March 8, 1894 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
181 
Carting out at one door this surplus matter with all its constituents of 
the various salts analysis shows it to contain, carting in at another door 
the new material in the form of manure, thus creating a new way to 
pay old debts. Of these two doors one must undoubtedly ever remain 
an open one—viz., that of ingress for additional fertilising matter, for 
besides that continuous removal to the rubbish heap other agencies, such 
as the vegetable, the fruit, and even the flower basket, are ever drawing 
on the funds, and possibly atmospheric agencies insidiously assist in the 
robbery. 
High pressure has caused in other phases of life radical changes. 
Modern ingenuity in the various industrial arts has discovered ways 
and means by which their waste material—the rubbish—has been 
utilised and made to contribute its share to the general good ; and the 
same high pressure too, is surely if slowly invading our domain, com- 
pelling us to adopt all and every means to the end of economy. Each 
year appears to bring in its train some additional work in all depart¬ 
ments of gardening, and in the neck to neck race with Father Time we, 
whilst being handicapped with increasing cares, find some diflSculty to 
keep up with our competitor whose age seems only to give him increased 
swiftness, and any way by which we can circumvent him is, however 
insignificant it may appear, not to be despised. 
In the good old days, when all went on in a free and easy manner, 
before the heavy strain of bedding out had been introduced by Fashion, 
and the multiplicity of requirements she now exacts from us were 
unknown, it was possibly more the endeavour then to kill time, whereas 
it is ours now to catch it if we can ; but Science has come to our aid and 
revealed to us of later days what to them were all but hidden mysteries, 
though even in those days some gifted with stronger mental vision 
could see the shadows of coming events. One, a far-seeing Scottish 
nobleman, told his gardener that the day would come when one waist¬ 
coat pocket would hold all that was necessary to fertilise his garden, 
an idea this old gardener took cum grano salis. His reply was, “ I 
nae doot it your grace, and the ither pouch will baud all the produce 
too.” Neither lived to see the fulfilment of the prophecy, nor probably 
shall we, but fertilisers in concentrated forms are rapidly bringing into 
contempt that midden for which our forefathers had such veneration, 
whilst the formerly despised rubbish heap we begin to look upon with 
some respect. 
According to the size of the garden two or more small plots of vacant 
ground of easy access to barrow or basket, and so situated as to com¬ 
mand an area of the quarters devoted to vegetable culture, can be 
readily made the means of absorbing all this waste food at a great 
saving of time and labour. By opening a trench, say, 3 feet wide and 
two spits deep, removing the soil as in digging, an opening is formed 
for all the rubbish save woody matter, which must undergo the ordeal 
by fire. When this depth is half filled cover with the soil from the 
next trench, and so on across the plot. 
Another plan I have adopted where it is necessary to raise Asparagus 
from seed without disturbing the plants, is to outline the bed and remove 
the soil to either side for a final covering. If the mould is removed to 
the depth of a foot all decaying matter placed in makes a good founda¬ 
tion for the bed, which can finally be made up by a coating of farmyard 
manure and finished oS with the soil in which the seed is sown. 
Either or both of these simple plans are a boon in the rubbish 
question, and a blessing during a wet season, when growth is rapid and 
the wheelbarrow an undesirable vehicle on the walks. If one is fortu¬ 
nate enough to get one of those round plant hampers.from the nursery, 
it is just the thing for a couple of men or boys to gather up all waste, 
and convey it to the position destined to receive it. 
Truly it is but a simple plan, but I claim for it economy in the 
different lights touched upon. It is but a little thing this question of 
surplus matter, this closing the door to the rubbish heap ; but these are 
times when we cannot afford to despise the little things of life, for they 
possess an importance out of relative proportion to their apparent mag¬ 
nitude.—E. K., Duhlin, 
' Some Fine Cypripediums. 
Growers of choice Cypripeiiums will have no difficulty now- 
a-days in making a selection of kinds that produce very fine 
flowers, which show conspicuously amongst those of the ordinary 
type. The latter include some of the most beautiful species in 
cultivation, and are well adapted for general decorative purposes ; 
but one might advantageously grow a few plants of the first men¬ 
tioned group, if only to add variety to the collection. 
Cypripedium Elliottianum is a remarkably showy species. 
Under good cultivation the scapes on fine plants rise to a height of 
15 or 18 inches, and each one usually bears from two to five 
flowers. The lip is sometimes nearly 2 inches in length, and of a 
reddish brown colour. The petals are whitish, blotched and 
spotted crimson, drooping, and from 4 to 6 inches long, while the 
dorsal sepal is also striped with dark crimson. 
Another splendid species is C. Stonei, which is now generally 
cultivated. In a warm house this handsome Cypripedium, 
according to my experience, makes rapid growth when once 
established. The scapes are frequently 2 feet in length, and bear 
two or three flowers of an enormous size. The petals are long and 
narrow, twisted, white, striped with reddish-purple, shaded yellow ; 
and the dorsal sepal is of a similar colour. The lip is large, dull 
red, veined purple. The variety C. Stonei platytsenium is even 
more beautiful than the type, but decidedly more rare, and is 
confined to a comparatively few collections. 
C. Rothschildianum is another member of this group of fine 
Cypripediums, and when seen at its best is always admired. The 
FIG. 30.— L^LIO CATTLEYA TYDEA. 
flowers are very handsome, three or four being borne on each scape. 
The dorsal sepal is oblong in shape, yellowish green, striped with 
dark purple, and has a white margin. The petals are similarly 
coloured, and the lip, which is stout in texture, is cinnamon 
coloured. A well-grown specimen of this Orchid presents a very 
fine effect. 
Among hybrids, too, there are some flowers of gigantic pro¬ 
portions, one being C. Morganiae. This is said to be the result of 
a cross between C. superbiens and C. Stonei, and first flowered 
in 1880. In general appearance the flowers much resemble 
C. Stonei platytaenium, but those I have seen were rather brighter 
coloured. The dorsal sepal is of pinkish white, veined with red, 
the petals being pale sulphur yellow, blotched purplish brown. 
The lip is a dull rose colour veined crimson. A form exhibited at 
the Drill Hall some months ago under the name of C. Morganiae 
langleyense is also noteworthy for its size and attractiveness. 
There are several other large Cypripediums that should be included 
in collections where possible, such as C. grande, C. phillipiense and 
C. caudatum giganteum.— Specialist. 
La:lio-Cattleya Tydea. 
The accompanying illustration (fia. 30) represents a bloom of 
Lajlio-Cattleya Tydea, a beautiful Orchid exhibited by Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nurseries, Chelsea, at the Drill 
Hall, Westminster, on the 13th ult. This bigeneric hybrid is the 
result of a cross between Laclia pumila and Cattleya Trianae, the 
latter being the pollen parent, and it well deserved the award of merit 
adjudged by the Orchid Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society on the occasion mentioned. Like the seed-bearing parent, 
L. pumila, the plant appears to be dwarf in growth, but the flowers 
are of a moderate size. The sepals and petals are rosy mauve, the 
lip being a rich purplish crimson. 
