June 14, l8sa J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
489 
- Flowers in Germany. —It is said that “ since the Empress 
Victoria inhabited Charlottcnburg the rooms of the Palace arc daily 
decorated, under her own direction, with the most splendid flowers, 
which in early spring were mostly sent from Italy. For the wedding of 
Prince Henry ten clever flower-wreath makers, assisted by ten soldiers, 
were employed in preparing flowers for the festivities. The flowers 
came partly from the garden of the palace and partly from Berlin 
florists. The ground of these decorations was chiefly formed of Elder 
flowers in immense masses, as they grow abundantly in the park, and a 
quantity of valuable china vases were called into requisition. On the 
staircase great imitation malachite vases were filled with Boses, which 
were also to be seen everywhere. The corridor between the rooms 
inhabited by the Emperor and Empress was beautifully draped with red 
stuff, blooming plants, and green bushes ; tall Palms behind, and a row 
of Azaleas, and then of Elder, Lilies, Narcissus, and Hawthorn in front. 
In the chapel the niches behind and beside the altar were filled with 
Boses, which were also spread over the railings. The rooms of the 
bride showed a sea of blossoms, while the Boyal table in the dining hall 
was adorned with cushions of Elder flower, on which eight large silver 
dishes and as many plates were filled with Boses, Lilies, Gardenias, and 
Orchids. Besides these eighty-eight glasses filled with flowers, and 
many pots of living plants, were spread over the table, and from one to 
the other wound a wreath, while before each of the hundred seats was a 
bouquet of Orange blossom. On the south wall stood the mighty basket 
of Boses sent by the town of Charlottcnburg, above a pyramid of 
Orchids sent by Frankfurt-on-Maine.” 
- A Plea for the Sparrows.—A paragraph has been going 
the round of the daily papers to this effect:—“ An almost unprecedented 
attack of maggot has taken place in the Kentish fruit plantations, and 
Nut and Apple crops have been in many instances grievously damaged, 
if not destroyed. Planters are making vigorous efforts to fight the pest, 
but the grubs are so numerous that hitherto they have defeated all 
attempts to get rid of them. The increase of insects is said by the 
farmers to be due to the scarcity of sparrows, owing to the wholesale 
slaughter of the birds which has been carried on in the district.” 
- Drying Flowers in their Natural Colours. —Dr. Schon- 
land gives in an Indian paper the details of his system of drying 
flowers :—“ Take two pints of a saturated solution of sulphurous acid in 
water (which can be had at any chemists, and is very cheap if bought in 
large quantities) ; add to this one pint of methylated spirit. Keep this 
mixture in a wide-mouthed bottle, which should be so tightly closed 
that the contents do not evaporate when not in use. Leave ordinary 
flowers in this mixture for about ten to twenty minutes ; inflorescences 
of Bromeliacese and Aroidese must be left in it about one hour. In most 
cases the colour will completely disappear, but it will gradually re¬ 
turn during the process of drying, or even after the plants have become 
apparently quite dry. Having treated the specimens with the mixture 
for a short time as stated above, take them out and shake off the ad¬ 
hering drops of fluid. Leave the plants in a dry warm place, in order 
to dry them superficially (they must not be allowed to shrivel), and 
then dry them in the usual way between blotting paper. If artificial 
heat is used in the latter part of the process, excellent results are ob¬ 
tained, and it is not even necessary to change the drying paper. If hot- 
water pipes are available it is very convenient to place on them the 
the bunille containing the plant to be dried, which need not be subjected 
to very great pressure. .4s it is sometimes difficult to prevent flowers 
from eollapsing when using this method of preservation, and as often it 
is almost impossible to spread out those flowei'S when they have col¬ 
lapsed, 1 often put them loosely between sheets of vegetable parchment 
before immersing them in the fluid.” 
- Landscape Gardening. —This division of the Crystal Palace 
School of Art, Science, and Literature is carried on in Mr. Milner’s 
offices, situated on the Aquarium Terrace, Crystal Palace. The student 
secures both theoretical instruction and the advantage of practical out¬ 
door work. During the employment of the student in practical work> 
a certain salary may be allowed. The profession which undertakes to 
improve land, and enhance its value by artistic and scientific treatment 
other than agricultural, has two main divisions :—I. Creating and 
arranging natural beauties of landscape, to adorn land for ornamental 
or recreative purposes, parks or gardens, public or private ; including 
the architectural, engineering, and gardening works incidental thereto. 
II. The treatment of estates for remunerative purposes, such as plan¬ 
ning and development for building, with incidental engineering and 
other works, whether voluntary or public and statutory. Prospectuses 
for either division of the school of art, science, and literature can be 
supplied, and students can inscribe their names only in the office of the 
school, in the library, Byzantine Court, Crystal Palace. 
OKCHID3 AT ST. MABGABET’S. 
At The Baron’s, St. Margaret’s, Twickenham, Mr. PI. Little 
has an extensive collection of Orchids, which is, however, especially 
noted for Lycaste Skinneri, the Cattleyas and Ltelias comprising 
remarkably fine plants and varieties in all these genera. 
The Lycastes as a collection are probably scarcely equalled, and 
though the flowers are nearly over now, a display has been provided 
from November until the end of May, at least 1000 flowers having 
expanded in that time. The plants are extremely strong, and have 
had from ten to sixteen flowers from one pseudo-bulb, ten or twelve 
each being a common occurrence. ’ One plant of a magnificent 
variety named grandis has had thirty flowers open at one time, 
and there are many other beautiful varieties, from the pure white 
form through numerous delicate tints to the deepest rosy crimson. 
A lean-to house, 140 feet long, is chiefly occupied with the 
Lycastes and Cypripediums, C. superbiens being a favourite, and all 
are well grown. 
Another range of similar size contains the Cattleyas and Lmlias, 
of which Mr. Little is justly proud, ani like the other plants they 
are evidently thriving under the care of the attentive gardener, Mr. 
Hill. Some specimen Cypripediums are also noteworthy in that 
house, C. Lawrencianum having forty large flowers, and C. bar- 
batum superbum fifty richly coloured flowers. Of Cattleyas 
Mossim, Warneri, Sanderiana, Mendeli, and Skinneri there are 
some good plants. One superb example of C. Sanderiana on a 
Tree Fern stem in a pan has forty grand flowers ; C. Skinneri has 
thirteen racemes of seven and eight flowers each ; and C. Mossise 
aurea, a pretty distinct variety, has thirty-two flowers. C. Mendeli 
Mrs. H. Little is one of the finest varieties of that section, and has 
been honoured with two certificates ; the petals are broad and erect 
of a deep rosy colour, the lip open, white tipped crimson. C. 
Mendeli grandis has also been certificated, and is very handsome, 
the flower of great size, excellent shape, and the lip beautifully 
frilled. A most valuable plant is Leelia elegans Littleana, which 
was certificated by the Royal Horticultural Society in 1885. The 
plant is a strong one with seven pseudo-bulbs, its flowers large and 
peculiarly rich in colour. At the time of my visit there were 
nearly 1100 Cattleya and Lmlia flowers expanded, and this will 
give some idea of the display. 
Pelargoniums have long been specialties with Mr. Little, and 
some admirable specimens are advancing now that will no doubt 
figure conspicuously at Richmond, Twickenham, or other Shows in 
the district. 
cypbipedium: godefboyai. 
A singularly beautiful variety of Cypripedium Godefroy® is 
flowering in one of Mr. R. H. Measures’ Orchid houses at The 
Woodlands, Streatham, and it presents an interesting resemblance 
to the new C. bellatulum, but with smaller and fewer spots. The 
plant has ten flowers of exceptional size for C. Godefroy®, the 
petals and dorsal sepals very broad and rounded, heavily spotted on 
a cream-tinted ground, with a neat lip after the C. niveum style. 
Mr. R. T. Measures of Camberwell has another variety with a white 
ground more nearly approaching C. niveum, and the intermediate 
forms betw'een that species, C. Godefroy®, C. concolor, and C. bel¬ 
latulum constantly appearing show that they are nearly allied. 
—L. C. 
THE CHELSEA AND COOMBE WOOD NURSERIES. 
An hour or two c.an always be advantageously and pleasantly spent 
in Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons’ nurseries in the King’s Load, Chelsea, and 
at Coombe Wood, but note-taking wanderers more seldom visit the latter, 
not because it is devoid of interest, but because it is not quite so 
quickly or conveniently reached as the Chelsea est.ablishmcnt, with 
which all arc so familiar. The following remarks will therefore be de¬ 
voted to indicating the leading features of the two nurseries at the 
present time, what may be termed the Vcitchian June show, for nearly 
