Dewmber 4, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
501 
honso. It is very pretty for suspending from the roof of this 
structure, and when in dower, strikes the eye of the visitor as 
much at this season of the year as the lovely Sophronitis grandi- 
floi'a does later in the season and in spring. The flowers are 
large, 21 to 3 inches in diameter, for the size of the plant, which 
does not gi-ow more than fi'om 4 to G inches in height. The 
flowers are produced from the top of the pseudo-bulbs just 
before they have completed their growth, in fact, immediately 
they are well formed. The blooms are not so useful for cutting 
as those of some other species, for the stem bearing them is only 
a few inches in length; they, nevertheless, are useful for small 
glasses or for bouquets. The dowers are produced singly, and 
the sepals and petals are lilac mauve, while the lip is deep purple 
and the throat beautifully striped with white and nearly black 
lines. They last in good condition for about a month. 
Not only is this variety very free-flowering, but it is easily 
cultivated on a block or in small pans. The former, which I 
prefer, give the most trouble in watering, but this is compensated 
for by the extra labour required in washing the pans. If grown 
in the latter the plants should be elevated above the rim of the 
pans and potted in peat dbre and charcoal in small lumps. A 
little living moss during the growing season may with advantage 
be used. When grown on blocks, all that is needed is a little 
sphagnum secured amongst the roots. 
During the growing season a liberal supply of water should 
be given, which should not be discontinued for some time after 
the plants have flowered, for they make a number of roots, and 
have their pseudo-bulbs to complete after this stage. In order 
to accomplish this the plants should be suspended in the lightest 
position the house affords, to assist them to become thoroughly 
ripe, when sufficient water only is needed to just keep their 
pseudo-bulbs from shrivelling. 
L.ELIA ALBiDA. —This variety, although small and miniature 
in its growth, is totally distinct ia appearance, as well as its 
flowers, from the preceding. In gro wth L.albida more I’esembles 
L. autumnalis, but the pseudo-bulbs are not more than one-third 
the size_ of that variety. Tlie flowers are produced after the 
completion of growth from the top of the pseudo-bulbs on a 
slender ai’ching spike, being arranged alteimately along the stem, 
and not at the extremity, as in the other varieties. The flowers 
ai’e smaller in size, b it not less beautiful, and are admirably 
adapted for wiring for buttonhiles and bouquets. The sepals 
and petals are pure white, while the lip is rose colour. The 
pureness of the white varies, and the same may be said of the 
colour of the lip, which in some is very faint, while in others it is 
of a much darker shade. Where room is limited, these free- 
flowering small-growing species have an advantage over those of 
larger growth, for a number of them can be accommodated by 
hanging them on the woodwork that separates different houses, 
or they can be suspended from the roof. They require but little 
room to grow them successfully, so long as plenty of light and 
air can be given them, and they in return yield a bountiful supply 
of choice flowers for the purpose iniicated. If possible, this 
variety should have a temperature 5“ warmer than L. Dayana 
while making its growth, but if this is not practicable they may 
be grown well at the warmest end of the Od mtoglossum house. 
The treatment recommended for the last named will suit this 
one admirably.— SciENTiA. 
SHADING VINES TO PREVENT THE ATTACKS OF 
RED SPIDER. 
It is not usual to shade Vines except in the case of Gr.ipes that are 
ripe, an i which have to hang for a long time before being cut. They are 
shaded then to prevent the fruit losing colour so soon as they naturally 
woul i if exposed for a great time to the full rays of the summer sun. 
Bat I do not remember reading of or ever seeing strong established Vines 
shaded tu prevent their being attacked by red spider. 
We have a large span-roofed vinery here which runs north and south. 
The Vine borders both inside and out are about 3 feet above the level of 
the surrounding ground. The structure is light, and from its position it 
receives the full benefit of the sun’s rays from morning until night. It 
is ventilated by means of simultaneous opening gearing, which opens the 
side lights at the bottom, and the side lights of the lantern at the top. 
The Vines are planted on both sides of the house between the pipes and 
front walls, and are trained to a trellis 18 inches from the glass. The 
Vines are generally started about the beginning of February, and they 
are never syringed after the buds have fairly started info growth. Tne 
borders are well watered at all times, and the paths are damped twice a 
day during the summer. Toe Vines are strong and healthy, and produce 
fine cr ip^, but notwithstanding the health of the Vines they were generally 
attacked with'red spider when the Grapes were thinned and about the 
s'ze of peas. I tried several things to eradicate the pests, but failed to 
do so satisfactorily until I adopted the plan of slightly shading the roof 
of the house outside with a composition made of whiting, a little oil, and 
water mixed thinly and put on as soon as the Vines started into growth. 
It is allowed to remain on till washed oil by the summer rains. By the 
time the Grapes begin colouring it is mostly gone, and the Grapes, both 
white and black, colour as well as could i be desired. The leaves 
throughout are strong and healthy, and not the slightest signs of spider 
can be seen in the house, the wood ripening to perfection under this 
system. 
The above is a plain statement of facts, and those whose Vines suffer 
from the attacks of red spider can sa‘'ely try it.—A. Pettigrew, Castle 
Gardens, Cardiff, 
WATER FOR HORTICULTURAL PURPOSES. 
That water differs greatly in nature is a fact well known t> 
gardeners. For the cu’tivation of pot plants rain, or soft water as it 
is called, is the most desirable, but it sometimes happens that where 
adequate means are not provided for its storage the supply will run 
short, as in the past dry season, in which it has been necessary in 
many localities to utilise spring or hard water for many purposes. 
Many are aware of the injurious effects produced by its use, but are 
nevertheless obliged to have recourse to it. It is therefore a subject 
of interest to gardeners to understand the cau^ies which produce and 
the means which counteract or modify that effect. 
In the first place the natural waters of the earth—viz , sea and 
spring—are not pure ; they contain saline and earthy matter dissolved 
in them. Sea water contains the l irgesi amount, but spring water is 
also impregnated in a greater or less degree. Water which comes 
from the clouds is practically pure or soft, it having been obtained 
chiefly from the sea by distillation, the heat of the sun raising it in 
the form of vapour (the substances held in solution not being volatile 
are left behind), this vapour returning to its fluid state on being 
cooled descends in the form of rain or dew, sinking into the earth and 
forming accumulations, or springs as they are called. But in its 
passage through the air it has absorbed carbonic acid gas from the 
atmosphere, which enables it on its passage through the soil and strata 
to dissolve a portion of lime which it holds in solution, thus rendering 
the water hard. It will also become charged with other minera. 
m itter in p.'oportion as it passes through beds composed of such 
substances. 
An instance of the effect produced by a water charged with iron 
may be seen in the Hydrangea, in which the clear pink flowers are 
changed to a deep blue. But it is not always that the effect is so 
pleasing ; a water which contains an excess of either iron or saline 
matttr being by far the worst that the gardener has to contend with. 
It often shows its bad influence in the sickly growth and stunted 
habit of some species of plants ; many failures there are which can 
be attributed to this cause. But water which contains lime may be 
used for such purposes as watering stone fruit tree borders after it 
has been brought to a proper temperature. It is often on account of 
its low temperature that spring water is so prejudicial The best way 
to overcome this difficulty is to expose it in open tanks, so that it can 
absorb heat from the sun’s rays, and also by exposure it will part with 
a large proportion of the carbonic gas, the lime being no longer 
soluble will be precipitated and sink to the bottom in the form of a 
white powder. 
Again, the same water if used for such plants as Heaths, Rhododen¬ 
drons, and such plants that are partial to a peaty soil it will quickly 
show its ill effects, as we can see in some localities where the water 
from the springs is highly’’ charged with lime. Rhododendrons, 
Azaleas, and some other kinds of Coniferm will not grow well, while 
Larch, Beech, and Box edging will thrive. 
For syringing foliage plants where it is absolutely necessary to 
tee wa'^er that is by any means hard, a teaspoonful of pe'roleum to a 
gallon of water will be found to prevent the lime being deposited on 
the leaves, as well as being an effectual check to any insect pests that 
the plants may be subject to.—C., Dorset. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Jeanne d’Arc, Madame Madeline Tezier, and Bendigo. — I 
was pleased to read in the Journal the description of Mr. Molyneux’s 
Cbry anthemum—more especially of the extraordinary bloom—Jeanne 
d’Arc or Madame Madeline Tezier. As an old grower and exhibitor of 
the Chrysanthemum, I should be glad to know if these varieties are 
ceitainly i lentical. I have Madame Madeline Tezier, bat it lacks the 
{u 'ple or rose stripe to the florets with the except on of the bottom rows. 
It has come with me quite white, the bottom rows of fl nets have a faint 
tinpe of colour. The plants I had from Mr. D iv.s of Camberwell.^ If 
Mr. M dyneux or Mr. Davis will inform me if they are the same variety, 
it will settle a doubt. Bendigo I ex lected to be somitiirg new, it 
proves to be nothing more than Mabel Ward. It is very disappointing 
a'ter paying a good price for a plant, and waiting a sea on, and then find 
you have plenty of it as an old variety. S r B> a'ichamp S ymour I am 
als > afraid is an old variety under a new nair.c. I wo'dd a so thank Mr. 
Molyneux if he would give the names of the be.'t thirty six Jap ant se 
varifct’es to gr iw for exhibition. It would be v ry useful to those who 
