234 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Maroh 23, 1893. 
given, in order to distinguish it from the original form. Like the 
type, it is an evergreen plant, and as the spike bore twelve flowers 
it is a decidedly promising acquisition. It was raised four years 
ago, and flowered for the first time in January last. 
DeNDROBIUM X CHLOROSTELE VAR. OWENIANUM. 
This handsome hybrid was raised in the collection of Norman 
C. Cookson, Esq., of Oakwood, Wylam-on-Tyne, by Mr. Murray, 
from D. Linawianum crossed with the pollen of D. Wardianum 
giganteum. It is a robust plant with pseudo-bulbs about 3 feet 
long. The flowers are smaller than those of the pollen parent, but 
with the same general shape. The sepals are light blush-pink 
below, passing into rose-purple near the tips. The petals are 
similar above, but the lower half of each is nearly white. The disc 
of the lip bears a medium-sized maroon blotch, surrounded by an 
orange-yellow zone, then a nearly white area ; and, finally, a rose- 
purple tip. The pedicles are 2^ inches long ; hence it is likely to 
prove useful for cutting. It flowered for the first time in 1891. 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co. of St. Albans have now acquired a stock 
of it, and on February 14th last were awarded a first-class certificate 
for it by the Royal Horticultural Society, under the name of 
D. X Owenianum, but it seems preferable to regard it as a variety 
of D. X chlorostele, Rchb. raised in the collection of Sir Trevor 
Lawrence from the same parentage. Our novelty was dedicated to 
J. Dyson Owen, Esq., of Selwood, near Rotherham, Yorks.— 
{The Orchid Revieto.) 
Events op the Week. —As announced in another paragraph, the 
Committees of the Royal Horticultural Society will meet at the Drill 
Hall, James Street, S.W., on Tuesday, March 28th. On the afternoon 
of the same day a general meeting of the British Fruit Growers’ 
Association will be held at the Hotel Windsor, Victoria Street, to 
which all members are invited. A Show of spring flowering plants 
will be held at the Crystal Palace on Saturday, March 2.5th. 
The Weather in London. — Dry weather has again 
characterised the past week, although at times cold winds prevailed. 
Sunday was warm, but with local fogs, similar weather occurring on 
Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday opened rather damp and cold, but 
at the time of going to press it appears to be clearing. Severe frosts 
have been prevalent, as much as 10° and 12° being general. 
Weather in the North. —The high winds and showers of 
the 14th and,15th have been followed by calmer weather. Heavy snow¬ 
falls occurred on Thursday and Friday, with frosts of 5° and 6°. 
Saturday was bright and fine for the season, the thermometer showing 
9° of frost in the morning. During the night we had 12° of frost 
followed by a milder and pleasant day ; and Monday was extremely 
fine, bright, and mild. This morning (21st) the ground is white with 
hoar frost, and 5° frost are recorded.—B. D., S. Perthshire. 
-Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.—Acts op 
Kindness. Mr. G. J. Ingram, Secretary of this excellent charity, 
writes as follows :—“ Will you kindly give publicity in your widely 
read journa. to the following communication, which I have received 
from a gentleman who has long been a subscriber to the Institution: 
‘Sincerely sympathising with the cases of John Butler and Jane E. 
Nichols, who have been unsuccessful candidates for the pension of the 
Institution at the last five annual elections, it is my intention to place 
at the disposal of the Committee, and I hand you a cheque for £36 
herewith, the amounts necessary to provide for the present year the 
allowances to which they would respectively have been entitled had 
they been elected in January last; at the same time I earnestly hope that 
special efforts will be made to secure their election on the next oecasion,’ 
I need hardly say how gratefully this anonymous gift has been received, 
nor how glad the hearts of the two candidates mentioned have been 
made by the good news that I have conveyed to them. Will you also 
allow me to say that another gentleman, who desires his name to be 
withheld, has handed me £5 5s. for an exceptional case of suffering 
cnddistr.Es which has been recently brought under the notice of the 
Committee?” 
- Royal Horticultural Society.—T he next display of fruit, 
flowers, and vegetables will take place in the Drill Hall, James Street, 
Victoria Street, Westminster, on Tuesday, March 28th. The various Com¬ 
mittees will, as usual, meet at twelve o’clock ; at 3 p.m. Monsieur Henry 
de \’’ilmorin, of Paris, will deliver a lecture on the “ Flowers of the 
Riviera,” which is sure to prove interesting. 
- Tomatoes and Mushrooms for Profit.—C an any of your 
practical readers inform me if Tomatoes growing under glass for market 
pays, say in a house 100 feet by 20 feet ? How many plants could be 
planted in such a house to return good produce ? I should be glad of 
particulars of construction. Would Mushroom growing in winter after 
Tomatoes pay after cost of manure, fuel, and labour, locality about 
twenty miles from London ?— Nemo. 
- Double Zinnias. —I quite agree with Mr. Molyneux’s re¬ 
marks on page 203 as to the usefulness of Zinnias. A bed of Zinnias 
with an edging of Centaurea candidissima or French Lavender 
makes a fine display. Last season we had three large beds, which were 
greatly admired. The seed may be sown in boxes in a vinery. The 
seedlings can be hardened off gradually. Prefer dull weather for 
planting out, or shade for a time until they are established. Do not 
plant out till the end of May or the beginning of June.—G. F., 
Trafalgar. 
- Bibliography of the Rose.—A copy of a useful book on 
Rose bibliography has reached us from the author, Senor D. Mariano 
Vergaro, Madrid. Its title is “ Bibliografia de la Rosa,” and it is 
written in Spanish, but it would not be valueless to British rosarians 
unacquainted with that tongue, for the original French, German, 
English, and other titles are given for the different works and periodicals 
listed. The list of books is given under the names of the authors, which 
are arranged alphabetically ; that of the catalogues in sections reserved 
to each country. 
- Gardening Appointments. —Mr. W. Barnes, for twenty-two 
years at Himley Hall Gardens, and for the last thirteen years as general 
foreman, has been appointed head gardener to G. H. Claughton, Esq. 
The Gardens, Priory, Dudley. Mr. J. E. McCleave, late gardener to, 
R. Heywood Jones, Esq., Badsworth Hall, Pontefract, Yorks, has been 
appointed head gardener to Sir Robert Afflick, Bart., Dalham Hall, 
Newmarket, Suffolk. Mr. F. Hereman, for the past three years foreman 
to Mr. W. Lane, King’s Ride, Ascot, has been appointed gardener to 
the Lady Isabella Keen, Rose Mount, Sunninghill, Ascot. 
- Are Weed Killers Dangerous ?— In reply to “ T. W.,” page 
72, a good weed killer, in my opinion, is one of the gardener’s great 
friends, but at the same time it is a bad master. It should be carefully 
used ; it should never be employed in gardens where the water from 
the paths has an opportunity to drain into the tanks. I remember one 
instance where a weed killer was used on a drive in a large park with¬ 
out sufficient care, where it was allowed to touch the grass edges. Being 
of a salty nature cattle ate the scorched grass, and two of them died, 
and several more were in a dangerous condition for some time after¬ 
wards.—G. F. 
- Scotch Fir.—T he present is a favourable time for planting 
evergreen Firs in a small state. I find that the Scotch Fir is not only 
a really good nurse tree in any situation, but grows exceedingly fast. 
For planting in low-lying places this Pine is valuable, as being late in 
commencing to make its growth in the spring there is not nearly so 
much danger of injury from frost as in the case of Spruce Fir, for 
instance. The glaucous tint which Scotch Firs carry is particularly 
interesting to some, and on that account this tree is deserving of ex¬ 
tended planting in much-frequented sites. Some persons predict a 
great future for this tree. In years to come when Baltic timber 
becomes exhausted Scotch Fir will be valuable.—E. M. 
- Sunshine at Regent's Park.—A t a recent meeting of the 
Royal Botanic Society, Mr. George W. Bell in the chair, the Secretary 
said the bright weather which characteri.sed the early part of March 
was much appreciated by plant life, and had brought out the early 
flowers in the garden and conservatory in a remarkable degree. It had 
led him to examine the records of bright sunshine made in the Gardens. 
He found that for the last few years there had been a steady improve¬ 
ment. Last year the total, 1214 hours, was considerably in advance of 
any of the five previous years, that of 1888 being only 898 hours, and the 
average of the five years 1037 hours. On Friday, March 10th, 8.^ hours 
were recorded, a most remarkable amount of sunshine for London at 
this time of year 
