December 16, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
585 
together may be pointed out. By doing so, while the effect is 
secured looking at the arrangement as a whole, when examined 
critically, we have not only difference of shade but the equally 
interesting varieties of form which give to Chrysanthemums so 
much of their distinctiveness ; and by the simple process of elimi¬ 
nating a few plants and replacing them with others of the same 
colour, but of a different form, the whole tone of the arrangement 
is changed. Thus, if we replace Mrs. Bundle with Fleur de Marie, 
or add Venus or Acquisition or Mrs. Pethers to a group of lilac, 
or draw out a few dull sorts and refill with Val d’Andorre, 
General Bainbridge, or Cullingfordi what a difference is at once 
made ; and, of course, to the resorceful man there is no end to the 
harmonies he may extract from a well-chosen selection of good 
plants. He may grade maroons, reds, bronzes, oranges, yellows, 
to creamy whites like Mrs. Forsyth, and clear whites like Elaine. 
From white he may arrive by means of blush, soft lilac, deep lilac, 
light and dark purples to a contrast of bright yellow or of scarlet 
shades. Or he may work by way of light browns, amber, chest¬ 
nut, up to red ; and at any stage by simply introducing some novel 
form, such as the Anemone-flowered or some peculiar colour, at 
once add a good feature and secure from sameness at very slight 
trouble. In any case no hard-and-fast line of working should be 
laid down, and above all the plants ought to be allowed as much 
freedom of growth as is consistent with good effect.—B. 
ORCHIDS IN PLANT HOUSES. 
In many places where choice flowers for buttonhole and other 
bouquets, &c., are constantly in demand, a difficulty often occurs, 
particularly during winter, in supplying from a miscellaneous collec¬ 
tion flowers suitable for the purpose. Nothing can be more desirable 
where such is the case than a selection of OrchidB. Many of the 
loveliest of these readily adapt themselves to the conditions of an 
ordinary plant stove, a great boon where special structures cannot be 
devoted to their culture. Indeed, it has been my practice to grow 
such as I note here under like conditions, though having Orchid 
houses proper. 
In making this selection I have taken into account vigour of con¬ 
stitution, quality as well as quantity of bloom produced, freedom in 
blooming, and last, but in many cases not least, the consideration of 
cost ; and whilst upon this subject, I may say that “ although fabu¬ 
lous prices are still paid for rarities,” Orchids generally are as cheap 
as any class of plants, and certainly much cheaper, “ comparatively 
speaking,” than much softwooded stuff that is now popular. 
Dendrobium nobile is already extensively grown, and is decidedly 
one of the most deserving. It can be had in bloom from the New 
Year to the end of April by having a succession of plants. I have 
had a good supply from November to the end of May. To attain 
this, numbers of plants are required, which should be grown in a light 
position, the pseudo-bulbs thoroughly ripened, and placed as their 
growths are matured in a cool place—say on a shelf in vinery or 
Peach house. It is well, however, to first bring them from the 
stove into an intermediate temperature for a few days before placing 
them in cool quarters, where they will require no water further than 
to prevent shrivelling. For forcing early, select those with the best 
developed buds, and before placing in warmest house, let them re¬ 
main for a short time in an intermediate house and still keep them 
dry ; very little water will 1 e required until flowering is over and 
growth again proceeding. 
The same remarks apply to D. Wardianum, which also can be 
flowered in the same manner as D. nobile, and, though it is not wise 
to retard growth too long, I have seen this in full bloom in June. 
This, with D. crassinode, D. Devonianum, and D. chrysanthum, 
which are well worthy a place, should be grown in baskets or per¬ 
forated pans suspended from the roof so that the growths are quite 
a foot from the glass ; they like a light position, but are apt to be 
injured by the fierce rays of the sun. D. nobile I prefer growing in 
pots. They all require abundance of water, and syringing twice 
daily. Tbe best mode of potting has often been detailed in the 
Journal, but I would emphasise plenty of drainage and very little 
besides. Any peat or sphagnum used should be made very firm. 
_ Ccelogyne criBtata is another desirable Orchid, its delicate flowers 
being suitable for all decorative purposes. It is not particular as to 
temperature, intermediate or warm house suiting it equally well. It 
should, however, be in a light position, so as to make its pseudo¬ 
bulbs firm to insure flowering ; when growth is completed remove 
to a cooler house, not cold, and suspend watering. 
Cymbidium eburpeum is entitled to a place for its large white 
fragrant flowers, which are freely produced, and will succeed well in 
stove or intermediate houses. The majority of Cypripediums also 
will do well in the stove, the best, perhaps, for our present purpose 
being C. insigne and its variety C. i. Maulei. Miltonia spectabilis I 
have found very useful, but it should not be syringed heavily, nor 
when at rest should it be dried too much. 
Our list would not be complete without including the too much 
neglected Sobralia macrantha ; its flowers equal in beauty some of 
the finest Cattleyas, and though they last but a few days, they are 
succeeded by others on the same stem for a considerable time. It is, 
moreover, easily cultivated, and requires a little stronger compost 
than other terrestrial Orchids. 
There are many others that could be enumerated that would 
thrive under like conditions with a little more attention than the 
foregoing. No extra trouble, however, need be taken with those 
named ; but it must not be supposed that satisfactory results can be 
obtained without several good plants of each, say three or four 10-inch 
pans of Coelogyne and Miltonia, two or three pots each of Cymbi¬ 
dium and Sobralia—the latter should have plenty of pot room. If a 
few good plants of each of the Dendrobes can be obtained for a 
start, there will be no difficulty in getting a good stock in the course 
of a year or two. The old pseudo-bulbs may be taken off and 
pegged firmly on to sphagnum-surfaced pots, filled with drainage and 
kept moist, where they will soon grow ; or better still, instead of cut¬ 
ting the pseudo-bulbs off, layer them on the pot in which they are 
growing, then when they have made root and top-growth they can 
be taken off and potted separately in small pots. A good plan to 
increase the stock of Dendrobes, especially D. nobile, is to grow one 
or two plants in a shady position, where they will make soft wood, 
and instead of flowers a quantity of young plants will be the result. 
These should be allowed to root well, and can then be taken off with 
a portion of the pseudo-bulb and potted.— Bradwen. 
AN OLD LECTURE ON POTATOES. 
An unpublished lecture on Potatoes having fallen into our hands 
we have no hesitation in publishing it in an abridged form ; first 
because it is the production of an old friend, Mr. Robert Fenn, and 
secondly because it conveys information as sound as is presented now 
by modern teachers on this subject. Mr. Fenn was one of the first 
to advocate a more rational method of culture than prevailed at the 
time his lecture was delivered thirty-three years ago in the Mechanic^’ 
Institute of Woodstock ; and he is the raiser of some of the best 
varieties in cultivation. 
In nature all plants seem to enjoy a soundness of constitution 
which bids defiance to disease—no failure of crops or falling off of 
blooms prematurely. Age after age views the inhabitants of moun¬ 
tain and plain luxuriating in wonted vigour, and rarely dying out 
before a progeny to continue the species has been secured. Such is 
the disposition of plants if left to Nature, but man desires their 
service and company—the flowers please his eye, and their produce 
gratifies his taste ; but as he cannot always travel from “Indus to 
the Pole ” to admire and collect them, he has attempted to domicile 
his favourites with himself, and often with success, though not 
always ; for like spoiled children these pets are often capricious, and 
even with all the care and kindness their guardians can employ, they 
become subject to various incurable maladies, disappointing the hopes 
of their possessors. But what are most flowers and fruit in nature, 
without cultivation, compared to the progeny which has been improved 
from them ? The Dahlia in its wild state might command a passing 
glance from the traveller, or the Crab Apple a single trial of its sour 
austerity, but under cultivation the one offers a display beautiful in 
the extreme, and the other affords a profusion of the most delicious 
fruit. Those who sneer therefore at the cultivators of plants know 
not their own mental organisation nor its harmony with the vegetable 
world, but they arraign and scoff at the great Author of both. 
For— 
“Not a plant, a leaf, a flower but contains 
A folio volume. We may read, and read, 
And read again, and still find something new— 
Something to please, something to instruct 
E’en in the noisome weed,” 
Each plant has its own soil and climate, and in cultivation we 
endeavour to place it as far as it is possible under the same circum¬ 
stances ; and the nearer we can bring these circumstances to those of 
Nature the better will our plant thrive with us. In some cases this 
is impossible as when we attempt to cultivate a cold alpine plant 
on warm soil near the sea level. As regards the Potato one thing, 
from experience in the cultivation of this vegetable, is clear; for, 
many years after its introduction to Britain there was no sickness in 
its ranks. Nature now steps forward to prove her triumph over Art; 
but although the evil is upon our Potato crop, let no one shrink from 
its cultivation, for no one can say that the plague will not be 
stayed. 
The Spaniards first visited South America in the year 1492, and 
there is no rational doubt of this being the earliest period in which, 
