December 17, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
547 
number 27, an increase of 12. OF Cypripediums 88 are described, 31 of 
these being hybrids, while in 1877 only 46 were enumerated. Dendro- 
biums have advanced from 98 to 132, Epidendrums from 28 to 39, Laelias 
from 38 to 73, Masdevallias from 15 to 51, 0 lontoglossums from 69 to 
145, Oncidiums from 78 to 95, Phalaenopses from 15 to 37, and Vandas 
from 20 to 38. 
The illustrations have been proportionately increased—namely, from 
fifty-seven to 147, many of these having previously appeared in the pages 
of this Journal and those of our contemporaries, but Mr. Williams has 
added several small illustrations showing the habit of the plants in the 
principal genera, which, though necessarily much reduced, are clearly 
executed and very useful. The work is more closely printed than the 
former edition, but a good bold type has been employed, and the names of 
species are printed in small capital sideheads instead of italics as before. 
It has been carefully revised, a list of corrigenda at the end rectifying the 
majority of the slight literal errors that Were passed. In recommending 
this work to the attention of our readers we need only add that it is well 
and appropriately bound in green cloth embossed with gold, forming a 
handsome and substantial volume, of which Mr. Williams has every reason 
to be proud and which every Orchid grower should possess. 
ALPINE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 
(Continued from page 491.) 
The first matter to be decided is the position of the rockery. 
This should be fully exposed, and not half hidden or shaded by 
trees above, or sufficiently near for the roots to enter the mass 
of soil, and so reduce it to poverty. The main bulk of the soil 
of which the rockery consists should be good loam, kept open by 
abundance of sharp sandy grit and stones. In hilly districts 
rockeries will not only be mere easily constructed, but numerous 
examples will be afforded in the neighbourhood. For the sake 
of economy the stone of the district should be used, unless it be 
of a nature likely soon to crumble and decay, and where this is 
the case rockeries are better not attempted at all. There are 
many rock formations, however, which answer very well, and 
indeed almost any kind will suit As to its general aspect and 
bearing, this remains a question of taste with the operator, but 
in all cases he should as closely imitate Nature as possible Not 
unfrequently are huge and picturesque stones packed and 
cemented together in such a way as not only to be utterly out 
of character with the natural rock, but ruinous to the plants 
when placed upon them. It is not a question of how much 
money has been expended in making it, and which in many cases 
is so much squandered, but rather a question of providing 
suitable compartments for the plants. 
There are many alpines, and these the most brilliant and 
rare, that delight in being placed in sunny fissures of rock, at 
the same time able to send their tiny fibres deep into the earth. 
Herein is the secret of successful alpine culture on artificial 
rockeries. Too often are the so-called pockets for the reception 
of alpine plants shallow in the extreme, containing only a small 
portion of soil, and quite detached from the main body of soil, 
with the result that they are always satisfactory, and the ulti¬ 
matum is that they dwindle and die, simply because that instead 
of catering for their requirements, all chance of their obtaining 
the necessary food has been cut off. With alpine plants in their 
native haunts it is a common occurrence for them to send their 
tiny fibres from 2 to 4 feet deep in search of the nourishment 
they require; thus it is where plants, even the minutest types of 
vegetation, exist through long-continued drought, even though 
they are situate on some projecting ledge which guarantees no 
supply of moisture for them. Melting snow and rains find their 
way into these narrow fissures among the fibres, and hence the 
supply for their needs. So in the construction of the artificial 
rock, let it be borne in mind that one of the greatest essentials 
should be providing a sufficient depth of suitable soil cal¬ 
culated to afford sufficient moisture for the plants even in 
the driest weather, and do not in *ny case divide your compart¬ 
ments, rather allow a cavity of fissure to remain open at the 
back, charged with soil, and in direct communication with the 
body below. 
Without further dwelling on what might be done with rock¬ 
eries on a large scale, and which, when tastefully designed and 
arranged, are very desirable in garden scenery, I will pass on to 
briefiy note how the majority of these rare plants may be 
successfully grown in raised borders or rockery beds. Two 
years ago I assisted in the formation of one of these rockery 
borders, and having a number of plants, such as Erinus, Globu- 
larias, Alpine Pinks, Edelweiss, various species of Primula, 
Gentiana bavarica. that gem of Gentians, and manv more, it was 
decided that a slightly raised rockery border should be made for 
their reception. This is the most simple means which can be 
employed, and at the command of all, and such as will insure 
success at a minimum cost. Presuming the border to be already 
full of good soil, the only thing will be to get a number of stones, 
prior to which a few barrows or cartloads—depending on the 
size of the border—of rubble, small stones, broken bricks, or 
sharp grit, should be spread over the surface of the soil, and 
there worked into P. If inclined to be of a stiff retentive nature 
old mortar rubbish or ballast, which has been burnt, will make 
suitable material for keeping it open. The next thing will be to 
bury, or half bury, the stones, which may be done in several 
ways, and income cases so that the plants may be placed against 
their sides. Such a border as this might be so constructed as 
to grow almost any alpine plant which might be placed upon it, 
and yet need not be more than 2 feet or 3 feet above the ordi¬ 
nary level. Place the stones in such a way that they will have 
the appearance of cropping out of the earth, and avoiding all 
formality of appearance. Even in dry seasons the plants will be 
greatly benefited by the use of the stones, which will retain a 
certain amount of uniformity of moisture about the roots. Some 
of the woolly-tufted members of Androsace, and other very 
choice plants, may for their greater preservation have some 
small stones placed beneath and about them to keep them from 
damping off at the ‘collar ” in wet seasons. This, and such like 
items, will materially assist in keeping many plants through our 
variable winters. 
This brief sketch would not be complete if I did not refer to 
the conditions under which alpine plants pass the winter in these 
snow-clad mountain regions. The reason of iheir refusing to pass 
through our ever-changing winters is this : In their native 
home from the end of October to the beginning or end of May, 
dependent on the altitude, they are continually covered with 
snow, and never feel the icy breeze which blows continuously 
across the mountains. Deeply embedded m the snow they 
remain dry snug and warm throughout the entire winter, 
through which they pass without ever experiencing any great 
change in the temperature, save that of 1° or 2 , while above the 
snow the cold is variable and piercing in the extreme. We see 
that the hardships which they have seemingly to endure are as 
naught compared with the variable climate of England. Again, 
what protection can we afford these plants which can in any 
way equal that with which Nature covers them at home ? or what 
can provide for them a more efficient watering than the melting 
snows in spring, which start them simultaneously into active 
vigorous life ? Conditions such as these, that we cannot imitate 
in English gardens, conditions which keep them in check till all 
fear of being arrested by spring frosts and winds is past, so that 
they spring from their resting place and start into growth, 
flower, and perfect seeds in a comparatively short time; after 
which comes a repetition of the former winter, and the plants 
are again at rest. But let us notice that from the time that 
the plants start into growth, labouring under a bright sunny 
sky, with copious waterings afforded them from melting snows 
above, all around seems to encourage a speedy growth, and this, 
coupled with the perfect drainage arranged by Nature’s hand, 
completes their success. Is it, then, to be wondered that the 
lover of alpines in England cannot boast of complete success 
with such choice plants as the Fairy Forget-me-not, Eritrichium 
nanum, many of the Gentians, Androsaces, and the like, which 
baffle not a few of us in our attempts to grow them ? I answer 
No; rather is it a source of greater wonder that we can collect 
such a vast number of precious gems from alpine floras, say 
from an area of 100 square miles, and bring them into a garden 
space here in the lowlands of the same number of yards, and 
induce the majority of them to endure the vicissitudes of 
English winters. Frost many will endure with impunity, 
but what they cannot endure is a sharp biting frost fol¬ 
lowed by a rapid thaw, and may be rain and frost again, all in 
twenty-four hours. Thus it was that for some of them I adopted 
a frame some years ago with bricks left out here and there, and 
the lights continually tilted above them, which while effectually 
keeping off the rains, admitted abundance of air. In this way 
many of the very choicest alpines may be wintered with success. 
Frost and cold they will endure, but not wet.—E Jenkins. 
ft 
M3 WORKjofiTHE WEEK,. R; 
j i 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Old Trees. —Attention may now be given to old fruit trees in view 
of seeing what can be done to improve them. We believe the term 
