JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
82 
[ July 28, 1881. 
loam, peat, and Mushroom dung in equal proportions, with a 
liberal sprinkling of sand, is the best compost for them. When 
the plants are considered large enough they will remain healthy 
in the same sized pots for years if assisted, at the commence¬ 
ment of growth and when the bloom is forming and expanding, 
with liberal supplies of Clay’s fertiliser. I have not grown it in 
the standard form, but hope to do so next season.—D. Thomas, 
Drayton Manor Gardens. 
We have received the first part of the “Orchid Album,” 
the projected publication of which was recently referred to in 
these columns. The style and general execution of the part now 
before us fully confirms the opinion we expressed— i.e., that it is 
likely to be a really useful and handsome work. Coloured plates 
of Oncidium concolor, Laelia Schroderii, Cattleya Mendelii grandi- 
flora, and Bpidendrum vitellinum majus are admirable, depicting 
the chief characters of the plants, though in two instances the 
exact tints have scarcely been obtained. This is not surprising, 
for Orchids of all flowering plants are the most difficult to repre¬ 
sent faithfully in this respect. As regards the delineation of 
form all the plates are very satisfactory, and the slight difference 
in the shade mentioned is practically of no importance. Full 
botanical descriptions accompany each plate, with references to 
synonyms, authorities, and other works where the plants have 
been figured or described. In addition, much general informa¬ 
tion is given concerning their history and culture, rendering the 
book at once scientific and popular. 
- The following extract from the above-mentioned work 
upon the culture of Oncidium concolor will indicate the scope 
of the instruction given, and may also prove useful to some of our 
readers :—“ Oncidium concolor succeeds best in a compost of peat 
with a little sphagnum moss added, and with plenty of good 
drainage. We have grown it most successfully in small pans, but 
it can be cultivated either in a basket or on a block. It would 
succeed equally well in a pot, but the drooping character of the 
flower spikes renders it a most fitting subject for growing in 
either of the above-named receptacles, and for suspension from 
the roof. As to temperature, we find it succeeds best in the 
Odontoglossum house during the summer months. After it has 
flowered, and while it is making its growth, a copious supply of 
water should be given to it, always keeping the soil moist until 
the growth of the bulbs is completed. When it has finished its 
growth it should be removed to the Cattleya house, where it 
should be kept moderately dry until it produces its spikes, about 
March or April.” 
- In the Cape House at Kew the very distinct Bellflower, 
Campanula Vidalii, is now very attractive, a number of plants 
in pots being arranged on the side stages. It is a semi-shrubby 
or woody species from the Azores, where it was found growing 
upon a rock on the east coast of Flores by Captain Vidal, after 
whom it is named. It has narrow somewhat spathulate leaves 
with serrated margins, the flowers being white and glossy, bell¬ 
shaped, but curiously contracted in the middle. They are pro¬ 
duced very freely, and when the plants are in such condition as 
those at Kew they are important and valuable additions to any 
cool house, 
- In the new Victoria house of the same gardens a pretty 
ally of the Musssendas, Howardia caracasensis, is also flower¬ 
ing. It is of shrubby habit, having elliptical light green leaves 
and axillary or terminal rosy-coloured tubular flowers about 
1^ inch long, each attended by an ovate bright rosy appendage, 
which is really one lobe of the calyx greatly enlarged. A number 
of flowers being produced together imparts a pleasing appearance 
to the plant, and it would form a suitable companion for Mus- 
ssenda frondosa, the bright rose colour of the one affording a 
striking contrast with the white and yellow of the other. 
- Mr. Laxton of Bedford sends the following account of an 
economic mode of growing Potatoes :—“ I have recently 
seen a plan adopted by a cottager of growing together in alternate 
rows early varieties of Potatoes with the late strong-growing 
sorts, such as Early Bose or Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf, in combina¬ 
tion with Magnum Bonum or Champion. The Potatoes are 
planted in rows 2 feet apart, the varieties alternating ; the early 
sorts can then be dug some weeks before the later varieties are 
fit, and these, after the earlies are harvested, have an additional 
earthing-up and find plenty of time and room to develope a full 
crop ; the intervening space from which the early Potatoes have 
been removed being utilised for growing Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, 
Turnips, or other fall crop. The plan is the most practical and 
economical I have yet seen for obtaining the utmost quantity from 
the least ground, and securing a successional green crop in the 
same season. The matter seems worth the attention of field and 
market growers, and I intend trying it next year in the Experi¬ 
mental Grounds at Girtford. In Bedfordshire with light crops* 
Early Bose, Shaw’s, and other early varieties of fair quality have 
this season scarcely realised an average gross return of more than 
£4 per ton, and with such prices and seasons it will be impossible 
to grow the Potato remuneratively in this country and to keep 
pace with foreign competition, unless every available means be 
resorted to for obtaining increased quantity of produce as well as 
improved quality, the varieties being also especially selected as 
suitable to English tastes—a desideratum which the imported sorts 
do not at present generally supply.” 
- At Chiswick now there is a brilliant display of Tuberous 
Begonias, many being seedlings of great promise and of various 
shades. One that especially deserves notice is Begonia Queenie, 
which has large rose-tinted flowers that are borne very freely, and 
the plant being of vigorous yet fairly compact habit renders it 
additionally pleasing. The colour is very bright and clear indeed, 
when as we recently saw it the variety can scarcely be surpassed 
The Floral Committee of the Boyal Horticultural Society, when 
recently visiting the gardens, signified their opinion of the merit 
of this variety by awarding a first-class certificate for it. Several 
orange, pink, and scarlet forms also possess considerable merit. 
- Mr. E. Wilson, Hardwick Hall Gardens, sends the fol¬ 
lowing upon Pride of the Market Pea —“ Anyone in want of 
a really good dwarf Pea should grow this. I had a packet of 
seed this spring, which was sown April 23rd, and the plants are 
now (July 23rd) bearing an extremely fine crop of pods. The 
pods are like Ne Plus Ultra but longer, with nine peas in a pod, 
of a deep green colour, and when cooked of first-class flavour ; 
it is equal to any other dwarf Pea that has come under my 
notice.” 
- Three very pretty small-flowered Begonias are B. Bich- 
Ardsiana, B. NATALENSIS, and B. Schmidtii, all of which are 
flowering at the present time in some large collections. The two 
first-named have small white flowers produced in great abun¬ 
dance, B. Bichardsiana having also very neatly cut leaves. Both 
are of slender habit, but make handsome little specimens when 
well grown. B. Schmidtii is especially remarkable for the com¬ 
pactness of its habit and the slight metallic lustre the leaves 
possess. Young plants in small pots are very useful, and they 
continue blooming for a considerable time. 
- A handsome specimen of the remarkable Orchid VANDA 
