242 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 29, 1894. 
s 
Newly Imeorted Orchids. 
Owing to the incrensed facilities for transit and improved 
modes of collecting and packing, imported Orchids now arrive in 
this country in much better condition than formerly ; still there 
are often many plants in a consignment that are not worth the 
trouble of taking from the sale room, and it behoves those who are 
baying to be careful in their selection. 
Plants of pseudo-bulbous Orchids will frequently be found to 
have started into growth on the passage, and are to be seen with 
pale sickly looking shoots, which soon die when the plants are 
brought to the light, and in consequence back breaks have to be 
depended on, while sometimes the plants die outright. Those that 
are chosen should have fairly good sound bulbs, and what is of still 
greater importance plump though dormant eyes, which, when 
introduced to heat and moisture, grow away without any check. 
Aerides, Saccolabiums, Vandas, and those of a similar habit, 
Cypripediums, Masdevallias, and others not bearing pseudo-bulbs, 
should have healthy leaves, firm, and sound at the axils if they are 
expected to do well. The first thing needful when the plants 
arrive is a thorough and very careful cleansing of all parts, 
and all dead leaves, bulbs, and roots should be cut clean away. 
Perform this latter operation judiciously, as much that at first sight 
looks useless will often produce growths that tend to make a plant 
well furnished, and it is better to leave a doubtful bulb to be 
afterwards removed than to cut away a sound eye. When all are 
cleared they may be spread out on a slightly moist stage, or 
suspended head downwards from the roof in an Orchid house, a 
moist stove, or a warm vinery, and lightly dewed with tepid 
water from the syringe or a fine-rose can once or twice daily. 
After a week or two of this treatment the plants will generally be 
showing some signs of activity by pushing new roots or growths, 
and it will be necessary to place the plants on blocks in baskets or 
in pots according to the requirements of the different species. 
Erect - growing Orchids, such as Dendrobium aureum, 
D. chrysotoxum, D. thyrsiflorum, Cattleyas, Lycastes, Brassias, 
and Oncidiums should be placed in pots filled nearly to the rim 
with clean crocks, merely surfaced over with the usual compost, 
and supported with a few small stakes. Those with long pendulous 
bulbs, as D. Devonianum, D. Pierardi, and D. macrophyllum, will be 
more easily fixed in position if wired to small blocks, and these 
inserted in pots or wood baskets with just sufficient compost to 
hide the blocks. Distichous-leaved Orchids, such as Phalsenopsis, 
Vandas, and Angrsecums. are best potted in clean crocks, a little live 
sphagnum moss being mixed with them towards the top, while 
plants intended for blocks may be fixed in the usual way, either 
with copper wire and tacks, or strips of cork, or both as is most 
convenient. 
The present is a very suitable time for procuring newly 
imported plants, as they have the summer before them to recover, 
and it will greatly assist the growth of all cool house Orchids if 
during the first year after being imported they are given a 
temperature of from 10° to 15° higher than that usually recom¬ 
mended for established plants.—H. R. R. 
Dendrobium PuALiENOPSis Schroderianum. 
A correspondent writing to an American contemporary gives 
his experience of this beautiful Orchid as follows ;—“ Established 
plants generally flower in the dull autumn months and are very 
useful then, but those now in bloom were obtained last June as 
dried imported plants, and consequently started late. They all 
grew well, and every plant is now showing flowers. There is a 
wide range of colour in the plants already flowered, some being 
dark and others pure white, with rose shadings over the peta's and 
lip. The paler forms are certainly the more pleasing, and seem to 
predominate. "When this Dendrobium becomes fully established 
and makes a growth equal to that of the imported plants, we shall 
be su’-prised at the number of flowers to each spray. 
“ Full exposure to the sun in winter is necessary to mature the 
growth, especially where this has been made late, and also a 
position in the warmest house, with a minimum of 60° at night. 
It is essentially a warm-house plant. Even when in bloom it does 
not do to move the plants to a cooler temperature, as the flowers 
soon spot and quickly decay from damp. Another point worth 
noting is that a very small portion of potting material is sufficient 
about the roots, at least until the plants become well established. 
We place them in shallow pans with holes in the sides, and suspend 
them close to the roof glass. Thrips and red spider are very 
partial to the young shoots, but in the growing season frequent 
spraying will keep these pests in check and benefit the plants also.” 
EARL’S COURT EXHIBITIONS AND PRIZE MONEY. 
It is announced that from May to October an Exhibition of 
British Industries will be held at Earl’s Court. Additional attrac¬ 
tions in the shape of flower shows on an extensive scale will be 
arranged during June and September. The principal object of the 
Exhibition is to illustrate as far as possible the industries of Great 
Britain, with special reference to the advance made in methods of pro¬ 
duction and in new inventions during the past few years. A special 
feature will be made of the various industries which can be shown in 
actual operation. Fine art exhibits will have a large section allotted to 
them, and the gardens will be improved and beautifled. The buildings 
will be lighted by electricity, and the grounds will be illuminated. The 
exhibits will be divided into seven sections—manufactures, mechanical 
engineering, machinery and electricity, agricultural, mining and 
metallurgy, science, and flne arts. We are informed that the management 
will not be the same as last year. 
For the benefit of those exhibitors at last year’s series of shows who now 
apply for their duly won prize money, I would mention a case recently 
tried in one of the Hampshire county courts, which seems to run pretty 
much on all fours with the Earl’s Court case. An exhibitor of dogs at a 
canine society’s show won prizes to the value of £2 10s. Being unable 
to obtain the money he sued leading members of the committee and the 
secretary. The Court non-suited him as against the committee, but 
gave a verdict against the secretary for the sum named with costs. 
If the county court judgment as shown above be good law, then it would 
seem as if the Earl’s Court exhibitors had an equally good case against 
the chief officials of those shows. Can it be possible, as so freely 
stated, that it is intended to organise another series of flower shows at 
Earl’s Court this year ? Though these will be under different manage¬ 
ment they must be prejudiced by last year’s experience unless clear and 
definite undertakings are announced for the prompt and undoubted 
payment of the prize money.—A. 
Just a line to say that I received by the last post this evening 
(March 27th) my cheque for prize money,&c., due from the Earl’s Court 
Exhibition of last year. Medals are announced to follow. Very many 
thanks for your valuable help in publishing letters concerning this 
business. We are all indebted to you.— James Hudson. 
[Having endeavoured to do justice to the Earl’s Court Shows we 
tried to do the same to a body of men who contributed so effectively to 
them, and it was not possible to conceive that the successful exhibitors 
would be eventually met otherwise than in an honourable manner. The 
deferred payment of prize money is not peculiar to the Exhibitions in 
question, and greater promptitude in other directions is from every 
point of view desirable. Mr. Hudson’s announcement will give general 
satisfaction. We do not feel quite at liberty at present to state the 
precise natu re of the settlement of this question.] 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
March 27th. 
There was a bright display of flowers at the Drill Hall, West¬ 
minster, on tbe above-mentioned occasion. Stove and greenhouse plants 
were well represented, the same applying to Orchids and hardy flowers, 
including Narcissi. Some good vegetables were also exhibited. 
Fruit Committee. —Present: P. Crowley, Esq. (in the chair), and 
Dr. Hogg, with Messis. G. Bunyard, A. H. Pearson, T. F. Rivers, J. Cheal, 
G. Taber, T. J. Saltmarsh, A. Dean, A. J. Laing, T. Glen, J. Hudson, 
G. Woodward, G. Wythes, F. Q. Lane, G. Sage, H. Balderson, and 
J. Wright. 
At this season of the year the duties of the Fruit and Vegetable 
Committee are always light, and the present occasion was no exception 
to the rule. Only two dishes of seedling Apples were sent, one by Mr. 
Bourne, Beckenham, the fruits resembling Wyken Pippin externally, 
but in texture different, and not nearly so good as the old favourite ; 
the other by Messrs. Jarman & Co., Chard, a variety raised from the 
Blenheim Pippin, and closely resembling Rymer, on which variety it 
was no improvement. No special award was merited in either of 
these cases. 
In the vegetable department, Mr. G. Wythes, Syon House Gardens, 
had a great field day; but first we may notice the exhibit of Mr. W. 
