JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
378 
The sepals and petals of L. Hamsonse are usually more or less 
tinged with dull yellow, which becomes much darker as the flowers 
grow older. The lip also is of a purplish colour, sometimes very 
deep, and in a variety I recently saw it was quite a warm crimson. 
MASDEVALLIA SCHLIMII. 
When Sir Trevor Lawrence exhibited a plant in flower of this 
Masdevallia with several other rare Orchids about a fortnight 
since at Kensington, it attracted much attention, especially from 
the orchidists present, as, though plants had been in several 
growers’ hands for some time, flowers had not been previously 
produced in England. There had been some strange expectations 
concerning it, and had it possessed the “blue” flowers, which 
some had fondly hoped, it would have indeed created a sensation 
in the Orchid world. Though, however, it is not blue, the colour 
is very striking ; and the flowers are so freely produced that it will 
take a prominent place amongst the greatest favourites of the genus. 
The plant shown had two spikes, with four and five flowers each 
respectively; the ground colour yellowish, thickly dotted with 
purplish brown—a very peculiar shade. The tails of the sepals 
are 2 to 3 inches long, and yellow, slightly recurving. The lip is 
very small, and also of a yellow tint. The leaves are of great 
substance, thick, about 5 inches long and 1| broad, of a fine rich 
dark green hue. The specimen was only of moderate size, but its 
vigour was well shown by the two fine spikes it bore ; and another 
good quality said to be possessed by this species is the length of 
time it continues flowering—four or five months. It was first 
found by Mr. Louis Schlim, but was introduced to this country by 
Mr. F. Sander. 
DENDR.OBIIJM NOBILE YAH. NOBILIUS. 
Many varieties of the Noble Dendrobe have been imported, 
varying greatly in the size and colouring of the flowers, one of 
the richest being D. nobile var. coerulescens, but that has rather 
small blooms. The “ more noble ” variety which is now specially 
referred to here, is, however, incomparably superior to any which 
have hitherto been in cultivation. I have seen plants in flower on 
several occasions, but the one shown at Kensington, March 13th 
of the present year by Mr. Salter, gardener to J. Southgate, Esq., 
Selborne, Streatham, was finer than any I had previously seen, 
and was greatly admired, the Floral Committee unhesitatingly 
granting a first-class certificate for it. The flowers were large; 
the sepals and petals of a rich violet purple hue, very deep, the lip 
also being coloured with a similar tint. Such flowers as these 
would be most valuable for arranging with lighter-coloured ones in 
bouquets, but unfortunately it is still scarce, and probably some 
time will elapse before it becomes so common as is desirable. 
Mr. H. James of the Castle Nursery, Lower Norwood, has had 
much to do with this plant, and he has obligingly furnished me 
with the following brief outline of its history. “ The original 
plant of D. nobile nobilius was bought at Stevens’ sale rooms 
in 1876, and was one of a bundle of twelve, which, strange to say, 
contained the fine D. Brymerianum, which is also now in the 
collection of J. Southgate, Esq., Selborne, Streatham, the twelve 
costing 12.s. D. nobilius flowered early in 1877 on the imported 
pseudo-bulb, and was exhibited at Kensington, but was not then 
thought worth a certificate. It was shortly afterwards (Feb¬ 
ruary 13th, 1877) sold to Messrs. Bollisson for five guineas. It 
was exceedingly well grown by Mr. Miteham, and finely flowered in 
the spring of 1879, just in time to be sent to the Ghent Show in 
bitter cold weather, which nearly killed it, with many other fine 
plants that were sent with it. In the following autumn at the sale 
I bought the apparently dead plant for 75,s., and succeeded in 
raising six small plants from the tops of the pseudo-bulbs that 
had not quite perished. The fine plant exhibited at Kensington on 
March 13th is one of the plants thus raised, and was sold to 
J. Southgate, Esq., August 13th, 1880. It was then a small plant 
not more than 2 inches high. It has progressed well under 
Mr. Salter’s care; in fact, it has proved from the first to be 
possessed of remarkable vigour, and grows very much faster than 
any other form of D. nobile I have seen. Nine other plants have 
been distributed from the same source.” 
ODONTOGLOSSUM VEXILLABIUM SPLENDENS. 
A grand variety of this Odontoglot is included in the Upper 
Holloway collections, and very rarely is such rich colour seen in 
combination with good size and form. The deeper-tinted forms 
of this, as with some other Orchids, usually have comparatively 
small flowers, but these were rather above the ordinary size of 
lighter varieties and unsurpassed in colour—a rich warm crimson. 
The beauty of the best varieties of this species of Orchid are 
extremely valuable for decorative purposes, and when well grown 
they are attractive both in and out of flower. Where a small 
[ May 10, 1883. 
house can be specially devoted to them the best success appears 
to be obtained, and I once saw a magnificent lot of plants in the 
collection of C. Winn, Esq., Birmingham, where the plants grow 
literally as freely as weeds in a slightly higher temperature than 
is accorded to most Odontoglossums. 
ODONIOGLOSSUM POLYXANTHUM GRANDIFLOB.UM. 
This also was exhibited on the same occasion as the above 
at Kensington and certificated, an honour which it particularly 
well merited. It was from the fine collection of W. Lee, Esq., 
Downside, Leatherhead, where so many other choice Orchids are 
grown, and of which occasional instalments are sent to Ken¬ 
sington to awaken the admiration of all who see them. The 
superb variety shown under the above name received more than 
ordinary attention, for both in size and richness of colouring it is 
far superior to the species ; indeed it was so very distinct that at 
first glance its relationship to 0. polyxanthum would not have been 
guessed. The sepals and petals are both very broad and of great 
substance, the former heavily blotched with rich brown ; the latter 
also being yellow, with fewer small spots near the base. The lip 
is roundish, the outermost margin being prolonged into a tapering 
point, rich brown with a shining lustrous surface, and mai-gined 
with white.—L. Castle. 
TOMATO CULTURE. 
That the Tomato grows in favour and is more extensively 
cultivated every year is, I believe, undoubtedly true. It is a 
popular favourite, taking higher rank than an ordinary vege¬ 
table, as it certainly ought, for it is indispensable with many. For 
using uncooked, sliced in salads, it is a general favourite ; when 
either boiled or baked as a vegetable and served quite plain without 
any of the mysterious combinations of Monsieur le Chef, in whose 
rnenfi the highest triumphs of his art are frequently made perfect 
avx Tomates, and as a sauce is perhaps more useful than in any 
other way. I may usefully add here that the sauce is both easy 
and inexpensive to make, keeping well for a year or more pro¬ 
vided the boiling is thorough and the bottling sound so that air 
is quite excluded ; and it is worthy of all pains, for it is certainly 
one of the most delicious condiments of the table. Recipes for 
making it are almost as plentiful and varied as individual tastes, 
some liking the flavour of Onions added, others of Shallots, or 
cayenne pepper is preferred to Capsicum pods. My wife makes 
capital sauce with'a few simple additions to impart a palatable 
flavour, and she also uses it as the basis of an excellent kind of 
chutney, which we infinitely prefer to some which a friend 
brought us from Canton. 
The culture of the Tomato is very much a question of ways and 
means, for its nature is so pliant and accommodating that it readily 
adapts itself to any position where enough light and heat can be 
had. The finest Tomatoes I have ever grown were from plants in 
a new vinery in the pots out of which the Grape Vines had been 
turned to plant it, the space and light of the interior of the vinery 
being thus turned to account the first summer to secure a supply 
of Tomatoes. It was one of those makeshifts to which one is so 
often put in a new garden, and it was a successful one. The im¬ 
portant points in pot culture are thorough drainage, rich soil made 
firm in the pot, keeping the growth within bounds by pinching 
at the fruit joint or the next one beyond it, and, above all, abun¬ 
dant watering—not waiting till the soil is dry, but rather antici¬ 
pating its wants, especially when the roots become crowded, for 
then it is hardly possible to give too much water, and insufficient 
inevitably leads to failure. Artificial manure may always be used 
with advantage in the water to assist the swelling fruit, and house 
sewage answers equally well. Be it understood that I do not 
recommend pot culture only as an excellent makeshift to which 
owners of small gardens may gladly and confidently turn for their 
supply, and it is surprising how many dozens of excellent fruit 
may be had from three ©r four well-managed plants in pots 
placed in a greenhouse or pit. 
After growing them in various ways both indoors and out I 
have definitely settled down to an easy and simple method, 
whereby I obtain an abundant supply from June till Christmas. 
To do this I require thirteen plants, and it was the sight of this 
season’s batch almost ready for planting out in the stations that 
prompted the writing cf this article. Nothing is easier—few 
plants so easy to raise from seed in the heat of an ordinary hot¬ 
bed. They are potted singly as soon as they are a couple of inches 
high, and placed on the back shelf of a Melon pit within a few 
inches of the glass, where they become fine, stout, sturdy plants 
fit for planting in about a month. Thirteen stations are made for 
them at intervals inside the front of an unheated lean-to Peach 
house by nailing four pieces of stout rough board together, each 
