September 11, 1884. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
233 
The young growths from the base of this plant are five oi sis 
in number, and now about 1 foot in length. The other plant 
was removed to a cool structure for at least two months, and 
kept compai’atively dry during that time. This was done to find 
out if possible what amount of rest this variety appreciated, 
and under what conditions it would re-t best, either to induce it 
to flower freely or grow luxuriantly. Up to the present time we 
can decide upon nothing certain, for the specimen rested in a 
cool house and then returned to the heated structure has not yet 
shown signs of either starting again into growth or producing 
flowers. It appears to us that this variety is evergreen, and 
must be treated as such, for neither plants have lost their 
foliage. The pseudo-bulbs require to be gi'own in plenty of 
light during its latter stages of growth, so that its stems will be 
firm and solid, from which the flowers will be produced just as 
the plant is again starting into activity. 
it is yet difficult to say what time of the year this variety 
should make its growth and flower, for being started into gi’owth 
so late in the season there was no alternative left us but to 
endeavour to assist as much as possible the plant to complete 
the growth commenced. The time of gi’owing and flow^ering 
may by judicious care perhaps be changed; if not, and the plant 
persists in growing during the dark sunless days of winter, it is 
evidently a shade instead of a light-loving variety. The reason 
we think it necessary to give plenty of light to solidify the bulbs 
during the last stages of growth is because our plants received 
abundance of light during the sjoring months when in that 
condition of growth. D. Freydaianum resembles D. luteolum 
in some respects, and at the same time is totally distinct. 
The pseudo-bulbs are slender, of upright growth, slightly 
arching towards the end, and about 2 feet 6 inches in length. 
The young stems are green and thickly covered with black hairs, 
while the old ones are grey or silvery. The foliage is dark 
gi*een, leathery, and produced alternately along the stem. The 
flowers make their appearance from the joint dh’ectly opposite 
the leaf, and up to the present have been produced in pairs near 
the extremity of the pseudo-bulbs that have been made during 
the previous season. The flowers are about If inch across, 
peculiar in shape, much after D. luteolum, only the lip is not 
thrown down the same as it is in that species, but has more the 
appearance of a tube with an enormously long spur. The flowers 
are by no means showy, yet they are delicate and beautiful. 
The whole of the flower is pure white, except the lip and throat, 
which are veined with orange scarlet, the former beautifully and 
faintly pencilled with the same colour, and is well fringed. The 
marking of the throat and lip gives to the under side a faint 
pin'Tsh hue, which really adds to the beauty of the flower. Our 
plants are growing in peat and moss, the former predominating. 
They have been given a fair supply of water and moisture during 
growth. This variety is certainly worth growing, and appears 
as if it would increase rapidly, for upon one of our plants seven 
or eight young ones have been produced from the old pseudo¬ 
bulbs. 
Cypripedictm Spiceriantjm. —This is undoubtedly the most 
beautiful Cypripedium that has been imported during i*ecent 
years. It is distinct, and ought to be in every collection how¬ 
ever limited. Not only is it distinct, but perhaps the freest 
flowering form in cultivation. Every little piece will flower as 
freely as a robust plant. It will grow in a cool house, but with 
greater vigour and luxuriance in a st )ve temperature. In the 
former the foliage is of a light green or yellowish cast, while in 
the latter it is of a fine dark hue. While in flower it will bear 
the conditions of a cool house or the temperature of the conser¬ 
vatory as well as C. insigne and 0. villosum. It should be 
grown in a night temperature of 00° to 70'’, with a corresponding 
rise of 10° or 15° by day, and ke,^t while in flower in a house 
where the night temperature ranges from 45° to 50°. It is 
benefited by the rest it receives in the latter, and grows strongly 
and increases rapidly in the former. 
. To show the freedom with which it flowers it may be men¬ 
tioned that a small semi-established plant with a pair of old 
leaves and a young growth just issuing from the base was 
purchased in November last. It completed its growth in a night 
temperature of b0\ and flowered in February, and the same 
plant under stove treatment will have flowers open again in a 
day or two. I have never yet seen it recorded anywhere that 
this variety will pi’oduce more than one flower on a stem. One 
other plant which we have had longer has never done so. I have 
seen several larger plants in flower, but never seen two flowers 
on the same stem. The small plant obtained in November last, 
and above alluded to, is not strong, but has two flowers on one 
stem from the growth made during the summer. This I think 
is unusual, and it would be interesting to know if others have 
had the same results. 
This variety grows well in a mixture of sphagnum moss and 
peat in about equal quantities, with a few lumps of charcoal 
intermixed. Abundance of water should be given while growing 
—in fact, the material surrounding the roots should never be 
allowed to become dust-dry, not even during the resting season. 
Oncidium verrucosum. —This is not so good as its variety 
Rogersii, but is nevertheless worthy of a place in any garden. 
It is comparatively easy of culture, and will do better either on 
a block or in a basket suspended from the roof than in a pot. 
It is a decided advantage when Orchids can be grown success¬ 
fully on blocks or in baskets, and this is the case with many 
Oncidiums, which delight in throwing their roots into the 
atmosphere. The species in question, as soon as it becomes 
established, will do this freely. While making its growth a 
moist heated structure, such as the stove affords, is suitable. 
As soon as growth is completed, which will be the case now if 
grown in heat, the flower stems will be seen issuing from the 
base of the pseudo-bulb, and as soon as they can be observed 
the plants should be gradually removed from the heated to a 
cooler house. We have just suspended our plants in the Odonto- 
glossum house, and their flower spikes are advancing slowly, but 
they are sturdy and strong in comparison to what they would 
have been if kept in heat. 
O. verrucosum flowers very freely, and is one of the best 
Oncidiums that can be grown for associating with Odonto- 
glossum Alexandras in a cool house during the autumn and 
winter months. As soon as the flowei-s commence expanding in 
the cool house no more water should be given than is sufficient 
to keep the pseudo-bulbs plump, or the roots may be seriously 
injured. It grows Ueely in a compost of charcoal (used in 
lumps) and sphagnum moss. Abundance of drainage is needed, 
for liberal supplies of water should be given during the growing 
season, but while at rest the plants must be kept cool and dry at 
their roots.—L. D. W. 
APKICOTS. 
I HAVE for long attributed to the cold east winds of the late 
spring month.s the predisposing cause of branches dying during 
summer, so annoying in so luscious and valuable a fruit as is the 
Apricot. The immediate result of these winds, proverbially neither 
good for man nor beast, and which might be amended to include 
plants as well, is that the growth of the Apricot is retarded until these 
disappear. Now reasoning a priori from the early-blooming habit 
of this fruit we would conclude that weather during April and May 
to be suitable should be of a mild and genial character. Instead of 
that, the temperature is generally low, with dry east winds very often 
prevailing, so much so that indigenous hardy fruits like Strawberries 
and Gooseberries not infrequently are damaged thereby. I believe, 
could we possibly have for Apricots such weather as Apples get 
during the eirlier period of their season’s growth the dying of branches 
would be unknown, at least the phase of it that we know. This 
brings me to notice the following facts. 
The present spring was almost unvisitod by east winds, and the 
present summer has been remarkable for the almost total absence of 
Apricot disease. The crop of fruit set was enormous, and after re¬ 
peated thinnings the crop that is brought to maturity is also enormous, 
speaking in comparison with late past seasons. Nor is that all : the 
fruit has been larger than usual, and has ripened in a more satisfac¬ 
tory manner than is customary in these northern regions. The two 
latter conditions have undoubtedly been brought about by the gene¬ 
rally warm season we have been blessed with. 1 have seen hot 
weather blamed as being inimical to the health of the trees, inasmuch 
as branches often give way at these times. The root of the mischief, 
however, is to be traced to an earlier period, when the cause of the 
disease was formed. Doubtless the intense iieat of such a summer as 
the present brings the debility to a climax earlier ; but all branches, 
or most branches that die in summer, may be detected as sickly 
earlier in the year, and the final catastrophe is merely a question of 
weeks or months. 
Remedies have often been recommended, but I do not know that 
any of them have been successful, and, so long as east winds do blow, 
I make bold to affirm never will be. A season like the present must 
be of great value, in so far as the wood will be certain to be well 
matured, though the early growth made by the Apricot renders im- 
matuiity not so much of an evil ; but we may conclude that the 
growth of this year will be of a harder and firmer character than 
usual, and so far advantageous, but I am far from thinking that that 
will hinder damages to the trees next spring should it be one of the 
usual type. Nor are there any means, short of enclosing the trees 
under glass and heating when necessary, that are at all likely to be 
of benefit. Any means of covering or protection that comes short of 
alleviating the long-continued cold must fail in effect.^ 
Very many trees have been completely ruined during the past ten 
