280 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 10, 1884. 
spring, or even at the commencement of the year occasionally.— 
J. R. S. C. 
CELERY. 
When anyone can have this excellent vegetable fit for use 
from the end of July till the following April its culture surely 
deserves more attention than it generally receives, more espe¬ 
cially its treatment in the trenches after being planted out. By 
treating it according to the nature of the soil much can be done 
to prolong its. season for use. The soil here is very heavy, and 
for a supply in the spring months we sow the seed in April, 
grow it in the usual way till ready for planting out. We 
make, trenches not very deep and 8 feet wide, which allows 
sufficient space for planting three rows in the trench. After 
being a month or six weeks planted, or according to the progress 
that the. plants have made, they receive a slight earthing up 
about 2 inches deep with the natural soil. 
They receive no other attention except watering in dry 
Weather, and.tying the plants with matting to prevent the wind 
breaking their outer leaves, until the month of October, when 
we save all the new-fallen Beech leaves, and when dry we pack 
them in the trench to blanch the Celery instead of using the 
soil; but before doing so we make a wall of soil about the height 
of the plants on each side of the trench to keep the leaves in 
their place, and to prevent them being blown about we cover 
with sawdust. By adopting the above plan at present we have 
fine fresh Celery quite different from that obtained by the old 
practice namely,, surrounding the plants with heavy wet soil. 
The advantage gained by using the leaves when lifting the Celery 
in frosty weather will be easily seen.— David Murray, Culzean 
(wardens, Maybole. 
THE CULTIVATION OF VIOLETS IN FRAMES. 
Now that the time is at hand for commencing operatiors to 
ensure the successful cultivation of this the sweetest of winter and 
spring-flowering plants, the subject is worth consideration, as the 
pits.and. frames are now being cleared for other purposes, and frame 
cultivation of \ iolets is at an end for this season. But we must 
begin our task again if we wish to have a healthy stock of plants 
and abundance of large sweet-scented flowers during next winter. 
The system we pursue is planting single crowns so as to cover the 
entire surface of the bed, and we are so satisfied with the results as to 
totally discard the clump system, except for pots. Our mode of 
procedure is to plant small side shoots or sets 6 inches apart in 
a nursery bed, and when they have made good strong crowns they 
me planted out about the middle of May in a rich prepared border 
15 inches apart. During the summer they require looking over once 
a fortnight to remove suckers and surplus runners, leaving four or 
five of the strongest to each centre crown, and when they have 
formed a knot to stop if. r lhe result will be the nourishment will 
form a good plump crown, instead of expending itself in useless 
suckers and runners. Small pegs should he used to fasten them 
down, to prevent the wind blowing them.about until they have taken 
root. 
Towards the end of September the pits or frames should be pre¬ 
pared. They should have a south aspect, and if there are pits that 
can be spared adjoining a house heated with hot water so much the 
better, as small perforated air bricks can be let into the dividing wall, 
and m frosty weather the. advantage will he great, as ventilation can 
be afforded without admitting the cold air. The bottom of the pit 
can be covered with a layer of brushwood and leaves made firm, on 
the top of which place about 12-inch depth of good loam to within 
6 inches of the glass. The plants can then be carefully lifted and 
r C n V pegging ra diating crowns so as to cover the entire surface 
of the bed, as there is no fear of the foliage overcrowding, each crown 
avmg only its proper supply of leaves, all useless wires being 
removed as soon as they appear. Where there are no pits to spare 
such as I have described, we must have recourse to the common 
wooden frame, which, when elevated on a layer of faggots filled 
with loam, and planted like the others, a lining of fermenting* mate- 
nal. can be applied to the base, and the heat will rise into the frame, 
which of course must be well ventilated. I prefer a loam of a rather 
strong tendency to one of a sandy character, as in the former the 
plants produce flowers of a deeper colour ; whereas the absence of 
moisture in. a sandy situation causes the plants to become infested 
with red spider, which soon destroys the foliage and greatly weakens 
the constitution of tke plants. If possible sets for planting should be 
procured from plants that have been liberally treated the previous 
year, for, like the Strawberry, they are apt to degenerate rapidly if 
left to themselves. 
For general purposes no better sorts can be grown than the 
varieties known as the Improved Neapolitan as a double flower, and 
Lee’s Odoratissima for a single, both of which are in all respects a 
decided advance on the old Neapolitan and the Czar; although there 
are some good sorts, such as Marie Louise and Belle de Chatenay, 
that can be grown as a speciality, and amply repay for so doing. I 
consider the two first-named are as yet the best all-round varieties 
that can be had for frame cultivation. 
The foregoing remarks may be of use to those who have to pro¬ 
duce a large supply of this favourite flower during the depth of 
winter, and to those v'ho have not tried single crowns I would advise 
a fair trial during the coming season ; and if properly carried out 
they w’ill not revert again to the clump and row mode of planting, as 
they will find that in the same space finer flowers and larger quantify 
can be grown on the “ single crown sjstem.” —Viola. 
NOTES ON ORCHIDS. 
Disa grandiflora. —When these plants are grown amongst other 
cool house Orchids they should have the coolest and most airy 
position in the house. They will not grow strongly in a close atmo¬ 
sphere. Abundance of water should be given them during the 
summer both at the root and over the foliage—in fact, in well- 
drained pans it would be difficult to give them too much. The moss 
on the surface should be kept growing and healthy both summer and 
winter, and the wmter required to insure this will be found to suit 
Disas exactly. From the present time these plants would do well in 
a cold frame, provided they can have plenty of light and yet be 
shaded from strong sun, but in this position they are more apt to be 
neglected. The other day I saw a very good method of treatment 
at Woolton Wood, which is worth the attention of those interested in 
these plants. They were growing at one end of the Odontoglossum 
house, and the lower squares of glass at the end close to the Disas 
had been removed and the spaces filled with perforated zinc, the 
holes being small. By this means abundance of air is admitted to 
the plants, which they evidently enjoyed, for they were sturdy and 
healthy. 
Sophronitis grandiflora.— A charming little Orchid when well 
grown ; its large bright flowers give it a cheerful appearance, totally 
distinct from all others that are flowering at this season of the year. 
It will grow very well on small blocks of wood, but in this position 
requires more attention in watering than when grown in small 
shallow pans. It should be suspended from the roof, and if em¬ 
ployed freely or alternately with Odontoglossum Cervantesii or even 
the beautiful and distinct 0. Rossi majus, w'hich also flowers about 
the same time, the effect is all that can be desired. The Sophronitis 
is an obliging Orchid, for it appears to thrive well either in a warm 
or a cool house, and I have seen some grand specimens in a stove 
with brighter flowers than when in a cool house. It delights in a 
little heat, such as afforded in an intermediate house, while making 
its growth, but when at rest should have cool house treatment, which 
insures a vigorous growth the following season. Although its flow-ers 
are brighter in heat they do not last quite so long as in a cooler 
house. To grow this Orchid successfully too much rooting material 
should not be given it; but the pans should be liberally drained with 
crocks and charcoal, a little peat fibre and living sphagnum being 
used for the compost. 
Ccelogyne cristata.— Where choice flowers are wanted for cut¬ 
ting this Orchid should be largely grown, for it is free-flowering 
under good treatment. It is also one of those Orchids that will bear- 
pushing forward in heat or retarding to suit the convenience of 
individual cultivators. To flower it in succession with the least 
trouble a little heat should be applied to a number of plants, which 
will push them forward more rapidly into growth, while the remainder- 
can be brought on naturally in the cool house. It is much better to 
assist them now than to have to unduly push them forward during 
the worst months of the year. When grown specially for cut flowers 
the plants can occupy pans, or will be found to do well in baskets 
suspended from the roof. Rlants in 5-inch and 6-inch pots are 
valuable as single specimens for vases in rooms, where they will 
stand for a time without injury provided gas is not employed. 
Potting should be attended to if it is required as scon as the 
plants have flowered, or as their new growths are issuing from the 
base of the pseudo-bulbs. In potting they should be well elevated 
above the rim of their pots or pans, which should be abundantly 
drained. They will thrive in a compost of peat fibre, three parts to 
one of sphagnum moss, with lumps of charcoal freely intermixed 
and to which the roots will cling tenaciously. If potting is not 
needed remove the surface moss and all decomposed material possible 
and supply fresh, working the moss w 7 ell in amongst the pseudo¬ 
bulbs. If the plants are large and crowded remove portions care¬ 
fully, with as many roots as possible. It is a great mistake to allow 
the pseudo-bulbs of these plants to become crowded, for the flowers, 
instead of being large and plentifully produced, will be small and 
few. With a little care plants can be kept furnished wi.h large 
