January 25, 1834. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. C5 
In visiting my friends, I always have an eye to the structure of 
those buildings which mean so much to us gardeners, and one often 
has to lend a sympathetic ear to many a tale of woe. Indeed, in 
some cases one could almost imagine they had been inaugurated 
with a dedication hymn, “ Brief life is here our portion,” so many 
are the weak points observable. 
Could we all go to those eminent builders who make this class 
of work a speciality, we should have but little to complain of, 
though some suggestion might be made, some new thoughts brought 
to bear on the subject that may have escaped even experts. The 
first cost of these houses may be higher, but it is better to pay the 
builder first than the doctor after. Yet many gentlemen have to 
consider the claims of local tradesmen, and though these be men of 
good repute, this class of work has not been their special study ; 
in these cases the gardener might be allowed to express his ideas, 
and so wed practice to theory. 
On my last visit to Straffan Gardens, Kildare, some old houses 
were being replaced by new ones which appeared to me perfection. 
There was not so far as I could see, and I tried to see, any place 
where water could lodge, either on wall plates, roof plates, or any 
of those nooks where it is generally found and always means 
incipient decay. As we are known by our works, so should those 
builders be. Though modesty forbids them being mentioned here, I 
will take it on myself to say that Mr. Bedford will not only be 
happy to show them to anyone interested, and many good 
things besides, but he ought to be proud to do so. 
To turn again to the shady side of the subject, I shall be—well, 
not happy but content—to show here, from where I write (the 
Editor can point the road) some evil designed specimens, one an 
architect’s conservatory, of which all I can say for it is that it 
was very expensive, “ fearfully and wonderfully ” made. As it is in 
iron and glass, it could doubtless be utilised for various purposes, 
except that of growing plants in, and, unfortunately, that is what is 
expected of it. In the dim religious light of many coloured lamps 
during a dinner party or other social gathering it does perhaps 
look effective, unless the night should be frosty, then huge 
condensed drops of icy cold water from a cupola-like roof coming 
down on ladies in evening dress is, to say the least, startling, but so 
far as stability goes it may be a trouble to gardeners yet unborn. 
Then again we have a small range of houses in the garden built 
against a wall on the hip span principle, with the inevitable lead 
gutter, and the inevitable plumber too frequently perched up in it, 
stopping out the wet and stopping it in after it has worked its way 
into the woodwork. I cannot but think these hip spans are a 
mistake. In appearance there may be a small advantage over a 
lean-to, but is there any other, unless it be that item before 
mentioned, viz., very expensive? 
Paint is of necessity an important matter, but costs nothing, 
so the proverb says, but wisely did not mention painting—the 
application of the material, which does cost a good deal in these 
days, and many a labourer wielding the spade is apt to draw 
invidious comparisons in the matter of his pay and that cf the man 
who sits like a cherub aloft wielding the brush. In the matter of 
painting in the interior of houses we have some reason for poaching 
on our neighbour’s trade, and a good deal of this work is done by 
hands on the place where a professional painter is not kept. Apart 
from consideration of expense, it is seldom convenient to clear the 
decks for a contractor’s staff ; but in the short days of winter, and 
outside work weatherbound, a couple of handymen, though perhaps 
not quite up to professional work, can do it fairly well, and the 
advantage of their knowing the plants must be respected is an 
undoubted one. Where this work is left for contractors to do the 
evil day is put off as long as possible. Where we do it ourselves one 
coat put on annually between autumn and spring gives the houses 
a fresh and clean appearance that no amount of cleaning will, added 
to all the virtues that paint possesses at a trifling cost. The best 
white lead mixed to a creamy consistency with drying oil, some 
turps, and a little blue, just to give that tone of colour that a 
laundress gives to her linen ; no driers. This is my experience of 
the best paint for our houses. If for outside work very little turps 
should be used, as it has a tendency to perish the lead. 
Doors and locks are, after a certain age, very troublesome, and 
I think there are but few gardeners who have experience of this 
annoyance—doors that will not open ; when open, will not shut, 
nor catch, nor lock when wanted ; these are a perennial nuisance. 
Here I should like to ask those eminent horticultural builders why 
we cannot have iron doors and door frames and a damp-proof lock ? 
They could be made ornamental, panelled, two panes of plate glass 
in the top ha’f, practically as light as wood, galvanised, painted, and 
grained to represent any wood ; a renewable rubber fillet on the 
frame would prevent concussion. I hope this suggestion may be 
noticed, and that I may yet see it un fait accompli. —E. K., 
Dublin. 
Dendrobium atro-violaceum. 
This is a very distinct Dendrobium, and when a plant was 
exhibited by F. Wigan, Esq., Clare Lawn, East Sheen, S.W., at the 
Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, on Tuesday, 16th inst., 
considerable attention was centred upon it. The plant alluded to 
bore two spikes of flowers, one of which is represented in the 
engraving (6g. 10). The blooms are exceedingly beautiful, and 
merited the first-class certificate that was awarded. The sepals and 
petals are light yellow spotted dark maroon, the lip being pale green 
and rich violet. 
Oncidium ornithorhynchum. 
This Oncidium appears to thrive equally well in the cool 
house or in a warmer one, and my success, says a correspondent 
PIG. 10.—DENDROBIUM ATRO-VIOLACEDM. 
in the “Garden and Forest,” with a plant originally presented 
induced the purchase of twelve others, more especially because of 
their agreeable spicy but quite undefinable fragrance. The 
original plant was obtained two years ago in a 4-inch pot, and 
owing to the way the plant has of making two growths each year 
from the last-made bulb, it is in a 9-inch pan, and recently was a 
fountain of charming pink flowers ; the spikes are much branched, 
many of them 2 feet long, and the foliage of a rich green. There 
is a white form of this Oncidium, at present extremely rare in 
cultivation, but very beautiful. 
0. ornithorhynchum is an easy plant to grow, and appears to 
need no resting period, as the young growths start before the 
flowers have faded each year, and the bulbs increase in size until 
they become as large as hens’ eggs, and these produce two the next 
season. Repotting is done directly after the plants have past 
flowering—that is, during the fall months. I have had plants in 
bloom for three months, and the small sprays are very useful 
