JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 18, 1882. ] 
401 
Odontoglossum cirrhosum is in fine condition, with splendid 
spikes bearing from fifteen to twenty pure white flowers, sprinkled 
with rich purple, and exhaling a Hawthorn-like perfume. 
Oncidium ampliatum majus is now in great beauty with its 
numerous large yellow flowers, which remain a long time in per¬ 
fection. O. cornigerum is similar to 0. sarcodes in the pseudo¬ 
bulbs, but it has a denser spike of handsome yellow flowers, spotted 
with red. O. Papilio, with its butterfly-like blooms, is charming 
now, and will continue producing its rich brown and yellow flowers 
nearly all the summer. 0. phymatochilum has pretty white-lipped 
yellow and brown flowers now in splendid condition, and remains 
a long time in full beauty. It should always be kept in the Cat- 
tleya house, and grown in good fibrous peat. 0. sphacelatum is 
an old free-flowering Oncid, which blooms well now. The loDg 
branching spikes bear a profusion of brown-barred yellow flowers, 
which last in perfection for about a month. 
Saccolabium ampullaceum, with erect spikes of lovely rosy-pink 
flowers, is very pretty, as is also the superb variety S. a. Moul- 
meinse, with long dense spikes of rose-coloured blossoms. S. cur- 
vifolium is also gay with erect spike of charming orange-scarlet 
flowers. S. praemorsum is very fine with its long, pendant, dense 
spikes of elegant white blossoms, slightly sprinkled with lilac 
spots. 
Trichopilia crispa produces drooping spikes of from two to three 
large white-edged crimson blossoms, and T. coccinea has pretty 
yellow and brown crimson-lipped blooms, both being now in flower, 
and well suited for baskets. 
Yanda Batemanii, V. suavis, Y. teres, and Y. tricolor are all beau¬ 
tiful, their grand spikes of flowers lasting at least six weeks in per¬ 
fection.— Okchidist. 
STRAWBERRIES. 
The vagaries of Strawberries during the past few months at 
Girtford, especially some early seedlings, have been very extra¬ 
ordinary. Many have never been without trusses of bloom, 
although mostly abortive, since September last, and I hardly ex¬ 
pected this to be followed by healthy and fertile blooms this 
spring, but such is the case, and there is every appearance of a 
good crop, little damage having been done by early frost. With 
some of the sorts there is fully six weeks’ difference in the period 
of blooming between this year and last, but it is not so with all 
the varieties. Some which showed first flowers last year on the 
14th May were this year equally forward on the 3rd April, and 
should we be favoured with a continuance of spring weather we 
may fairly expect Strawberries before the end of May. Dr. 
Roden’s Amy Robsart is again, as in 1880, to the front amongst 
the fairly sized earlies, but the blooms seem more susceptible of 
frost than the smaller-fruited May Queen. Last year Amy Rob¬ 
sart did not keep its position, and this year several other varieties 
have been distanced by sorts which usually flower considerably 
later, notably Sir Charles Napier, which is this season in advance 
of Vicomtesse Hericart, Keens’ Seedling, and Marguerite, and on 
a par with Black Prince. I should like to know if others of your 
readers have noticed any peculiarity in this respect. I have 
several hundred cross-fertilised seedlings from the best and earliest 
varieties, as well as a large collection of English, American, and 
continental sorts, on trial this season at the Experimental Garden, 
and upon the whole the bloom is plentiful and strong, and augurs 
favourably for a full crop.—T. Laxton, Bedford. 
CARBOLIC ACID AND WEEDS. 
In reference to this subject, which has been recently alluded 
to by several writers in these pages, we quote the following report 
from the Royal Botanic Society’s Quarterly Record, which de¬ 
scribes some experiments in destroying weeds on gravel walks :— 
“ As requested by the Committee, I have to report that since my 
experiments in 1869 with chemical compounds, with a view to deter¬ 
mine their relative values in the destruction of vegetable growth on 
gravel walks, additional trials have from time to time been made 
with a variety of substances recommended for the purpose—amongst 
others, sulphuric, sulphurous, hydrochloric, and carbolic acids, chlo¬ 
ride of sodium, sulphate of copper, chloride of zinc, flowers of sulphur, 
paraffin oil, and Burnett’s and other disinfecting fluids ; and also 
during 1876-1877 a large quantity of refuse fluid, presented to the 
Society from a colour works, which contained free sulphuric and 
other acids, sulphate of copper, and most probably other metallic 
salts. It was used in the proportion of one of mixture to three of 
water, and its application destroyed all vegetable growth, and none 
reappeared on the walks for more than three years after. Since 
1877, however, we have not been able to obtain a further supply of 
this or any similar liquid from any source, and the authorities at 
gas works leport that the only refuse they can supply at a low rate 
is spent lime. 
“ Of the several agents tried from time to time three only have 
been retained for further experiment, all the others being considered 
unsuitable, either from their high cost or inefficiency. These three 
are— 
No. 1.—Sulphuric acid. 
No. 2.—Carbolic acid. 
No. 3.—Chloride of sodium (common salt). 
“ After trial of several proportions, the following were determined 
upon. It will be noted that the proportion of sulphuric acid is given 
by weight, as this is, for well-known chemical reasons, the most 
reliable measure ; the weight of salt is when dry as in ordinary 
domestic use. The relative values are based on the following com¬ 
mercial values—viz., Sulphuric acid, Id. per lb.; carbolic acid (Cal¬ 
vert’s No. 5) at 3s. 9 d. per gallon ; common salt at 40s. per ton ; 
water cost, nil j weight, 10 lbs. = 1 gallon. 
No. 1. Sulphuric acid 1 to 16=10 Its. to 150 tbs. water=10i?.— 850 to 1000 ft 
No. 2. Carbolic acid 1 to 50=2£ pts. to 126 pts. „ =14<i.—850 to 1000 ft. 
No. 3. Salt 56 lbs. 12d—850 
“ The area of walk treated with each amount of liquid is stated at 
from 850 to 1000 superficial feet, as the quantity required depends 
upon the form, pitch, or condition of the walk—such as rough, damp, 
shaded, &c., and especially in relation to sulphuric acid and salt, both 
of which have so high an affinity for water that the hygrometric 
condition of the gravel is important. 
“ The action of the several compounds is as follows :—No. 1, sul¬ 
phuric acid, is immediately fatal to all vegetation on contact. No. 2, 
carbolic acid, is slow in action, gradually turning the leaves, and 
especially the roots, hay-brown. No. 3, salt, is almost immediately 
fatal on a damp walk, or after the first wet day, and in a short time 
a few sharp showers of rain wash the gravel clean and bright. 
“ The preventive action of salt is only good for about three or four 
months, vegetation reappearing in perhaps an aggravated amount on 
damp or shaded walks. As yet the duration of the preventive action 
of the acids has not been fully determined, but the garden superin¬ 
tendent has marked on a plan the walks as severally treated, and the 
Fellows of the Society and visitors to the garden will be enabled to 
judge the relative values of the agents. 
“ The liquid compounds were spread over the walk by the ordinary 
water pots with tin roses. Lead or pewter would be better, zinc must 
not be used. A rose made of thin sheet German silver resisted the 
action of the sulphuric acid well. 
“ For the distribution of the salt I constructed a special machine. 
It consists of a square box sieve of perforated zinc, mounted on 
wheels with an automatic action, so arranged as to communicate to 
the sieve a jolting motion when drawn along the walk. 
“ The weeds on the walks consisted of grass, spergula, and small 
varieties of moss, &c. 
“ From time to time I will report the result of the experiments, 
and shall be happy to make trial of any other agents recommended. 
“ W. Sowerby, Secretary." 
SINGLE DAHLIAS. 
Remembering the facility with which single flowers can be 
raised from seed, it is after all not so much a matter of surprise 
that the number of new varieties should rapidly increase, as re¬ 
ferred to in your last issue. Single Dahlias possess a chaste 
beauty and simplicity that seems to commend them for general 
usefulness. I grew some successfully last year, and have some 
of the best named varieties fit for bedding-out now, if I might 
safely do so, and it may be of interest if I refer to their present 
treatment. 
One word a 9 to “ named ” varieties. A named variety I take 
to be the one grain of corn sifted from a bushel of chaff. I ob¬ 
tained a large package of seed from a firm last year, and though 
nine-tenths grew there was not one of the number, though they 
had their individual beauties, to compare with the velvety maroon 
and rainbow tints of Paragon, the rich pink shade of Painted 
Lady, the pure yellow and dwarf lilac beauty of lutea and gla- 
brata, or the crimson of coccinea, and last, though not least—per¬ 
haps it should be placed first for general usefulness and effect— 
alba, or its synonyme, White Queen. I would therefore say with¬ 
out hesitation to those who may desire to grow or give a trial to 
single or bouquet Dahlias, and both are exceedingly useful for 
cutting purposes, Commence with named kinds. A frame with 
bottom heat will suit cuttings, where they will root at once, with 
a little sand around the base of the cutting to prevent damping- 
off. Nothing is better for rooting them in than sawdust. I always 
prefer with such succulent softwooded cuttings to allow them to 
dry or semi-callus at the base of the cuttings. When rooted give 
plenty of air, and harden off for bedding-out as soon as can safely 
be done. The earwig is not so much an enemy of the single 
Dahlia as the double ; but in old gardens, especially with Box 
edgings, slugs do much mischief. A most efficient remedy is to 
make a new bed ; they will be established before this enemy be¬ 
comes plentiful again. Large blooms are generally not desired, 
so thinning need not be resorted to. Diluted liquid manure will 
