106 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 8, 1889. 
distinctness, for some urge with good reason that seeds of our 
common Poppy were probably transported long since to India 
amongst other seeds, and the differences now observable are due to 
climatal influence. 
Mr. J. G. Baker, however, regarded the Indian plant as dis¬ 
tinct and named it Papaver Hookeri after its discoverer. The 
plant was figured in the Botanical Magazine December 1st, 1883, 
and Sir Joseph Hooker thus describes it. “ The plant here 
figured has puzzled me very much. I found it to be common in 
gardens in India, both native and European, but I know of no 
native locality for it. Supposing it to have been some well known 
garden species, and introduced from Europe or elsewhere, no 
notice was taken of it in the ‘ Flora Indica ’ or in the ‘ Flora of 
British India.’ Specimens are in the Kew Herbarium, collected 
in the Sahrumpore Gardens by Thomson, in those of Scinde by 
Stocks, and by myself in those of Bengal. Its nearest ally is 
obviously P. Rhseas, from which it differs in its great size, for it 
forms a bushy herb 4 feet high and upwards, and in the great 
number of its stigmatic rays, which are twelve to twenty, that is 
nearly double those of P. Rhaeas ; the flowers, capsule and seeds 
are also much larger and the stigma broader in proportion. The 
flowers attain 3^ inches in diameter and the capsule three-quarters 
of an inch. The petals vary from pale rose to bright crimson with 
a white or black spot at the base.” 
Whether it be regarded as a species, or as a large cultivated 
form of P. Rhseas, this is a most valuable addition to our gardens, 
being perfectly hardy, and single plants flowering continuously in 
autumn for several weeks. It was raised from seeds sent by 
Mr. J. Beck of Kashmir (formerly of Kew) and which were 
collected by Mr. Dalgleish during a journey from Kashmir to 
Yarkand in Central Asia.” 
At Kew during the past two seasons a large bed has been devoted 
to the seedlings of P Hookeri, the seed having been received direct 
from India, and it has been interesting to note the range of variation 
both in size and colours. This year a neighbouring bed has been 
occupied with “ Shirley Poppies,” and with many points of strong 
resemblance some differences were also clearly perceptible. For 
instance, the Hookeri varieties had shorter, more globular, smooth 
capsules, and a less glaucous appearance than the Shirley Poppies, 
in which the capsule was rather elongated and more narrow, the 
plants rather stronger, and the glaucescence of stems, leaves, and 
capsules much more marked. The flowers, too, were rather larger, 
and light bright shades of colour more abundant. But at Chiswick 
it was seen that the Shirley Poppies are variable and require some 
care to maintain their character, as two small beds of seedlings from 
different sources were very different in merit, one series being much 
superior to the others. They are all, however, beautiful, and the 
Committee ranked them with the best of the annuals by giving 
them three marks.—L. Castle. 
Plants that have been induced to make their growth and flower 
before the general stock will by this time have well developed pseudo¬ 
bulbs, and must be removed from heat to a cooler house. This 
must be done gradually, and then remove them to the cool house a 
few weeks hence. When the pseudo-bulbs are developed early in 
the season considerable care is necessary to prevent their starting 
into second growth, which they are liable to do, instead of producing 
their flower spikes. If the plants start a second growth there is 
little prospect of flowers unless the growths are sacrificed. This is 
not wise, and the best course is to assist the plants to complete their 
second growth. If the autumn proves fine, and the pseudo-bulbs 
are well ripened, a good supply of flowers may follow. After a 
weak second growth the plants are a season or two, unless they break 
back, before they make the strong pseudo-bulbs that they previously 
possessed. The general stock should be syringed freely and watered 
liberally, but not be hurried in a close, highly heated structure. 
This treatment results in the pseudo-bulbs forming prematurely 
and being half the size only that they would attain if brought 
forward under cooler and more airy treatment. 
THUNIA MARSHALLI. 
Expose these plants fully to the sun in a cool house to thoroughly 
harden and ripen their growth. The pseudo-bulbs of plants that 
are only half ripened are almost certain to decay during the resting 
period. Well-ripeued growth, a season of complete rest, and their 
if growth is made under conditions that will insure sturdiness- 
flowers will be certain to come. Water the plants with care ; do 
not allow them to suffer by an insufficient supply until the foliage 
commences to die naturally. 
C Y PRIPEDIUM INSIGrNE. 
Plants that were assisted to make their growth in vineries,. 
Peach houses, or a warm pit should have lighter, cooler, and more- 
airy treatment. If kept in heat any longer they will come into- 
flower too early to be of real service. They are much more use¬ 
ful for the conservatory, in fact any form of decoration, after 
November than before. When kept in heat too long the plants are 
very liable to throw up their flowers irregularly and prematurely... 
Such cool species as C. villosum, C. venustum, and others may remain 
in warm quarters for some time longer ; their growth is far from* 
complete. All Cypripediums should have abundance of water ; in. 
fact, they must not approach dryness during active growth. The 
syringe may be used freely, provided the water is of the same- 
temperature as the structure in which they are grown. Strong¬ 
growing species, such as insigne and villosum, are benefited by 
occasional applications of liquid manure in a weak clear state after- 
the pots are full of roots. 
MOSS ON THE SURFACE OF ORCHID POTS. 
In the cool house the moss on the surface of the pots will be- 
growing luxuriantly. It is useless to keep pressing it down, for it 
is no sooner done than it needs attention again. Clip it off with a. 
pair of small shears, use it for top-dressing plants that have been-, 
potted more recently, or making good the surface of those on- 
which it has not grown so freely. When the best form of 
sphagnum only is used it does not give much trouble to keep it in 
order. Unfortunately this is very difficult to obtain. The long- 
thin, loose variety grows too rapidly and decays too quickly, there¬ 
fore proving an evil instead of an advantage to the plants.— Orchils- 
Grower. 
ALLOTMENT GARDENS AT NOTTINGHAM. 
The importance of allotment gardens, and their bearing upon- 
the social well-being of the working classes in encouraging habits of 
industry, steadinesss, and thrift, was seen in a remarkable manner at 
the Exhibition of the Nottingham (St. Ann’s) Amateur Floral ancE 
Horticultural Societies, held last week. Large numbers of prizes 
were offered for the productions from these allotment gardens, and 
though Nottingham has been famous in the past for the high merit 
of the artizans’ productions, they on this occasion seem to surpass- 
everything that had gone before, and the display was wonderfully 
good, with few exceptions. It is not my intention to trouble you- 
with any particular details of the Show itself, preferring to give 
you a brief account of these allotment gardens which I was invited) 
to visit, being assured that the Roses alone, to be seen in what is- 
known as the Hunger Hill Gardens, were well worth being seen_ 
These allotments are owned by the Corporation of Nottingham, and 
number about 1000 ; the allotments average from 300 to 500 square- 
yards, and are let at a small yearly rental. But in addition to these 
there are vast tracts of land, which have recently been divided into 
allotments, so that in the eastern division of the borough alone there- 
are something like 5000 allotments, all of which are situated in the 
centre of a district which has long been famous for the successful 
cultivation of the Rose. My visit afforded me an opportunity of 
seeing the Nottingham gardens in their prime—or in other woids,. 
under the most favourable circumstances, and we could not help* 
feeling that the inducements which they held out for healthy 
recreation were of the greatest importance. The first we inspected; 
was that of a working mechanic, whom my guide addressed as- 
“ Charley,” “ Honest Charley,” a man who had walked betweem 
8000 and 9000 miles between his garden and his house, and who- 
could not tell which had done him the more good—the walk to and 
from his garden, or the actual gardening in which he exerted- 
himself. He possesses one of the larger sized allotments, about 
500 yards, which is wholly devoted to Roses and Tulips, the former 
of which were very beautiful. A. K. Williams I have never seem 
in finer form. It has been well shown in this neighbourhood this- 
season, and it is quite evident that those who found it shy and 
unsatisfactory at first are overcoming the difficulties of its culture- 
In this garden, as well as most other gardens we visited, Camille 
Bernardin, Captain Christy, and Charles Lefebvre were in excel¬ 
lent form. A great favourite amongst the artizans of Nottingham* 
is La France, which I found extensively and well grown in the- 
majority of the gardens. Marie Baumann, as a richly coloured! 
variety, was in excellent form, as was also Horace Yernet, Marie- 
Rady, M. Noman, Merveille de Lyon, Beauty of Waltham, and 
Marguerite de St. Amand. “ Honest Charlie ” speaks very highly 
