March 11, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
189 
tion may be supposed to be beneficial ; also that bird guano deposited 
upon the stems and branches of trees may afford some support of this 
kind. Under artificial conditions it is, however, necessary to be ex¬ 
tremely cautious or much injury will result, and beginners had better 
abstain from dangerous experiments until they gain more knowledge 
of Orchid culture. Some experienced cultivators have, however, 
proved that manures can be employed with advantage, and several 
have been recommended for the purpose. Cow manure in an old and 
partially exhausted condition is used for mixing with the soil for 
strong terrestrial Orchids, chiefly for those needing loam, and which 
will be afterwards enumerated. Horse, sheep manure, and soot are 
similarly used, but the most elaborate trials appear to have been 
made with Jensen's fish guano, Mr. A. Borwick of Higham Hill, 
Walthamstow, having tried it generally on a miscellaneous collection 
of Orchids with evident advantage to the majority, especially 
Cymbidiums, Lycastes, and Coelogynes, which have made very strong 
growths. This was used at the rate of a 48-potful to a barrowload 
of peat or other soil ; but it is safer to use a smaller quantity, and in 
any case this or any other manure should be thoroughly mixed with 
the compost. The manures named are also used as liquids diluted 
with water, but these must always be very weak—scarcely tinged ; or 
in the case of the fish potash -t oz. to a gallon is ample, and less is 
advisable. As liquids, and for sprinkling upon the stages or floors of 
houses, some persons have tried nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, 
and carbonate of ammonia, which are dissolved in water and then 
sprinkled about. Sometimes pieces of the carbonate are placed in 
jars in the pipes and allowed to remain there constantly, thus giving 
off a supply of ammonia. Experiments of this kind have been found 
Fig. 3L Fig. 82. Fig. 33. 
to improve the colour of the foliage wonderfully ; but when given 
to the plants in a comparatively strong state they either make a 
vigorous growth and become exhausted and turn yellow, or their 
roots are at once killed. At The Grange, Wallington, the residence 
of A. H. Smee, Esq , where so many interesting experiments have 
qeen tried, Clay’s Fertiliser has been employed for many Orchids, 
applied as a top-dressing for the strongest, or about a spoonful is 
placed in a gallon of water, and the liquid thus formed is given to 
the majority of terrestrial Orchids. A very strong specimen of 
Cyrtopodium Saintlegerianum, which had been thus treated has been 
exhibited and certificated at South Kensington. 
CULTURAL UTENSILS. 
Pots and Pans. —Large numbers of Orchids are now grown in 
pots and pans, more so, perhaps, than formerly, when baskets, rafts, 
and blocks were almost exclusively used for epiphytal species. They 
are obtained in a great variety of sizes and shapes ; some very artistic, 
such as Mr. Matthews occasionally exhibits, and others of plainer 
design, but equally useful. Those with perforated sides are preferred 
by some, and they have the advantage of affording a quick drainage, 
which is necessary if deep pots are used. Shallow pots or deep pans 
for large specimens are, however, being more generally employed, and 
of late small pans, 3 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches in diameter, have 
become popular for many Orchids, and it is astonishing what pretty 
plants can be grown in them, Odontoglossums of the Cervantesi and 
Rossi character, Sophronitis, and other small Orchids doing well, 
while some of the Dendrobiums succeed admirably in the same way. 
All, in fact, that do not need much root space. Where insects are 
troublesome it is a common practice to invert a pot in a saucer of 
water and place the other on this ; but a simpler way of accomplish¬ 
ing the same object is afforded by the Orchid pan employed at 
Downside, Leatheihead, which was prepared from a design by the 
gardener, Mr. Woolford. It consists of an ordinary saucer, in the 
centre of which arises a little pillar expanded at the top into a 
flattened plate, upon which the pot is placed. The saucer being then 
filled with water, no insects can pass from the stage to the plant. 
Baskets and Blocks. —Baskets suitable for Orchids are readily 
constructed, but they are now so cheap that it is much better to 
purchase them from some of the dealers, from whom they can be 
obtained of any size desired and of several forms. They are mostly 
made of teak, and are very durable, though constantly exposed to 
moisture. The principal forms are shown in the accompanying cuts, 
which represent some of those made by Mr. Sidney Williams, 21, 
Farringdon Road. The ordinary square basket is formed with the 
bars extended at the end, as in fig. 31, or with the ends flush, and it 
is immaterial which is employed ; they are also made with four wires 
for suspending them by, and with two, but the former is generally 
preferred. Fig. 32 represents a boat basket, a convenient form for 
some Orchids, and fig. 33 is a cylinder, employed in many establish¬ 
ments for Phalmnopsis and similar kinds. Mr. Bonny, Hackney 
Downs, also constructs very useful baskets in which the wires are 
removeable, so that different lengths can be employed as desired, and 
cane is used between the bars instead of lead. For blocks almost 
any wood is suitable that is not so soft that it readily decays, or of so 
hard and close a texture that the roots cannot obtain a hold upon it ; 
but teak slabs are also frequently used as blocks, rafts formed of 
parallel bars answering the same purpose. A soft freestone has been 
used as blocks for epiphytal Orchids with good results, and porous 
earthenware pots, filled with water inside and the plants secured to 
the outer surface, have been found similarly suitable for many 
species. The use of compressed sphagnum for this purpose has been 
already noticed. 
Of miscellaneous utensils the most important, in addition to the 
ordinary watering cans with fine and coarse roses, and syringe with 
nozzle and rose, will be a little metal tank on wheels for dipping 
baskets, blocks, &c., where the collection is large, as it can be 
taken round the house and the work quickly performed. For a small 
collection a pail will suffice.— An Amateur. 
(To be continued.) 
A FEW NOTES ON CLUBBING. 
Occasional notices appear in your valuable Journal in reference to 
this disease, and where it is experienced in so bad a way as here, no one 
would be surprised at every attempt being made to overcome it. 1 believe, 
however, that but few culturists experience it really bad. I have been 
employed in gardens where it hardly ever occurred, and it never gave 
any anxiety. Cauliflowers were frequently destroyed by maggots, but 
this is very different, and not so bad when in its worst form as 
clubbing. Where I write clubbing is so certain that with the exception 
of curled greens and Cabbage, all the other kinds—Cauliflowers, Sprouts, 
Savoys, and Broccoli—are but risky crops to grow on account of this 
pest. The soil here is a light friable loam on a gravel subsoil. In my 
first year’s experience of it I thought I had a fairly good supply of winter 
vegetables coming on, but before the summer was nearly over, on some 
hot days I scarcely understood what was wrong with the stretch of 
Brassicas, as all the leaves were quite flat, but after further inspection 
it soon was proved to be clubbing, worse than ever I had seen it 
before. Alter this I made many inquiries on this subject to see what 
could be done to cure it. In one case I was told that the ground was 
exhausted, and if it was trenched, bringing up fresh soil, that would cure 
it. This was done, but it had not the desired effect. Next, I think, I 
tried liming, digging it in in the winter time after it was spread on the 
surface in quantity like a fair ordinary manuring. After this the clubbing 
was not gone. Again, or next year, at planting time I had a large heap 
made up of leaf m uld, soot, old potting soil, and such material as could 
be collected, and under each row of plants I had some of this put to the 
roots. After this the result was the best that I have yet had. I 
have noticed that some ground seems to favour it more than others, and 
I have pulled plant after plant in the autumn with the clubbing so large 
that the roots might be said to be as large as both hands shut together, 
or the size of a cocoa-nut, only rough in form. Some years I have 
bought in all, or nearly all, of the plants from ground where they did 
not club, and no doubt this was a little help, as it was hopeless to plant 
those of our own raising when they were beginning to club in the seed bed. 
We have been tolerably successful with early Cauliflowers, but these are 
usually plants out of pots, and if I want to make the most of them I resort 
to the plan of placing fresh soil to the roots, such as old potting soil. It 
would be a great advantage to us if we knew a simple and effectual cure.. 
—E. M., Cheshire. 
LIME FOR VINE BORDERS. 
ANALYSIS OF SOIL. 
If “ A. L. G.” reads my remarks on page 104 again, he will see that 
no personalities were intended. He thinks that the information he gives is 
correct. Does he mean the method by which he tests whether soil con¬ 
tains lime or not, or the extracts quoted from Warrington’s “ Chemistry 
of the Farm?” The point has not been disputed, but the accuracy of 
the latter he has failed to demonstrate. On the contrary, he now advo¬ 
cates the use of lime, but the quantity quoted for land similar to what I 
described would be of very little service. I have tested this small appli¬ 
cation system, but it neither prevents clubbing nor adds materially to the 
productiveness of the land. A liberal dressing, such as “ Thinker ” and 
