394 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . c October ss, isso. 
so also is C. concolor, which makes a pleasant companion to the 
former. Lrelia Dayana was flowering freely in the Odontcglossnm 
house, and associated with its gigantic form L. pumila makes a 
grand display. I was much surprised to see the small pseudo¬ 
bulbs producing the enormous flowers they did. These two species 
deserve to be more extensively cultivated than they are. Lmlia 
Perrinii was in fine condition. The flowers vary considerably in 
size and colour ; some of the varieties are a dark rose or purple 
colour, others quite pale, and I noticed one named L. Perrinii alba 
that had almost pure white sepals and petals with a blotch of 
deep purple on the end of the labellum. 
Oncidiums were numerous, amongst them being a remarkably 
fine variety of D. macranthum with one long spike of bloom ; the 
flowers were of immense size and of a beautiful soft lemon yellow. 
0. verrucosum was in flower in many varieties. One named 
O. verrucosum var. Rogersii was so much different from the 
typical form that one would suppose it was another species from 
the great size and substance of the lip. 0. incurvum is a pretty 
species now in flower, producing branched spikes from 3 to 4 feet 
long ; the flowers, as the name implies, are incurved and are of a 
beautiful pale lavender colour. 0. ornithorhynchum is a little 
gem, the flowers of which are delightfully fragrant, differing very 
much from a neighbouring plant of 0. bracteatum, which produces 
flower spikes 4 to 5 feet long ; the spikes are clothed at intervals 
with long sharp-pointed bracts, giving them rather a singular 
appearance. Of Odontoglossums there were many in flower, but 
the following are a few of the best—viz., Odontoglossum Alex¬ 
andra; in numerous varieties, not two plants being alike ; 0. grande 
I saw in splendid condition, and O. Rossii var. majus growing in 
a pan which was literally covered with flowers. I must not pass 
over the little Indian Crocuses without giving them a word of praise. 
The most common are now in season—namely, Pleione lagenaria, 
P. maculata, and P. Wallichiana, as these flower without the 
foliage ; the flowers are shown off to the greatest advantage by 
pricking some small seedling Ferns between the pseudo-bulbs as 
the old leaves drop off, and by the time the flowers are fully ex¬ 
panded the Ferns will have grown a little, which help to tone 
down the glow of colour produced by so many flowers. Poly- 
stachya grandiflora is a species not frequently met with, and when 
seen grown to perfection it is indeed a curious and highly interest¬ 
ing species. The flowers are placed on the spikes so as to appear 
as if turned upside down, assuming the appearance of little hoods. 
Phalasnopses were represented by P. amabilis and P. grandi¬ 
flora ; their good qualities are too well known to require anything 
said about them. Saccolabium Blumei was producing two fine 
spikes of its rosy-coloured flowers. Vanda tricolor superba was 
also bearing two fine spikes of flowers, which filled the house in 
which it grew with its delicious perfume ; and Vanda cserulea, a 
species not often seen in flower, was producing nine large flowers 
on one spike of a light lavender colour. Last, but not the 
least, the old and highly valued Zygopetalum Mackayi. I could 
extend the list, but space forbids ; let it suffice, I was highly 
delighted with my day’s outing among the Orchids and their 
growers.—W. K. 
From the Agricultural Returns issued by the Board of Trade, 
we learn that Orchards in Great Britain again show a 
satisfactory increase, their acreage being this year returned as 
180,000 acres, against 170,000 in 1879 and 105,000 in 1878. 
Market gardens have also increased from 41,000 acres to 44,000 
acres, and the collectors report both with regard to orchards and 
market gardens that there is a growing demand for fruit and 
vegetables, especially in the neighbourhood of towns. The 
uncertainty of the climate for fruit-growing must always, how¬ 
ever, tend to restrict the extension of fruit plantations except 
in naturally favoured districts. A special return of the acreage 
of woods and plantations has been obtained this year, the last 
return of this nature having been made in 1872. Since that date 
the acreage appears to have increased from 2,187,000 acres to 
2,409.000 acres, or nearly 10 per cent. 
- The Exhibition op Chrysanthemums at Finsbury 
Park, referred to in a recent issue of the Journal, is now open to 
the public, and although the plants are not yet at their best there 
is promise of an exceptionally fine display. About 1200 plants 
are arranged in a long temporary erection near the lodge entrance 
to the Park, and they appear to have received admirable at¬ 
tention, for in vigour of growth, healthiness of foliage, and size 
of flower buds they are the finest we have seen this season. Many 
flowers are already open, that handsome variety Elaine being the 
most noticeable ; but in the course of another week a great ad¬ 
vance will no doubt be made. One hundred and fifty varieties 
are represented, including all the best in commerce. 
- Mr. Record writes as follows concerning the DoyennA 
Boussoch Pear :—“Although there is no lack of good autumn 
Pears from which intending planters can make a suitable selec¬ 
tion, some varieties are not so reliable as others, and it is therefore 
well to know which are the best. I would advise that the above 
variety be included. I have proved it to be a Pear of the finest 
quality. It is large and noble in appearance, of rich flavour, flesh 
melting and juicy, skin very thin, and when ripe of a russety 
lemon colour. It is also a capital cropper, and does well against 
a wall with an eastern aspect in the south of England, but north¬ 
wards it would need a good south wall. Worked on the Quince 
stock the tree has a moderately vigorous growth, and generally 
forms plenty of fruit buds ; it also does well as a pyramid, though 
it ripens somewhat later. I have had it in use from the latter 
part of October to the middle of December, and it was always 
welcomed at table as a first-rate dessert Pear.’’ 
- We are requested to announce that the Committee of the 
Wirral Rose Society intend holding their Show next year on 
July ICth, the Saturday following the day of the provincial 
Show at Sheffield of the National Rose Society. We have also 
received the schedule of the Wirral Show, and observe that the 
classes are more numerous and the prizes more valuable than last 
year. Eleven of the classes are open to all comers, including the 
amateurs’ class for thirty-six varieties, the first prize of which 
consists of a piece of plate value £10. The local prizes, which 
are good, are open for competition by growers within the Hundred 
of Wirral and ten miles round the Liverpool Exchange. Mr. 
John Smith, Woodside, Rockferry, is the Secretary. 
- Writing on the productiveness of the Magnum Bonum 
Potato, Mr. R. W. Lumsden, of Newstead, Bridge of Allan, 
informs us that he planted 1 lb. weight of this Potato on the 12th 
of April last, and when they were taken up on the 16th of October 
the produce was 114 lbs. 3 ozs. Some of the Potatoes were 6 and 
7 inches in length. Our correspondent does not say whether he 
cut the sets into single eyes and grew them the same as Mr. James 
Pink did Eureka and Snowflake a few years ago, and obtained of 
the former 672 lbs., and of the latter 405 lbs. from 1 lb. of seed 
each. If Mr. Lumsden had not recourse to the system indicated 
his crop is a very heavy one ; but under ordinary culture the 
Magnum Bonum is known to be highly productive, and in some 
soils the tubers are of excellent quality. 
- In the Cape House at Kew a pretty little bulbous plant is 
now flowering—namely, Nerine crispa. The leaves are small 
and narrow, the scape rising to the height of a foot and bearing 
an umbel of about a dozen flowers. These are also very small, 
scarcely exceeding an inch in diameter, the perianth divisions 
being narrow, crisped or undulated, and spreading, of a delicate 
pinkish tint. It is very distinct, and appears to thrive well under 
pot culture. Another attractive species is flowering near the 
above—viz., Nerine pudica, which has white somewhat funnel- 
shaped flowers, very dissimilar in appearance from those of 
N. crispa. Three or four flowers are borne on each scape, the 
white being pleasantly relieved by a faint streak of pink down 
the centre of the perianth divisions. 
