February 16, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
125 
managed with imported crowns. Perhaps in Mrs. Heywood’s time as 
much flower forcing was carried out at Norris Green as in any private 
place in the country. We always had a wealth of flowers, as hundreds 
of persons can testify, 
I have stated in the Journal of Horticulture many times how bulbs 
should be forced, and I may do so again in time to be of service to 
growers for another season. Daffodils are certain to be in larger request 
than ever in the near future. Small occupiers of land might do a 
good deal worse than grow a few thousands of these and other bulbs 
for sale annually. They will pay them better than Potatoes.— 
Wm. Bardney, Osmaston Manor Gardens^ Derby. 
Narcissus obvallaris, as remarked by your correspondent Mr, W. 
Bardney (page 88), may not be quite so free in flowering as the double 
N. Telamonius plenus, but when grown in its adopted home (Tenby) it 
is certainly very little if anything behind it. It does not 
■flourish so well in some parts of the country as in the 
neighbourhood of Tenby, but here it is in great request- 
With only a gentle forcing we have It in bloom by the new 
year, and a box of bulbs will yield a rich harvest of one of 
the most useful of Daffodils. Growers in the neighbourhood 
are alive to its value, and some thousands ot blooms find 
a market when forced. It has the great advantage of lasting 
a long time in a cut state, and nothing travels better. I 
have never yet endeavoured to force them into bloom before 
Christmas, as they are scarcely wanted before that time ; 
but I should imagine by the readiness with which they 
respond to the little heat necessary to get them into flower 
by that time they may be had earlier if desired. 
In the neighbourhood of Tenby, where doubtless they 
were originally imported, N. obvallaris flourished a few years 
ago in great luxuriance, and one field in particular near the 
town was a sight worth seeing when the plants were in 
bloom. The hedges around the farm and cottage gardens 
were often crowded with blossoms, and but little value was 
placed on them ; but since such a great demand has arisen 
for the flowers the neighbourhood has been almost deci¬ 
mated. Local dealers resdily bought the bulbs, and the 
cottage gardens had to be watched to prevent them being 
stolen. The rush for them has, however, happily ceased, 
and as they increase rapidly it is to be hoped the few 
remaining may do so in peace.— Tenby. 
16th ult., and a first-class certificate was awarded for it by the 
Orchid Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society. The 
sepals and petals are white. The lip is very fine, white, with pale 
purplish-blue veins. It is a chaste and beautiful fiower when seen 
at its best. 
CfELOGYNE CRISTATA. 
Ccelogyne CRISTATA is a charming Orchid and popular with 
all growers. No garden where choice white flowers are in demand 
through January, February, and March should be without a few 
plants. It is not difficult to grow. It is an evergreen plant, and 
its growth is made after flowering. The flowers last nearly five 
weeks if not in too much heat and kept free from damp. The 
plants will succeed on blocks or in pans. When on the former 
NOTES ON BIRDS. 
On page 70 “A. L. B. K.” informs us that it is the blue 
tit which takes his fruit buds. I have not the previous 
numbers of the Journal of Horticidture to refer to on the 
subject, therefore am sorry I have given any trouble on that 
account. I repeat that it is not “cavilling,” in my opinion, 
to defend birds from destruction, as would probably be the 
case, and I have watched so closely for so many years and 
have proved unmistakeably that they were taking brown 
scale, cockle scale, aphides, grubs, caterpillars and moths’ 
eggs from my fruit trees instead of the buds, and there 
the matter must rest so far as I am concerned. 
Respectinyr imprisoning bullfinches, as hinted at by 
“A. L. B. K ,” I am plea-ed to hear he has not the heart to 
do it and hope he has no occasion to do so. I choose the 
plan as the least of three evils—allowing my fruit buds to be cleared ofi 
wholesale, destroying the crops, and also of permanently damaging the 
trees, for once they pinch off a bud with their nipper-bills no future 
growth takes place to form spurs or boughs fur the formation of the tree. 
Shooting I dislike for several reasons, especially in the trees or bushes. 
“Imprisoning” by catching has its objections I admit. I have a 
pair of birds which seem very happy and contented. The cock sings to 
his mate, and of course to me, most of the day ; they have a cage 4 feet 
long by 1 foot 6 by 1 foot to fly about in, plenty of seed and water for 
drinking and bathing, of which they are very fond, no enemies to contend 
against, but delicacies of the season in the way of natural food when the 
berries are in season, spare spurs of fruit buds from pruning, green food, 
such as groundsel and chickweed, and plenty of rough grit to supply 
their gizzard mills to grind their food. These are intended for hints 
to others if they feet inclined to follow my example.—J. HiAM. 
L^LIA ANCEP3 AsinVORTlTIANA. 
There are many varieties of L. anceps in cultivation, but few 
are so distinct as that now under notice, and which is depicted 
in the illustration (fig. 19). A plant of this grand form was 
exhibited by Messrs. F. Sander & Co., at the Drill Hall, on the 
FIG. 19.—L^LIA ANCEPS ASHWORTHIANA. 
more attention is necessary as regards water ; therefore I prefer 
them grown in pans. The compost should consist of chopped 
sphagnum moss, peat, sand, and plenty of broken potsherds. The 
drainage must be abundant, the pans being half filled with crocks, 
as liberal supplies of water are necessary during the period of growth. 
This species can be grown well in an ordinary plant stove 
where the temperature is between 55° and 60° at night, with the 
usual rise in the day. It enjoys a good rest, and its fleshy pseudo¬ 
bulbs allow of it being kept tolerably dry at the roots, and it is 
much benefited by being placed in cooler quarters after the growth 
is completed, but should not be in a lower temperature than 45 . 
It is necessary while the plant is making its growth to shade it 
from the sun, yet in the declining months of the year after the 
growth becomes somewhat ripe it should be gradually exposed to 
more light and a cooler atmosphere. If any plants are unhealthy 
they must be turned out of their pots, the roots washed, and then 
placed on blocks with a little moss, and suspended from the roof of 
a house where a temperature of about 60° is maintained. They 
will scon make fresh roots, and when sufficiently recruited can 
again be placed in pans.— Srecialist. 
Dendrobium Bensonre. 
This is a handsome species, and a great favourite with Orchid 
growers. It is adapted for culture either in a pot or on a block, 
but its pendulous habit especially suits it for the latter mode. A 
warm and light position in the East Indian house appears to meet 
its requirements, with liberal supplies of water during growth ; 
and a well-marked seasen of rest in a cooler position will induce it 
to flower freely. 
