254 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 1, 181-6. 
seedling Begonias from the seed pans into other pans. It requires an 
expert hand and sharp eye to separate and transplant the almost invisible 
minute little seedlings without injuring them in the process. Yet this is 
done with a very small per-centage of losses. As affording an idea of 
the delicate nature of such a task, we may mention that in each pan of 
about 10 inches in diameter there are pricked out with mathematical 
precision from 200 to 300 tiny plants. The operator holds a fine-pointed 
stick as a dibber in one hand, and a similar sized stick with a small fork 
at the end in the other, with which to lift and separate the seedlings. 
Some hundreds of pans, representing hundreds of thousands of plants, 
besides an enormous quantity of last year’s bulbs shows the gigantic trade 
carried on annually by this firm alone in Begonias. Caladiums, too, are 
a special feature here, several first-class varieties having been raised here. 
In another house we saw a large quantity of Azalea Deutche Perle in 
flower. This variety deserves to be grown more extensively than it is on 
account of the beautiful shape and colour (white) of it flowers, which 
resemble the buds of a well-grown Gardenia bloom.—T. W. S. 
CYRTOPODIUM PUNCTATUM VAR. SAINTLEGERIANUM 
Although about twenty species of Cyrtopodiums have been dis¬ 
covered few have come into cultivation, and these are not by any means 
frequently seen in collections. Yet such species as C. punctatum are 
very handsome when in flower, and some of the yellow-flowered forms, 
are also highly attractive and distinct from the majority of Orchid 0 . Of 
the three or four species met with in gardens C. Andersoni is interesting, 
the flowers being bright yellow and borne in racemes or slightly branch¬ 
ing panicles. It is a tropical American plant, and it is said “ a paste 
or glue is prepared from its fleshy stems” that is there employed by shoe¬ 
makers. C. cardiochilum is similar to this in the form and colour of the 
flowers, and is beautifully figured in Williams’s “ Orchid Album,” vol. iv., 
1.176. 
C. punctatum has been long known as an effective Orchid, the large 
panicles of flowers being produced freely, of a yellow tinge spotted with 
red, the lip being much brighter than the sepals or petals. It was dis. 
covered by Plumier in Hispaniola, and mentioned as “ Helleborus ramo- 
sissimus cauliculis et floribus maculosis.” Mr. Wm. Swainson introduced 
it from Brazil, and it first flowered in the Glasgow Botanic Garden in 
1835. 
Cyrtopodium Saintlegerianum has been described by Reichenbach as 
a new species, but it seems to differ so little from C. punctatum that it 
would be better regarded as a variety of that species with more highly 
coloured flowers. Mr. B. S. Williams has given an illustration in the 
“ Orchid Album ” of C. punctatum which appears to be identical with the 
C. Saintlegerianum recently shown at South Kensington by A. H. Smee, 
Esq., The Grange, Wallington, and then awarded a first-class certifi¬ 
cate. The plant was, however, collected and brought over in May. 1883, 
by M. de St. Leger from Paraguay along with Oncidiums Jonesianum 
and O'Brieniannm, and it is just possible that the plant from which the 
figure above referred to was taken was really the variety Saintlegerianum, 
which is superior in colouring to any form of C. punctatum we have 
previously seen. Our figure was prepared from flowers sent us by Mr. 
Smee and shows the general character well. The panicles arise with the 
young growths, and as the former are freely branched they are well 
adapted for cutting. 
Mr. G.W.Cummins, the gardener at The Grange, forwards us the follow¬ 
ing cultural note in reference to this handsome Orchid:—“It is of easy 
culture if potted with good drainage in a compost of rich loam, peat, 
potsherds broken small, and treated occasionally with a supply of liquid 
manure during the growing season (Clay’s fertiliser being used for the 
plant under notice at the rate of one teaspoonful dissolved in a gallon of 
water). Soon after commencing the use of the manure many fibres were 
noticed shooting upwards from the thick fleshy roots. The temperature 
which suits it best is that of a warm house where Vandas grow well. 
The graceful Palm-like appearance of the foliage renders the plant 
attractive even when not in flower.” 
THE WEATHER AND VEGETATION. 
ENGLAND AND WALES. 
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. 
The past winter will long be remembered, or more especially that part 
of it dating from January 3rd to March 18th, for during this period, 
except on two nights, we experienced severe frosts and almost sunless 
days, with a cold wind ranging from north to east. On January 6th 
8 inches of snow fell, which remained on the ground sufficiently to 
protect vegetation a little until the middle of February, when a slight 
thaw set in for two days. Since that time we have had occasional snow¬ 
storms, which disappeared with the first glimpse of sun. The continued 
cold easterly winds, accompanied by sharp frosty nights, killed about half 
our Broccoli and spring bedding plants ; Wallflowers, Myosotis, Pansies, 
&c., are much cut up, although since the change to warmer and showery 
weather plants that previously appeared almost lifeless are starting into 
growth. Trees and shrubs generally have suffered but little, and we 
should have abundant fruit crops, buds now only just pushing. Birds are 
very troublesome here at all times, and necessitate netting Goose¬ 
berries to save the buds. The coldest nights of the winter were on 
December lOtb, 17° of frost ; lltb, 15° ; January 6th, 20°; 7th, 22°; 8th, 
16°; 9th, 15°; February 8th, 15° ; 9th, 17°; March 6th, 16°; 16th, 15°. 
Total number of degrees of frost registered from January 1st to 
March 18th, 451, as against 266 for the corresponding time last year.— 
Chas. Herein, Chalfont Park Gardens, Gerrard's Cross. 
Peas sown 23rd November on a south border have stood remarkably 
well. At present they are from 2 to 3 inches above ground, and are a 
good plant. The forwardest at present is William I. We did not sow 
American Wonder in autumn last year, as we found it too tender for 
autumn sowing. Coleworts and Brussels have stood well; autumn- 
planted Cabbage, Ellam’s, about half are killed. All Cauliflower plants 
where not protected are killed. Of Lettuce, Bath Cos and Hick’s Hardy, 
about half the plants killed. Savoys and Cottagers’ Kale have stood 
very well. Broccoli, Cooling’s Matchless. Veitch’s Spring White and 
Self-pretecting, very much injured. Dilcock’s Bride and Webb’s 
Perfection have stood well, and look healthy. Celery, where not 
protected, is very much injured. Double Violets mostly killed where not 
protected, such as Marie Louise, Neapolitan, and Swanley White. Single 
varieties are much injured, but will recover. The most frost we had here 
in one night was 18°. It seems to me that the continual low temperature 
for so many nights and days has caused much damage to vegetation.—J. 
Smith, Mentmore, Bucks. 
CORNWALL. 
The weather has been unusually cold, a long prevalence of east winds, 
especially in February and March. No snow and frost except on three or 
four mornings, January 8th being lowest—viz., 28°, or four degrees of 
frost. The plants generally are uninjured. Pelargoniums and all tender 
succulents have not suffered in any way. Pelargoniums and tender 
plants were destroyed in 1881, but nothing like it has occurred this winter. 
The Narcissus and Potato crops were quite three weeks later than usual 
this season.— Geo. D. Vallance, Gardener, Tresco Abbey, Scilly 
Isles. 
DERBYSHIRE. 
At last we have the ground cleared of snow and a cessation from frost. 
What pleasure this gives can only be felt by those who have been snowed 
and frozen up since January 11th. The intense cold in March has only 
been equalled by that in January, 1880, during my location in Derby¬ 
shire. For twenty-six consecutive days and nights the thermometer 
never once rose above freezing point on a north wall, but varied between 4? 
and 31°. Vegetation in this neighbourhood is in a sorry plight, Brussels 
Sprouts and Broccoli being almost a mass of decayed matter, and the 
autumn-planted Cabbage less than when put in. The effects on the more 
tender of herbaceous plants I have not yet been able to discover ; but I 
dread the worst, as the common Laurel and Yews show too plainly what 
they have had to brave.— Wm. Elphinstone, Shipley Hall Gardens. 
DEVONSHIRE. 
Foe the last Bix months the weather has been a continued change. 
After a dry summer September came in with a heavy rainfall; rain fell 
more or less for fifteen days. It had the effect of starting all shrubs and 
vegetables into active growth. October was very stormy, rain fell on 
fourteen days. November was very fine up to the 24th ; in the next six 
days 3 inches of rain fell, the weather became much colder, and on December 
9th we had 13° of frost; 10th, 10°; 11th, 17° ; 12th. 11° ; the remainder of the 
month was cold for this part of the country. January began with storms 
of rain and snow, and sharp frost followed on the 8th, 16° ; again on the 
21st, 18°, this is the lowest registered here, though 3 feet above ground, 
and snow covered the ground 2 inches in depth for seven or eight days. 
February was much finer, scarcely 1 inch of rain fell, and less frost was 
registered ; 10° on the 22nd, again 10° on the 26th. March came in “ like 
a lion,” and continued so up till to-day, the 18th, the last fifteen days frost 
varying irorn 2° to 15°, with a keen east wind, which has completely 
dried up all the grass. The effects of all this has been most disastrous to 
Broccoli. Wilcove and Model are standing fairly well, Penzance and 
Veitch’s Spring White were the finest last year, many heads weighing up¬ 
wards of 12 lbs. ; these are mostly killed this year. There is a paucity of 
Pear and Apple buds, and they will be very late. The young shoots of 
Euonymus are cut. Eucalyptus are all killed to the ground. Fuchsias 
are much cut, but the Myrtle, Escallonias, Japanese shrubs, and climbers 
are free from injury. In the borders many biennials have suffered ; 
Sweet-scented Aloysias we grow in quantity on walls are unhurt. Stocks 
aie all safe, but want warm weather to start them into growth. Everything 
is very late here. Thermometer 1 foot below the surface shows a tempera¬ 
ture of 37°. Scarcely a Primrose to be found on the banks, or a Daffodil 
in the fields, of which there is usually abundance, weeks before this time. 
I forgot to say Veronicas and Coronillas are very much injured with frost, 
but not killed. These gardens are rather exposed, and a great height 
above the sea. The villages near are very much warmer, being in 
the valley of the Yealmu river.— Geo. Bakes, Membland Hall Gardens , 
Plympton. 
