JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 7, 1883. ] 
477 
other matters to look after, will, I should think, make a mark this 
year. From this to the small and noted garden of the “Harble- 
down Giant,” as my friend Mr. Biron calls him (be is a little man), 
is but a step, and here too, again, progress is the order of the day 
—progress as far as numbers are concerned ; but whether he will 
make much advance upon his wonderful success of last year i3 
doubtful. A general is not always victorious ; and it is not given 
to every general like England’s “ only ” to have to fight against 
half-civilised or savage races, and so to win easily his laurels. 
Mr. Mount had formidable competition last year, and so no doubt 
he will this season, who will feel put upon their mettle to see if 
they cannot beat him. They will have something to do, for his 
Roses look in first-rate condition. He has a fine soil, a sheltered 
situation; is the pupil of a good master, Mr. Biron ; is an 
enthusiast; and being at home is always popping in and out 
amongst his plants ; indeed, I should not be at all surprised to 
hear some of these days that he had given up the anvil for the 
budding knife, and taken his place amongst the honourable 
fraternity of growers for sale. 
Thus, as far as my observation goes, we may hope for a favour¬ 
able season of exhibitions, but who can tell ? The gale of the 
last two days has injured the foliage, and they have not that 
delicately fresh look that they had, while the experience of former 
years has taught us how unforeseen circumstances often disappoint 
our hopes. One thing, as I have said already, I think we may 
say that they are late, and that it will require fine and warm 
weather to bring them on for the earlier shows. 
I am sure that all true lovers of the Rose will regret to hear 
that the veteran rosarian Mr. John Hollingworth of Maidstone 
is seriously ill, and will hope that he may be enabled to once more 
enjoy that which to him is a great treat, the Rose season.— 
D., Deal. 
CALCEOLARIAS AT FARNHAM ROYAL. 
Mb. James is well known as one of the most successful growers 
of herbaceous Calceolarias, The Redlees, Isleworth, having been 
long connected with his name. Probably many of his friends 
may not know that he retired in tne autumn of last year to a 
comfortable and secluded home at Farnham Royal, about five 
miles from Slough, and in the vicinity of the far-famed Burnham 
Beeches. Here he has erected three substantial low span houses, 
each upwards of 80 feet in length, besides a lean-to from 30 to 
40 feet long, all of which for some months past have been filled 
principally with Cinerarias and Calceolarias. The former are 
now considerably past their best. That the quality has been 
good the many certificates obtained from the Royal Horticultural 
and Royal Botanic Societies during the season is ample proof. 
At the time of my visit, a few days since, two of the 80-feet-long 
span houses were each half filled with probably the finest batch 
of Calceolarias that have ever been produced, the banks of glowing 
colours being a grand sight. The remarkable evenness of the 
whole was most noticeable—a compact habit of growth with 
immense heads of bloom, carried without the support of stakes, 
many more than 2 feet in diameter, and all growing in 6 and 
7-inch pots. Several individual flowers measured just 7 inches 
in circumference, the colours throughout being rich in the 
extreme—rich dark maroon, bright crimson, fiery red, rosy- 
crimson, magenta, buff and orange buff, bright yellow, pale 
yellow, sulphur, some approaching pure white, and various others. 
The dark self-coloured flowers are very rich and abundant, which 
with the spotted forms of all colours innumerable make a show 
such as is seldom seen. 
One point worthy of mention is the cleanliness of the whole 
collection, the aphis, usually so troublesome, having been kept 
thoroughly under before the advancement of the flowers.—C. H. 
SELBORNE, STREATHAM, 
At the leading metropolitan exhibitions within the past two or 
three seasons the plants from the above garden, the residence of 
J. Southgate, Esq., and shown by the energetic gardener, Mr. 
Salter, have obtained such prominent positions and so many 
honours that a short notice of the collection will be suitably 
given. The present time is peculiarly fitted for such a record, as 
Mr. Salter’s success during the past month at the Crystal Palace, 
Royal Botanic and Royal Horticultural Societies’ Shows was even 
more than usually satisfactory, the Orchids exhibited at each 
being highly praiseworthy. This was particularly the case with 
the group at “ the Palace,” which presented such a tasteful com¬ 
bination of rich, bright, and soft colours, healthy well-flowered 
plants, and fresh green Ferns that it was greatly admired by all, 
and, indeed, formed one of the most notable features of the Show. 
It is well known that at Selborne Orchids constitute the bulk of 
the collection, and to them, therefore, chief attention will be 
given, though Mr. Salter has by no means confined his efforts to 
those plants, as the fine strain of Calceolarias, the healthy fruitful 
Vines, Melons, and Cucumbers, with the miscellaneous collections 
of Chrysanthemums, bedding, stove, and greenhouse plants, bear 
witness. 
THE HOUSES. 
There is always more credit due to the man who produces 
good results under unfavourable circumstances than to him who 
has every appliance expressly fitted to assist him, and an instance 
of this is afforded at Selborne. Of the half-dozen houses devoted 
to Orchids only two can be said to be perfectly satisfactory in 
construction and heating. The others are mostly too lofty, and 
were never intended for the purpose to which they are applied. 
Yet the plants throughout are as vigorous and clean as could be 
desired, and they flower abundantly, proving how much can be 
done by care to overcome disadvantages that cannot be entirely 
removed. The Odontoglossum house and the Cattleya house, 
however, are exactly what are wanted, the last-named being a new 
and especially well-built structure. It is a lean-to facing nearly 
direct east, 36 feet long by 10 feet wide, and about the same in 
height at the back. There are stages back and front, and beneath 
these are the pipes (4-inch), three rows in front and two behind. 
The shelves are of slate covered with a layer of small pebbles, 
which are also employed in the other houses, as they are found 
the best material to retain moisture, and yet not serve as a har¬ 
bour for insects. The plants are mostly elevated on inverted 
pots, so that they are brought within a short distance of the glass, 
this being well exposed to light; and the result is strong and 
finely matured growths, which are now showing either flowers or 
sheaths by scores, promising a grand display a little later in the 
season. 
The Odontoglossum house is also a lean-to 30 feet by 10 wide, 
shelves back and front. Provision is made so that in the winter a 
minimum temperature of 50° can be provided ; as Mr. Salter con¬ 
siders that though many cool-house Orchids will endure a much 
lower temperature, yet they suffer more or less and are not so 
satisfactory as when the degree named above is made the mini¬ 
mum. This may be so, but I have grown such Orchids in houses 
where the temperature has been allowed to fall as low as 40°, 
frost only being excluded, and yet the plants were both strong 
and flowered well; indeed, in one establishment I once saw a 
frameful of Odontoglossum Alexandra which had been exposed 
for a whole night to severe frost, the lights and coverings having 
been blown off, and yet comparatively few died—certainly not 
more than 10 per cent.—and the others flowered as freely as 
usual. In this case, however, the plants had been hardened to a 
great extent for many months, and were thus better fitted to pass 
the ordeal. As regards the Selborne plants no alteration of treat¬ 
ment could produce better results, and, to adapt the homely 
proverb, “ the proof of the pudding is in the eating.” 
Of the other structures little need be said, except to mention a 
porch or entrance, in which is a small rockery with flowering 
lants and Ferns, which serves as an introduction to the other 
ouses, and is useful, especially in cold weather, as, the outer 
doors berng closed before the inner ones are opened, the sudden 
admission of draughts of cold air is prevented—a most important 
point. Such porches are indeed being generally adopted wherever 
large and choice collections of Orchids are grown, and the addition 
so made to the Orchid houses at Kew some time ago was a most 
decided improvement, as, owing to the great numbers of persons 
frequently passing through, serious injury resulted to the plants 
from exposure to the keen air so admitted. 
THE ORCHIDS. 
It would be difficult and unnecessary to enumerate all the 
Orchids of merit in this collection, but a few of the most remark¬ 
able for beauty or rarity may be appropriately noticed. First on 
the list is— 
Dendrobiuvi nobile var. nobilivs, of which Mr. H. James gave 
such an interesting description recently in this Journal, page 378. 
The largest plant has six pseudo-bulbs, and as much as fifty 
guineas has been offered for it and refused ; indeed, an experienced 
Orchid grower recently stated that every growth made by plants 
of this variety is worth ten guineas. Some of the old pseudo¬ 
bulbs have been separated from the parent plant and tied to 
blocks with damp sphagnum moss, and at nearly every node 
young growths are starting, which will ultimately make plants if 
all goes well with them. Mr. Salter has tried to effect a cross 
between D. nobilius and D. Ainsworthi, making the former the 
seed-bearing parent. A pod is swelling, just showing that fertili¬ 
sation has been accomplished, but what the result will be cannot 
