460 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 29,1883. 
became at once a favourite, and seems to be fast becoming one of the 
most—if not the most—admired of the family. 
The varieties of Cypripedium are being added to, either by importations 
or crossing—some tine forms having been produced by the latter agency— 
so that those intending to begin forming a collection are sometimes at a 
loss to know which to select. No one can, however, err in obtaining all 
the varieties named, and if they possess these kinds they are sure to 
admire them and seek to add further to their collections. 
Most of the Cypripediums are of easy culture, and when not in bloom 
have the advantage, which too few Orchids possess, of handsome foliage. 
W hen cut and placed in water the blooms of many last for six weeks or 
two months, which is another great recommendation. Altogether they 
form a group of Orchids that have so many good qualities that no praise 
that can be bestowed is undeserved.— Insigne. 
CRICKETS AND COCKROACHES. 
“ J. W. R.” should get a box of Hughes’ tropical beetle powder, 
and use as directed—simply to place a little on some pieces of tile or 
slate, fresh every night, about the floors of his houses. I have used it, 
and advised others to do so, with good and satisfactory results. Of 
course it will require repeating, as fresh broods are hatched almcst daily. 
I never found toads interfere with either of them, although very useful 
for destroying woodlice.—S. Taylor, Acacia Gardens , Leeds. 
In reply to “ J. W. R.” respecting the above troublesome pests, 
I find the best thing to get rid of them is to feed them for a few 
nights with oatmeal, and when they eat it, add a little arsenic to some 
oatmeal by slightly damping the meal to make the arsenic adhere to 
the oatmeal ; then spread it thinly on small pieces of thin board or 
slate, and place it of an evening where they abound, removing it in the 
morning out of the way of cats and dogs. This will soon clear off all 
crickets and cockroaches.—N. Campany. 
In reply to your correspondent, page 445, I have seen a very 
successful capture of these in a very plain and easy manner. Place 
a bowl containing a small quantity of sour beer, or any strong-smelling 
liquid, with two or three pieces of wood to act as bridges or gangways, 
up which the beetles will crawl in large numbers. They fall into the 
liquid but cannot get out again, the sides being too smooth to obtain any 
foothold. I have seen the bowl half filled in one night—at least 200 
beetles in it. They may be killed by pouring hot water over them.— 
Jas. Thomson, Kelso. 
WATERING PLANTS. 
There can be no doubt that watering plants is often done in a most 
negligent manner, and it is frequently regarded as an easy and trivial 
operation of minor importance. This is not always the result of 
ignorance, but is often due to the fact that young men will not take the 
trouble to carefully examine the plants they have charge of. Watering 
is a very important operation, and much of the success that attends 
plant growing is due to a judicious use of the water pot. Those who 
make themselves masters of this operation are indeed valuable assistants. 
_ Explanations and advice may be given from time to time on this 
suoject, but it is most difficult to lay down any hard-and-fast lines or 
even to teach the exact time when and how watering should be done ; in 
fact, it is a knowledge that can only be attained by intelligence and 
experience. To merely tell a man to be careful with a certain class, say 
of hardwooded plants, or that you are particular about the manner in 
which they are watered, is insufficient. With remarks similar to these 
they often allow the plants to become thoroughly dry before they apply 
water, and more hardwooded plants are sent to the rubbish heap through 
being kept too dry than from almost all other causes. To water these 
plants properly the soil in their pots should never be destitute of 
moisture, or they will be seriously injured, and months of careful watering 
afterwards will not repair the damage done by neglect on one occasion. 
Their delicate fine fibry roots are destroyed in a few minutes after the 
soil has become thoroughly dry. Their leaves soon turn a sickly yellow, 
eventually fall, and no after treatment can restore the plants. 
In watering these plants an intermediate state should be provided 
as far as possible. It is, I am aware, impossible for them always to 
be kept in this stage, but overdryness can and must be prevented if 
any success is to be attained. Water should be applied just before the 
soil becomes dry, and if this is insufficient they should have a second or 
even a third application to soak thoroughly the whole mass of firm soil. 
During summer these plants may with safety be watered before they 
approach so dry a stage as is necessary at this season of the year. In 
summer, when examining these plants, they may scarcely be sufficiently 
dry to need water, but with one or two hours’ bright sunshine they would 
in all probability suffer. These might safely be watered at that season of 
the year. At the present time plants in the same condition would stand 
one or two days, and later in the season perhaps for nearly a week, but 
the weather must be taken into consideration. 
During the period when these plants have completed their growth 
and resting they must never be allowed to suffer by the want of water. 
Dryness at their roots while at rest is one of the greatest mistakes that 
can be made in the culture of these plants.—W. B. 
Protecting Outdoor Cauliflower and Broccolis.—F or several 
years back I have grown Cauliflower plants outside on a sunny border 
during winter, and in nine winters out of ten the vast majority of them did 
better than if grown and coddled in a frame, and of course give no trouble 
whatever, except the trifle I am going to tell of how the thing is best 
done. I sowed Carter’s Dwarf Mammoth, Early London, and Early 
Defiance—this last as an experiment, as it is more tender than the others, 
and of finer quality—on small beds in the end of July. They are now 
strong, have been dusted with fresh soot to scare away slugs a week 
since, and yesterday have had what, for want of another better word, 
I must call a top-dressing of dry loam between the plants. The object 
of this top-dressing is to cover the stalks, for I find if the generally long 
stalks are safe the leaves and hearts are secure. I shall pit those now 
against the most carefully watched and air-given frame plants, and, 
what is important, I never find them to “button.”—W. J. Murphy, 
Clonmel. 
GLADIOLUS THE BRIDE. 
It is difficult to say how long this beautiful plant has been known 
in English gardens : one thing is certain, until very recently its merits 
were not appreciated. Whether re-christening of the old G. Colvillii 
alba with the attractive designation heading these notes has influenced 
public taste, is a matter of little moment. Happily it is becoming much 
better known and very largely employed for its intrinsic value in floral 
decorations. Wherever white flowers are in great demand this is one of 
the most useful plants possible to cultivate. There are several reasons 
why I make this assertion. The colour and substance of the flowers is pre¬ 
cisely what is requisite ; it can be forced readily, and can be had in bloom 
over a very lengthened period, and it increases freely even under pot 
treatment if liberally grown. As large as has been the demand for this 
Gladiolus in some quarters, I am in a position to know that at the pre¬ 
sent time it is absolutely unknown to a large number of gardeners ; and 
when we take into consideration the multitude of amateurs whose 
garden is only secondary to the chief business of life, most of whom are 
unacquainted with it, there is ample reason why the pages of the Journal 
should be the medium of bringing it at the present very opportune 
season before the notice of the flower-loving community. Of course, 
at the very mention of Gladiolus, more than half the world think you 
are referring to some half-hardy plant which requires to be coddled 
in some warm cupboard during the winter, and ever carefully watched 
after being planted in the spring ; whereas this variety is perfectly 
hardy, increasing rapidly in the open ground, and should be planted or 
potted in autumn in preference to the spring, as they are subjected to un¬ 
necessary and most prejudicial drying if bottled up through the winter 
out of the ground. What few corms I have out of the ground or pots 
will be speedily transferred to their permanent quarters, and I recom¬ 
mend all the readers of the Journal desirous of trying it to secure their 
stock without delay, either for pot or border culture. Several clumps 
of bulbs which were not raised in early autumn are pushing up the 
narrow leaves through the soil, and will be able to hold their own against 
winter’s cold. If required for forcing several corms should be put in a 
pot, when they should be placed in a cold frame or plunged outside in 
ashes of cocoa fibre until root-action is fully resumed, when they may 
be subjected to a higher temperature, finally placing them in the forcing 
pit as required to be in flower. No plant is more easily managed in this 
respect. During this year I had them in flower from March until Sep¬ 
tember, and they were greatly admired when employed with other plants 
for decorative purposes, while the flowers were equally appreciated, 
and constantly being asked for. Yes, The Bride was really a general 
favourite. I hope these remarks will secure for her a wider circle of 
friends.—T. 
SIX MONTHS IN A VINERY. 
The principal leaves are larger than when I made my last note. 
Many of them now measure 11 to 12 inches across and 12 to 13^ long. 
The side shoots or laterals have extended too— ie., the stems measure 
further from leaf to leaf, so that they overlap slightly where the rods 
are not more than 4 feet apart. Most of the sub-laterals have been 
stopped once, and in some instances where they made a second start 
the second bud has been taken clean out with the thumb-nail, for 
although the roof is not yet entirely covered it will be as much so as 
is desirable by the time the growths already allowed have stretched 
out to their fullest extent. 
Tying down has now been completed, not from choice, but from 
necessity, as the space above the trellis is too limited. The bunches, 
which are fast approaching the flowering stage, have strengthened 
satisfactorily, and are rebelling against their unnatural pendent 
position, which the horizontal tying of the laterals has brought about 
by turning up their points to the light. These will come down again 
when the fruit has grown sufficiently heavy to bring them down 
naturally by its own weight. 
On the 25th February we had a bright, clear, and mild morning. 
A little air was given by sliding down four of the lights a couple of 
inches each at 8.30, increasing to double that amount at 9 o’clock and 
closing at 1 p.m. No more air was needed till the 1st of March, 
when the management was about the same. The next day we had 
some sunshine with a bracing east wind—too bracing, w r e thought, to 
admit more into our vinery than could go through the laps. On the 
3rd and 4th, although there was a little frost, the air was not quite so 
