298 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 4, 1895. 
frequently proves useful when Lettuce play u» the freak of bolting 
wholesale, thus breaking, as it were, a few links in our chain of supply. 
South or west borders are capital positions in which to sow at the 
present time. A foot apart is a convenient distance for the rows ; then 
if the seedlings are thinned to 3 inches asunder, every alternate plant 
should be used in a young state to give the remaining ones room to 
develop.—A Lamb. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
March 26th. 
Scientific Committee. —Present; Dr. M. T. Masters (in the 
chair); Mr. McLachlan, Mr. Morris, Mr. Sutton, Prof. Miiller, and Rev. 
G. Henslow (Hon. Sec,). 
Orchid Leaves Decayed. —The report from Kew on the specimens 
brought to the last meeting was as follows“ Fungi and bacteria aie 
absent from all the specimens, and the disease is entirely physiological, 
being caused by the substance of the leaf at particular points becoming 
saturated with water. This causes the formation of numerous oil 
globules, followed by degeneration of the chlorophyll corpuscles and cell 
contents. This disease is caused by the activity of the roots being in 
excess of that of the leaves. Less moisture at the roots, and a free 
circulation of air with a not too damp atmosphere, is the remedy.” 
Dendrohiuvi with Two Lips. —Dr. Masters had examined a flower of 
the plant exhibited at the last meeting, and found that the extra lip 
was accompanied with a bifurcation of the single central cord belonging 
to a normal labellum, so that it was not due to a fusion of two organs, 
but to multiplication by chorisis of one. 
Ferns Lnjured by Alice. —Mr. McLachlan described the injuries done 
to Ferns during the hard frost by mice. Mr. Morris attributed it to a 
want of water, as he had experienced a similar trouble on board ship, 
when a consignment of Cinchonas and other plants was sent from 
Jamaica to New Orleans, and was much injured by rats and mice. By 
placing pans of water among them, however, no further injury occurred. 
Aspidistra Attached by Fungi. —Dr. Masters exhibited a leaf much 
decayed in parts with peculiar black marks on it. It was referred to 
Kew for examination. 
Odontoglossum cirrhosnm. —A specimen was sent by Mr. Smee, 
remarkable for the flowers being associated with leafy bracts. 
Hyacinth Malformed. — A peculiar specimen was sent by Sir 
Ch. Strickland. The stem was exceedingly slender, the flowers remote, 
small, double, and campanulate ; probably an accidental variation 
from impoverishment. 
Galls on Leptospermuni. —Dr. Masters showed a specimen of these 
received from Baron Von Muller from Australia. Mr. McLachlan 
undertook to examine them* 
Schinus Molle. —A photograph of a remarkably fine tree, apparently 
some 25 feet in height, growing in Graham’s Town, was shown by 
Dr. Masters. 
Bulbophylluni burfordiense. —This remarkable Orchid was exhibited 
by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. It is probably by far the largest 
flowering species of this genus. Its peculiarity, however, consists in 
the absence of petals, as there are only three large green sepals, the 
posterior one being spotted with white. 
SPINACH. 
When it was the other day remarked that, because so close growing. 
Winter Spinach has largely escaped the destruction wrought amongst 
other winter leaf vegetables, I had brought to mind two very extensive 
breadths I had seen on a Surrey farm only a few days before, where an 
August sowing was decimated, and a later one made in September had 
stood remarkably well. That fact shows the great value of late sowings 
for reserve, even if not wanted ; for it very frequently happens that not 
only Spinach, but Onions, Turnips, and Cabbages, when thus sown so 
late stand hard winters better, but prove invaluable in the spring, when 
the earlier sowings have been destroyed. If not wanted, at least the 
sowings cost little, do not occupy much ground, and may then be dug in 
as a green manure crop. But then it is evident, so far as Spinach is con¬ 
cerned, that, welcome as a late sowing may be to furnish late pickings in 
April, it is really through the winter months that the need for this leaf 
product is greatest. 
It will be now very interesting to learn whether round-seeded 
kinds have proved to be hardier or have shown more endurance than 
have prickly varieties. The breadths that I referred to were of the usual 
prickly or rough-seeded order, as it has hardly yet entered into the 
minds of market growers to sow round Spinach for winter use. But 
very likely many gardeners have done so, and they can, with their now 
ample experience, tell us which form has withstood the severe winter 
best. Probably the effects of the winter has led many growers to be 
quite out of respect for either variety. We may feel the same with 
regard to many other plants usually esteemed hardy ; but it would 
be most unwise to assume simply because of a great garden disaster 
that things are to be ever such. We may have no such destruction 
amongst vegetables again for perhaps twenty years, and if we do then 
is it too much to hope that horticulture will, ere that time, have so far 
advanced that disasters of this sort may be better prepared for than they 
are to-day P 
t It will be a long time ere in any garden we make such provision 
against hard weather as shall enable us to have most of our green 
winter crops under glass. There may indeed be said to exist a certain 
amount of absurdity in the suggestion, and yet where is the gardener 
who to-day would laugh at the proposal if he were the possessor in a 
big span frame or other protection of a fine bed of Spinach, or 
dwarf Cabbages, or of late Broccoli, or indeed of anything else of great 
use, but of which now he has none whatever ? Why should our glass 
protection be so rigidly limited to the ordinary heated house, or the 
frame ground ? How different might have been matters with thousands 
of gardeners if they had had at disposal, to plant or sow thickly last 
autumn, numerous light wooden span or lean-to frames ; or having on 
warm borders, beds, or blocks, specially prepared by sowing or planting 
have, the moment frost became imminent, these frames or protectors 
dropped over them, and as far as practicable made air-tight. The results 
would have been most valuable, without doubt. Of course the benefits 
would have been all the greater were it possible to have these frames 
gently warmed by a couple of 3-inch pipes, because even so little of 
warmth allied to the undoubted protection the frames afford, would 
have done wonders in warding off absolute injury. 
Whilst every year we recognise more and more the need of glass 
for fruit, flower, and Tomato culture, we have hardly given to 
vegetables the consideration that they merit. Well, the recent winter 
has taught us a lesson, and it is for us to utilise it. We cannot hope, of 
course, to cover in whole gardens with glass, much less fields, and for 
defects in our climate must always suffer ; but all the same, in many 
ways much may be done to check harm amongst our winter vegetable 
crops. It is worth making a start in that direction with so excellent a 
kind as good Spinach.—A. D. 
SPRING FLOWERS. 
After all, there is no season in the whole year whose flowers are so 
welcomed and appreciated as those of the spring. It will doubtless be 
even more so this year. For many weeks the whole country has been 
snow-covered and ice-bound, and while in this condition it was difficult 
to bring the mind to think of either spring or its flowers. Happily, this 
has all now passed away; the sun is gaining power, days are lengthening, 
birds have commenced singing, and those pleasing harbingers the Snow¬ 
drop and Crocus have pushed forward their blooms in spite of severe 
weather, as if to convey to us the news that winter’s chain is broken, 
and there are better days near at hand. 
Ardent cultivators of hardy spring flowers, and happily there are 
many, will now be turning their attention towards them, and gardens 
that can boast a goodly collection of these charming species will enjoy 
a season of unsurpassable beauty months before those where only 
summer flowers are grown. A great loss sustained by those who only 
follow the system of summer bedding is the complete exclusion of 
flowers during the spring. This state of things may be often noticed, 
and the folly of the system marked in paying a visit to some old- 
fashioned garden during the month of April. There, perchance, 
will be found Primroses of numerous colours, sweet Violets, Pansies, 
Daffodils, blue Anemones, purple Aubrietia, and many others ; while the 
surrounding country lanes and woodlands are gay with Cuckoo Flowers, 
Anemones, Bluebells, and Violets. 
Many much more fashionable and pretentious gardens will on the 
contrary be found dull and blank at this season of the year, with but 
little more signs of the spring than were apparent months before. 
Surely by setting apart a portion for the cultivation of spring flowers, the 
dull aspect in many instances at this period of the year might be 
rapidly transformed, and the time when the garden is gay with flowers 
be extended considerably. The best way of bringing this about is an 
easy one. That is by procuring a number of plants that are hardy, 
and will be likely to multiply. All plants are not suitable for these 
conditions, but there are many that flourish profusely. Much care is 
necessary in choosing situations for hardy favourites, as some delight 
in rather dry sunny positions, whilst others revel under conditions of 
moisture and damp. 
Amongst the old-fashioned spring flowers that may be raised from 
seeds sown the preceding year, none occupies a higher position than the 
Wallflower. It may be found flowering profusely in almost any garden, 
even where methods of spring bedding are not strictly adhered to. 
Easy of cultivation, pleasing in colour, and sweet in scent, in spite 
of new additions this old-timed favourite will never be displaced. Then 
there are Polyanthus, Cowslips, Auriculas, Forget-me-nots, and Daisies, 
all of which supply abundance of flowers for cutting, and are also 
easily propagated by division. 
Bulbs, too, are annually becoming more popular amongst spring 
flowers, and need we wonder at this ? for the brightness of colour of 
many of them, and the pleasing form of others, must make them 
general favourites. 
It seems needless to dwell upon the many different species of bulbous 
flowering plants, as they are so well known. Common Daffodils will 
flourish under almost any conditions, as will the different forma of 
Pheasant’s-eye or Poet’s Narcissus, while the more rare varieties of the 
former, such as Sir Watkin, Horsefieldi, and ot'ners, will amply repay 
for careful cultivation. Tulips of all kinds, single and double, the 
qualities and properties of which have been admirably described in 
recent numbers of the Journal oj Horticulture, are indispensable, 
with their varying forms and pleasing colour. Hyacinths also claim 
attention, and will in the future, as they have in the past, play a con¬ 
spicuous part among the beauties of the spring. Ranunculus in many 
gardens do not receive the attention they deserve, for if the colours are 
carefully blended they have no superiors. 
