432 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 10, 1881. 
rience, but oF course there is a great difference between the midland 
counties of Scotland and Somersetshire, which makes all the differ¬ 
ence. North here, too, handlights or cold frames over the cuttings 
are a great advantage, making “ assurance doubly sure.”—N. B. 
LIQUID MANURE FOR PLANTS FORCED IN 
DARKNESS. 
Forcing is expensive considering the results obtained. To 
obtain the greatest amount of produce of the finest quality is an 
object, and a worthy one, with us all, but we doubt if some of the 
practices yearly recommended are good. Indeed we are sure 
some of them are hurtful. The application of liquid manure to 
plants forced in darkness is one of these cases. The judicious 
supply of liquid manure to plants growing on soil not very rich 
in summer time proves that it is a valuable aid to growth. On 
no plants does it produce more marked effects than on Rhubarb 
or Seakale, but only in summer time. Then the roots take up 
part of the materials of which growth is made, and these ma¬ 
terials are in the leaf, in addition to what the leaf itself obtains 
in the air manufactured into material from which the plants build 
their structure. This only goes on in the leaf under the influence 
of light. Liquid manure given to plants forced under conditions 
Fig. 71 .—Begonia Madame de Dumast. 
which preclude the possibility of sap being elaborated simply 
poisons the produce and secures no resulting good. 
Liquid manure, as it is ordinarily understood, contains either 
ammonia, or nitrates, or both. These in water for domestic use 
are rightly regarded as dangerous ; in what respect are they 
otherwise in Rhubarb 1 Does Seakale forced in darkness turn 
the nitrates or ammonia into something beneficial or even harm¬ 
less ? Does their application to plants under circumstances which 
prevent their being changed even accelerate growth or postpone 
exhaustion, as is often pretended 1 Let anyone who thinks so 
try it fairly against pure water and he will find he has made a 
mistake. The extension of the parts of plants forced in darkness 
must always be at the expense of the material stored up in the 
plants, and how to increase this store should always be the ques¬ 
tion, and not how often to apply hurtful matter to plants that 
cannot use it, but which thereby become no better than sewage- 
tainted wells. Rich soil is also objectionable and useless for the 
same reasons.— Single-handed. 
NEW BEGONIAS. 
No plants during recent years have made such remarkable pro¬ 
gress as Tuberous Begonias, and M. Crousse is certainly not the 
least successful raiser of them, as his new varieties, Blanch Jean 
Pierre, Madame Comesse, Madame de Dumast, Madame Leon 
Simon, and Mathilde Giraud, now in the hands of Mr. Canned, 
testify. It was one of these, Madame de Dumast, that we sug¬ 
gested on page 291 resembled a Camellia. The flower was sent 
by us to the engraver, and it is now represented in fig. 71. The 
plant that produced thi8 flower among others was by no means 
strong, being in a 6-inch pot, and there is thus reason to suppose 
that the character of the variety will at least be maintained. The 
colour is blush, faintly tinted with salmon pink, the centre creamy 
white, and the flower is very striking. 
ORCHIDS IN NOVEMBER. 
This month brings us dreary days and cold chilly nights, with 
thick fogs, especially in the neighbourhood of London. It is the 
most difficult season with which the Orchid-grower has to contend, 
being the resting period, when great care has to be exercised as 
regards watering and firing. The many changes occurring in the 
outside temperature necessitate a careful look-out before damping 
down, taking advantage of what fine days we may have to give 
all the ventilation we can, It ought to be the first consideration 
of the grower to see to the watering and damping-down in the 
forenoon, by which time he will be able to predict how the day is 
to turn out, and so act accordingly. 
The night temperature should now be kept so as not to excite 
growth, and should be from 60° to 65° in the East Indian house, 
55° to 60° in the Cattleya and Dendrobium house, and 45° to 
50° in the cool house. 
In pleasing contrast to the bleak aspect out of doors the 
winter-blooming Orchids make a cheerful and welcome display 
of floral beauty well worth the trouble and care bestowed upon 
them. Calauthe vestita is now in perfection, producing as 
many as twenty-five to thirty flowers on a single spike, and is 
invaluable for cutting purposes. C. vestita rubro-oculata and 
luteo-oculata, and C. Veitchii, are also attractive, the latter 
with an erect stem bearing pink flowers with a white eye. 
These plants require no w'ater now, and wflll continue a long 
time in flower if kept free from damp. After flowering they 
should be placed in a dry warm place, water being withheld 
from them, and should be potted in March or April, when they 
again start growing. 
Cattleya Dowflana, undoubtedly the best Cattleya grown, is 
now in full beauty with its lovely nankeen-coloured flowers. 
'This plant requires to be grown in a strong light in order to 
iusuie it blooming to perlection. Cattleya exoniensis, a gar¬ 
den hybrid between C. Mossite and Laslia purpurata, with its 
rich purple lip, orange throat, and rosy-tmged sepals and 
petals, is a most desirable plant for this time of the year. 
Cattleya Triante, now in their sheaths, promise a good display 
shortly. This being their resting period water must be spar¬ 
ingly given ; sufficient only to keep the pseudo-bulbs from 
shrivelling will also insure an abundance of flowers for next 
year. 
Cypripedium insigne is an old favourite, with its varieties 
C, Maulei and C. Chantinii, are producing their blooms. One 
great recommendation of these is that they succeed well in a 
cool house, and we have even turned them out into a cold 
frame with satisfactory results. Cypripedium venustum and 
C. venustum spectabile, with its spotted petals and fine mottled 
leaves, remain a long time in bloom, and should not be allowed 
to become too dry at the roots, though at this season the plants 
require to be kept drier than during their time of growth. 
Dendrobium superbiens is a decided acquisition amongst winter¬ 
blooming Orchids. It thrives in a stove temperature, and produces 
a profusion of bloom which is invaluable during the wflnter months 
on account of the length of time it continues in beauty. Dendro¬ 
bium heterocarpum phillippinense, with cream-coloured flowers 
differing somewhat from the ordinary D. heterocarpum, though 
not so fragrant, is yet valuable at this time of year. The pseudo¬ 
bulbs are sometimes seen 4 feet long, and it flowers the whole 
length of the bulb after the manner of D. Pierardi. 
i telia autumnalis is now in fine condition, as is also Ltelia 
autumnalis atro-rubens, an extra dark variety, more floriferous 
than L. autumnalis, and bearing as many as eleven flowers on a 
spike. Ltelia anceps, L. albida, and L. Perrinii will now be in bud 
and bloom, and will enliven the dull months of December and 
January if care be taken not to sprinkle the blossoms with water. 
Ltelia pumila and L. Dayana are new swelling their buds, and 
may be expected soon to be in flower. 
Oucidium crispum marginatum, better known as O. Forbesii, is 
a grand variety for this time of year, its fine spike of yellow- 
margined chocolate-coloured flow r ers rendering it exceedingly 
attractive. 
Pleiones maculata, P. lagenaria, and P. Wallichiana are now 
at their best, and are extremely useful for the decoration of our 
