90 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEEER. 
[ February 4, 18S6. 
it cool during tlie voyage. The fruit was gathered not quite ripe, very 
ripe or damaged fruit being rejected. They were the ordinary Trollope 
Strawberry, but Dr. Benjafield tells us there are firmer-fleshed Strawberries 
than these which will carry much better, plants of which he hopes to 
obtain The British Queen is one of these, but here they are not yet 
ripe. As the last lot sent fetched Is. 6d. per quart, he hopes these will 
fetch more, as they are riper and look better. At la. a quart clear a good 
acre will bring in from £250 to £300. If these experiments prove a 
success and the demand in Sydney is unlimited, we cannot see why a 
good thing should not be made of it ; and if, as appears probable, Basp- 
berries, Currants, Peaches, and all soft fruits can be thus carried much 
more easily than Strawberries, it in the future will be a splendid thing 
for our fruit-growers.” 
- The Secretary of the Illinois State Horticultural Society makes 
known some strange facts in regard to the Orchards of Illinois, 
United States. In the northern and central parts of the State a large 
proportion of the Apple, Pear, Peach, and Cherry trees are dead or in a 
dying condition. Of Apple trees this proportion is one-half; of Pear 
trees it is 65 per cent.; of Peach nearly 90 per cent. ; and of Cherry 
trees over 50 per cen\ In the southern part of the State the case is not 
so had, though even there nearly one-half of the Peach trees are dead or 
dying; 15 percent, of the Apple trees, 18 per cent, of the Pears, and 
27 per cent, of the Cherry trees are ruined. A large part of the remain¬ 
ing trees are also in an unsatisfactory condition. The varieties of Apples 
in the northern and central parts of the State that have stood the severe 
tests of the late winters are as follows :—Duchess of Oldenburg, Snow 
Bed Astrachan, Willow Twig, Wealthy, Whitney No. 20, Yellow Bell¬ 
flower, Tetofsky, Tallman Sweeting, WeBtfield Seek-no-further, Sops of 
Wine, Salome, Minkler, Maiden’s Blush, Boman Stem, and Grimes’ 
Golden ; the last four being reported only for the central and not for the 
northern part of the State These few hardy varieties will now be in 
demand for future planting. It would now be interesting to know to 
what extent shelter belts have been employed for orchards in Illinois, and 
precisely what protection they have afforded the trees. 
- An Orchid grower writes :—“ Many fail to successfully culti¬ 
vate Oncidium tigrinum, especially when it is placed at the warmest 
end of the Odontoglossum house. In this position it is generally 
kept too moist during the winter, or that period of the year when it 
should receive a season of complete rest. If watered during the dreary 
days of winter on the same principle as Odontoglossums, it frequently 
decreases in size until it finally succumbs. From the time its deliciously 
ragrant flowers are produced this Oncidium should be kept dry at its 
roots ; in fact, no more water should be given it than sufficient to prevent 
its large fleshy pseudo-bulbs from shrivelling. If this is done it will rest 
in the moist atmosphere of the Odontoglossum house, and will grow with 
vigour, increasing in size and strength annually. This variety is worth 
every care and attention, as it flowers during winter, and in colour ia 
totally distinct from Odontoglossums flowering at that period, and there¬ 
fore very effective when arranged amongst them.” 
- An American paper announces the institution of the Missouri 
Botanical Gardens as follows :—“ The eminently public-spirited 
citizen of St. Louis, Mr. Henry Shaw, who proposes to give his celebrated 
Gardens to the city on his decease for the enjoyment and instruction of 
the people for ever, has not waited for the event of his departure to 
inaugurate his generous gift. He has already founded a school of botany, 
endowing it with real estate which even now produces an income of over 
5000 dollars a year. Prof. Wm. Trelease, an eminent botanist among the 
younger class of men, has been placed in charge, and inaugurated on the 
6th cf November. Tt has been made a department of Washington 
University. The whole movement so far seems to indicate a bright 
future, and must be highly gratifying to Mr, Shaw, the generous pro¬ 
moter of the measure. The Engelmann Herbarium and other famous 
material will, it is hoped, go to the charge of this new department of the 
University. 
- The same paper states that the formation of a Botanical 
Garden at Montreal has been under discussion since 1863. Since 
Prof. Penhallow has been Professor of Botany in the University the 
project has taken shape and seems now entirely successful. It embraces 
77 acres ; the arboretum takes of this 40 acres, 5 acres will go for 
aquatics and similar plants. The plant houses are to cover 216 fee^ 
by 90. There will also he lecture rooms, library, and an economic 
museum The city furnishes the ground, leases it to the Garde Associa¬ 
tion, and the citizens find the money. The Horticultural Society is its 
chief supporter. The Dominion Government, however, appropriated 
1,000,000 dollars to put the garden in a goad preliminary condition. The 
prospects at present indicate that this garden will be one of the most 
successful in America. 
NOTES ON GRAPES. 
The Journal lately has been very rich in excellent advice and hints 
from noted Grape-growers, and I should like to jot down a few remarks 
suggested after reading these notes on Grapes. In conversation recently 
with a gentleman who, while not professing to be a Grape-grower, is 
very much interested in the subject, and is at the same time a very 
shrewd, practical, and scientific farmer, I gave it as my firm conviction 
that all Grapes do not need the same food, which he questioned, 
but correctly observed that some might require more than others. 
Before proceeding farther I would ask in the case of the splendid Muscats 
at Longleat, why should not the Alicantes, or rather the Blacks, be 
equally good in berry ? In the exhibits at South Kensington I first noted 
the great difference in the fize of the berry, and then when I saw them 
at home I noted the difference still more. Of course the bunches were 
very large, but undoubtedly there was a want of size in the berries 
of the black varieties. Now, presuming these were treated in the same 
manner in feeding, what should cause the difference i In other cultural 
details there might be a little variation, such as in the amount of heat, 
water, and ventilation ; yet the black varieties, being healthy and in 
good condition, I conclude that the Muscats had all they required, and 
the Alicantes did not. Lady Downe’s were very good. Mr. Taylor at 
Bath cannot fail to note the superiority of his Gros Colman and Alicante 
both in berry and finish to his Muscat, all grown in the same house, 
and I believe Vines of the same age. How is this ? Amongst my own 
Vines perhaps the only one that gives me satisfaction is the Gros 
Colman ; this stands any amount of feeding, with the result that the berries 
are large, and when only fairly cropped are of good colour. Alicante, on 
the other hand, disappoints me. Certainly the colour is good, hut greater 
size of berries is wanted. Mr. Taylor’s Alicantes had decidedly the best 
berries of any I saw last year, though the bunches were not large. Lady 
Downe's pleases me in the berries, but not in the bunch. 
Comparing the three varieties of Grapes I have named, how do they 
stand for keeping, which after all is the test of good growth ? First for 
sound noble appearance is the Gros Colman. Then there is but little to 
choose between Alicante and Lady Downe’s. I prefer Alicante now; the 
only fault—and on this hangs a tale—is the stoning. In Lady Downe’s I 
can pick out plenty of beiries with five stones, this can readily be told by 
the markings on the berries. The great objection I find to this variety 
is that unless the berries are stoned they will shrivel and decay rapidly. 
Alicante is very deficient in stoning, and this, too, received the same 
treatment as Lady Downe’s. I now come to the conclusion that Alicante 
must have extra food, more so, I believe, than the others named, but 
whether it is to take the same form I cannot say. The chief reason for 
not giving extra food to Alicante is the great strength of the laterals 
and the large foliage. I should be afraid of using potash for fear of not 
ripening the wood, as I use but little fire. 
Stoning is entirely under the influence of the grower, as I have proved. 
The Madresfield Court berries have as many as six stones, where in the 
same Vine the year before they were very deficient, and this result is 
obtained by liming and root-feeding. Lime is an all-important factor, 
being so simple that its value is either ignored or doubted. In large 
borders the absence of lime is quickly discovered. In small or confined 
spaces it is not so soon found out, because I suspect the latter are 
better looked after perhaps both in water and feeding. Liquid manure 
and other modes of feeding delay the discovery of want of lime. I can 
point out one very narrow border, in fact a Cucumber bed, now used for 
Alicante and Lady Downe’s, which I know is deficient of lime; yet this 
season, with extra attention in other ways the Vines produced the largest 
berries I ever saw, and at the same time some of the smallest berries. 
What appears to be wanted in Vines generally is a good feeding of lime 
in spring or summer as required, and then, probably to make doubly sure, 
apply it again in the autumn. In my own experience I have had borders 
naturally full of lime, and in this case of course supplied other food. 
In conclusion, I have not the slightest doubt that it is the best grown 
Grape that keeps the best, and to grow it to perfection very close 
observation and application are required. In making ^ ine borders, pro¬ 
vided the mechanical condition is right, all that the Vine needs can be 
given as required. The simpler the compost—in fact I used no manure— 
the better for the well-doing of the Vin-. — Stephen Castle, It est 
Lynn. 
WAKSCEWICZELLA VELATA. 
Most of the Zygopetalums are generally cultivated even where Orchid 
collections are small, and some of them, such as Z. Mackayi, are much 
appreciated for their useful free-flowering habit. Very closely allied to 
them, but not nearly so well known, are the Warscewiczellas, of which a 
few species have been described and introduced, but by some authorities 
they have been all referred to the genus Zvgopetalum. There are several 
other genera also that have occasioned much discussion, of which Bollea, 
Huntleya, and Pescatorea may be named as examples, but as cer:ain minor 
distinctions have been observed in them they are, with the exception of 
Huntleya, given separate rank now. 
