102 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r February 9, 1888. 
Your correspondent, “ M. D.'s,” easy mode of procedure, or 
rather the method which he lias seen successfully adopted to 
restore languishing plants to vigorous health, is as follows :—“At 
any time when a gentle botcom heat can be obtained, shake the 
plants out of their pots—they ought to be dust-dry at the time— 
placing the bulbs in separate sizes for potting. Pot them firmly in 
a compost about equal parts of peat and loam of a sandy nature, 
and enough soot to show itself all through the compost. Water 
slightly, and plunge the pots, or place them on the top of the hot¬ 
bed. Keep the heat up to about the ordinary stove temperature. 
It is surprising how little water the Eucharis requires at any time, 
and it is far better practice to err in giving too little than too 
much.” The above is the sum and substance of “M. D.’s ” advice 
in restoring languishing plants to vigorous health. I must confess 
that I fail to see where the “better practice” comes in, or how 
languishing plants can be restored to vigorous health by giving 
too little water, and v.-ould advise all who grow Eucharis to err 
neither in the one way nor in the other, but to give the plants 
sufficient water at all times when they require it. 
The Eucharis plants here must differ very much from those 
“ M. D.” writes about, as they “require” and receive a good 
watering three times a day during the hot weather in summer, and 
a heavy watering every day during the winter. They are never 
allowed to become dust-dry at any time, or indeed anything ap¬ 
proaching to it. The p'ants receive the same treatment all the 
year round as regards heat and moisture, and are never subjected 
to a lower temperature, or allowed to become dry at the root. 
Thej" are grown in heavy ^tIIow loam, with no other mixture 
except a little leaf mould, river sand, and charcoal, and they grow 
remarkably strong in this, producing leaves from 2 to ,3 feet in 
length, and they flower abundantly two or three times during the 
year. I think many people err in potting the plants too often and 
in too light soil, resting them in a low temperature, and in not 
giving them sufficient water when they require it.—A. Pettigkew, 
Cardiff. 
EARLY MELONS IN POTS. 
Tiils mode of culture is perhaps not practised so much as it 
ought to be, especially by those who wish to obtain early fruits of 
medium size, and who have only a small space allotted to them for 
that purpose. We practised it here for the first time last season, 
and as the result was most satisfactory we intend doing so again 
this year. The seed was sown at the same time as that of the 
Melons planted out, and the seedlings were grown under the same 
treatment as recommended on page 5. AVe employed ordinary 
Seakale pots, these being preferred on account of their depth, as 
when placed on the pipes close to the path they elevate the plants 
nearer to the glass. By following this system we were able to 
obtain from one plant two fruits weighing 2 to 3 lbs. each, and 
occupying the small space of one wire about 3 feet long, and a little 
earlier than these planted out. 
The pots were filled with the same compost as recommended on 
page 5, and made firm, care being taken that they were well drained 
with clean crocks, covering them with some good decayed manure, 
the pots being left about three parts full, for I consider that the 
roots being confined in such a small space they require a little extra 
encouragement in the way of a top-dressing when their fruits are 
swelling. In a few days, when the roots were found to have 
passed through to the sides of the o-inch pots, they were planted, 
making the compost firm, and leaving a small mound around the 
stems. A stout stake was placed in the pot and secured to the wire 
it was intended to train them to. All side shoots were pinched off 
to one leaf from the stem up to the one nearest the wire. They 
were then adowed to grow, and the leader trained along the wire 
until it reached the next plant, and then it was p’nohed oat. As 
soon as two flowers were open together they were fertilised, and as 
the fruits commenced swelling liquid manure was supplied, and a 
dressing of rich compost was applied, the growths being stopped at 
one leaf past the fruit, also picking off all flowers as they appear, 
as this greatly helps the swelling of the fruit. On several of the 
plants we succeeded in procuring a second crop of small fruits, all 
being of first-rate flavour. Sutton’s Imperial (Ireen Flesh and 
Thames Ditton Hero proved most valuable for this purpose. 
I would like to add a few remarks here about syringing Melons, 
as this should at all times be done with great care, always takin<r 
the weather into consideration. On a fine morning, and the day 
likely to prove sunny, syringe freely, the water being at the same 
temperature as the house. If in the morning the temperature is 
found to be rather low, syringing should be delayed until it h- s 
risen to its proper height, as if done when at a low temperature it 
is likely to cause a chill to the Melons and produce decay in the 
growths. If this happens, the affected parts must be rubbed with 
quicklime and soot, or it will quickly spread, and probably cause 
the ruin of the plant. Melons should never be syringed so heavily 
in the afternoon when closing the house, and then only on bright 
days, but take care to well damp the floors and walls in the after¬ 
noon and evening, so as to cause a moist atmosphere, or otherwise 
insects will soon become troublesome. 
I have often seen it advised to dry Melons when ripening their 
fruit, thereby causing the loss of most of the foliage. This I 
do not agree with ; that method, as I think, instead of adding to 
the flavour it takes it away. I like to give just enough water 
without manure to keep the foliage from flagging, and then expect 
my fruit to be of a good flavour. I may add that we grow Melons 
and Cucumbers in the same house here, and with success, always 
choosing the sunny side for the Melons, and of course the Cucuin- 
bers get the most syringing. In my reference to hotbeds on page 5, 
the width should have been stated to be 2 feet wide. 
In conclusion, I wish to thank “Spectator” for his kind 
remarks on my scribbling (page 44). I assure him that if I can 
prove of service to some of my fellow workers, the object I aim, 
at will be accomplished, which will well repay—P. T. D. 
I FIND this beautiful species of easy culture, no Orchid in our 
collection being more so in fact. My first pair of plants came froirs 
Drumlanrig, and were fairly strong well rooted pieces. They have 
been in our possession for about six years, and during that time the 
stronger of the two has only missed flowering once. Each is- 
now strong and healthy, and in addition to the annual growth of a 
few good leaves, several suckers are pushing from the base. A 
third pi int has been added to our number, this being about 40 inches- 
high and very robust. Strange to say it has never flowered, and in- 
all probability that is the reason we got possession of it. What 
this Amanda appears to require to root in is either a perforated pot 
or basket filled with large pieces of charcoal, broken crocks roughly 
broken, brown fibrous peat, and sphagnum in about equal propor¬ 
tions. Such a mixture is not easily soured, and the coame roots 
ramble among it at their will. It is immaterial whether a surfacing 
of sphagnum is given or not, but our plants thrive as well without 
it ,as others seem to do with. No drying is ever attempted, the 
plants simply receiving water when they appear to need it, or mucb 
the same as the majority of ordinary pot plants are treated. 
Many succeed in raising fine healthj plants, but cannot get these- 
to flower, simply owing to keeping them in a very high temperature- 
Even the ordinary plant stove is too hot for them, as I found on 
placing a plant with the Cattleyas for a time. It grew strongly,, 
but refused to flower. Where ours succeed is on the front staging 
of a fernery, this being covered with thick rolled glass, and also 
freely shaded during the hottest part of the year. The tempera¬ 
ture during the winter ranges from 50° to (10° by day and frequently 
as low as 45° by night. This just suits the Vandas, these giving 
two or three strong spikes of flower each season, usually in the- 
spring. Very beautiful they are, too, and, kept in the house where 
grown, they retain their beauty for several weeks.—AV. I. 
DENDROBIU.M HILLI. 
Tins is an evergreen Australian species named in honour, I 
believe, of Mr. C. G-. Hill, Arnot Hill, Nottingham, who possesses a 
very fine specimen. It is similar in style of growth to D. speciosum,. 
but the pseudo-bulbs are much longer. 'Fwo remarkable plants- 
are at present in flower in Mr. C. M. Major's conservatory at Crom¬ 
well House, Croj'don, under the management of Mr. AV. AVright. 
They are grown in large baskets with peat and sphagnum, and 
during the period of growth they are subjected to a fair amount of 
heat and moisture in the stove, after which they are well rested in 
a cooler and drier atmosphere. The growths made last season now 
measure 18 inches in length and are 7 inches in circumference, pro¬ 
ducing on each three long and graceful racemes averaging sixty 
blooms each ; the sepals and petals are creamy v/hite with a throat 
of the same colour and spotted with purple.—G. 
KVLIA ANCEP3 SANDERIaNA. 
There would appear to be varieties of this extremely beautiful 
Orchid. Two such are now flowering in the fine collection belonging 
