424 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND vOTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 17, 1887. 
in the gardens. I have been very grateful to him for that advice. 
During the three years I was employed in the gardens in question I 
kept a diary of the work in pro jr. ss, inside and out, which I am glad to say 
has been of great benefit since, hence my reasons for drawing young 
gardeners’ attention to the subject. This time of the year is as good 
a time to commence as the beginning of the year; for instances, 
starting Vines, and preparing other plants for forcing, for supplying 
fruits and flowers for another year’s demands. By taking notes of 
plants that are forced to be in at a given time—foresample, Deutzia 
gracilis, make a note when it is placed in heat, also when in flower ; by 
so doing anyone will be able to tell within a few days how many 
weeks it takes to force the above plant into flower. The temperature 
of the forcing house will act a3 a guide. There are many other ways 
young gardeners can employ themselves in their spare time, such as 
taking note of plants that are most useful for house, table, and other 
decorative purposes. I would advise beginners, especially those em¬ 
ployed solely inside, to give the outside a good share of their attention, 
particularly the kitchen garden. The way that I found answered well 
was to make a note of the previous crop to the one put in. Peas, for 
instance, name of the variety, when sown and gathered. In some places 
the kitchen gardens are situated some distance from the other part of 
the garden. In such cases, where it is not convenient to look round every 
day during the busy part of the season, once a week would answer. 
Enough has be°n said, I think, to impress on the minds of young gar¬ 
deners the advantages derived from keeping a diary.—M., Lancashire. 
CANKER IN FRUIT TREES—BULLFINCHES. 
It is quite useless, I suppose, for me to say anything more on this 
subject in the Journal after Mr. Burton and the Editor, on page 226, 
appear so well satisfied that some new growth of wood has resulted 
from treatment of the roots. What the treatment was we are not in¬ 
formed. Time must prove whether the insects, which are acknowledged 
to be present, are innocent, and as to whether the canker will show on 
the new growth. “ Wait a wee,” examine, and report again in two or 
three years, and I shall be interested to know if they remain healthy. 
I am well satisfied with another year’s experience of my plan. All 
the treatment at the roots that my trees have received is a treat occa¬ 
sionally in the way of a few bucketfuls of liquid manure during the 
past unprecedented dry season, and they have borne some of the best 
fruit I have had, and the trees, which were almost dead with canker, 
are now as healthy as any I have and desire, irrespective of sorts and 
situations. Mine is not the only case. It so happens that I can enclose 
a Ribston Pippin Apple from a tree which a few years ago was con¬ 
demned, and was about to be grubbed up as useless, so badly was it 
cankered. I advised my neighbour, Mr. Allan Thornton, seedsman, &c., 
to try a good dressing of stem and branches with a strong insecticide. 
He used Gishurst compound, and the result is that it is nearly cured, 
and bears finer fruit than it ever did before, and this without disturbing 
a root. 
Next to canker and blight— i.e., periodical visits of aphides, in order 
of destructiveness to fruit trees, come bullfinches. These birds are 
more numerous this season than ever noticed before. This means a lot 
of trouble and mischief later on if they are not destroyed or caught. 
Some years ago I remember recommending catching them for many 
reasons in preference to shooting them. Within the past few weeks I 
have taken thirty-nine in trap cages within a few yards of the house 
door, the cages being hung against the buildings out of the reach of 
cats. This is no doubt a comparative clearance from the neighbour¬ 
hood, as they fly from garden to garden in search of berries in the 
autumn, and later on destroy the prospect of the coming season by 
taking oS the bloom from most kinds of fruit trees, especially Plums, 
Cherries, Gooseberries, and Currants, and to some extent Apples and 
Pears. House sparrows, which are almost as destructive to fruit buds 
as bullfinches, and large tits (Parus major), which are very fond of 
pecking holes in Apples and Pears, as well as destroying nuts, before 
they are ripe, and which are very destructive to Green Peas, are 
easily caught in the same way.—J. Hiam, Asttvoad Bank, Worcester¬ 
shire. 
[The Ribston Pippin is good, but its appearance marred by numerous 
specks, especially on the shaded side. With better root action, conse¬ 
quent on better growth, the crop will probably be still further improved 
next year. We have never denied the advantages gained by Mr. Hiam 
through dressing his trees, and possibly after further experiment we may 
have to say something in favour of his plan.] 
ORCHIDS AT MORDEN PARK. 
Readers of the Journal would learn from Mr. L. Castle’s 
remarks, which appeared the week before last, that Mr. C. Gibson, 
gardener to J. Wormald, Esq., has again some grand Chrysanthe¬ 
mums. I venture to assert that had he the convenience to grow 
Orchids, he would be quite as formidable a rival at the great, 
summer shows as he is at the Chrysanthemum exhibitions, but his- 
plants are restricted to one house associated with other occupants 
usually found in a stove. The stages formed of slate slabs are 
5 feet wide, and a small crevice is made between the walls and 
stage above the hot-water pipes to allow the heat to circulate better 
among the plants. Dendrobium Parishi growing on blocks with a 
little sphagnum and suspended are a dozen fine pieces, having- 
growths from a -foot to 14 inches long. They increase in size each, 
year, as may be seen by the old pseudo-bulbs, some of which are 
not more than an inch or two in length. D. cretaceum is equally 
good under the same treatment; D. Dalhouseianum is represented 
by a very fine specimen with fifty growths, and last summer bore 
twelve dozen spikes of bloom. Another plant of the same size is- 
D. Paxtoni, growing vigorously in a large pot. This blooms at- 
diffei'ent times of the year, and its beautiful orange and brown- 
flowers are always admired. D. formosum giganteum in a 9-inch- 
pot is also grown well. Other species showing the same care 
bestowed on them are—D. aggregatum majus, D. chrysanthum, 
D. densiflorum, D. nobile and the variety pendulum, D. Pierardi r 
D. primulinum, D. pulchellum, and D. suavissimum. Cymbidium 
Mastersi with about thirty growths, and well furnished with flower 
spikes, will soon be in perfection ; there are already twelve blooms- 
open on some of them. It is much like C. eburneum in its habit- 
of growth, but the flowers are smaller and different in shape ; they 
are produced during the winter months, and remain fresh for a. 
long time. The compost used for potting is rough peat. Sobralia 
macrantha, which would make a fine plant for exhibition, is growing- 
in a 13-inch pot with a hundred or more growths, and would evi¬ 
dently enjoy a good shift, for the stems are coming up quite close 
to the rim of the pot, and are produced so closely together that it 
is only just possible to see through it. 
The Calanthes on a shelf over the path are sending up spikes,, 
and the useful Cypripediums, C. barbatum, C. insigne, and C. villo- 
sum are also grown. As I have already stated, Mr. Gibson has not 
sufficient space at his command, but he certainly knows how to 
make the best use of what he has. Besides the shelves and stage's 
full, there are many suspended from the roof, including good plants 
of Oncidium ornithorhynchum showing flower, Aerides odoratum„ 
Coelogyne cristata, Cattleya Trianae, Stanhopeas, Ac., and below- 
these are Lycastes, Peristeria elata, Saccolabium giganteum, and 
various Cymbidiums and Oncidiums. The Orchids, as well as. 
every part of the garden, prove that Mr. Gibson is not only a. 
successful Chrysanthemum grower but a thorough gardener.— 
G. W. Cummins. 
ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 
The Tulip Tree. —Botanically this is known as Liriodendrore 
tulipifera, but the common designation is a fitting title, as the 
curious and interesting flowers are very like a Tulip. As the tree 
comes into foliage in early summer the leaves are of a very soft green 1 
colour, curiously cut and very ornamental ; then they become darker,, 
and in late October they assume a bright golden yellow colour, which is- 
more intense than any other leaves of this hue. It is in June the- 
crowds of blooms appear, and their decided Tulip form, as well as their 
green and creamy colour, at once attract attention. It is strange- 
that with all these good points Tulip Trees are not more planted. There 
should be at least one in every garden, and in large gardens they may be 
planted more freely with advantage. About eight years ago we planted 
half a dozen Tulip Trees. The soil was not the most favourable, but 
they have done well, as they are now from 10 feet to 14 feet in height, 
and they are bushy and healthy. I can therefore assert that they do 
not require special or extra good treatment to make them succeed, and 
my experience is that th«-y are as easily grown as any tree I could 
name. 
Sweet Bay.— The -well-known Laurus nobilis is not absolutely hardy r 
as I have known it to be injured by frost and a severe winter in Scot¬ 
land, but that is only in exceptional years, and I never knew it to be 
killed in the south or in mild localities. Here it grows luxuriantly, and 
if sheltered in cold districts it might almost be depended on to succeed. 
It is worth trying everywhere, as it has the deepest green leaves of alt 
bushes ; its fragrance is very agreeable. The plants are very pretty 
when of conical form, and large clumps of them are also exceedingly 
effective. If the bushes are small and severe weather comes they can be 
easily drawn together by a string and then covered, but this practice 
will not often have to be put into operation. Plants are very effective- 
amongst other trees and shrubs, and if planted in the spring months they 
will become established before the summer is over. 
Kalmia latifolia. —This comes under the heading of American 
plants, and there are several Kalmias, but in my opinion none of them, 
equals the one named above in the great beauty of its flowers. It is a 
bushy shrub with foliage not unlike a Laurel, only the leaves are 
smaller. It is a good everg.ieen when not in flower, and when in blossom 
nothing can excel its pleasing appearance. The soft pink blooms are 
produced in showy clusters at the end of each shoot; they are very neat 
in outline, and so beautiful as to make them welcome in the most choice. 
