JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
267 
April 8, 1884. J 
Adjoining the mansion is a small conservatory attractively furnished, 
the fine-foliaged plants, such as Palms, also Camellias, being remarkable 
for the richness and gloss of their deep green leaves ; while the Tree 
Ferns are growing with extraordinary vigour. This is due in a great 
measure to encasing their stems with peat covered with moss, and giving 
them now and then a solution of Clay’s fertiliser, for which they well 
repay by their exuberant fronds. In reference to the glass structures 
and their contents it would not be just to ignore the good work of the 
foreman in charge, Mr. W. Saw, who is well educated, intelligent, and 
industrious—qualities that should be possessed by all young men who 
aspire to good positions in the gardening world. 
Gardening, however well conducted at Impney, is only a small part of 
the gardener’s duties, outside improvements and the general management 
of the home estate devolving upon the gardener. That Mr. Thomas was 
equal to all his duties is beyond a doubt, and Mr. Corbett afforded him 
the best possible testimony of his worth ; he also presented Mrs. Thomas 
with a splendid gold watch as a graceful tribute of respect to herself and 
to its rather delicate constitution, which under the best management often 
causes it to be badly attacked by mildew, which weakens the plant aod 
renders it more liable to be attacked another season, until at last it dies. 
The application of sulphur in one or other of its various forms is the 
best remedy for this pest, at the same time keeping the plant in a healthy 
growing condition, the house dry and well ventilated, but avoiding all 
cold draughts and extremes of temperature. 
Prevention is always better than cure, and the more vigorously and 
hardy the plant can be grown the less likely will it be to fall a prey to 
mildew or any other disease. The system of culture pursued here has 
been before alluded to in these pages, and certainly deserves to be widely 
known, as it gives us an abundant supply of the finest flowers possible 
year after year. 
The tree is planted in the centre of a narrow border about 3 feet wide, 
and running the whole length of the house, but doubtless its roots have 
rambled far beyond the bounds allotted to them. The house is 28 feet 
long by 12£ feet wide, and is quite cool, no fire heat being used. A main 
Fig. 63.—Impney. 
her husband. The employes on the home estate also gave practical 
evidence of the esteem in which they held their chief who, though a 
strict disciplinarian, is uniformly considerate and courteous to all, by 
presenting him with a handsome walnut writing cabinet and inkstand, 
accompanied with an appropriate letter asking his acceptance of their 
offering. 
As Impney has had a good gardener in the past there cannot be a 
doubt that a good one is provided for the future in Mr. Richard Parker, 
for no one could remain in such a place as Hutton Hall, and under such 
a master of the art of cultivation as Mr. Mclndoe, without being fully 
competent, and the elected from 400 applicants is congratulated on his 
appointment to what was—and there is no wonder that it should be so— 
a much-coveted charge. 
Besides keeping his estate in such perfect order, Mr. Corbett is a 
benefactor to the town of Droitwich, which he represents in Parliament, 
and the district surrounding. Everything that is worthy has his coun¬ 
tenance and support, and the public buildings he has erected, both as 
regards their use and ornament, reflect the practical mind, the good 
taste, and the generosity of the affluent owner of Impney.—J. Weight. 
THE MARECHAL NIEL ROSE. 
This has become such a general favourite with all classes within the 
last few years that almost everyone attempts its cultivation, and yet it 
i6 very seldom we see a vigorous plant of it. This is, perhaps, partly due 
branch extends horizontally on each side of the plant to the end of the 
house ; wires foot apart are carried from this to the top of the house, 
and on each of these three young shoots are trained each year, as we cut 
the old ones down to within three eyes as soon as they have done flower¬ 
ing, and train the three best shoots up again for the following year’s crop 
of flowers. 
Two branches from this plant also extend horizontally into an ad¬ 
joining house, a length of 28 feet. In 1883 we commenced cutting 
April 20th, and continued until the second week in June, cutting in al) 
115 dozen of handsome blooms. All the pruning required in the spring 
is merely to take off the unripe points of the shoots before the buds start 
for flowering. These shoots are often over 16 feet long and of propor¬ 
tionate thickness— W. H. Divebs, Burghley. 
ORCHID NOTES. 
Cutting Down Dendrobiums. —Will your correspondent, “ B.,” 
kindly excuse me asking him for more precise particulars regarding 
his practice in this matter ? as I am interested in it myself, and 
perhaps l< B.” is aware the practice is one which has been much 
disputed of late. First, How many years in succession has “ B." cut 
away the flowering pseudo-bulbs from any one of his plants, and 
have the annual growths (pseudo-bulbs) grown stronger, or weaker, 
or maintained their vigour since under the treatment ? May I press 
