October 9, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
311 
however, is not always the case, for other influences also operate on 
the crop. An unfavourable spring is fatal to the setting of the 
young fruit, or it may be an ungenial autumn refuses to prepare 
the embryo buds, or other causes may tend to produce a failure 
similar to that which all other fruit-bearing trees are liable to. 
Now, although but little can be said about the proper treatment 
of the Walnut tree, I fear the severe root-pruning given by 
some cultivators is the cause of much of the fruit falling at 
an early stage, and of the remainder being poor and imperfect, as 
most likely the tree would have borne a fair crop of useful fruit 
but for that pruning which deprived it of its most important food. 
It is possible, however, that next season, or the one after that, the 
tree may be benefited by the operation, especially if it is young and 
vigorous ; but in general we would not advise root-pruning Walnut 
trees unless they are in that condition, for Nature usually points out 
when a tree ought to commence bearing, and if it begins to do so 
when very young, and is allowed to carry heavy crops, it seldom 
arrives at a great size. To begin bearing early is, in a certain sense, 
a token of disease or a too early maturity. Pinuses which com¬ 
mence bearing cones early rarely become iarge trees, and the same 
may be said of Walnuts. Patience, therefore, must be observed, 
and the best results will usually follow when the tree has been 
allowed to have its own way in everything save in the site chosen 
for it, which ought to be dry, hard, and stony, avoiding the deep, 
rich, cultivated soils of old gardens, and the damp situations to be 
met with elsewhere. The most fruitful Walnut trees are very 
often those occupying a public place on some hard road or thorough¬ 
fare, or some dry meadow, the tree receiving no further attention 
than a good beating when it produces fruit. At all other times 
letting alone is, perhaps, the best treatment the tree can have. 
It may here be remarked, that although there is only one recog¬ 
nised species of fruit-bearing Walnut in general cultivation, the 
kind called French being only a sort of enlarged English, still, like 
every other hardy fruit, it differs to a certain extent when 
raised from seed ; the variation takes place in the quality of the 
fruit, so that certain trees produce better nuts than others simi- 
larly placed. This fact is well known amongst the rustics, who 
have for many years made it a point of duty to taste the produce 
of all. 
A similar sport or variation is observable in the Sweet Chestnut, 
and other trees also raised from seed. Some are known to produce 
excellent nuts, others indifferent, and some cast them before they 
arrive at perfection. Other instances might be given, but in most 
cases I would advise the Walnut tree to be left alone, and when 
Nature has done her part by expanding the tree to something like 
the proportion of a timber tree it will afterwards become less 
anxious for enlargement, and direct its energies to the production 
of fruit.—J. 
Odontoglossums. 
Shade should be gradually dispensed with for Odontoglossums, 
the blinds being drawn down for a few hours only during bright 
sunshine. As much light as possible should be admitted, and 
where the shading is of a permanent nature lose no time in washing 
the greater portion of it off. It will not be safe to remove all at 
once or injury may result if bright weather follows. Shading of 
this nature is not, however, advisable for Orchids. Considerably 
less moisture will be needed in the atmosphere, and also about the 
roots of the plant, but on no account allow the atmosphere of the 
house to become dry, or the soil at the roots of the plants. Press 
down the moss if it has grown above the base of the pseudo-bulbs. 
Wash the pots in which the plants are growing, as well as those 
upon which they are elevated. Slugs can frequently be found 
when turning over the plants. Wash the glass and woodwork of 
the structure in'which they are grown, and limewash the walls. 
Do not allow the temperature to fall below 50° at G a.m. Artificial 
heat only will be needed during cold nights for some weeks longer. 
Cyfripediuji insigne. 
Plants that have been kept in heat are showing their flower 
6pathes. Remove the plants to the Odontoglossum or any cool 
structure, but do not allow cold draughts to strike direct upon the 
plants. These plants can be retarded for some time, and they will 
be much more useful some weeks hence than if allowed to come 
into flower. 
Calantiies. 
These need shade no longer unless very bright weather ensues. 
Do not remove the blinds, but use them only for a few hours 
when the weather is very warm and bright. Arrange these plants 
close to the glass, so that their pseudo-bulbs will become thoroughly 
matured. Supply weak stimulants every time they need water. 
Free the plants from scale if any exist upon them by means of a 
sponge with softsoap and water. Do not allow the temperature at 
night to fall below G5°. Provide a circulation of air daily when¬ 
ever the weather is favourable. 
Cgelogynes. 
The earliest of these have completed their growth. Place them 
for a time in a cool house, and expose them to light and a good 
circulation of air. The plants will then mature their pseudo-bulbs 
thoroughly, and in due time flower profusely. Frequently -when 
left in heat they start again into growth, and a few flowers only 
are the result. Keep those warm, close, and moist that are still in 
active growth, and push them forward as rapidly as possible. 
Oncidium incurvum. 
Although the flowers are small and insignificant individually,., 
this produces long spikes of bloom. It is well worth growing in 
baskets for cutting purposes ; its long arching spikes are very attrac¬ 
tive in glasses where light arrangements are required. This plant 
does much better in the cool house than where a high temperature 
is maintained. It is a long time unfolding its flower spikes. 
Piial^enopsis. 
These should be rooting abundantly and throwing up their 
flower spikes freely. Do not allow any weak plants to flower, 
pinch off the spikes as soon as they appear, and thus give the- 
plants every chance of gaining strength and establishing themselves. 
These plants flower so freely that they are frequently weakened 
considerably by allowing them to flower when they are small. It 
is a mistake also for the spikes to remain upon the plants too long. 
Keep these plants shaded from the sun, and be careful that the 
material about their roots does not become dry. They should be 
syringed twice daily. Watch for thrips, and if they establish 
themselves upon the plants sponge with weak tobacco water.— 
Orchid Grower. 
WATERING VINES. 
A few years ago the borders in which Vines are grown were 
not given the liberal supplies of water that we administer to them 
now. Well drained borders, it has been said, cannot be easily over¬ 
watered, and only recently we noted in these pages from the pen of 
a well-known cultivator that Madresfield Court was frequently 
given too little water. Two or three times a day for this Vine 
grown in pots was thought not to be too much. 
I believe that more Grapes have failed to set, stone, colour, and 
keep well through over-watering than by insufficient supplies. 
Shanking and pithy wood are certainly the outcome in many cases 
of wet and therefore cold borders. We all know that Vines re¬ 
quire liberal supplies of .water, but in many localities and under 
many conditions the quantity poured upon the borders is far in 
excess of what is needed. Much depends upon what are termed 
well-drained borders ; a border that some would call well drained is 
often sadly over-drained, and if the border is composed of light 
sandy soil, w r ith perhaps a liberal addition of broken bricks or 
other similar material, it would perhaps be difficult to give too 
much water. Pouring water on to borders of this nature does 
little more harm and not much more good than pouring it into 
a sieve, for it passes through the border almost direct to the 
drain. Unless the application is repeated at frequent intervals 
the Vines are certain to suffer by drought. The evils that attend 
such systems of culture are as great if not greater, than if the 
Vines were growing in borders insufficiently drained. It cannot 
be good either for the Vine or the lasting properties of the border 
to be continually pouring water into it. The same applies to Vines 
grown in pots, and we cannot help thinking that something is 
radically wrong when two or three applications are needed daily. 
Our experience with plant growing in pots tends in the opposite 
direction. The longer the soil about the roots of the plant can be 
kept in an intermediate state of moisture without recourse to 
the water-pot the better. Even that -water-loving plant, the 
Straw’berry, when grown in pots can have too much water ; the 
fewer the applications, provided the soil remains moist, the better 
is the flavour, and the finer the fruits. This we demonstrated 
during the season of 1889, when some hundreds were plunged to 
the rim to prevent evaporation, while equal numbers were grown 
without to test the value of the two systems. 
