358 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 8, 1884. 
with Snow’s, are advised to sow more seeds at once and note 
the result. We had Yeitch’s Spring White in succession to 
Snow’s, and, though rather unfairly treated, from these we 
obtained some of our whitest and most appreciated Broccoli. 
It is not particularly hardy. The dwarf-growing Osborn’s 
Winter White was again serviceable and good in 
quality, and this variety may safely be more thickly planted 
than some. Leamington is a great favourite with me ; and 
this and Snow’s as not being liable to turn in in large 
quantities at one time, thereby causing an undesirable glut, 
are the most extensively planted. The presumably latest 
varieties, such as Model, Wilcove’s Improved, Late Queen, 
and Ledsham’s Latest of All, are all turning in rapidly at 
this time (April 29th), and the latest will be a selection from 
Miller’s Dwarf Late. Model is remarkably good in quality, 
and not much fault can be found with the other mentioned 
sorts. The old Cattell’s Eclipse is still one of the best late 
varieties in cultivation.—W. Iggulden. 
PRUNING DENDROBIUMS. 
There appears to be much difference of opinion about the 
pruning of these plants, and, as far as I can gather from what 
has been written by the advocates of pruning, I think the ideas 
they intend to convey have been misunderstood. Only a few 
years^ago I was much opposed to cutting away the spent pseudo¬ 
bulbs of these plants, but my ideas were then based only upon 
theory, a .d I refrained from writing upon the subject until I 
had proved the system. It is a great mistake to suppose that 
.all Dendrobes are to be operated upon on the same principle, 
for such is not the case, and it has never been recommended 
anywhere as well as I can remember; but such notions have 
evidently become established, hence the communication of 
*• G. W. C.” on page 339 of your last issue. I do not think 
anyone would advise the pruning away of pseudo-bulbs of D. 
thyrsi Horum, D. densiflorum, D. Farmeri, D. chrysotoxum, and 
others of the same style of growth until they had satisfied 
themselves that if retained they would yield no more flowers. 
The length of time they continue to flower entirely depends 
upon how the plants are ripened after they have completed their 
growth. What is the object of retaining old stems after they 
cease to flower and are useless to the plant ? The roots of these 
back giowtlis, although they appear fresh, are dead, as will be 
found upon examination, in ninety-nine cases out of every 
hundred; but it has to be proved that they are not kept fresh 
and plump longer than they otherwise would be by supplies 
from the growing end. If the whole of these spent pseudo-bulbs 
are removed with their roots well syringed and supplied with 
water they will remain fresh and plump for a long time. It is 
evident that they have little or no force in them, or they would 
start into growth from some part, but do any of those named 
ever do so ? 
In pass'ng, such species as D. heterocarpum should be 
examined that flower only on the pseudo-bulbs the second year 
after they are made. To cut these down like an herbaceous 
Phlox would be wrong, because the previous year’s growth must 
be retained for flowering the following season; but those that 
have flowered, as far as I can form an opinion from practice 
and observation, are useless, and do not benefit the growths to 
be made. These old pseudo-bulbs will sometimes produce breaks 
-along the stem, but will do this as freely when severed from 
the plant and laid or pegged upon moss as when retained upon 
the plant. When required for purposes of propagation they are 
much better removed. 
I do not perceive much diffei-ence in the growth of pruned or 
mnpruned plants of D. Wardianum, D. crassinode, D. crystalli- 
num, and others that make an annual growth and flower upon 
it after being rested. I cut down a plant of D. crassinode that 
had not been pruned previously, and the growth up it now is 
just as forward and strong as those containing their old pseudo¬ 
bulbs. I shall more thoroughly test this pruning system this 
year than I have done in the past, for I do not believe there is 
any advantage to be gained by leaving the old stems upon the 
plants. If pruned plants possess no other advantage than an 
improved appearance it is worth practising for that alone. 
Dendrobium nobile will flourish admirably under the most 
severe system of pruning practised by many growers. I can 
fully confirm what your correspondent “ B.” says respecting the 
flowering of D. nobile on the previous season’s growth, but this 
is not due to pruning, as may be supposed, but to an early 
growth well ripened and thoroughly matured, which is the 
secret of flowering this Orchid well without retaining two sets 
of pseudo-bulbs. The old stems if cut into lengths and placed 
in pots or pans will produce a number of growths, and form 
useful little plants the first season with sturdy pseudo-bulbs 
9 inches or a foot in length. These after they are rested if 
started early will make good growths, which can be ripened 
early, and will flower profusely the same as the plant grown 
by “ b.” 
Calanthe3 have been introduced into this subject, but they 
would have been better left out, for they prove nothing either 
for or against pruning Dendrobes, as they are entirely different. 
The old Phajus grandifolius might with advantage be intro¬ 
duced, as many people subject these to an annual system of 
pruning, for as soon as the young growths are seen issuing from 
the base the whole of the old foliage is cut clean away and the 
plants repotted. The plants subjected to this treatment are 
quite as strong and luxuriant, and flower as well as those treated 
on the opposite system by retaining the old foliage until it dies 
naturally.— Scientia. 
AERIAL ROOTS ON VINES. 
The young rootlets which spring annually from the spurs of the 
Vine have occasioned much controversy amongst gardeners as regards the 
cause of their appearance. Some writers say the Vine house is kept 
too moist, others regard it as due to imperfect action at the r.oots. 
Experience with different Vine borders, varieties, &c., leads me to 
believe that it is neither of the above, but that it is more due to the 
variety of Vines and luxuriance of growth than to anything else. When 
I entered my present situation the Vines were far from being in a 
satisfactory state. They were very weak, having been overcropped ; the 
roots were also at fault, being too far from the surface. These grievances, 
however, were gradually removed. The Vines were pruned and washed, 
a3 well as the houses, in the ordinary way ; the outside borders were 
examined in the spring, adding fresh soil, lifting the roots nearer to the 
surface (those inside being done in the following season). This had a 
marked effect on the Vines, the young wood being nearly as thick again 
as the previous year’s growth. It so happened that a considerable 
number of plants were grown in the vinery that season, such as Ferns 
and Camellias, which required much moisture, yet with the exception of 
a few aerial roots on a Mrs. Pince Vine not one was to he seen. The 
following spring the Vines commenced growing much more vigorously 
than they did the previous year, pushing out strong laterals with good 
bunches, everything doing as well as could be wished. Just as they 
were coming into flower they commenced producing aerial roots on the 
spurs, Gros Colman and Mrs. Pince varieties being the varieties affected 
that season. Last year they did the same. 
This year particular attention has been paid to them. In the early 
vinery, which is 30 feet long, there are ten Vines growing. Beginning 
at the north end there is a Mrs. Pince and Black Alicante growing side 
by side. Mrs Pince has aerial roots nearly on every spur, on the Alicante 
not one is to be seen. It so happens that at the other end of the vinery 
there is a Muscat of Alexandria which is emitting one or two rootlets, 
and they appear on the spurs that have the strongest laterals. Next to 
this Muscat is a Gros Colman Vine with large healthy foliage. Some 
of the leaves measure over 15 inches in diameter, the lateral growths 
being the thickness of one’s thumb, and every spur has a cluster of 
aerial roots. Then comes a Black Alicante, the same as the one at the 
other end of the house, with no aerial roots. The other varieties are 
four Muscats and one Lady Downe’s, resembling the Muscat already 
mentioned. 
In another vinery there are seven Black Hamburghs, one Duke of 
Buccleuch, one Buckland Sweetwater, and another variety, supposed to 
be White Tokay. The fruit of the latter never gave satisfaction, but 
being a strong healthy Vine I did not like to pull it out, but inarched a 
Mrs. Pince on it (with the idea that it might colour better on this stock 
than on its own roots). This was done last year in June, as it made a 
fair good growth and ripened pretty well. It is now carrying two or 
three good bunches, and here on this young rod the aerial roots are now 
sprouting. Previous to this variety being introduced into this vinery I 
had never seen one of these roots. I should like to hear other Grape- 
growers’ experience on this matter.—L. S. C. 
TABLE-DECORATING. 
Tiiere are few places now of any pretensions where indoor floral 
decorating does not form a very important part of a gardener’s 
duties, and further, it may be said with a certain amount of truth, 
that it is carried out much more extensively and on a far more 
elaborate scale than it was a dozen or twenty years ago, and that 
during this comparatively brief period great improvements have 
been made. In all probability the decorating of the future will be 
as far in advance of the present as the present is over the past, and 
it behoves the rising generation of gardeners to devote some portion 
of their leisure to the study of this very important branch of their 
profession. No amount of reading will, however, alone make 
a good decorator, and with equal force it may be said neither will a 
good collection of plants or flowers. To excel in the art there mus 
