March 30, 1882.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 255 
of “ our only two eatable greenstuffs,” they supply the largest 
“ blanched ” shoots of Asparagus, and it is no doubt this French 
produce that our critic has found “ in a restaurant” and praised, 
English produce as a rule not being blanched. The truth of the 
matter is this. If this self-constituted judge will visit our gardens 
and horticultural shows he will find the finest “ greenstuffs ” the 
world can produce ; restaurant experience of spoiled vegetables 
affording scarcely sufficient evidence of his competency to speak 
with authority on a subject of this kind. 
We cite one more paragraph— 
“ What is true of vegetables is even more true of fruits. To be 
6ure our English hothouse Grapes are the best in the world ; but of 
Tomatoes we know nothing, and for Strawberries, Raspberries, Cur¬ 
rants, Gooseberries, Plums, and Cherries we must go to America. 
Our Peaches are a success, our Apples are a national failure, and our 
Pears are a standing insult to the human intelligence.” 
Our comment on this is that perfectly ripe Tomatoes are cut 
in England during every week in the year, and they are as good 
in their way as our Grapes ; our Peaches except under glass are 
a failure, and we shall not “go to America” for the small fruits 
named, as thanks to our “ meat-growing ” climate we can gather 
them in better condition at home. To adopt the words of the 
writer of the article to which we have referred, it is a “ standing 
insult to human intelligence” to suppose that such erroneous 
notions can meet with acceptance from “those who know what 
real vegetables are like.” 
DENDROBIUMS. 
A prominent position is deservedly held in Orchid collections 
of the present day by the numerous species and varieties included 
in the above genus. Both in beauty and numerical strength it is 
probably not excelled by any other cultivated genus of Orchids, 
the Oncidiums and Odontoglossums with the Dendrobiums form¬ 
ing a very large proportion of the total number grown in English 
gardens. Great diversity in the colours, odours, and forms of the 
flowers, and a general ready adaptability to cultural requirements, 
have undoubtedly been the chief means of encouraging this 
popularity ; but it must be further remembered that the majority 
are natives of the East Indies, occupying regions that have been 
much explored, the districts being comparatively easily accessible 
to the plant-hunter. Another point in their favour is that most 
of them are readily established after importation, and by this 
means few have been lost as compared with other Orchids. The 
best forms well merit all the attention they receive, but there are 
many to be found in botanic gardens which are quite as worthless 
in a horticultural point of view as some of their allies—the Erias 
and Bolbophyllums. Of the others—the really useful forms— 
however, there are quite as many as are needed, and the chief 
difficulty where only collections of moderate extent can be grown, 
is selecting a few from such numbers of beautiful species. Few 
gardens containing a representative collection of plants will be 
found without some members of this genus, and if only one 
Orchid is grown it is almost sure to be the general favourite 
D. nobile. 
General Culture. —Though many Dendrobes require special 
modes of culture, which will be alluded to in the following notes 
describing the most beautiful forms, yet an outline of their general 
requirements may be given here as a guide to novices and amateurs. 
Where a large collection of species is grown a house is devoted to 
them, and when this is at command it is advantageous and facili¬ 
tates the grower's work, though it is by no means essential. The 
temperature of the ordinary East Indian house, which ranges 
from 70° to 85° or 90° in the summer, is the best suited for most 
Dendrobes, especially those from tropical India ; but such forms 
as D. infundibulum, D. Jamesianum, and the Australian sorts re¬ 
quire cooler treatment; and some of the others, as D. Falconeri, 
are generally rested in a cool position. Even where the conve¬ 
nience of an Orchid house is not enjoyed the usual plant stove 
is adapted for many of the strong-growing species, and a warm 
vinery or Peach house will also suit the easily managed forms. 
Few are really difficult to grow, though we often find in even the 
largest collections one or more that seem to defy the efforts of the 
cultivator. These, however, are no doubt influenced by some 
local conditions which are not easily ascertained. Abundance of 
light is essential both in assisting growth and maturing it; in¬ 
deed without attention to the latter it is difficult to insure a pro¬ 
fusion of flowers even with the freest. Shade must only be em¬ 
ployed to prevent scorching when the sun is excessively hot, and 
if firm plump pseudo-bulbs are obtained before winter, success 
the following season is almost certain. Water must be freely 
supplied during the growing season, syringing well in favourable 
weather, but avoiding as much as possible allowing water to accu¬ 
mulate at the base of the leaves, as it is likely to cause decay and 
general unhealthiness. 
Blocks, pots, and baskets are employed, and some species appear 
under different growers’ hands to succeed equally well on all the 
systems. Pots and baskets are more frequently used, and where 
there is any doubt respecting the requirements of a particular 
form basket culture is probably the safest, for few fail to succeed 
in them if judiciously attended to. Baskets are also best adapted 
for all Dendrobes having long pendulous growths, as the flowers 
are then seen to best advantage, but the erect and strong-growing 
sorts thrive admirably in pots. For these abundant drainage 
must be supplied, three parts filling them, employing a compost 
of good fibrous peat in lumps, sphagnum moss, small potsherds, 
and charcoal. A similar compost is required for baskets, but in 
some cases the peat is omitted, while for blocks a little moss is 
only needed, securing the plants by wire stretched tightly across. 
In potting the compost must be placed in firmly, well elevating 
the plant, covering the roots with a little of the compost, sur¬ 
facing with living sphagnum, and secure the plant with a few 
pegs or small stakes if it is heavy or likely to become disturbed. 
Propagation. —This is usually effected by division where the 
plants have attained considerable size and smaller specimens are 
desired. Several of the species also produce upon the pseudo¬ 
bulbs growths having at their base a few roots ; these may be 
carefully separated from the parent plant, placing several together 
in a basket or singly in small pots, giving them similar attention 
to the older specimens, and they soon become established. Pro¬ 
pagation by seed is only practised when it is desired to raise 
distinct crosses or hybrids, and then it is a good plan to sow the 
seed upon moss as advised by Mr. Swan in a recent issue of this 
Journal. 
These few cultural outlines will suffice to indicate the general 
requirements, and those that need special treatment will be men¬ 
tioned in the following descriptive notes of the most attractive 
and useful species and varieties in English gardens at the present 
time. 
D. nobile. —Probably there is no Orchid now grown which is 
better and more widely known than this, and in usefulness it is 
certainly not excelled. Even in a genus including so many hand¬ 
some forms it is scarcely surpassed in beauty, especially the fine 
varieties, many of which are now seen far superior to the original 
type. It is also very easily grown ; but while it will endure much 
ill treatment it amply repays for the most careful attention, and 
in many gardens flowers are to be obtained during at least six 
months of the year. This is pre-eminently a gardener’s Dendrobe, 
as it is so very accommodating, and an Orchid house is so far from 
being indispensable to its success that some of the best specimens 
I have seen have been grown in a vinery. Most of the larger 
specimens are grown in pots, but basket culture’ also suits this 
