March 25, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
227 
each way. If properly preserved from slugs and slightly pro¬ 
tected with branches of evergreens they soon grow to a good 
size, and when they touch each other may be finally transplanted 
with a trowel. Some dispose them between rows of Broad Beans, 
but the latter are apt to weaken the Brussels Sprouts, and i 
recommend that nothing but either Early Ashleaf Potatoes, 
early Turnips or Lettuces be grown between them, the crop being 
of too much value to justify incurring any risks. The rows 
may be 3 feet apart, the plants in the rows about 2 feet asunder. 
The Aigburth is a very reliable sort, but is rather too coarse for 
connoisseurs, and for home use we prefer either Sutton’s Exhibi¬ 
tion, Webb’s Matchless, Yeitch’s Exhibition, or Ne Plus Ultra, 
the latter being exactly similar to Northaw Prize—a fact which 
Mr. Merritt the raiser of the former may be able to account for. 
The only Bi-occoli that need be sown early, or in the same manner 
as the Brussels Sprouts, is Yeitch’s Autumn Protecting. We 
grow three times more of this valuable sort than of any other 
Broccoli, and, with a little attention in the way of lifting and 
storing in vineries or pits as fast as the heads become near the 
size of a cricket ball, it yields a supply from October till February. 
Snow’s Winter White when sown early grows to a great size, 
but produces few or no good heads, and monstrosities we have no 
room for. Late in April or early in May is quite soon enough to 
sow this popular but somewhat over-rated sort. 
Cauliflowers. —Autumn-sown plants are very scarce this 
season, and in many cases it is advisable to sow seed in mild 
heat of Extra Early Forcing, as well as either Dwarf Erfurt or 
Early London and Yeitch’s Autumn Giant The plants of the 
former may be potted and eventually planted under hand- 
lights or in a large rough frame, a little protection bringing them 
on rapidly; the later sorts to be pricked out on a warm border or 
in boxes, and placed under glass if need be till large enough to 
plant out. Fortunately Broccoli appears to be but little injured; 
and later on, if such sorts as Sutton’s Late Queen, Ledsham's 
Latest of All, Model, Cattell’s Eclipse, and even Leamington, 
are carefully lifted and bedded in thinly on a north border, a 
little good manure being firmly placed about the roots, the supply 
of white and very good Broccoli can be maintained, it may be, 
till the middle of June.—W. Iggulden. 
MUSCAT OF ALEXANDRIA AND BOWOOD MUSCAT. 
“ G. G.” confirms the idea that I at first formed regarding the setting 
of the Bowood Muscat. Evidently it was set before the boiler broke down, 
and though the heat does not seem to have been satisfactory for some time 
previous to the breakdown of the boiler, it may be assumed that it would 
r>e considerably greater than after that breakdown and during the time 
the Muscat of Alexandria was in bloom. 
The Muscat of Alexandria having to face a time of trial, no doubt 
tailed under that trial, but would not Bowood have done the same ? I 
have to thank “ G. G.” for his offer of eyes of Bowood, hut I may say 
I am not sufficiently convinced of its superiority or difference from 
Muscat of Alexandria to tempt me to break a rule laid down some years 
ago—viz., never to take young Vines or Vine cuttings from anyone, for 
fear of getting phylloxera. Not that I would for a moment suggest that 
“ G. G.” may have any such pest about his place, but simply because I 
am not inclined to break the rule laid down and hitherto strictly 
observed. 
Muscat of Alexandria has for so long done well in regard to full 
fruiting and good setting that I am not tempted to wish to change it. 
The time and care required in order that a good set may be obtained are 
well repaid, and nothing but mismanagement or inattention can be 
blamed when a failure of Muscat of Alexandria, in regard to setting, is 
chronicled. 
Of course under such trying circumstances as “ G. G.’s ” Muscat of 
Alexandria was, little wonder need be expressed at its failing to set. 
Give it fair play and good treatment, and Muscat of Alexandria will set 
well, swell well, and keep well, and failure in regard to it can generally 
be traced pretty easily to some cause. I am not disposed to doubt 
“G. G. ’ when he says his Bowood produces bunches as freely as any 
of his thirteen varieties, and is only inferior to four in regard to its 
setting qualities, but I claim for Muscat of Alexandria equally free 
fruiting, and, when properly attended to, also equally good setting 
qualities. There will evidently always be two parties in regard to the 
question of the distinctness of Muscat of Alexandria and Bowood, and 
no doubt both are, and always will be, equally strongly convinced that 
they are right. “ When doctors differ, who shall decide ?”—A Reader. 
HINTS ON ORCniD CULTURE. 
(Continued from page 215.) 
Watering, Syringing, Resting. —Few plants that are not aquatics 
require so much water as Orchids both about their roots and in the 
atmosphere, and therefore the supply of moisture is an important 
operation. Healthy Orchids when growitg freely can scarcely have 
too much water, and during the summer they will need attention 
twice a day independent of damping the paths and stages, or 
syringing. In the winter and during the resting period of Orchids, 
whether terrestrial or epiphytal, the supply must he greatly reduced 
for all except Odontoglossums, Masdevallias, and others which con¬ 
tinue active throughout the year. Non-pseudo-bulbous Orchids must 
also have a more liberal supply of water than those with pseudo¬ 
bulbs, which serve as storehouses of nutriment. In the summer and 
growing season the material on the shelves and the paths must be 
kept well moistened, and in cool houses shallow tanks should be 
provided at the sides of the paths. For supplying the plants and 
syringing rain water is the best, and it must always be used about the 
temperature of the house. Hard water should be avoided except 
for damping purposes, as though lime is not injurious to some Orchids 
it disfigures the foliage. Baskets and blocks can be dipped, but this 
must be carefully done with the former, or the drainage may be 
disturbed. There is some difference of opinion respecting the 
beneficial effects of syringing, but the majority of cultivato r have 
proved its usefulness, and in some large trade establishments the 
plants are syringed most liberally, ordinary watering-cans being 
seldom used. Morning and evening syringings iu the spring, summer, 
and autumn are beneficial to growing Orchids, but care must be 
exercised to keep the water off the flowers, and as much as possible 
off young tender growths, particularly those of Lm’ias like L. 
purpurata; while in the winter it should be discontin ;e 1, e pecially 
when the weather is severe. At St. Alb ms a simple and labour- 
saving mode of damping the houses is adopted, which is, however, 
only suitable for large establishments. Under thi sages and along 
the paths in every house are taken two or more pipes 1 inch in 
diameter, which are perforated at short intervals and connected with 
the main supply, so that by turning taps in convenient po i ions the 
whole house or any portion can be quickly damped with little trouble. 
The atmosphere of Orchid houses must be constantly moist, and 
in hot weather this can only be effected by a frequent and liberal 
distribution of water upon the paths anl stages. A useful instrument 
for determining the amount of moisture in the air is the hygrometer, 
consisting of two thermometers graduated exactly alike, with small 
projecting bulbs. These are affixed an inch or two apart to a porce¬ 
lain or other frame, and the bulb of one is connected by a little 
syphon of eotton, or lamp-wick, with a small bowl kept constantly 
filled with water. The evaporation of water from the latter, termed 
the wet bulb, by the extraction of heat, cause i the mercury to fall, 
and by comparing the temperature thus registered by that shown in 
the dry-bulb thermometer, which indicates the temperature of the 
house, it is seen at a glance whether the air is dry or moist. When 
saturated with moisture the mercury in the two tubes will stand at 
the same leve’, and the drier it is the greater will be the difference 
between them. This simple instrument can be 
easily constructed if two evenly balanced thermo¬ 
meters are obtained, but they can now be pur¬ 
chased very cheaply, and should be employed 
wherever Orchids aie grown in quantity. In fig. 
42 is represented a convenient hygrometer from 
Messrs. Negretti & Zambra, Holborn, but there 
are several other forms, some being constructed 
with a mechanical arrangement and dial to show 
the condition of the air. 
Deciduous terrestrial Orchids require a decided 
period of rest, during which water is either en¬ 
tirely withheld or is given in very small quanti¬ 
ties. Evergreen pseudo-bulbous Orchids must 
never be “ dried off,” but their rest consists in 
lessening the heat and moisture, though in the 
case of the Odontoglossums the supply must 
always depend upon their condition. Deciduous 
pseudo-bulbous Orchids also require a period of 
rest, but water must be given in sufficient quan- 
tities to prevent shrivelling. 
Ventilating and Shading. —In warm moist 
districts ventilation can be given much more 
liberally than in cold exposed or dry situations, and 
to these varying circumstances are due the diffe¬ 
rent opinions on the advantages to be derived from free ventilation. 
Wherever the climate is suitable and when the weather is favourable 
there is no question that most successful results are obtained by 
admitting air freely not only to cool-house but to tropical Orchids, 
and 1 have seen the late Mr. Percival’s fine Cattleyas being abso’utely 
blown about by brisk sea breezes, and Dr. Paterson in warm Bridge 
of Allan has adopted a similar system with equal advantage. For 
cool Orchids a liberal supply of air during the greater portion of the 
year is essential, and in one of the largest trade establishments small 
wooden pegs are placed between the laps of the glass, so that there 
is a space of an eighth of an inch between each two panes, and a similar 
space at the bottom of the rafter. In the same place the walls are 
constructed so that there is a moveable half-brick at the end of each 
