Angust 25, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
159 
Mushrooms will not endure very high temperatures indoors, and 
certainly not aridity of air. I think 60° should ever be the maximum 
point; but anywhere between 50’ and 60° is congenial to them. The 
air should be kept continually moist by water application while 
tiring is used : in other cases more moderation may be used. Well, 
then, as to air-giving. It surely needs little argument to prove that 
they do not like a corrupt air, when we consider how boldly they 
spring forth at the end of August in our fields, where they have the 
comfort of a puff of wind occasionally, so that we may rely upon it 
they love fresh and sweet air. Indeed, it is this that completes their 
flavour. I am well assured that however delicate and nice our 
artificially grown Mushrooms may be, they will never make such rich 
catsup as those from the open fields. Those who grow them on the 
cld-fashioned ridge beds out of doors—a plan well adapted to produce 
up to the beginning of winter—should beware of the strawy cover¬ 
ing. When the weather becomes severe in November people are 
induced to lay on an extra covering, and this is apt to ferment. In 
so doing the surface of the bed will generally be clothed with a 
profusion of spawn instead of Mushrooms, and this rapidly lays hold 
of the strawy covering. I have known many a good bed spoiled in 
this way. The only cure for this matter is to place clean, dry straw 
next in contact with the bed; over that what you please.—E. N. R. 
DISA GRANDIFLORA. 
The best time to repot this plant is just as new growths are 
pushing from the base—these quickly take, appearing after the flower 
stems are cut down. If the operation is delayed too long the fresh 
roots which have been made will be broken to some extent. This 
must be avoided, for it checks the plants, the growth and flower 
spikes being smaller in consequence the following year. At one time 
we repotted these plants annually after flowering, and found that the 
practice was necessary to maintain sweet material about the roots. 
We used at that time living sphagnum moss to the extent of one- 
third amongst the compost, and found that it was thoroughly decayed 
in twelve months. This method of culture has been discontinued, 
and repotting done less frequently. For some time now half the 
stock has been potted in peat fibre, and the remainder in the fibre 
extracted from turf that has been stacked for some months to destroy 
flhe grass. In each case all the soil is shaken out of it, and nothing 
that will turn sour or go close left in. With this charcoal in lumps 
is freely used, and a little living moss placed only on the surface, 
which is removed every spring and replaced with fresh. We have 
found but little difference in the lasting properties of the two fibres, 
and the plants do equally well in either. If the fibre is good, and 
no fine used amongst it, cutting will not be necessary oftener than 
every third year. With a sweet open compost of this nature liberal 
Supplies of water can be given without fear of the compost becoming 
60 ur. When potting is done all the old material should be removed, 
and the pots or pans thoroughly washed, as well as the drainage. 
—C. V. R. 
COOL ORCHIDS. 
This has been a trying season for Odontoglossums and other 
■Orchids that grow in the same structure with them, for it has been 
difficult to maintain either the day or night temperature near the 
mark that many cultivators think should not be exceeded. Our 
temperatures, and I daresay the majority have, has been considerably 
higher, and more air has been given than on any occasion since we 
commenced cultivating them. Yet the plants never looked better or 
possessed sturdier growth. One would naturally have expected after 
such hot weather that the plants would have grown rapidly and their 
foliage drawn up weakly, but this is not their condition. Although 
the temperature has been higher, the same blinds as on previous 
occasions have been used, consequently a greater abundance of light 
has reached the plants. The foliage presents that dark brown or red 
appearance that lovers of these plants so much desire to see. If the 
experience of a season like the present teaches one thing more than 
another, it is, that we are too apt to over-shade these plants. Ihere 
can be no doubt whatever that they dislike, and cannot endure, the 
strong rays of the sun, but at the same time their condition at the 
present time would lead one to believe that they are too frequently 
•overshaded. _ . 
For two or three years I have been watching a collection that is 
grown in a house with a northern aspect—I mean behind a north 
wall—and they always present the very picture of health. A few 
days ago they were as green as Leeks, if the term may be used. How 
do they flower? After watching them closely I should say very 
unsatisfactorily indeed. They never produce such fine flowers or stiff 
sturdy flower spikes, or in such quantity, as the plants in my house, 
that always had since they were imported a much lighter position ; in 
fact the house in which they are grown runs east and west, so that 
they are bound to get a fair share of sun and light. I do not know 
that I should prefer this position, but the house was erected, and we 
have no alternative ; but if any preference was given it would be for 
a structure running north and south. It would be very interesting 
and instructive to know how these plants in other gardens have grown 
and flowered when kept the whole year round in houses with a 
northern aspect.—S. L. 
MOISTURE FOR ORCHIDS. 
Seasons like the present show the absurdity of erecting houses for 
these plants without providing abundant provision for moisture. In 
many houses this is the one great drawback to the successful culture 
of Orchids. In ordinary houses, with flagged floors and the side beds 
built of brick, the little water that can be applied quickly evaporates. 
In such structures, unless a man is constantly damping the available 
places in the house and amongst the plants, the air becomes too dry 
for the well-being of the plants. Flagged or cemented floors may 
be provided, for they are the cleanest and best to walk upon, but 
channels on either side should be provided to hold a good supply of 
water. Beneath the beds or stages the base should be formed of 
earth, or, better still, small peat or cocoa-nut fibre refuse, so that 
abundance of moisture can be retained without much trouble. When 
such provision is made open lattice stages are just as good, in fact 
better than slate, that will only hold 1 or 2 inches at the most of 
gravel or other moisture-holding material. A good depth of fine 
peat or cocoa-nut fibre refuse below open stages when thoroughly 
saturated insures a constant supply of moisture rising amongst the 
plants without the constant trouble and expensive system of con¬ 
tinually damping the houses. 
Economy in labour at the present time has to be considered, and 
this must be fully arranged for before houses are constructed fur 
various purposes. Neat well-finished houses internally are not always 
the best and most suitable in which to cultivate plants, especially 
cool Orchids. The first consideration should be to construct the 
house so that a bountiful supply of moisture can be maintained with 
as little labour as possible. Providing plenty of air and moisture can 
be given, Odontoglossums are not so particular about the temperature 
ranging a little too high if a corresponding amount of light is 
admitted to them. When the conditions for luxuriant growth are 
favourable and plenty of moisture maintained yellow thrips seldom 
trouble the plants, but these insects are often ruinous when the 
atmosphere is comparatively dry.—N. G. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
August 23iid. 
The conservatory at South Kensington was unusually well furnished on 
this occasion in consequence of the “co-operative ” show of garden produce 
by cottagers and others. The collections occupied a table extending the 
entire length of the building, and was furnished with vegetables and hardy 
fruits highly creditable to the several cultivators, brightened with bouquets 
and stands of cut flowers. It is unquestionably most desirable to encourage 
bmh culture in the gardens of the industrial classes, but how far it is wise for 
the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society to oflt r their medals for pro¬ 
duce grown by seeds of a particul ir association exclus'vely is a moot question. 
Possibly the Council were not fully cognisant of the interesting stipulation. 
It was not mentioned in the paragraphs that were sent by the managers to 
the public press, but it is clearly stated in the schedule that the produce 
must be grown from certain specified seeds. 
The side tables were furnishedwith representative collections from several 
nurserymen and florists. Mr. T. S. Ware staged Gladioli, Iceland Poppies, 
Montbretias, Liliums, and a very fine stand of Gaillardia blooms, one 
variety being certificated. Mr. Ware had also stands of double and single 
Dahlias, one of which, a very bright single variety, Mrs. Jordan, was 
^Messrs' 3 Jas. Veitch & Sons staged a miscellaneous collection of plants, 
in which greenhouse Rhododendrons were prominent; some pans and pots 
of Omplismenus albidus attracted attention by the extreme dwarfness of 
the nearly white Panicum-like plants, (a vole of thanks). A similar mark 
of recognition was accorded to Senecio macranthus. It has large palmate 
leaves and yellow flowers about 3 inches in diameter, with thinly disposed 
florets, the stems 3 feet high ; this is said to be the first time this species 
has flowered in this country. It is a native of China. The same firm also 
exhibited a new Asplenium referred to below. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, had stands of large fine symme¬ 
trical blooms of show Dahlias. A splendid group of Lilium auratum, com¬ 
prising about a hundred p’ants, was staged by Mr. W. Gordon, Twickenham, 
many of the blooms being of great size. Messrs. Kelway & Sons had a 
grand display of Gladioli, 150 spikes in splendid old and new varieties, 
several of the latter being honoured with certificates. Bouqutt Aster 
Pvramidal Rose from Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co. was commended for 
the character of the strain. The plant was very floriferous, flowers medium 
size and rosy pink in colour. . , , , , 
Of the above collections a silver-gilt Banksian medal was recommended 
