876 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 11, 1893. 
- Rockery Phloxes. — At the present time Phloxes of the 
subulata section (commonly called Ground or Moss Pinks) are exceed¬ 
ingly showy on the rockery. This section of hardy, dwarf-growing 
plants is not nearly cultivated as much as its merits deserve. Although 
the rockery is perhaps the more situation for their growth it is not 
absolutely necessary that they grow there only. As edgings to paths or 
borders where a few stones might be arranged to form a narrow border, 
success would be assured providing of course the drainage was sufficient 
in the case of heavy and retentive soil. In soil of a light character 
and when thin in bulk, I find these Phloxes require abundance of 
moisture at the roots to keep them in a flourishing condition in the 
sunniest places on the rockery. It is here where they thrive the best, 
enjoying the full sunlight with a moist base. In patches of not less 
than 2 feet square of each colour a grand display is effected. To me it 
is surprising that they are not more extensively grown, considering the 
ease with which a stock of plants may be worked up. Good varieties are 
Nelsoni, pure white ; The Bride, white, with red centre ; Vivid, fiery 
rose colour ; Pallida, rose, shaded lilac ; Frondosa, bright rose colour : 
and atropurpurea, purplish rose, with a crimson eye.—E. M. 
- The Wakefield Paxton Society. —At the recent meeting 
of the members of this Society Mr. H. Crowther, curator of the Leeds 
JIuseum, delivered an extremely interesting and instructive discourse on 
“ Soils and Manures.” Mr. Crowther first mentioned how soils are 
formed by the disintegration of rocks, and described the different kinds 
of soils produced by the mixture of loam, sand, clay, calcarene, and 
marl, with humus resulting from vegetal action. In adverting to the 
four-course system of agriculture he showed how each crop found in the 
toil its most appropriate aliment, and said our forefathers must have 
been very keen observers, for they had by experience hit on true prin¬ 
ciples, so that even we with our scientific knowledge could not do much 
better than they, though we worked with reason, whereas they laboured 
in the dark. He then dealt with the various manurial agents, showing 
the chemical constituents of each, and demonstrating why certain soils 
and certain crops need certain manures, and explaining their suitability 
and unsuitability in other cases. Many diagrams and illustrations were 
shown, pourtraying the marvellous results of the application of right 
principles in manuring, as gained by experimental culture by Lawes, 
Gilbert, and others. 
- The Tea Industry in Ceylon.—I n his report for 1892 
Dr. Trimen, the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Ceylon, refers 
to the fact that of every 100 lbs. of tea consumed in England during 
the year 84 lbs. were of British growth, viz., 53 in India and 31 in 
Ceylon, only 16 lbs. being the produce of China. There was an increase 
of nearly 2,000,000 lbs. in the direct export of Ceylon tea to Australia, 
viz., 5,166,154 lbs. against 3,210,593 lbs. in 1891 ; and Dr. Trimen thinks 
that the costly advertisement at the forthcoming Exhibition in Chicago 
may reasonably be expected to lead to a large sale in the future in 
America. Ceylon, he says, urgently needs this ; for while there is no 
reason to fear any drawback to continued success as far as cultivation 
and manufacture are concerned, there is a real danger of over-pro¬ 
duction ; and its consideration as a possibility, by no means remote, 
induces him earnestly to recommend those concerned to devote some 
portions of their land to other cultivations. In the lo ,,--country especially 
much caution should be exercised in opening further land in tea estates. 
One result of the enormous development of the tea industry in the 
island is unfortunate. The industry so overshadows all other cultivations 
that there is now little room for trial or experiment with smaller 
products on estates, and not much stimulus to investigate them in the 
Botanic Gardens. 
- Honey-producing Plants in Australia, — The Agri¬ 
cultural Department of New South Wales has been making a series 
of interesting and useful inquiries as to the plants most visited by bees 
in the various districts of the colony. Some of the results are set 
forth in a recent number of the Department’s “ Gazette.” It has 
been clearly proved that the flora of Australia includes honey-produc¬ 
ing trees, shrubs, and plants of a high standard of excellence ; the 
honey produced by bees in the near neighbourhood of the forest being 
of the finest quality, and having few (if any) faults. While a Gum 
Tree is in bloom the bee will pass over the most tempting plant in a 
garden, and wing its way to the borders of the bush ; but, on the other 
hand, a field of Maize in tassel is a source of the greatest pleasure to 
the busy little workers, who swarm in countless numbers, collecting the 
pollen so necessary for their wants. The plants which next seem to 
have the greatest attraction are the fruit trees, familiarly called 
summer fruits. Clover (both white and red) yields a large quantity 
of first-rate honey, and bees kept at places where Clover grows never 
fail to visit the modest flowers of the plant; Dandelion, also, is a valu¬ 
able honey-yielding flower, and is noted in all districts from Albury to 
Tenterfield. As to the size and colour of the flowers most affected by 
the bees, much diversity of opinion exists among apiarists, and in the 
face of the very conflicting replies, the “ Gazette ” thinks it would be 
vain to try to determine what coloured flowers are most attractive. 
—(^Nature.') 
Dendrobium Brymerianum. 
This is a beautiful Orchid, and is remarkable on account of the 
delicate, branching filaments of the lip, forming a deep fringe or 
beard, which is its chief attraction. The flower is a golden yellow 
throughout. The plant should be potted in good peat used in a 
very rough state, with a little moss and charcoal, and grown in a 
warm moist house in summer. In winter it requires rather more 
drying than the majority of the evergreen kinds. 
Cymbidium Lowianum. 
This species is a moat useful, distinct, and handsome Orchid, 
easily grown, free flowering, and very long lasting. The spikes on 
well grown plants attain a height of 2 or 3 feet, and are clothed 
with flowers almost from top to bottom, and as these will remain 
fresh for nine or ten weeks it is very useful for exhibition. It 
has long arching flag-shaped foliage and light green bulbs. 
It succeeds best under pot culture, and may be potted in peat, 
light turfy loam, and moss in about equal proportions. Many 
growers recommend a portion of sand, but this is sure sooner or 
later to run together, spoiling the compost by preventing aeration, 
and destroying that “sweet” condition of the soil which is so 
desirable. 
This Orchid requires plenty of heat and moisture and a rather 
shady position. From the time the flower spikes show until they 
are showing colour occasional applications of manure water are 
necessary, that made from cow manure being probably the most 
suitable. The flowering season is usually from February to May or 
June.—H. Richards. 
Hybrid Zygopetalums. 
In our last issue a brief allusion was made to Part ix. of Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons’ “ Manual of Orchidaceous Plants,” and we then 
remarked that an occasion may arise for a further reference to this 
excellent work. This opportunity has now come, and we have 
pleasure in reproducing some notes on hybrid Zygopetalums with 
an illustration of Z. Sedeni (fig. 69), for which we are indebted to 
Messrs. Yeitch & Sons. The kind figured is of exceptional interest, 
inasmuch as it was the first hybrid Zygopetalum raised, this being 
done by Mr. Seden some years ago. A few additions have since 
then been made, but as will be seen by the following quotations 
the number of hybrid Zygopetalums has not swelled to any con¬ 
siderable extent. 
“ Hybrids between species of Zygopetalums are still few in 
number, and of those that have been raised, the vigorous growing 
type species Zygopetalum Mackayi, its variety crinitum and 
Z. maxillare have participated in the parentage of all of them. 
Of the four hybrids described below, the first two are results of 
crosses effected between the two species mentioned by different 
operators, one using the original Z. Mackayi, and the other its 
variety crinitum ; as a natural consequence the two hybrids very 
closely resemble each other. A fairly numerous progeny was 
obtained from both crosses. 
“ The last two are of exceptional interest, for they are generic 
crosses between Zygopetalum and Colax. In conformity with the 
nomenclature adopted in this work for bigeneric hybrids, they take 
the name of Zygocolax. In both cases the progeny was extremely 
restricted.” 
Zygopetalum Clayi. —This is the result of a cross between 
Z. Mackayi crinitum and Z. maxillare, and is described as follows : 
—“ Pseudo-bulbs and leaves intermediate. Flowers as large as 
those of the seed parent ; sepals and petals brownish purple, with 
a narrow green margin, and sometimes with a few narrow transverse 
