January 31, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
89 
all the year round, and yet not enough to spoil either the form of 
the fruit or the constitution of the plant. 
When commencing this paper it was my intention to give the 
greatest prominence to a matter that I have been frequently con¬ 
sulted on of late, and that is whether or not Tomato growing is 
an industry in which gentlemen’s sons, or others with a moderate 
amount of capital and little or no experience in Tomato culture, 
may safely invest, but can only briefly allude to it now. I cannot 
honestly recommend any inexperienced person, male or female 
(for the latter are also “ on the war path ”), to commence Tomato 
growing for the markets, and have done my best to dissuade 
several from starting. It seems, however, that the more I argue 
against their starting the more determined are my interrogators to 
have a try. Some of them will regret not having taken my advice. 
Tomato growing is really a great lottery. Some there are who 
have succeeded well, but there are many others who would gladly 
take leas money than their land and buildings cost, so doubtful ia 
the prospect of gain becoming. Just merely getting a living is 
not enough, and he must be a smart man who can do that unless 
something over £800 is invested almost at the outset. Remember 
cheap glass structures depreciate in value rapidly, and this has to 
be taken into account when the profit and loss balance comes to 
be struck. Wood ready prepared and glass ready cut can be 
bought so cheaply that there is every inducement for the inexperi¬ 
enced to commence building on a fairly large scale, only to find 
that the heating and other ironwork, labour, water arrangements, 
and a variety of other expenses have also to be reckoned with. 
If these cm be met all well and good ; but in many cases, notably 
in the Channel Islands, accounts have to be held over and a heavy 
interest paid to those who have to wait for their money. 
Several establishments in Guernsey are in the market. If 
experts find a difficulty in growing Tomatoes profitably, how 
much more so will those who know next to nothing about the 
work ? Even private gardeners who have grown a sufficiency or 
an abundance for their employers find they have much to learn 
when they commence their culture on a large scale and in a diffe¬ 
rent class of houses. I would not advise any of the latter to 
resign a comfortable situation in order to commence Tomato 
growing for the markets ; but if they have a family largely con¬ 
sisting of strong boys, and find these regarded as an incumbrance, 
then if they have the wherewithal by all means strike out a new 
line—that is to say. Tomato and Cucumber growing. They must 
be prepared for much hard work and some disappointments ; but 
there is “ money in it ” if only rightly sought after.—W. Iggulden. 
Phal^nopsis Mari^. 
A CORRESPONDENT, “ J. T. B.,” Writes for information on 
Phalaenopsis Mariae, and we may say that though one of the small 
flowered and small growing species of Phalaenopsis, this elegant 
Orchid has found favour with the cultivators who have tried it. 
The plant was found by Mr. F. W. Burbidge in the Sunda Isles, 
when he was travelling for Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, and bears the 
name of the discoverer’s wife. An admirable coloured representa¬ 
tion of it appeared in the second volume of the “ Orchid Album,” 
and Mr. B. S. Williams thus describes the habit and flowers of the 
plant:—“ The leaves are deflexed, distichous, ligulate, acute, glossy, 
and obscurely striate. The flowers grow in a lateral, drooping 
raceme, and are about IJ inch across ; the oblong bluntish sepals 
and the somewhat broader petals are white, each marked with about 
six transverse bars of chestnut brown, the basal blotches being 
amethyst; the lip, which has the middle lobe obovate oblong 
apiculate, convex, and plane, not pilose, is of a rich deep magenta- 
purple margined with white.” 
Calanthes Failing. 
For fifteen years I have been a successful grower of Calanthes, 
but for the last two years the vestita section have deteriorated in 
size, and this year have failed to flower. The buds decayed when 
about half an inch high. Veitchi is as strong as ever, and has had 
a flower spike fully a yard long, and both have been treated alike 
in soil and temperature. Could you give me a little advice on 
the subject ?—M. 
[It is difficult to account for these occasional failures with 
Calanthes, which often puzzle experienced growers. As you 
have been successful for so long, we venture to predict that 
with carefully considered treatment the plants will soon' come 
round. Perhaps the best way to help will be to mention a few 
causes of failure, and you will be the best judge as to which 
will meet your case. One of the most frequent is wintering this 
Orchid in too low a temperature, and from the fact of C. Yeitchi, 
which is a better grower than 0. vestita, doing well, it isj possible 
that herein lies the mischief. 
Deciduous Calanthes should be wintered in the pots in which 
they have been grown in a temperature of not less than 55°, and if 
5° higher so much the better. They should not be repotted until, 
the growths are starting from the base, when the roots will at once 
commence to take hold of the new compost. Where no fire heat 
is afforded during late summer the night temperature often falls 
much lower than is advisable, and causes a good deal of mischief 
among Orchids. The condensed moisture, which settles on the 
leaves in the form of dew, is all very well during warm summer 
nights ; but as the days shorten and the nights get^ colder, fire 
FIG. 15.— PHAL^NOPSIS MARINE. 
heat must be turned on to dissipate this and create a more buoyant- 
atmosphere. 
Calanthes are also subject to a kind of black spot, to which 
many failures are attributable. Although this may be primarily 
caused by inattention to details in the matter of temperature and 
moisture, when once it obtains a hold on the plants no amount of 
care will rid them of it entirely, and in bad cases it is much better 
to obtain a fresh stock than to attempt it. Arrange the plants 
while growing so that they obtain all the light available, and only 
shade sufficiently to prevent injury to the foliage. Avoid wetting 
the pseudo-bulbs unduly after the foliage has fallen, and from that 
time onward maintain a free circulation of warm dry air about the 
plants.] 
Calanthe Veitchi. 
As W. Penton (page 67) so ably describes this charming winter 
flowering Orchid under the management of Mr. Friend of Rooks’ 
Nest Gardens, I am confident a few remarks on the management 
of Calanthes from Mr. Friend would prove an invaluable aid to 
myself and many other readers of the Journal of Horticulture. 
Seldom do we see examples producing exceptional long spikes of 
5 feet 8 and 5 feet 9 inches in length, which must be indicative of 
first-class culture.—D. Phillips, Lindley Hall Gardens. 
Odontoglossum tripudians. 
This Odontoglcssum has not found so much favour with growers 
as some others, nor can it be classed as a first-rate species. I have, 
however, lately seen several very good varieties, these being 
imported along with and as O. Pescatorei, which fine species it 
closely resembles in habit. The flowers of the best varieties are 
nearly as large as those of 0. triumphans. The sepals and 
petals are yellow, more or less blotched with chocolate brown ; 
the lip narrow in the middle and rounded in front, yellowish 
white with violet purple markings. The plant comes from Peru, 
and thrives in company with the coolest section of the genus. 
