40 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ January 19, 188^. 
rainfall about the middle of Auffust following a long period of 
drought. Our best Potato is still Schoolmaster, and our “ seed ” of 
this variety has been unchanged for eight years. White Elephant 
is dry and mealy with us, but lacks the flavour of Schoolmaster.— 
E. B. 
The admirable article contributed by “ O. T. C.” in the Journal 
on page 3 describing his method of growing the charming Disa 
grandiflora should be acted upon by those who have previously 
failed to grow it successfully. 
I have seen the magnificent specimens at Chatsworth and Blen¬ 
heim, and at the last named place there is certain evidence that the 
plants do suffer from exposure to a few degrees of frost. The 
plants occupy large pans, and during the summer months they are 
grown in a frame placed under a north wall. One of the .lights 
happened to have a broken square of glass immediately above one 
of the Disas, and the unexpected early frost blackened some of the 
growths, which still show, and will do for some time, the effects of 
that night. During the months of last April and May several other 
species of Disa wire introduced by Mr. James O’Brien. Some of 
them ca me under my charge ; and being anxious to succeed in 
crdtivatmg them, I commenced experimenting with various com¬ 
posts. Too much loam is decidedly harmful, and should only be 
used sparingly, and that fibrous. As the Disas require abundance of 
water during growth the potting material should be loose, so 
that water can pass freely through. Anything approaching stagna¬ 
tion is fatal to them. Sand and dung—I used dried cowdung— 
can also be dispensed with, all that is required being good fibrous 
peat and live sphagnum in equal quantity, with plenty of crocks 
broken very small. 
After potting the plants soon began to show signs of activity, 
and during the hot weather were placed outside over a narrow 
stream in a shady part of the garden. D. cornuta was potted 
singly in 4-inch pots, and grew very strong, throwing up spikes of 
bloom 16 inches high. One of these was awarded a botanical 
certificate in August last by the Floral Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society. D. Herschelli, with grass-like leaves, has 
made tubers as large as tbe imported ones, and ought to bloom this 
year. D. graminiflora and D. spathulata has similar foliage, and 
have formed large new white tubers. D. sagittalis in habit of 
growth resembles D. grandiflora, but the flowers are white and 
mauve. The latest addition is one sent by Mr. O’Brien as a new 
species, the flowers of which are described like Lselia autumnalis in 
size and colour, “with the habit of D. grandiflora. 
Our plants were housed early in September, and have since 
occupied a shelf in the cool house close to the ventilators, where 
frost is only just excluded, and since then the soil has gradually 
been allowed to become dry. I have been examining the tubers, and 
find them as mentioned and very firm, and a few are commencing 
to grow again. 
LEADEN LABELS FOR ORCHIDS. 
Many gardeners have experienced the disadvantages of the 
ordinary wooden label for recording the names of their Orchids. 
Often when they have been in use for a year or more the pointed 
end decays, and is easily broken off and lost. If the lower part is 
left in the pot it will cause fungus to appear, which soon spreads 
through the compost and proves hurtful to the plant. 
I have adopted for some years a simple and useful mode. By 
cutting lead strips according to the size of the pot, and having a 
set of letters and numbers, I punch the first letter of each name 
with a number underneatb. In a register I have the full name and 
corresponding number, with the name of the person or place from 
where it was obtained, together with the date, all on one page, and 
on the opposite or blank page, using the same number, I am able to 
make any remarks concerning the plant, which would be incon¬ 
venient to write on a label even if a durable one. After the im¬ 
pression is made on the lead, which is cut tapering, the pointed end 
is put inside the pot and bent outwardly over the rim, where it is 
securely held in position and is practically indestructible. For 
baskets and blocks a square piece is cut with a hole bored to admit 
a wire passing through for suspending. They are neat in appear¬ 
ance, and anyone with a fair knowledge of Orchids can generally 
recognise the species or variety by the letters, which would be diffi- 1 
cult sometimes if numbers only were employed. It also enables a. 
grower to keep a correct list of worthless varieties or any that may 
die.—G. W. C. 
FACTS ABOUT GRAPES. 
(^Continued from page 5.') 
MRS. PEARSON. 
Although of the same parentage as Golden Queen it is totally 
distinct from it. Golden Queen inherits the strong growth of 
Ferdinand de Lesseps, but Mrs. Peamon more resembles the- 
Alicante, being less robust and very prolific. It also produces- 
prettier well-shouldered bunches, the berries being round, and if 
well grown, of a rich amber colour. In common with the Ferdi¬ 
nand de Lesseps and the Strawberry Grape, it has a peculiar sweet 
musky flavour, and quite a powerful aroma, which can be observed 
in passing the Vine. Being an excellent keeping Grape, a newly 
discovered property, Mrs. Pearson may yet become a popular com¬ 
panion for the Alicante and Lady Downe’s. It succeeds admirably 
under the same treatment as these receive, setting quite as freely,, 
and finishing off well without much fire heat. Mr. Goodacre at- 
Elvaston Castle was one of the first to give both this and Golden 
Queen a good trial, and this season has had Mrs. Pearson exception¬ 
ally fine. When well grown, and bottled and stored in a cool dry 
room, it will keep better than Alicante, and quite as long as th& 
Muscat of Alexandria It forces fairly well, and if not quite so 
early as Foster’s Seedling or Buckland Sweetwater, is quite as. 
reliable, and decidedly superior in quality. 
MUSCAT OF ALEXANDRIA, 
Having repeatedly tried, and seen others try to grow this fine; 
Grape in a mixed house of varieties requiring little or no heat to 
bring them to perfection, I have been obliged, reluctantly enough,, 
to advise others not to plant it unless they can give it a fair amount, 
of heat from first to last. The very finest Muscats, notably those: 
at Longleat, are grown in a compartment, or houses, entirely 
devoted to them, but very good examples are frequently forth¬ 
coming from houses of mixed black and white late varieties, and in 
all probability Mr. W. Taylor will yet prove that it is possible to 
have them extra good from a mixed house. In his case the*. 
Muscats occupy the sunniest side of a span-roofed house, andi 
consequently get much more light and sunshine than do. the black 
varieties on the cooler side. All cannot imitate this practice, but 
as there is usually a warm end to most vineries, it is here where 
the Muscats ought to be planted. A careful use of the ventilators-, 
may further serve to keep the Muscat end warmer than the rest of 
the house, and well-finished Grapes be the result. Although a high; 
temperature at flowering time may be safe, and even beneficial, in a. 
large house, it is by no means necessary or advisable in small 
vineries. Plenty of pollen may be distributed, and yet a good set- 
not effected, owing to tbe weakly character of the flowers. An 
extra high tempeftiture has a weakening effect, and is positively 
injurious to Vines not in robust health. Avoid crowding the- 
laterals so as to admit plenty of light to the bunches, and this 
strengthens them, and largely contributes to both a good set and 
finish. When at Gunnersbury House in October, Mr. Hudson 
drew my attention to the superiority of the bunches of Muscat of 
Alexandria in a house where a rather low temperature was main¬ 
tained at flowering time. In one house the temperature was kept- 
70° and upwards night and day, but the result was not nearly so- 
good as in the next division, where the night temperature ranged 
from 60° to 65°. Without a great expenditure of fire heat Mr. 
Hudson obt;iined capital Muscats which promised to keep welL 
In our case the temperature of the Muscat hou.se cannot be kept 
much above 60° in the night time, and a good set is the rule. 
Speaking from experience, having made plenty of blunders, lam 
of opinion that there are two primary causes for so many failures 
with this Grape—viz., overcropping and crowding. Naturally it. 
is of free growth and very prolific, young well-ripened canes being 
almost certain to develope numerous extra large bunches. Six bunches: 
are frequently left where three or four would be ample, and the- 
consequence is a serious check from which the Vines rarely recover.’ 
Neither the young nor newly renovated Vines ought to be heavily 
cropped, nothing being gained by it, but on the contrary loss- 
results. Every strong rod should have a roof space of nearly or 
quite 4 feet, whereas there are plenty of vineries I could mention: 
where they are disposed more near 2 feet apart. Given good room 
the bunches are thick and well-set; crowded, nothing but spindly 
thinly berried bunches can possibly be obtained, these presenting a. 
very poor appearance either on the Vines or the dessert dishes. I 
prefer to have the Muscat of Alexandria on its own roots, but find 
it makes a capital stock for any other variety worked on it.— 
W. Iggulde.v. 
