408 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May £0, 1688. 
ORCHIDS AT UPPER HOLLOWAY. 
VISITORS to the Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Holloway, at 
this time of year have become accustomed to the beautiful displays of 
Orchids there provided by Mr. B. S. Williams, but this season he has far 
surpassed his previous efforts both in the variety and tasteful arrangement 
of the exhibition. The house devoted to the Orchids is the spacious 
structure near the office, 100 feet by 22 feet wide, and with a wide path 
from end to end, allowing visitors to inspect the floral attractions without 
any inconvenient crowding. The stage on the left hand side when 
entering has a particularly fine appearance, an appropriate background 
of Palms and Ferns being formed, the glass being covered to the eaves 
of the house with green calico, which enables the colours of the flowers to 
be seen to much better advantage. The Orchids are not arranged formally 
but freely at different levels, with the racemes or panicles of flowers 
arching over the others, and with graceful Ferns, Selaginellas, and other 
fine-foliage plants intermixed. Upon the right hand side larger Palms 
and Tree Ferns are arranged with Orchids in part, and in a prominent 
position i9 a tree stem with branches, upon which are disposed numerous 
epiphytal Orchids suitable for growing in this way, and very pretty are 
the numerous plants of Cattleya citrina, Dendrobium (or anosmuin), 
Odontoglossum Alexandra, Oncidium concolor, Epidendrum vitellinum 
majus, Trichopilia coccinea and Burlingtonia fragrans, with a few 
Tillandsias and other Bromeliacous plants. 
In the general effect Lrelia purpurata takes an important part, the 
flowers large and some of the varieties very handsome. There are over 
twenty fine specimens, all flowering freely, and in the other houses there 
are some scores advancing to maintain the display. One variety named 
bella is distinguished by its purple sepals and petals and intensely rich 
crimson lip ; in contrast with this L. purpurata alba, with pure white 
sepals and petals, has a charming appearance. Cattleyas, comprising the 
floriferous C. Lawrenciana, the exquisitely delicate C. Morgan®, which 
was admirably figured in the “ Orchid Album ” a short time ago, 
C. Mendeli, and C. Mossise, in many fine varieties, some with twenty or 
more flowers, add considerably to the beauty of the exhibition. Odonto- 
glossums are also numerous, and the varieties of O. crispum are remark¬ 
able throughout for their high quality, grandly proportioned substantial 
flowers, pure white, tinted or spotted, the result of many years’ careful 
selections from extensive importations. O. Pescatorei, O. luteo-pur- 
pureum, O. cirrhosum, 0. vexillarium and O. gloriosum, O. citrosmum 
and its lovely variety roseum, suspended in pots from the roof, are ex¬ 
tremely beautiful, the drooping spikes showing to good effect in this way. 
Of Oncidiums there are many of the best species, but particularly fine is 
the brilliant golden Marshallianum, which is now in its best condition ; 
0. concolor is also abundant. Epidendrum vitellinum majus furnishes 
some bright scarlet tints ; Dendrobiums, such as thyrsiflorum, Wardianum, 
draconis, and others add to the geneial attractions; Cypripediums of 
many species, varieties, and hybrids, Vandas (about twenty plants of 
tricolor, suavis, &c.), Miltonias, Lycastes, Trichopilias, and innumerable 
others are represented by hundreds of plants, and it can readily be 
imagined that a very beautiful display is produced. The show will attract 
many visitors during the next few weeks, and there are plenty of plants 
in reserve to maintain or even increase its interest. 
In the other portions of the nursery choice Ferns, Pitcher Plants, 
Ericas, and miscellaneous stove and greenhouse plants, of which the 
collection is so large, all include much that is worthy of inspection. 
SPRING-ROOTED HYDRANGEAS. 
The method adopted by a great many gardeners of striking 
cuttings of these very useful and beautiful flowers m the autumn 
is often attended by disappointment. I have seen a quantity of 
cuttings inserted in pots at that period, and but a few of them 
have made roots freely and grown into plants suitable for bearing 
a good truss or two of blooms the following year. Besides, the 
room occupied by the young plants during the winter months 
may be utilised for other purposes. When it is necessary to 
increase the stock or to obtain young ones, cut back the shoots 
of the old plants, leaving two or three eyes only of the present 
year’s growth ; as soon as the wood is thoroughly ripened place 
them in a cool frame or greenhouse till January or February, and 
then shift a few of each variety into a temperature of 55° or 60°. 
They will soon begin to push out sturdy young growths, which, 
when 2 or 3 inches long, may be cut off close to the old wood, and 
so secure a heel to each cutting. Put them singly into small pots 
and plunge in a gentle bottom heat, or they may be inserted in 
cocoa-nut fibre in a propagating frame and kept air-tight till 
rooted, which will take place in about three weeks. They may 
then be carefully lifted and placed in 3-inch pots. Use for this 
potting two parts of good fibry loam, one of leaf mould, and one 
of sand. After potting, place the plants in a house or pit where 
the temperature cm be maintained during the day at 60° to 65°, 
and 55° to G0° at night. Avoid cold draughts. When the roots 
have taken hold of the new soil and the plants have made two 
more growths, shift them into a cooler house. If one head of 
bloom is only required on each plant, keep them in the 3-inch 
pits till the bloom begins to form, and then repot or feed them 
with weak liquid manure and a little soot water, which will give 
a healthy appearance to the foliage. But if larger plants are 
required, transfer into 6 or 7-inch pots, using the same compost as 
advised, only add three parts loam with a little decayed manure 
and a 6-inch potful of soot to every barrowful of soil. I saw a 
quantity rooted in this way early in the spring, and they soon 
outgrew the autumn-struck plants and looked much healthier. 
Amateurs who have not much room to spare, and florists who 
want plants in bloom for market in as short a time as possible, 
will do well to try this method of raising a stock from cuttings. 
—G. G., Hants. 
PINCHES’ ACME TREE LABEL. 
I BEG to submit to your notice a new permanent “ Acme ” label for 
trees, shrubs, &c., for which I claim some advantages. 
1st. The letters are composed of a non-oxidisable alloy, amalgamated 
with the surface of hard-rolled zinc. 
2nd. The names stand out clearly, the letters beiag nearly half inch 
high, light on a black ground. 
3rd. There is no raised border, so the water runs off freely. 
4th. It is half the weight of any other metal label I have seen, with¬ 
out any diminution of strength. 
I hope your critical examination of this new label may be favourable. 
—John Pinches. 
(It is undoubtedly a good label, light, strong, durable, and the nam e 
Fig. 74.—Acme Tree Label. 
clear and distinct. The stem is a foot long, the lower half galvanised, 
and an inch wide, the plate on which the name appears in raised letters, 
5 inches by 2£ inches. It is very suitable for arboretums, pleasure 
grounds and fruit gardens, in which the names of the trees are desired to 
be seen without searching among the leafage, or stooping low to read 
them.] 
STEPHANOTIS. 
I herewith send you a shoot in flower of the old variety, if there is 
more than one variety of Stephanotis fioribunda. The plant is over 
twenty years old, and at present is full of flowers, a number of which 
have a dozen trusses on each shoot. I daresay there are over a thousand 
trusses upon the plant. It is planted out in the end of an intermediate 
stove, and is trained along the roof. It has borne a profusion of flowers 
every year, but this year it has done better than usual.—R. M. 
[As to “ varieties ” of this favourite climber, we have not seen a better 
than the specimen referred to, nor a better example of culture. The 
6 feet long shoot forms quite a wreath of large trusses of fine flowers 
relieved by deep green glossy leaves.J 
HABROTHAMNUS FASCICULATUS. 
This Habrothamnus ranks, in my opinion, among the most useful of 
greenhouse climbers. In a dark corner of a cool greenhouse, where few 
plants would show to any advantage, this vigorous plant can be grown 
successfully. It flourishes best on a north aspect and in a low tempera¬ 
ture, and its clusters of crimson blossoms against a background of dark 
green leaves make it a decided acquisition. I have seen a specimen on 
the back wall of a lean-to greenhouse and vinery which had a stair-like 
stage rising to within a few feet of the glass immediately in front of it, 
the unsightly back of the stage completely shrouding it. Side by side 
with it, and likewise nailed to the wall, were plants of Abutilon vexil¬ 
larium igneum and Tacsonia Van Yolxemi, both in poor condition ; 
while the Habrothamnus was in perfect health and a model of what a 
greenhouse climber should be, with foliage almost to the ground, and one 
mass of clustering crimson blossoms. The lower clusters were inferior to 
those at the top, but the effect was very striking. The treatment is very 
simple. Cuttings from the young shoots may be inserted during the 
