkably beautiful form 
with rosy-purple flowers—one of the most distinct yet obtained. 
Orchids at Oakholme, Sheffield. —There is now a fine 
display of Odontoglossums in full bloom at this establishment, 
comprising strong plants of O. Alexandra, O. cirrhosum, 
O. citrosmum, O. gloriosum, O. nebulosum, O. tnpudians, and 
O. triumphans. Of the two first named there are some excep¬ 
tionally fine varieties, including one of O. Alexandra with round 
smooth flowers 4 inches in diameter, and of a clear pure white 
devoid of any spot or marking save a pale yellow patch upon 
the lip. The collection of Odontoglots here grown numbers 
upwards of 150 specimens, which are mostly large, strong, and 
in the most robust health. A fine collection of Phalamopsids is 
also here grown, and are now flowering well. Amongst them is 
an extremely fine variety of P. amabilis with blooms 5 inches m 
diameter and very stout, also a very fine specimen of P. violacea. 
Lycaste lanipes, which has been greatly admired, bas just gone 
out of bloom. I am surprised this Lycaste is not more appre¬ 
ciated by cultivators, as it is both a free grower and a profuse 
bloomer, and I am of opinion its blooms are more beautiful and 
striking to the uninitiated observer than the rare and valuable 
L. Skinneri alba. Of two plants flowered here one produced 
eleven and the other ten of its large creamy-white blooms from 
a single growth. Mr. Hannah, the gardener at Oakholme, tells 
me he purchased the bulbs as imported under the name of 
Lycaste alba. He values it very highly.— W. K. W. 
Cutting Down Dendrobiums. —In answer to your correspondent, 
“ 0.,” (page 223), I here give him particulars of my experience on 
the subject. About seven years ago, when I took charge of the 
gardens here, there were two plants of Dendrobium nobile in 
12-inch pots ; these were tied up to stakes about 4 feet long ; the 
plants not having been potted for several years, the aerial roots 
were as thickly matted together as they possibly could be, and the 
plants looked very unsightly. ‘ The growths not being more than 
4 inches long, few of these bloomed. In the month of March I 
pulled the plants to pieces and made twelve of them ; these I 
placed into 8-inch pots, the compost used being peat, charcoal, and 
broken crocks. After the plants were potted they were put into a 
plant stove along with an ordinary collection of stove plants; the 
house was kept to about 70° at night and from 80° to 100° in the 
daytime. The plants all grew well, some of the pseudo-bulbs being 
2 feet long and 2 inches in circumference by September, in which 
month they were placed in a vinery, where the Grapes had been cut. 
There they remained till the following January without fire heat, and 
only had just enough water to keep them from shrivelling. About the 
beginning of February some of them were taken back into the stove ; 
these flowered beautifully, some of the growths having as many as 
two dozen blooms. As I required the flowers to send away, the 
growths were cut off close to the pot with the blooms on them, 
when the young growth started from the base of the old pseudo¬ 
bulb that had been taken away. The plants were kept in the stove 
till the following autumn, when they were again removed into a cold 
house for the winter. This time some of the growths were remark¬ 
ably fine, being as much as 3 feet 4 inches long, though the plants 
had not been potted that year and have only been potted once since. 
This I consider a much better way of growing Dendrobium nobile 
than allowing the old growths to remain on the plants. Sometimes I 
cut all the growths off a plant as soon as the blooms are open ; at 
other times the plants may have been in bloom a week or two before 
the blooms are wanted, but I always take the growths out as I require 
the flowers. My plants look clean and healthy, with no roots up the 
stems like those usually seen when the old growths are allowed to 
remain on the plants.—B., Sussex 
A word in favour of an old friend—namely, Dendrobium nobile. 
I was glad to see that your correspondent, “ B.,” grow such admirable 
examples of it, and as “ C.” Qage 223) is not sure about the system 
practised to bring about such good results, I give ray experience. As 
soon as the plants are out of bloom the flower spikes are cut; these 
are all carefully kept and inserted in pots of sand placed in a corner 
of the stove and kept moist; the buds that have not been ripened 
enough to produce flowers very soon start and form small plants, 
which are taken off and potted when from 4 to 6 inches long. Hie 
old stem retains sap enough to keep it producing young shoots for a 
year from the time it is taken from the plant. I began this system 
twelve years ago with three plants of moderate growth, and can now 
count them by hundreds ; indeed, I shall be compelled to leave them 
to their own will very soon for want of room. I think many have 
failed to flower for want of a proper season of rest. After the 
growth is made I keep them dry and cool till the flower nodes appear 
very prominent. This plant is only to be seen in a few places near 
Glasgow, newer sorts causing it to be neglected, which is a groat 
pity, as nothing is more useful from Christmas until February than a 
houseful of well-flowered plants.—G. B. 
LARGE versus SMALL BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 
If any seedsman would introduce a variety of Brussels Sprout which 
would grow 3 feet high, and have the whole of its stem closely studded 
with sprouts about the size of a schoolboy’s marble and nearly as hard, he 
might rely on having a better sale for the seed than was ever accorded to 
the most improved exhibition variety ever introduced. In my opinion we 
are now running some risk of losing the true type of our favourite 
