February 25, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
141 
will be few or no failures. Pinks may be quite as easily raised 
from seed. 
While the demand for Poppies lasts most gardeners will have 
to grow them. Unfortunately, though many of them are extremely 
showy, their beauty is of short duration, a mass of seed pods being 
anything but ornamental. The earliest display is had by sowing 
the seed in the autumn, or as soon as ripe, where the plants are to 
dower, thinning the seedlings freely in the spring. A grand show 
can also be had by sowing either patches, lines, or beds, with the 
several different forms now, or early in March, and again about 
the middle of April. Sow thinly, as the seed germinates surely, 
and cover with a little fine soil. The seedlings must be well 
protected against slugs and early thinned, transplanting a few 
clumps, if need be, with a trowel. 
The Shirley Poppies, though scarcely so brilliant as the 
Japanese, Carnation, Ranunculus, and Paeony-flowered forms, 
are yet among the best that can be grown. An early display of 
the latter can be had by sowing a few seeds in 3-inch pots, placing 
these in gentle heat to germinate, hardening, and planting the seed¬ 
lings before they become badly root-bound. To follow these sow 
more seed now, or very soon, in the open, and again during the 
month of May. 
Iceland Poppies (Papaver nudicaule) in three distinct colours, 
are very popular, and these may be treated either as perennials or 
annuals. Those now in the open ground will bear dividing and 
replanting, and a fresh stock can be raised either in the open or in 
pots as advised in the case of Shirley Poppies. The latter plan is 
the best if the plants are wanted to flower this summer.—I. 
Seasonable Notes. 
Those who have no Orchid house proper, but who grow a few 
Orchids amongst the occupants of the stove and other houses, 
should be careful to select those most easily managed under such 
conditions, especially as they have to do duty in most places as 
room plants when in flower. 
Dendrobium nobile and other Dendrobiums are easily grown 
where plenty of heat is at command, but their growths must be 
thoroughly ripened afterwards, or they will not long remain in 
good health. As their young growth is often advanced at their 
time of flowering it is not wise to subject them to room treatment 
too long. 
Coelogyne cristata is an Orchid that adapts itself to the above 
conditions remarkably well. We have plants here that have been 
in the drawing-room for three weeks, when in flower, for the last 
four years without any apparent harm to them. This Orchid 
during its season of growth should have frequent supplies of 
liquid manure, and fine pseudo-bulbs will be the result. 
Another easily managed Orchid is Zygopetalum Mackayi. This 
does well with a little loam added to the peat and sphagnum. It 
should have abundance of water and feeding in preference to too 
often potting. 
Cymbidium Lowianum is an Orchid that everyone with a house 
that can be kept moderately warm should have. Good turfy yellow 
loam, intermixed with sphagnum moss and a few broken pot¬ 
sherds, with a sprinkling of silver sand and liberal treatment in 
the matter of watering, is what this plant delights in. 
Both the two last do well as room plants if not kept in them 
too long.—E. R. M. 
C(EL0GYNE ckistata. 
Althoegii generally classed as a cool Orchid, this beautitul 
and valuable flowering plant will well repay the grower for giving 
it intermediate treatment while making its growth ; shading from 
bright sun to prevent the foliage being scorched, to which it is 
subject after syringing and the house is charged with moisture. It 
is well worth attention in this respect. When the pseudo-bulbs are 
made and the flower growths are showing on the under side in the 
early autumn, remove the plants to a temperature of about 50°, 
admitting at this period of the year all the light possible, they will 
gradually advance and expand their pendant racemes, being careful 
to give no more water than to prevent shrivelling of the pseudo¬ 
bulbs and the flower growths from damping, to which they are 
liable. This treatment I have given to the plants under my 
charge, and I have been rewarded at this date by plants in 8-inch 
pans carrying from twenty to thirty sprays of beautiful white 
flowers. Hitherto I had given it cool treatment with indifferent 
results as to flowering, although making plenty of pseudo-bulbs, 
evidently not fully matured, without which no one can command 
success.—R. C. N., North Hants. 
Bulbophyllum Comosum. 
For the discovery and introduction of this pretty little Bulbo¬ 
phyllum we are indebted to General Collett, who sent it to Kew 
FIG. 21.— BULBOPHYLLUM COMOSUM. 
through Calcutta three years ago along with plants of the beautiful 
Cirrhopetalum Colletti and other things collected by him in Eastern 
Burmah. The Bulbophyllum, he states, was common, and the 
flowers, which are highly prized by the Shan maidens for ornament¬ 
ing their hair, were sold in the Bazaar. The plant has clustered 
