July 3, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
9 
-- Death of Me. George Deal. —It is with deep regret that 
we have to announce the death of Mr. George Deal, who was for 
many years a prominent figure in the horticultural world. The sad 
event took place on the 30th ult., a few days after his fifty-sixth 
biithday. Mr. Deal’s condition had for some time been watched with 
considerable anxiety, as he was seized with an apoplectic stroke on 
the 9th of April, and gradually declined until his death. He was 
connected with the firm of J. Weeks & Co. for thirty-three years, 
entering their service when quite young, and becoming a member of 
the firm twenty-two years ago. Mr. Deal enjoyed the deep respect 
and esteem of his partners and employes, and also of a very large 
circle of horticultural friends and acquaintances. He was Chairman 
of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund from the date of its establishment, 
and did invaluable work for that Institution, invariably displaying the 
utmost zeal, attention, and courtesy in his labours on its behalf. The 
deceased gentleman leaves a widow, but no children. The funeral 
will take place on Saturday, July 5th, the cortege leaving his 
residence, Wroxton Grange, Mount Park Road, Ealing, at 9.15 A.M., 
and journeying from the Necropolis Funeral Co.’s station, West¬ 
minster Bridge Road (near Waterloo station), at 11.45 A.M. for Woking 
Cemetery. 
- It is also with much regret that we have to announce the 
death of Mr. Francis Dancer, late of Little Sutton, Chiswick, 
which happened on the 29th ult., at 21, Gordon Road, Ealing, in the 75th 
year of his age. Mr. Dancer was one of the noted market gardeners 
of Middlesex, and was for many years a prominent figure at the 
meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society, of the Fruit Committee of 
which he was for several years a member. 
- We have heard with much pleasure that Mr. Richard 
Smith-Carington, who is this year Mayor of Worcester, has 
become the possessor by purchase of the estate and manor of Ashby 
Folville in Leicestershire, the ancient seat of the original Lords 
Carington. 
- The Birmingham Botanical Gardens.—T here is invariably 
something of interest to be noticed here, as cultivation receives so much 
attention. During a hasty run through the houses recently I noticed 
two large plants trained to the roof of Cereus Macdonaldim with large 
flower buds ready to expand, but as this plant flowers only at night I 
did not see it in full bloom, as it expands in the evening and closes 
early in the morning. The flowers are of a creamy white colour, and 
quite 14 inches in diameter when expanded. Hoya globulosa, trained 
across the rafters in the same intermediate house, was in full bloom, 
a strongish grower like H. imperialis, with cream-coloured very 
fragrant flowers, and very free blooming. Several plants of a new 
variety of Spiraea japonica are in flower, the spikes or plumes being 
larger and denser and decidedly superior to the old S. japonica. Mr. 
Latham was not certain as to its correct name. It looks like a plain¬ 
leaved Hoteia japonica variegata in growth, and I am wondering 
if it is the Spiraea com pacta multiflora one of the Dutch growers is 
offering. 
-Several Orchids were in flower, amongst them the very 
pretty small growing Oncidium uniflorum, pale yellow with brown 
markings ; Nanodes Medusae, a South American plant, and a cool house 
Orchid, with a singular flower with a broad ciliated labellum, and of a 
dark cinnamon colour, the plant having a squat trailing habit, and very 
interesting. A fine collection of Cvpripediums is grown here, and 
amongst several in flower is a plant of the very fine C. Curtisi, a 
distinct species, with a large broad pouch. We rarely meet with 
Crossandra undulasfolia, an East Indian stove plant of rare beauty, 
with flowers very much like Lychnis Haageana in colour. It is closely 
allied to Aphelandras, a plant of smallish growth and easy culture- 
There is a good specimen of Godwinia gigas, a striking Aroid from 
Nicaragua, with a 4-feet long stalk curiously marked. A plant in bloom 
of the beautiful but seldom seen Philesia buxifolia was a welcome 
sight. Hardy herbaceous plants are well cared for, but I had not time 
to see the general collection. Against the plant houses on the borders 
are many beautiful species of Cistus, and other less hardy plants here 
in this part of the midlands. Amongst those now in flower Olearia macro- 
donta, with handsome strongly toothed foliage, and corymbs of small white 
Aster-like flowers. This plant has been in the position it now occupies 
for five years. Close by is a plant of Eurybia Gunni, a small growing 
shrub, with dense clusters of small Michaelmas Daisy-like white 
flowers.—D. 
Batemannia Wallisi. 
The Batemannias and some of their relatives have been rather 
neglected by Orchid growers in recent years, chiefly because they 
have been found difficult to manage successfully, and no one likes 
to be troubled with plants that have perpetually a weakly or un¬ 
healthy appearance. Perhaps the key to the successful culture of 
these plants is to be found in affording a plentiful supply of water 
during the time the plants are growing, and in shading them con¬ 
stantly from the sun. Under such conditions as these Batemannia3 
flourish in several well-grown collections of Orchids, and the 
Fig. 5.—Batemannia Wallisi. 
distinct character of the flowers renders them especially worthy of 
attention. 
An example of a new species was shown by Messrs. F. Sander 
and Go., St. Albans, at a meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s Orchid Committee on June 10th last, and a first-class 
certificate was awarded for it. The plant was a strong one, indi¬ 
cating that Batemannias, like all other Orchids, are extremely well 
grown at St. Albans. It had one large flower (fig. 5) 4 inches 
in diameter. The sepals and petals hard, thick, fleshy, with a 
peculiarly warted but highly polished surface. The apical half of 
each sepal and petal is a rich glossy brown, the base white, the petal 
having two dark spots in the centre. The lip is white and fringed 
at the base, tipped with brown, and the column is also coarsely 
serrated. The flower has an effective appearance. 
Dendrobium Wardianum, Baron Schroder’s Varietv. 
Many fine varieties of Dendrobium Wardianum have been 
introduced, but that of which a flower is depicted in fig. 4 is one 
of the best, and in some respects the most handsome yet obtained. 
It was shown early in the present year, and formed one of the 
special attractions of the meeting. 
The flowers are of great size and substance, the sepals and 
petals heavily tipped with intensely rich crimson ; the sepals are 
deeply flushed with a lighter shade of crimson, but the pure white 
of the basal portion of the petals brings tbe colouring into fine 
relief. The lip is broad and rounded, but indented at the tip, 
