NoYember 16, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
489 
dwarf bedding habit. Violetta itself is a white, and other pretty varie¬ 
ties are Marginata, Lady in White, Old Gold, Summer Cloud, Jeannie 
Turnbull, Mrs. Joseph Oliver, Maggie Steel, Mrs. George Finlay, and 
others, and some charming new varieties to be sent out in the spring by 
Mr. Steel. I have seen almost all, and there are many gems amongst 
the newcomers. 
Of the more recently introduced Violas the following are all fine— 
viz., Annie King, Accushla, Colleen Bawn, Dorothy Tennant, Duchess of 
Fife, Golden Gem, H. M. Stanley, H. W. Stuart, Mrs. Frater, Mary Gray, 
Kothes, and Wonder. These are all acquisition to collections.—W. D. 
DeNDROBIUM NOBILE. 
Plants that have well ripened pseudo-bulbs, and have been 
resting for some time, may be introduced again into heat, when 
they will be induced to flower. The flowers are always useful, and 
may with care and judgment be had over a lengthened period by 
starting plants into growth at different times. Plants that have 
completed their growth should be placed into a cool, dry, airy 
position after they have been properly hardened. A late vinery 
in which Grapes are hanging will be a good place for them. Even 
in this position expose them to the sun, and give sufficient water 
only to prevent their pseudo-bulbs shrivelling.— Specialist. 
Orchids at Forest Hill. 
Whilst passing hastily through the Stanstead Road Nurseries 
of Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, last week, I noticed that 
the Orchids made a good display. Several forms of Cattleya labiata 
were specially good, and the same may be said of the numerous Cypri- 
pediums. Amongst the latter the beautiful 0. Spicerianura was 
most conspicuous, the flowers of this popular species always showing 
up well. A few Odontoglossums were flowering, and the whole of 
the plants, of which many are grown, presented a remarkably 
healthy appearance.—C. 
Disa Veitciii X tripetaloides. 
This is a new hybrid raised at Kew, where, according to a 
correspondent in the “ Garden and Forest,” it recently flowered 
for the first time. As will be seen from its parentage, it combines 
three distinct species, D. Veitchi being the result of crossing 
D. grandiflora with D. racemosa. These hybrids are much easier 
to cultivate than most Orchids, and they increase rapidly. The 
new hybrid has a crowded rosette of sturdy green leaves, from the 
centre of which springs a scape as thick as a swan’s quill, and 
foot high. The flowers are as numerous as on D. racemosa, 
nearly 2 inches across, and coloured deep rose. These tufted Disas 
can be recommended to anyone in search of promising material to 
breed from, as it is scarcely possible to make a mistake in crossing 
and raising them from seed. 
FLORAL NOMENCLATURE. 
As to the proper pronuuciation of “ Gladiolus,” 1 may mention that 
more than twenty years ago I asked a distinguished classical scholar, of 
world-wide renown, for the correct pronunciation of that word. He 
replied, “ The accent should be on the first syllable, as in Gladius; 
neither the i nor the o should be emphasised.” Since then I have 
been content to follow such authority. The word, so rendered, may 
not run off the tongue so trippingly as Gladiolus or Gladiolus, but that 
it is correct I have, from that day, had no doubt. I have never heard, 
as Mr. Woliey Dod states on page 399, the word in question pronounced 
Gladjolus, but I have often heard great stress laid on the first syllable 
and the following i (pronounced e) given very short, which might give 
the effect of a j. 
As to “ West Anglian’s ” letter (page 399), it would indeed be a con¬ 
summation devoutly to be wished, though scarcely to be hoped, even in 
these days of County Council education, that every gardener should 
possess a thorough knowledge of Latin, Greek, and French. Until that 
event occurs there will be many mistakes in spelling and still more in 
pronunciation ; but from perusing “ W. A.’s ” list of errors it seems very 
probable that many of them arose from the endeavour to copy almost 
illegible labels. As for myself I have always considered that the mastery 
of long Latin, Greek, and French names, without a glimpse of their 
meaning, is one of the gardener’s hardest tasks, and the more letter- 
perfect he becomes in his self-imposed lesson the more I respect him for 
his application. It is an easy thing for a man who is a fair classic and 
modern linguist to remember these names, for each word has for him its 
meaning ; not so for him who has no knowledge of any tongue butihis 
own ; with him it has to be parrot-learning, infinitely more difficult.* 
Then when a name is learnt it has often to be re-learnt, for land 
folium becomes speciosum; Spirma, Hoteia. Tritoma changes to 
Kniphofia ; Hyacinthus to Galtonia ; while Clivia takes the place of 
Himantophyllum. Gardeners may well afford to ignore the jibes of 
thoughtless youth, in the knowledge that those of maturer judgment 
fully recognise both the difficulties under which they labour and the 
commendation they merit in successfully overcoming the same.— 
S. W. F. 
CULTURE OF FRANCOAS. 
Francoas are exceedingly useful for the embellishment of the 
greenhouse or conservatory or for house decoration, their elegant 
appearance and floriferous character eminently suiting them for this 
purpose. When associated with other plants the long white spikes of 
F. ramosa, together with the beautiful pale red F. appendiculata, cannot 
fail to evoke the admiration of everyone, and 1 feel sure that the more 
they are known the more they will be appreciated. They are com¬ 
paratively easy of cultivation, and, although the usual time of flowering 
is from July to September, may by a little judicious arrangement be 
had in bloom nearly all the year round. A compost of good fibry loam, 
leaf soil, and sharp sand will be found an excellent mixture for them. 
For general decorative purposes plants in 7-inch or 8-inch pots are 
large enough, but where large specimens are required 10-inch and 
12-inch pots should be used. 
Young plants may be raised either from seed, cuttings, or by division ; 
all of which methods should be resorted to in order to procure a long 
succession of bloom. Old plants that have been flowering throughout 
the summer will now be making new growth, therefore no time should 
be lost in dividing them. After the plants are turned out of the pots 
divide them in two or three parts, and place in similar sized pots 
to those in which they were previously grown. After repotting water 
must be sparingly administered until the roots have taken full possession 
of the new soil. During the winter a temperature of from 45° to 50° 
should be maintained, and if attended to they will commence throwing 
up their flower spike about the beginning of April. For propagating 
by cuttings the offsets, which are freely produced from the base of the 
old plants, should be procured. The cuttings should be inserted singly 
in small pots filled with a similar compost to that recommended above. 
Give water through a fine rose after insertion, to settle the soil, and stand 
the cuttings in a temperature of from 50° to 55°. When well rooted they 
should be placed in 5-inch pots, and grown in the temperature advised 
for old plants. Immediately the roots reach the sides of the pots the 
plants should be placed in others 7 inches or 8 inches in diameter. 
Where the earliest flower spikes were not removed abundance of 
seeds may now be procured, and these should be sown as soon as 
gathered. In preparing the seed pan it is essential that good drainage 
be obtained, after which fill with a mixture of light sandy soil. Scatter 
the seeds thinly and evenly over the surface, slightly covering with 
soil. Most growers recommend raising these plants in heat, but I prefer 
growing them under cool treatment. It is of great importance that 
the young plants be pricked into pots or pans when large enough where 
they can have plenty of space and light, otherwise they will quickly 
become drawn, and failure must be the result. Before the plants 
become crowded they should be placed in 5-inch pots and stood on 
a shelf in a cool house, giving subsequent repottings as may be necessary. 
When the pots are full of roots liquid manure may be applied every 
other watering with great advantage. In the spring, when all danger 
of frost is over, the plants may be placed in a cold frame, letting them 
remain there till the last week in August, when remove to the green¬ 
house. If the foregoing instructions are properly carried out a good 
supply of flowers may be obtained. Some cuttings I inserted last autumn 
are now flowering profusely, as also are many seedlings which were 
raised at the same time.—G. Parrant, 
THE CARNATION AS AN ANNUAL. 
The first introduction of the Mirguerite Carnation was from the 
Continent, and for usefulness as a decorative flower it is now grovvn 
extensively. Mr. C. H. Herbert has been inspired to work on this strain 
by cross-fertilisation, using a grand scarlet bizarre as a pollen parent 
with very satisfactory results. The variety in colour, form, and marking 
is greatly diversified. Some of the blooms are clean cut at the edge 
approaching the petal of the stage varieties ; others are freely serrated 
and beautifully fringed, whilst the colours are as varied as can be 
conceived. Then the flaking, splashing, spotting, anl the feathering 
adds greatly to their value. Blooms sent me by the raiser have stood 
in water for more than a week, and they figured as a novelty and 
excited a considerable amount of admiration at our Chrysanthemum 
Show. The perfume is delightful, and the colours in the chaste green 
setting are beautiful. . j . 
For mixed beds and borders they will equal our old friend the 
Verbena, and for window and conservatory decoration I can conceive 
their rivalling the Cineraria, the Calceolaria, the Primula, and the 
Cyclamen, as the warm tones during the cold months will be so cheering. 
Mr. Herbert tells me that he is this season working on the same stock with 
the yellow grounds and fancies, so that the possibilities as to the future 
of the Carnation as an annual we may only imagine.—W. Wardile. 
