860 
JOURNAL OF HORTICUL7 TIRE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 8,1884. 
necessary to devise the most economical covering possible, and with the 
view to attain this end I have thought of a piece of stout deal some 
2 inches square firmly secured to the coping, on which again will be 
fastened an 11-inch board, either let into the first or nailed to it. The 
length of projection to the end of the board would, together with the 
44-inch coping, be about 16 inches, sufficient, I fancy, to keep the blinds 
clear of the trees. The tiffany, canvas, or whatever material was used, 
would be lightly tacked on the board some 2 inches from the edge. It 
would be used in lengths some 20 or 30 yards each, as this would enable 
it to be folded up under the board when not required, and thereby save 
the expense of pulleys, rollers, &c. Some hooked stakes would be thrust 
into the alley at a short distance from the wall and the canvas fastened 
to them when let down. That portion of canvas on and hanging over 
the board could be treated with oil or size and varnish to protect it from 
the weather ; the blinds, and possibly the 11-inch board, would be removed 
when all danger was past. 
Such is a rough idea for the protection of Pears, Apricots, Plums, 
Cherries, &c. I shall be glad if any of your readers who are already 
working anything likely to be an improvement on the same from a useful 
and economical point of view would give the benefit of their experience. 
The morning of the 23rd ult. seems to have made sad havoc with vege¬ 
tation generally, as well as the fruit crops. A large specimen of Pterocarya 
caucasica, perhaps about the finest in the country, is a total wreck ; leaves, 
catkins, and the tiny leaflets just expanding are all black, and the 
foliage is decaying on the tree. Such old favourites as Chimonanthus 
fragrans, Wistaria, Lauras, Sassafras, and some of the Magnolias are 
nearly as bad. I am glad to say two members of the latter family we 
value (glauca and macrophylla) are safe, the sheath acting as a protection 
to the tender bud beneath.—E. B., Claremont. 
The effect of the very severe frosts experienced here on April 22nd 
and 23rd has proved most disastrous to the wall fruit in this neighbour¬ 
hood, so much so that the Apricots and Plums are in many places 
entirely destroyed. The Damsons and Pears, which hitherto promised to 
be a very heavy crop, have shared a similar fate. In many cases the 
early-flowering varieties of Pears are completely destroyed ; rarely, if 
ever, has the show of fruit blossom been more abundant. 
Up to the present the Apples appear to have escaped injury, and 
should there be no more severe frost, the display of Apple blossom 
promises to be quite equal to that of last year. Thousands of trees 
throughout this county, which were so unusually heavily laden with 
fruit last season, are at the present moment covered with blossom buds. 
—H. ft. I., King's Acre, Hereford. 
The severe frosts on the 23rd and 24th of April were most destructive 
here, as, the position being very sheltered, everything was much advanced, 
and consequently suffered severely. Apples and Pears will almost be a 
complete failure, the unexpanded blossoms of both being killed. Plums 
and Cherries are also killed. Examining some Quince blooms yesterday, 
although very backward, I find them quite destroyed. Pears on a west 
aspect, where slightly sheltered, perhaps one in a thousand Peaches, 
Nectarines, and Apricots are so far safe as my employer acceded to my 
request to put up glass coping, from the front of which was suspended 
scrim canvas, but where the canvas did not quite meet every fruit on the 
elongated spurs were more or less injured. Two Figs trees under the 
coping aie safe ; one unprotected, although in a sheltered position, is much 
injured, the points of the shoots being quite killed. Gooseberries, where 
the pruning had been severe, are a total failure ; where left unpruned to 
defeat the frost and the birds, there is a fair crop in the centres of the bushes. 
Currants are also much injured with the exception of some trained on 
walls, north aspect. I do not think there will be a perfect bunch. The 
advantage of having efficient protection is clearly exemplified this season 
—the value of the crop of Peaches and Nectarines will almost pay the cost. 
Raspberries are much injured, but not to any great extent. Strawberries, 
fortunately, were not forward enough to receive damage. Altogether the 
fruit crop has suffered more than I ever experienced before.—J. Gadd, 
Beilins, Aveley. 
PRIMULA. JAPONICA AT KEW. 
Better grown examples of this fine Primula than those now 
flowering in the temperate house could not be desired ; and if 
similar success was attained in most gardens this plant would soon 
become more popular. Mr. Binder, who is in charge of that department, 
has been very successful with it, having raised many hundreds of 
fine plants, and his system of treatment may be briefly recorded. 
The seeds are sown in August in light sandy soil, and the pots are 
placed in a cool frame, where they remain all the winter. In about 
eight months from the time of sowing the young seedlings appear, 
and as soon as large enough they are placed singly in small pots. A 
compost of leaf soil, good substantial loam, and one-eighth of well- 
decomposed cow or horse manure, is employed, and at subsequent 
pottings the plants are transferred into 48 or 32-size pots, being 
flowered in the latter. During the summer following the time of 
sowing extremely vigorous growth is made, and the plants now 
specially referred to attained the size of small Cabbages, the leaves of 
extraordinary size and substance. As winter approached these leaves 
gradually died, but the soil was not allowed to become dry, being kept 
in a moderately moist condition until growth commenced again in 
early spring, and attention to this Mr. Binder considers an important 
matter. 
The plants are now flowering, bearing spikes of four to six tiers of 
flowers, which vary slightly in depth of colouring, but are mostly of 
a rich shade of crimson. The leaves resemble large Lettuce leaves, 
but are more substantial, forming a fine l'osette, which is a beautiful 
setting for the majestic spikes of bloom. Either for the decoration 
of the stages in a conservatory, or (as they are at Kew) plunged 
round the margins of the beds, they have an admirable appearance, 
and their utility cannot be overrated.—L. K. 
HYBRID CYPRIPEDIUMS. 
No genus of Orchids has submitted so readily to the efforts of the 
hybridiser as the singularly beautiful Cypripediums. Certainly much 
has been effected amongst the Cattleyas, but a far greater number of 
really distinct and handsome hybrids have been obtained from the 
Lady’s Slipper Orchids. There appears to be scarcely any difficulty 
in securing almost any desired cross, and in the majority of cases 
the progeny present an exact combination of characters, which has 
been preserved even when the cross has been reversed. This was 
especially notable in the case of the beautiful C. Sedeni; the seed¬ 
lings from both C. Schlimii and C. longifolium, fertilised with the 
other species, resulting in plants that possessed no characters to 
distinguish them from each other, except perhaps slight variations in 
colour. In, however, what maybe termed secondary hybrids—namely, 
those resulting from crossing an established hybrid with one of its 
parents, some surprisingly distinct and beautiful forms have been 
obtained. Examples of this fact are again well shown by the 
offspring of C. Sedeni. For instance, C. calurum is from C. Sedeni and 
C. longifolium, and C. cardinale is from C. Sedeni and C. Schlimii, 
both very handsome Cypripediums, and, though partaking of the good 
qualities of the parent hybrid, are yet easily recognised. Again, by 
introducing another species we have a third gradation, as is shown in 
C. Schroederse from C. Sedeni and C. caudatum, and C. Ainsworthi 
from C. Sedeni and C. Roezlii. Other examples of the same 
peculiarity might be given in the case of C. Dominii, but it is rather 
remarkable that there appears to have been no attempt to cross two 
hybrids. 
The great advantage secured by hybridising in this as in several 
other genera is the greatly increased vigour and floriferousness of the 
plants so obtained, which has wonderfully added to the horticultural 
value of the plants. Some, indeed, are in bloom almost all the year 
round, and most readily cultivated in an ordinary style. The 
C. Sedeni group is especially remarkable for these qualities, and the 
bright rosy tint of the flowers, so distinct from most other forms of 
the genus, has still further increased the popular appreciation of these 
Orchids. So much success has attended the efforts of hybridisers in 
the direction of improving the growth, flowers, and general habit, that 
it is somewhat surprising some attempt has not been made to obtain a 
race of Cypripediums that would grow in cooler houses than those 
requisite for the majority. It would not, perhaps, be possible to cross 
such extremely divergent types as the ordinary hardy or" North 
American Lady’s Slippers with the tropical evergreen species, but the 
experiment would be worth trying. Then C. insigne has not been 
utilised sufficiently, for if the habit of this much-enduring useful 
Orchid could be combined with the handsome flowers of some others 
a race of incalculable value would be obtained that, in a gardener's 
point of view, would far surpass the others. 
Undoubtedly there is still a wide field for fresh and meritorious 
productions in this genus, and it is highly probable that many distinct 
races will be yet forthcoming while we have such persevering and 
successful workers as Mr. Seden. By far the greater number of 
hybrid Cypripediums have been raised in Messrs. J. Veitch’s nursery 
at Chelsea, first by Mr. Dominy, whose beautiful C. Dominii, C. Har- 
risianum, and C. vexillarium led the van of what has grown into a 
small army of forms. Mr. Seden has, however, paid special attention 
to this genus, and a large proportion of those enumerated in the list 
below owe their origin to his skill. As an example of one of the 
best of these, C. grande, of which a woodcut is given in fig. 86, 
deserves particular attention. This was raised from C. Roezlii 
fertilised with pollen from C. caudatum in 1875, but it has been 
thought that the latter was really the variety roseum, also known as 
C. Warscewiczii, at least such is Herr Reichenbach’s verdict. It is a 
remarkably strong grower, producing rich green leaves 2 feet or more 
in length, the spike of flowers often exceeding these in height by a 
foot or more, and bearing several flowers. These have the narrow 
tapering petals of C. caudatum 12 inches long, of a delicate crimson 
hue, and fringed with dark hairs near the base. The dorsal sepal is 
yellowish, and the lip crimson spotted in white with a greenish tinge 
in the body. Plants have been shown at the leading metropolitan 
shows and honoured with first-class certificates. 
Another very handsome and interesting hybrid, and one of the 
