46 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
January 17, 1895. 
their value in any way, most people will look more favourably on 
an Orchid which is always more or less attractive to the eye. This 
Ccelogyne cristata certainly is, in fact it possesses nearly all the 
qualities that go to make a first-rate Orchid, and for this reason 
will no doubt be always popular. 
The culture of this Orchid is very simple, but a few points 
need consideration to obtain the best results. Many growers use a 
good proportion of loam in the compost, and the good results 
attained show that in skilful hands this treatment is right. I should 
not, however, advise anyone uninitiated in Orchid growing to use 
this material to any extent. A much better article in my esti¬ 
mation is half-decayed leaf mould, used in equal proportions with 
peat and chopped sphagnum, with a more abundant admixture of 
charcoal than most other species require. This mixture will be 
found quite substantial, while at the same time affording abundant 
capacity for aeration, and the way the roots enwrap the compost 
will surprise many who have been in the habit of using heavy close 
mixtures. 
The plants may be grown in pots, shallow pans, or baskets, 
according to the convenience or fancy of the grower. Shallow 
pans are, however, most frequently used, and probably most suit¬ 
able. A good deal of care is required in fixing the plants, it being 
necessary to dispose the flowering pseudo-bulbs as equally as 
possible over the surface of the pans to produce well-balanced 
specimens. The pans must be well drained and loosely filled with 
compost to a convex mound. The pseudo-bulbs can be kept in 
position by pegging down the rhizomes with wire pegs or hairpins. 
Then proceed to cover the roots with the more fibry portions of 
the compost, dibbling it in firmly and neatly around the pseudo¬ 
bulbs. Carefully avoid snapping off the young growing points, 
which are very brittle. After potting, the plants must have no 
water at the roots for a week, but be frequently dewed from the 
syringe. 
C. cristata is often attacked by a small brown scale, which is 
very difficult to eradicate, and also by red spider if the atmosphere 
is at all dry. These must be kept under, or the foliage will be 
disfigured and the plants injured in health. With regard to 
temperature, it is one of the most accommodating of Orchids, 
thriving in a warm, intermediate, or even a comparatively cool 
house. The best position, however, is a cool shady corner in the 
Cattleya house, with plenty of water while growing and frequent 
sprinkling overhead. While at rest less water is required, but the 
pseudo-bulbs must not be allowed to shrivel, or weak growths and 
few flower spikes will be the result.—H. R. R. 
THE LATE MR. CHARLES COLLINS. 
As evidence of the esteem in which our late much-respected 
coadjutor was held by members of the gardening press generally, apart 
from the “ Journal of Horticulture,” a meeting has been held of his 
friends, who are connected with the whole of our contemporaries, with 
the object of raising a Fund for the assistance of his afflicted widow 
and the two small children she is unable to support. Mr. G. Gordon 
presided. It was resolved that 
“ In consideration of the services rendered to horticulture in his 
journalistic work by the late Charles Collins, of the high respect in which 
he was universally held, and of the fact that owing to the long-continued 
ill health of himself and his wife he was unable to make adequate pro¬ 
vision for his family, who are in deep distress, a fund be opened for their 
benefit,” 
For the purpose of carrying out this excellent project a Committee 
was appointed, consisting of the whole of the permanent staffs of 
horticultural journals, with Dr. Maxwell T. Masters (“ Gardeners’ 
Chronicle Chairman ; Mr. B. Wynne (“ Gardening World ”), Vice- 
Chairman ; Mr. G. Gordon (“Gardeners’ Magazine”), Treasurer; 
and Mr. T. W. Sanders (“ Amateur Gardening ”), Hon. Secretary. 
Any readers of the “Journal of Horticulture” who may wish to 
contribute to this very deserving case may send their contributions, 
no matter how small, either to any member of the gardening press 
who may be personally known to them, or to either of the well known 
gentlemen named above, and all such amounts will be immediately 
acknowledged. 
We are particularly gratified by this unity of effort in a most worthy 
cause, as it is alike a graceful tribute to the memory of Mr. Collins as 
well as evidence of sympathy with his widow, and of the harmonious 
manner in which pressmen work together in the discharge of their 
duties. We commend this project to the attention of all who may not 
have done something in a direct manner to meet the exigencies of this 
inexpressibly sad case, and shall rejoice in its success. _ .. ^ 
The Weather in London. —The weather in the metropolitan 
area during the past week has been very varied. On Thursday and 
Friday of last week sharp frosts were experienced, while on Saturday 
there was a slight fall of snow. Sunday morning brought a rapid thaw» 
which, with the exception of a short time in the evening of that day, has 
been maintained. Monday and Tuesday were dull and damp, and at the 
time of going to press a light rain was falling, and the weather was very 
mild. 
- The Weather in the North.— Very severe weather has 
been experienced in Scotland during the past week. The most serious 
snowstorm of the last fifteen years has occurred in the North, In the 
South about 8 inches of snow fell, and the thermometer in one district 
registered 4° below zero. In the centre of the country the snowfall was 
slight, and the frost averaged about 21° for three days. On the 
afternoon of Saturday a change set in. Sunday was bitterly cold with 
sleety showers. On Monday afternoon and evening rain fell pretty 
heavily, and Tuesday morning was fair, with the thermometer at 35°.— 
B. D., S. Perthshire. 
- Royal Horticultural Society—Committee on Judging. 
—We are informed that the Council of the R.H.S. has requested the 
following gentlemen to act on the proposed Committee on judging at 
shows (see page 7 of the report, 1894-5), viz., Messrs. Barron, Bennet, Blair, 
Bunyard, A. Dean, Dunn, Douglas, Findlay, Gordon, Laing, Marshall, 
MeIndoe, Moore, G, Paul, Outram, Shea, Smith of Mentmore, Thomas, 
D. Thomson, Wilks, and Wright. The first meeting of the Committee 
will be held at the Society’s office, 117, Victoria Street, on Monday 2l8t, 
at 2 P.M. The distant members will, we presume, mainly help by 
correspondence, as they may do most usefully, and it may be expected 
that other authorities who are specialists may be appealed to as 
occasion may arise for their co-operation. The work will, of necessity, 
occupy a considerable amount of time, and must be done well. 
- United Horticultural Benefit and Provident 
Society. —The quarterly meeting of this Society was held on Monday 
evening last at the Caledonian Hotel, Adelphi, Strand. Mr. Joseph 
Wheeler presided. Twelve new members were elected, and four others 
nominated. Two deaths took pii-^t, during the last month, one being 
Mr. Charles Collins, who died sudov-Ui on December 26th at Forest 
Gate Railway Station, and his widow bt, o^ left in distressed circum¬ 
stances the Committee granted her £10 frou. 'Benevolent Fund, in 
addition to the amount standing to her late ’ib.'’nd’8 credit. The 
other member who died was Mr. Arthur Locke, oi l\'i.’'ing, who had 
been on the sick fund seventeen weeks. The amount to his 
credit will be paid the widow according to rule. The proposb.’ 'ni.- 
in sick pay was discussed, and a requisition signed by members present 
to call a special meeting in March to alter the rule bearing on the 
point. The Treasurer was instructed to invest £400 in West Bromwich 
3 per cent. Stock, and a very cordial vote of thanks to the Chairman 
ended the meeting. 
- The Wakefield Paxton Society.— On Saturday, Jan. 6th, 
there was a fair attendance of members at the Society’s room, and 
Mr. H. S. Goodyear presided. Mr. J. Eastwood, of Stanley, was the 
essayist, his subject being “ Bees and their Life History.” A very 
beautiful series of limelight lantern views was shown by Mr. Harold 
Parkin in illustration of the lecture. The microscopic slides showing 
the marvellous adaptations of bees for the performance of their various 
functions were specially remarkable. Mr. Eastwood, who is an experi¬ 
enced bee-keeper, very lucidly explained the best methods of bee 
culture, gathering of swarms, driving, and taking honey. He strongly 
condemned the cruel and unnecessary practice of killing bees in order 
to take the honey, and showed how easily the honey may be secured 
and the stocks of bees preserved through the winter. With a little care 
and attention bee-keeping might be made very profitable, and there 
were few hobbies which afforded such delightful opportunities for 
studying the wonders of Nature. Messrs. Burton, Hardwick, Emmett, 
and the Chairman took part in a discussion, and afterwards votes of 
thanks were given to Mr. Eastwood for his lecture,and to Mr. H. Parkin 
for showing the views. 
