Norember 27, 1884, ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
481 
heated by a flue, which acts as bottom heat to a number of cutting boxes, 
in which we strike bedding plants with a pane of glass over each box. 
As soon as our necessary stock of plants is propagated fire heat is discon¬ 
tinued, consequently the Grapes have a long season to ripen, which is, I 
think, the secret of the well-colouring of the best flavoured late black 
Grape Mrs. Pince.—W. O., Fata Island, Cork. 
GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. 
Will you kindly^ acknowledge through the Journal the following sub¬ 
scriptions collected by myself and my neighbour Mr. Swaine (cashier to 
the Duke of Devonshire) in aid of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Insti¬ 
tution Augmentation of Pension Fund? My acknowledgments are due 
to Mr. Swaine, who is well known to many gardeners, for the valuable 
help he has rendered in getting this sum together.— Owen Thomas, Chats- 
worth Gardens, Chesterfield. 
[We have much pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of the list of 
sixty-eight contribui^rs of £10 19.?. 4 J , which liat has been forwarded to 
Mr. Cutler, the Secretary of the Institu ion, and we thank Mr. Thomas 
and all who have aided him in the laudable endeavour of supporting a 
fcnd for so worthy an object.] 
NOTES ON ORCHIDS. 
L.elia anceps. —Orchids in many gardens are represented by 
single specimens of many varieties in preference to cultivating 
several plants of good and useful kinds. The variety under notice 
is worth growing in quantity, for it flowers with great freedom during 
the winter months, and is without exception one of the most lovely 
Orchids in cultivation. It is questionable if any Orchid flowers are 
more delicate in colour or graceful in appearance, for they are pro¬ 
duced on a slender stem about 18 inches in length from the top of 
the pseudo-bulb. The flowers on each stem are four or five in 
number, which are fully 3 to 4 inches across. In colour the sepals 
and petals are rosy-lilac, and the lip deep purple. While in flower, 
if kept in a cool dry house, the flowers will last in good condition for 
a month. 
This Orchid does well in either pots, pans, baskets, or upon blocks 
of wood, but in the two latter require more attention in the supply 
of water. To grow and flower this Orchid successfully it should be 
exposed to more light and air than many Orchids require, especially 
as it nears the completion of growth. Strong sunshine only should 
be kept from it to prevent the browning and disfigurement of its 
foliage. At the same time every ray of light possible should be 
admitted. If at all practicable these plants may be suspended from 
the roof at one end of the house where shade can be applied later in 
the day and removed earlier than would be necessary for the majority 
of Orchids. During the season of growth a night temperature of 
60'’ to 65°, according to external conditions, should be maintained, 
with a rise of 10° by day. A good circulation of air must be provided 
daily, and while at rest a temperature of 50° is ample, and even 5° 
lower while in flower will prove beneficial. A liberal supply of water 
should be given during the season of activity, and a moderately moist 
atmosphere maintained. While at rest no more water is needed than 
IS sufficient to keep the pseudo-bulbs fresh and plump. 
When grown on blocks an addition of a little sphagnum moss 
only is needed to assist in retaining moisture about their roots. If 
grown in pots, pans, or baskets liberal drainage should be employed, 
and the plants potted in flbry peat, with lumps of charcoal freely 
intermixed with about one-third of sphagnum moss. The charcoal 
should be used in large pieces, which not only assists in securing 
perfect drainage, but the roots cling to them. Potting may be done 
directly the plants have fairly staned into growth, and in this opera¬ 
tion care should be taken to elevate the plants well above the rim 
of the pots or pans. Care must be taken that the material about the 
roots is kept in a perfectly sweet condition, or the plants will soon 
decline in health and vigour. If the peat used is tough and flbry, 
and the moss kept towards the surface, so that it can be replaced 
when growth commences, repotting will not be needed annually. 
When the peat, however, becomes decomposed it must be very care¬ 
fully removed, the small particles of soil washed out and fresh 
supplied. This with care can be accomplished without giving the 
plants larger pans or baskets. 
LiELiA AUTUMNALis.— This is another charming variety that is 
worth growing in numbers in any good garden where choice flowers 
for cutting are in demand. It is one of the most beautiful as well 
as the most useful Orchid that can be grown, for it flowers during 
the dull sunless months of winter. Its flowers are larger in size than 
those of L. anceps, and even more striking in colour. The sepals 
and petals are purple, the lip rose and white, with yellow in the centre. 
The flowers are produced on a slender stem about 15 inches in length 
from the top of the pseudo-bulbs, the same as L. anceps, but more 
flowers generally are produced from each spike. The number of 
flowers on each varies from five to eight, according to the strength and 
condition of the plants. The flowers under favourable conditions 
last about half the length of time of those of the preceding variety. 
This plant can be successfully grown under the treatment and con¬ 
ditions recommended for L. anceps ; in fact, if practicable should 
be given a little lower temperature, say 5°, but this is not of great 
importance, for it appears to do admirably when subject to the same 
treatment. It can be grown in pots, pans, baskets, or, better still, 
upon blocks of wood suspended from the roof. If on the latter a 
little moss about the roots is all that is needed, but if in baskets peat 
fibre and charcoal should be used. When grown in either of the 
latter great care must be taken that the plants do not suffer by an 
insufficient supply of water during the season of active growth. During 
rest it should be treated the same as L. anceps.—B. 
The weather is now assuming a more wintry character, and 
the first sharp frost of the season experienced in the neighbourhood of 
London occurred on Monday and Tuesday last, when the temperature 
registered in the suburbs varied from 10° to 14° below freezing point. 
- The gold medal of the Royal Society has been awarded 
to Professor Oliver of the Royal Herbarium, Kew, for his botanical 
investigations and services rendered in the classification of plants. 
- Chrysanthemums at Slough. —Mr. Charles Turner ha§ long 
enjoyed the reputation of doing everything that he undertakes well, and 
the numerous visitors who have inspected the Royal Nursery during the 
present month will admit having seen a right royal display of Chrys¬ 
anthemums. Three thousand plants are flowering there, filling three 
large houses. Almost every variety in cultivation is represented in a 
manner that shows its distinct individuality, and the aggregate effect 
produced by such a large number of admirably grown plants must have 
been gorgeous when the blooms were fresh. It is striking now, even 
when many of them are fading. 
- In Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons’ Nurseries, Swanley, there are 
two span-roofed houses, each 100 feet long, filled with White Zonal 
Pelargoniums, and two of the varieties which are largely represented 
are of remarkable merit. One of these is the double-flowered La Cygne, 
which was recently certificated by the Royal Horticultural Society. It 
has neat full blooms, borne in compact trusses, freely produced, and the 
general habit of the plant is dwarf and sturdy. The other is Queen of 
the Belgians, which is undoubtedly the best single white yet obtained. 
The blooms are large, of excellent form, pure white, very clear and 
good, the trusses large and borne well above the foliage, so that they 
are seen to great advantage. Both will become great favourites with 
cultivators. 
-The fifty-third ordinary meeting of the Essex Field Club 
will be held in the great hall of the Loughton Public Hall, Loughtoni 
Essex, on Saturday, November 29th, 1884, at 7 p.m. The following 
papers, as well as shorter notes, will be read ,—1, “ A Hint on the 
Vitality of Seeds,” by Joseph Clarke, F.S.A. 2, ” First Report on the 
Denehole Explorations at Hangman’s Wood, near Grays, Essex,” by 
T. V. Holmes, F.G.S., and William Cole. The attendance of those 
interested in the subject of Deneholes and allied relics is particularly re¬ 
quested. The hall will be open at 6.30 P.M. for the convenience of 
exhibitors. As stated in former circulars, every facility will be aff jrded 
to those bringing microscopes and specimens, Ac. The hall is only a few 
minutes’ walk from the Loughton railway station, and the usual 
reduction on return tickets may be claimed at Liverpool Street, Strat¬ 
ford, and Woodford stations. 
- Red-spotted Potatoes. —On examining the Potatoes earthed 
up on the Jensenian plan at Chiswick, many tubers were found to be 
spotted internally with reddish brown, no symptom of the disease being 
visible at the surface. A large proportion of certain crops, both in 
Yorkshire and Norfolk, have this autumn been found to be unsaleable 
from this cause, in consequence of the impossibility of detecting this 
disease externally. The Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society would be glad of any information on this subject, especially as to 
(1) the amount of crop thus diseased, (2) the character of the soil, 
