JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
24 
was first described from specimens collected by the travellers 
Ruiz and Pavon. It has been found at great elevations on the 
mountains of South America—namely, at 14,000 feet on Tan- 
guragua by Hartweg, and on the Andes at 7000 feet by Professor 
Jameson of Quito, and, as might be expected from its habitat, the 
plant thrives best in a cool house in company with Odonto- 
glossums and other Oncids. It first flowered in England about 
1868, both in Lord Londesborough’s and Messrs. Yeitch’s collec¬ 
tions. 
The panicle is long, straggling or climbing, and it is usually 
trained round a few stakes oi light trellis, and some attention of 
that kind is absolutely necessary, as, though the normal type has 
been described as not exceeding 3 feet in length, varieties are 
now grown of which the panicles have reached 8 feet. The sepals 
are roundish, of irregular form ; the two lower of an orange hue, 
and the upper one brownish or bronzed. The petals are of similar 
shape but pale yellow, while the triangular pointed lip is white in 
the centre, bordered with deep rich purple. The contrast of tints 
is very striking. O. macranthum var. hastiferum is remarkable 
for the length of the spike, commonly exceeding 6 feet, and some¬ 
times as much as 9 feet long, bearing thirty or forty flowers. The 
species and its varieties require culture in pots, similar compost 
to that already recommended being suitable. The flowers are 
produced in spring and early summer. 
0. Marshalliantjh.—A magnificent Orchid, and unquestion¬ 
ably one of the best in the genus, but unlike the preceding in 
requiring a higher temperature, and must therefore be grown 
with the other heat-loving Oncids. This species has a large broad 
branched panicle bearing large flowers, of which one is shown in 
fig. 7. These have the two lateral sepals very small and incon¬ 
spicuous, the upper being much larger and barred with purple. 
The petals are still larger with an undulated margin, bright yellow, 
barred and blotched with purple in the centre. The lip is of 
great size, contracted at the base into a claw which is spotted 
with bright red, the other portion being rounded, two-lobed at the 
apex, and of a brilliant clear yellow hue. This grand Orchid was 
first flowered by VV. Marshall, Esq., of Enfield, in honour of whom 
it is named. 
Some have failed in the cultivation of this Orchid, chiefly for 
two reasons—first through growing it on blocks, and secondly by 
having it in too low a temperature, the remedies for which will 
be evident to all. 0. Marshallianum has been found to be one of 
those Orchids which is in danger of flowering itself to death unless 
very well treated, and it has often caused an inexperienced grower 
surprise to observe pseudo-bulbs yearly decreasing in size, while 
the flowers continue to be freely produced. Perhaps the best 
temperature of all is an intermediate one with liberal supplies of 
water, and if the plant gives evidence of deteriorating remove the 
flower spikes until strength has been regained.—L. Castle. 
(To be continued.) 
AIGBURTH BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 
In reply to your correspondent “S. D.,” page 568 of the Journal 
of Horticulture , in reference to the above, permit me to say that 
my experience has been quite the reverse to his. I had not 
become a constant reader of the Journal a year ago, therefore I 
did not see the article written by Mr. Iggulden as referred to by 
your correspondent “ S. D.” I have been acquainted with the 
Aigburth Sprout ever since it was first sent out by Messrs. Ker 
and Sons of Liverpool. I have seen it in several well-managed 
gardens in different parts of the country, and all with whom 
1 am acquainted that grow it speak highly of it. I have grown it 
here for two seasons, and rather extensively too, as Brussels 
Sprouts are favourites here, and the principal green vegetable for 
winter and early spring. I have grown it in rich deep stiff soil, 
also in rather poor shallow soil, but the crops from the former 
have been in every way superior to the latter. On shallow soil it 
scarcely becomes 15 inches high, whereas in deep soil it is nearly 
2 feet, and well studded from bottom to top with rather large, 
very firm, and first-rate flavoured sprouts. It has another 
advantage over any other variety that I am acquainted with—that 
is, it keeps longer in good condition. This year I have also 
grown the Dalkeith Improved, but I find the A ;burth so far 
superior that, contrary to “ S. D.,” I shall not grow any other 
while the Aigburth does so well.—W. C., Leagram. 
Having this season grown the above and the old imported 
variety side by side, I may be allowed to corroborate what your 
correspondent “ S. D.,” on page 568, says respecting its merits. 
Both were sown at the same time, and received precisely the same 
treatment, the Aigbuith from the first outstripping its rival in 
luxuriance of growth. Its greatest drawback is the short time 
[ January 11, 1883. 
the sprouts keep whole, the imported keeping tolerably well up 
to now, only a few of the sprouts opening here and there, while 
the sprouts of the Aigburth are nearly all open and useless. The 
soil in which they are growing is good. Thus the Aigburth not 
having proved satisfactory it will not be again grown by me.— 
J. Richardson, Calverton Hall. 
EASTER BEURRE AND BEURRE RANCE PEARS. 
In answer to the query in last week’s Journ 1 concerning these 
Pears, at Holme Lacy there are trees of the former on walls facing 
south, east, and west, a’so trained as espaliers in the open, on 
Quince and Pear stocks, and the fruit was seldom worth eating, 
bearing no comparison to other good late kinds. I have often 
heard that in France Easter Beurre and Duchesse d’Angouleme are 
the best melting Pears, whilst in England they are too often com¬ 
paratively worthless for dessert. Sometimes Beurrd Ranee is 
found worth eating, but generally it is the other way. In my 
opinion they are Pears not to be relied on. I may mention that 
the soil at Holme Lacy is all that can be desired for producing 
good Pears.—A. Young. _ 
Neither Easter Beurrd nor Beurr6 Ranee Pears can be depended 
on to ripen in Nottinghamshire, at least in a garden where the 
soil is strong and the subsoil clay. For ten years I gathered crops 
of the former, but the fruit was never more than second-rate in 
quality, and occasionally decidedly third-rate. Beurre Ranee is 
still more uncertain, as it frequently refuses to ripen at all; is, in 
fact, no better than a stewing Pear. After trying these varieties 
over the period stated the trees were cut down and grafted with 
Josephine de Malines and Bergamotte Esperen. On visiting a garden 
in the neighbouring county (Lincoln) last year, I found much the 
same results with the two Pears first named, and the gardener resolved 
to do what I had done—cut them down. I am told these Pears 
are uncertain even in the south of England.—A N otts Gardener. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
I think that I am justified in saying that this is about the 
most critical season of the year for the florist and the one which 
most tries his patience. There is nothing to be seen of the beauty 
of his plants, and indeed they are at their very worst; but none 
the less does he need to exercise careful supervision over them, 
for neglect now means loss and disappointment by-and-by. A 
few hints, then, concerning them for those who are not perfect in 
their culture, nor among those happy individuals who never have 
anything the matter with their plants, may not be unacceptable. 
Auriculas .—The great danger to guard against in the Auricula 
frame is damp. Cleanliness, of course, has to be secured ; green 
fly must be carefully guarded against and brushed off whenever 
it appears, and weeds must be taken away. But drip is a more 
insidious enemy, especially when, if the weather be severe, it 
becomes necessary to keep the frames close. If a pot has become 
soddened by wet, and then the frames have to be kept close, the 
great probability is that the plant will be lost. Therefore it is 
well to examine the frames from time to time, and, if any drip 
should show itself, to remove the plant from under it (as there 
will be little chance of remedying the fault just now) into some 
drier spot. This very wet season has made this a point very 
necessary to be continually attended to. One great evil of autumn 
blooming is, that if the flowering stem has come from the heart 
of the plant in a damp season like this it is almost impossible to 
prevent injury. The stem gradually decays down to the heart 
of the plant, taking mildew with it, and too frequently permanent 
loss, and it too often happens that it is some of our best varieties 
that take this freak of autumn blooming. Very little requires to 
be done in the way of watering ; indeed it is astonishing for how 
long the Auricula will last without it. Where there is any sign 
of flagging of course it must be done at all risks, but otherwise 
they will require none. 
As next month will be the time for top-dressing it will be well 
to be provided with the necessary compost in time, keeping it dry 
and ready for use. There are various ways of top-dressing, some 
using a larger quantity of manure than others. I believe, how¬ 
ever, that it is better to have the compost not quite so rich as 
some advise, but, as in ordinary potting, using a large quantity of 
good loam, into which the roots proceeding from the upper part of 
the plant will soon push themselves, and the more fibrous it is the 
better they seem to enjoy it. Beginners must not be disappointed 
at the meagre appearance of their plants now all the fine luxu¬ 
riant leaves of the last season have died off ; but if a little stout 
stubby heart is left there is no need to be discouraged, for it is 
