82 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 23 , 1891. 
speedily diminish provided better plants were obtainable to begin 
with, for it is hardly to be expected that a feeble rhizome 
denuded of all roots save a few scattered fragments and a 
crown can survive when the flowering time has passed, for what 
energy the bud contains is quite exhausted. Happily, those that 
reach us in the best sized pieces and in the best condition, so far as 
good roots and strong healthy crowns are concerned, are among 
the best of all the hardy species. Anyone given good sized pieces 
of C. spectabile, C. Calceolus, and C. parviflorum should have little 
difficulty in permanently establishing them if a suitable spot can be 
found for them. 
Some of your readers, however, may like to know what consti¬ 
tutes a suitable spot for these plants, and this I will briefly 
describe. In the larger gardens shade and coolness will be readily 
found, and these, coupled with abundant moisture, either naturally 
or artificially supplied, are the most important of their require¬ 
ments. There are different modes of providing for these plants, 
and to accommodate them as they deserve it will be much the 
simplest plan to devote a moist shady corner or nook to their 
cultivation. 
The next thing will be to excavate an irregular hole, in future 
to be called the artificial bog, about 2 feet deep, and of a diameter 
to suit individual requirements. One of 6 feet or 8 feet across, 
however, will not only hold sufficient of these charming plants to 
make a really good display, but it may also contain an interesting 
selection of other showy as well as choice plants, which in reality 
need some such provision, but they are too frequently planted in 
positions quite the reverse. The hole having been dug to the 
required depth, some rough clinkers, brickbats, stones, or similar 
material, should be placed in the bottom to a depth of G inches to 
carry off water and keep the soil sweet, for while these plants 
delight in abundance of moisture they dislike stagnation. Cover 
this drainage with some thick turves, grass side downwards. This 
will prevent the soil above trickling down into and choking the 
drainage, and if properly done will last for years. It only remains 
to fill with soil consisting of peat and peat siftings and half- 
decayed leaf soil in equal proportion, working in a little manure 
thoroughly decomposed, some sharp sand, old mortar rubbish if 
obtainable, likewise some sphagnum moss. 
A foot thick of this compost will bring the surface of the bed 
to within G inches of the ordinary level—a desirable level, particu¬ 
larly if the margin be shaped as a saucer, for then all the rain 
water possible will be secured for the w'elfare of the plants. Apart 
from this, however, there should be a supply of water under 
control, either by means of a pipe permanently laid into the bog or 
by means of a hose pipe, which may readily supply any amount, 
sufficient in fact to keep the bed in a state of semi-saturation from 
the time growth commences till the plants are again at rest. Under 
such conditions as these not only will these Cypripediums thrive, 
but Trilliums, Dodecatheons, Dentarias, Saxifraga peltata, Swertia 
perennis, Parnassias, Lobelias of the fulgens and syphilitica 
sections, many Orchises, Wood Anemones, with Primulas rosea, 
cashmeriana, and japonica, though these prefer a loamy soil rather 
than a peaty one ; still, it would be increasing the general interest 
of such a spot by study the individual requirements of moisture 
and shade loving plants by adding soil accordingly when planting 
them. In similar ways many corners of villa gardens, as well as 
others of great import, may be beautified for a considerable period 
of the year, and instead of being avoided as heretofore prove as 
attractive as any spot in the garden.—J. H. E. 
The Vamlla. 
I HAVE been interested in reading in the Journal the excellent 
paper by Mr. A. W. Wills upon his travels in India. It is not only 
interesting but instructive to gardeners, therefore it is of the more 
importance that the paper should be correct as to matter of fact, 
especially if it bears upon the culture of any plant likely to be 
grown by practical gardeners. Mr. Wills states at page 70, in refer¬ 
ence to the Vanilla, “ Yet in our stoves how difficult it is even to 
maintain this Orchid in a semi-moribund state.” This is surely an 
error, for if all our Orchids were so easily grown as the Vanilla, the 
Orchid grower’s work would be easy enough. I do not advise any 
one to grow it unless they have a large house, but given this, with 
plenty of heat and moisture, it will grow with the greatest vigour. 
It would give the plant a considerable check either in England or 
Burma to cut it over close to the ground, but if this is done the 
roots which are always forming on the long twining stems soon lay 
hold of any fresh material they are set in. It roots away freely in 
fibrous loam and peat with some decayed manure, but the aerial 
roots absorb considerable moisture from the atmosphere. It is 
necessary to syringe the plant freely in hot weather in summer 
once daily at least to keep it free from thrips. These troublesome 
pests seem to have a special fondness for this plant, and if they 
are not subdued they will speedily bring it down to the semU 
moribund state described by Mr. Wills, but this would be the fault 
of the cultivator. — J. Dou(!eas. 
POTATOES FOR IRELAND. 
I consider that your correspondent, Mr. Tggulden (page Gl), has 
called attention to a most important matter—namely, the failure of the 
Irish Potato crop, and likewise suggests some remedies whereby some of 
the suffering caused by such failure might be mitigated. When so 
many schemes are in the air for the social and economical welfare of 
Ireland it is a great pity that some such common-sense remedies are not 
tried. I cannot help thinking that if the matter was fairly placed 
before the nresent Chief Secretary for Ireland, who has, I believe, the 
general welfare of Ireland greatly at heart, and was within the range of 
practical politics, it would stand a fair chance of being tried. If 
propel ly carried out it must do a great deal of good : of course, it 
would have to be on the voluntary principle, as you could not intrude 
on a man’s Potato patch any more than into his house. 
I quite agree with Iffr. Iggulden that there are always too many 
good men experienced as head gardeners out of employ, and who possess 
the necessary qualifications for instructors in the art of properly crop¬ 
ping and cultivating such small holdings peculiar to the distressed 
districts of Ireland. To me it has often seemed a puzzle why the Irish 
people, small cottars and others, put all their eggs as it were into one 
basket, and grow* nothing but Potatoes, when Carrots, Parsnips, Onions, 
Beetroot, Jerusalem Artichokes, Beans and Peas, all contain nearly as 
much nutritious matter as the Potato, and some of them more. I should 
think that a variety of Potato having such tall haulm as the Champion 
w'as unsuited to the humid climate of Ireland, but to find the best 
varieties trial or model gardens should be established near the schools. 
The scholars should be taught gardening, and a notice given that the 
garden was open at proper times for the inspection of all who wanted 
to learn better methods of cultivation. The best of everything should 
be tried, and at the end of the season the produce of the school gardens 
could be sold at a nominal price to the cottagers. At the same time as 
the boys are taught to grow the vegetables, the girls should be taught 
to cook them, and one instructor in the course of a week might attend 
several schools. Exhibitions should be held for the produce of school' 
gardens and cottage gardens, and no doubt cultivation would improve,, 
a greater variety of crops would be grown, tending to the general welfare 
of the people. 
I know from an annual personal inspection of our village gardens 
and allotments, since we have had a cottagers’ show, the produce of 
the gardens has increased greatly in value and variety, and I believe it 
is knowledge that is mostly required, for on one occasion 1 had a man 
employed under me in a garden in the North of England who emigrated 
from Ireland to Yorkshire—a man grown—and picked up his knowledge- 
there ; and he was one of the handiest and smartest men at outdoor 
garden work I ever met, and I have several very good men serving 
under me now. I hope the power of gardening knowledge will be tried 
on the Irish peasantry where needed, and then the partial failure of 
the Potato crop will not cause so much distress. — R. Maher-,. 
Yattendon Court, Xeiohvry. 
SEASONABLE FIINTS ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Auriculas. —The question has been often mooted. What harm does- 
a severe winter do to these plants ? It is of no use arguing from their 
origin that they cannot be much inconvenienced by it, for although the 
plant is doubtless an Alpine, yet it has been so altered and refined that 
its constitution is not what it was, a fact which can be tried very easily 
by planting some of the refined edged flowers on the rockery, together 
with Primula Auricula and Primula marginata, when it will be seen 
after a season or two that while the latter are flourishing the former have 
become “ few by degrees and beautifully less,” and therefore that 
degree cf hardiness they do not possess. At the same time, my ex¬ 
perience is that they do better in a cold winter than in a mild one.. 
Where, as at present, we have a long unbroken spell of cold there are 
no spasmodic attempts at growth induced by sunny warm days, and then 
the plants chilled by an attack of frost. There is much less chance, too,, 
of too early blooms, which eventually suffer from cold. One thing does 
happen when the truss is formed, and perhaps just beginning to peep 
above the foliage, that the pips become distorted and crumpled, and of 
course their flatness and symmetry is destroyed. This may be obviated 
by covering the frames with matting, and this year snow has formed a 
very good blanket. Hence, on the whole, I do not anticipate a good 
blooming time for the Auricula. 
As soon as the weather is favourable it will be necessary to remove 
all decayed or decaying leaves, and to stir the surface of the soil very 
gently with a blunt stick, and to examine the collar for woolly aphis, re¬ 
moving it if any be found. I wish that I could share Mr. Douglas’s, 
hope that the severe weather will be too much for them, but I really 
cannot. They seem to be impervious to most things, and we have had 
severe winters since their appearance or their reappearance, and yet it 
has not disposed of them, so that I am very doubtful as to this increased 
lower temperature doing it. 
Carnations and Picotees. —Here, too, all is in a state of stagna¬ 
tion, and nothing can as yet be done. On examining my small coUec- 
