586 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 30,1880. 
Bash fraits were very abuudant; Strawberries and Peas were spoilt by 
drought in many places ; stone fruits, except Plums were not abundant ; 
Plans were extraordinarily plentiful, so much so that they realised 
nothing in the markets, the cost of picking an i carrying t f :en being more 
than they realised. Apples were very poor from the destruction of the 
bloom by heavy rain. Hay was good and plentiful and well harvested ; 
c crn and other grain were not up to average ; root crops were, as a rule, 
remarkably good. 3, “ A Criticism of Certain Points of Prof. Langley's 
Researches on Solar Heat,” by Prof. S. A. Hill, B.Sc., F.R.Met.Soc* 
These experiments were carried out at Mount Whitney, in Southern 
California, during 1881. 4, “Account of the Hurricane of March 3rd and 
4th, 1886, over the Fiji Islands,” by Mr. R. L. Holmes, F.R.Met.Soc- 
This storm was the most destructive that has ever been known to occur 
in the Fiji group. The lowest barometer reading was 27-64 inches at 
Vana, in Taviuni. The storm was accompanied by a great wave from 
18 to 30 feet in height, which swept over the land and caused an immense 
amount of damage. It was reported that fifty vessels were wrecked and 
sixty-four lives lost during this hurricane. 5, “ Results of Meteoro¬ 
logical Observations made at the Military Cemetery, Scutari, Constanti¬ 
nople, 1866-85,” by Mr. W. H. Lyne. The annual mean temperature is 
68-4° ; the highest temperature registered was 103 6°, on June 22nd, and 
the lowest 13-0°, on January 25th, both in 1869. The annual rainfall is 
29 29 inches ; the greatest fall in one day was 4-06 inches, on September 
25th, 1866. 
GROUPING CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN COLOURS. 
Anything which tends to the advancement and improvement of 
Chrysanthemum exhibitions deserves not only the attention of growers, 
but of the committees of societies generally, and I think “ B.” was doing a 
good work in bringing forward the above subject for discussion. Doubt¬ 
less many who annually visit these autumn exhibitions are often struck 
with the want of taste in the arrangements of plants. How often do we 
find groups arranged close together instead of being evenly displayed at 
much farther distances apart or round the sides of the building; or, 
again, very rarely do we find those groups arranged in the best possible 
manner— i.e., instead of being arranged in the square lean-to style, so to 
speak, how much better it would be if they were arranged in a half 
circle, and when finished off with dwarf neat plants how different would 
be the effect to the stiff square arrangements so often seen. 
I quite concur in the remarks of “ B ” as to the massing of colours, for 
nothing can excel the effect of Chrysanthemums when so arranged, as I 
have long experienced; but I really cannot agree with “B.’s” views in 
re-arranging the plants at exhibitions after the judging is over. That I 
should strongly protest against for obvious reasons, and I doubt if that 
would find general favour with exhibitors, hut at the same time I think 
the suggestion of massing colours worthy of consideration, especially where 
societies are prosperous enough to offer substantial prizes for larger 
sizsd groups, or for a good central group, also a few smaller groups of 
distinct colours dutted here and there about the building. 
Trained specimen plants, again, would look much better grouped 
together than in double rows as they are generally seen. They could ha 
grouped separately and the spaces filled with cut blooms—Primulas, or 
anything in this way, thus doingaway with the formality generally found, 
and add a much more charming effect to the whole building.—W. A. 
Walter, Lillingstonc Rouse, near Buckingham. 
CALANTHES. 
In answer to a Sheffield correspondent, about two years ago I had 
under my charge a few plants of Calaathe vestita and others. My 
employer told me he had bought them two years previous to the time I 
speak of. They remained healthy plants for the first year, then they 
began to grow sickly gradually, becoming worse, however. When I went 
to the place they looked bad. I turned them out of the pots, and I found 
the compost consisted chiefly of sand, this being one of the worst things 
employed in Orchid culture. About the end of February I thought it ad¬ 
visable to repot them, which I did, shaking as much of the old soil from 
amongst the roots as possible without injury. I gave them a large shift, 
using one-half loam, peat, and charcoal. About the end of August Igave 
them a top-dressing of old cow dung. From the end of October to the end 
of January they flowered well. The pseudo-bulbs were plump and 
healthy. I did not repot them the second year, but I gave them a top¬ 
dressing about the same time as I have before mentioned, giving them a 
good supply of moisture both at the roots and in the atmosphere. One great 
essential to the well-being of this plant is plenty of moisture physically 
and atmospherically applied. I do not know any cause of the blight spoken 
of by a Sheffield correspondent, but I think if he gives his plants plenty of 
drainage, and plenty of water, and uses the above-named compost his 
plants will prove satisfactory.— C. Colville, Linethrvaite. 
A Sheffield correspondent writes respecting his Calanthea not 
flowering,;and I may say the same of Calanthe vestita under my charge. 
They were grown in two different ways, some being in a compost of 
sphagnum moss, fibre loam, peat, dry cow manure, and plenty of sand, 
placing twelve of the best pseudo-bulfcs in an ordinary wooden basket. 
These at the present time have twelve spikes 14 inches in length, having 
twelve flowers to thirteen on each. Out of the pseudo-bulbs that 
remained I again picked the best, putting six into 8-inch pots, the rest were 
placed into 1-inch pots to grow on. The second pseudo-bulbs in pots grew 
rapidly to the size of an egg, looking the picture of health up to the begin¬ 
ning of September, when they showed their flower spikes, the same as 
those in the basket; yet, though receiving the same treatment, they refused 
to develope and have been a complete failure. I attribute the failure to 
want of a free circulation of air amongst the roots, they being, of course, 
confined to the inside of the pots. I should like to have other opinions 
on the failure of this beautiful winter-blooming Orchid.—F. Debnam, 
Foreman, Betteshanger, Sandwich. 
I HAVE never had to contend with disease in any shape among 
Calanthes, but a case of partial failure is known to me this season from 
something of the sort. The pseudo-bulbs and foliage were covered with 
black spots, the majority not attaining a size capable of throwing up a 
flower spike. I did not think to ask those in charge how early in the 
season the plants became affected, or whether this was the first season 
they had been troubled with it. Possibly this is similar to what is 
playing havoc among the Calanthes round Sheffield, but our midland 
friends do not state what the disease is like. In the case I have 
mentioned the pseudo-bulbs appeared sound, although stunted and 
spotted. 
With one exception I agree with “ W. K. W. ” as to cultural details. 
Our plants have done very well this season under similar conditions. 
Except the syringing no water was allowed to touch the foliage, and my 
experience leads me to believe that these plants are better without it. 
Our plants were copiously supplied with water at the root during the 
growing season, and weak liquid manure was also occasionally given, and 
the result is spikes of bloom of C. Veitchi over 3 feet in length, and 
pseudo-bulbs from 8 inches to a foot ljng.— James S. Brown. 
LIGHTENING HEAVY SOIL A MISTAKE. 
As soon as anyone takes possession of a new garden, especially a 
vegetable garden, their chief desire is to find out the texture of the soil ; 
and should any quarter be rather retentive or contain a little clay, they at 
once conclude it is unsuitable for the production of good crops, and no 
time is lost in adding materials to lighten the soil. Sand, ashes, and such 
like are generally employed, and these are frequently not only added t) 
the surface, but large quantities are trenched into the subsoil. Where 
the whole of a garden is composed of very stiff soil it is very necessary 
to lighten some parts of it, as roots such as Carrots, Parsnips, Salsafy, &c., 
which penetrate deeply, do not, as a rule, grow to perfection in a very 
heavy soil; but speaking from experience, I have fully made up my mind 
that it is a great mistake to lighten the whole of the soil in any kitchen 
garden, as many crops become much finer in a heavy soil than a very 
light one, and in many cases it would be a great advantage to add a good 
dressing of clay or heavy soil to that which is very light. I have done 
a good deal in lightening soils, but I would think more than once of 
doing the same again, and here I have ceased all attempts to lighten 
some of the heavy quarters. In fact, some of those which have become 
light and open on the surface will have some of the heavy subsoil trenched 
to the surface this winter, and I will take care that nothing is done to 
reduce it to a state of powder again. I find Cauliflowers and Broccoli 
produce much larger and more compact heads on a very heavy soil than 
on either a light or moderately light one ; indeed, no one will grow really 
first-rate Cauliflowers on a light soil. Cabbages, too, and all plants of this 
class prefer a heavy soil, and the finest of all Celery grows on a stiff soil. 
I do not say that a stiff soil is the best to earth it up with, but if the 
roots can be confined to a heavy soil and light material used for earthing, 
produce of the very highest quality will be secured. Many plants grow¬ 
ing in a heavy soil suffer less from frost and wind than those in light 
material, and I conclude that it is owing to those in the heavy soil grow¬ 
ing more robust and compact than in light soil. These remarks apply 
very forcibly to Winter Broccoli, where a system of rotation of crops is 
observed. There may be some little difficulty in confining crops which 
agree best with heavy soil to material of this sort, and subjects which 
delight in light soil to their proper quarters ; but an attempt should 
always be made to reserve one or two of the quarters for the crops which 
I have indicated as preferring a heavy soil. I may remark that Onions 
when small and young do best in a light soil ; but in the end the largest 
and soundest bulbs are always gathered from stiff soil.—J. MUIR, 
Margam. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AT CLEMENT PARK, LOCHEE. 
I, Along with two friends, had the privilege recently of seeing the 
grand collection of Chrysanthemums grown at Clement Park, Lochee, the 
residence of Mrs. Cox, whose late husband, ex-Provost Cox, was an ardent 
lover and grower of flowers. Mr. Moir, the intelligent gardener, intro¬ 
duced us to his houseful of beauties, and the first impression is admiration 
of the sea of bloom which meets the eye. The house, 70 feet long and 
30 broad, contains 400 plants, representing the best of the newest as well 
as the oldest varieties. The aim ot Chrysanthemum growers is to have 
their plants as dwarf as possible, and Mr. Moir has succeeded in getting 
his of a fair height, with compactness of growth and a profusion of bloom. 
Surveying the group of plants from one end of the house, the eye rests on 
thousands of globes of golden yellow, white, orange, pink, primrose 
