August 15, 18S9. ] 
129 
" ' JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
unjustly slandered by him as innocently housed in these as in the 
crevices of the cankered wound which he accuses them of gene¬ 
rating.—E dmund Tonks, Packicood Grange, Knowle, Warwickshire. 
CATTLEYA ELDORADO. 
"The varieties of this Orchid are numerous, varying as they 
•do from pure white to the darkest shades of colour, and are 
invaluable for ornamental purposes as well as for cutting during 
"the months of autumn. To grow the plants well they should be 
grown at the warmest end of the Cattleya house, where a good 
•supply of moisture can be maintained during the season of growth. 
They appear also to enjoy more water at their roots than the 
majority of Cattleyas. Where the plants have been grown warm 
they will have completed their growth and have commenced to 
•show their flower sheaths. When they reach this stage remove them 
"to the coolest and lightest end of the house, so that their pseudo¬ 
bulbs will become thoroughly ripened. The supply of moisture 
may be gradually diminished, but on no account should they be 
allowed to become so dry as to prematurely ripen them. Although 
•this Orchid enjoys liberal supplies of water at its roots during the 
growing season, it cannot endure large quantities of wet unoccupied 
■soil. Being only of moderate growth it does best when somewhat 
limited in its root space ; in fact, succeeds admirably in a basket 
-suspended from the roof, or on a good sized block with a little 
sphagnum. 
ONCIDIUM JONESIANUM. 
Few Orchids are more beautiful suspended from the roof of a 
house. The lip, which is pure white, is very conspicuous with the 
richly spotted sepals and petals behind. The freedom with which 
it flowers and the length of time that the flowers last should 
•ccromend it in this respect to all, however limited the collection 
may be. It is only right, however, to point out that few Orchids 
are more seriously injured than this by flowering early and the 
flowers remaining on the plants until they fade. Imported plants 
wery often flower profusely, even before they have established 
themselves. It is a mistake to allow them to do so, or even allow 
them to retain their flowers long after the first season’s growth. 
Plants that are allowed to flower from the first gradually dwindle 
and eventually die. Remove the spikes as they appear until the 
■plants have made a good quantity of roots and strong growth. 
Although only a small rooting plant they should not be secured 
"to smooth small thin pieces of wood. They will be found to do 
better on larger and thicker blocks of wood that are moderately 
Tough outside, so that they are capable of holding moisture for a 
■greater length of time. A little sphagnum on the block is also 
useful for this purpose. Like most Oncidiums it appears to enjoy 
: -a moderate amount of light, and grows and roots better in the 
Odontoglossum than in the Cattleya house. 
DENDROBIUM FORMOSUM. 
This and its variety giganteum are well worth growing in 
•quantity, on account of the large flowers they produce and the 
length of time they last in good condition. The flowers are 
admirably adapted for bouquet making. They are produced on 
"the top of the young pseudo-bulbs after they have obtained a fair 
amount of solidity. Both are evergreen, and do well in baskets or 
•shallow pans suspended from the roof. They require more light 
during growth than is necessary for D. Wardianum. Strong sturdy 
growths should be produced, and these are certain to flower. This 
•can be accomplished by growing the plants in a warm moist struc¬ 
ture where they can enjoy shade from strong sunshine and a good 
•circulation of air. Liberal supplies of water are needed during 
the season of growth, and the syringe may be used freely. The 
plants do well in good peat with a little living sphagnum on the 
■surface.— Orchid Grower. 
Liquid Manure for Fruit Trees. —Numerous large fruit trees 
are well set with fruit this season, but in many instances much of this 
will either drop or be very small if it hangs on unless the trees are fed 
■at the roots in some way. Those against walls or situated in the open 
•cultivated ground and which are growing healthily may not need this 
assistance, but any that are stunted in growth and perhaps overrun 
with red spider, as well as old orchard trees generally, will repay for 
timely attention. Heavy rains have fallen in most parts of the country, 
and these will have well moistened the ground to a good depth, render¬ 
ing it in excellent condition for the reception of fairly strong liquid 
manure. It is not at the bole of the tree where the feeding roots are to 
be found, but at a considerable distance from it, or say as far as the 
spread of branches. On cultivated ground it will hasten the work if 
a large basin is formed to hold the liquid manure, or shallow furrows 
may be drawn for a similar purpos?, while holes may be formed thickly 
under orchard trees with the aid of a crowbar. Nothing surpasses the 
drainings from a farmyard, this being freely supplied to the roots, but 
sewage water and diluted drainings from a piggery are also safe ferti¬ 
lisers. In any case, or if a special manure is substituted and washed in, 
a thorough soaking should be given, and repeated if possible, or it will 
be so much labour thrown away.—I. 
SELECT ALPINE PLANTS. 
ACANTHOLIMON VENUSTUM. 
For some time past this has been a very pleasing plant, producing 
in abundance its elegant sprays of delicate pink blossoms, such as 
are sure to give satisfaction to a large proportion of those who 
delight in the cultivation of alpine plants. It appears to thrive 
best in a mixture of sandy loam and leaf soil, to which a proportion 
of one-fifth of decayed manure and a sprinkling of old mortar 
rubbish has been added, preferring a sunny spot and well drained, 
and delighting in abundant moisture in the summer months. It is 
essentially a rockery plant; or, if no rockery exist, a raised position 
in the border should be assigned to it, or it may be grown quite 
well in pots. Its near ally, A. glumaceum, is of free growth, and 
may sometimes be seen used as an edging ; indeed, it was employed 
thus many years ago in the Exotic Nurseries, Tooting, where it 
formed compact cushions, ornamental as well as useful. Both 
species may be propagated by division, an operation best performed 
in early spring, giving water rather sparingly to A. venustum till 
it has taken well to the soil. Though rather freely flowered, seeds 
are, according to my experience, but sparsely produced. They are 
closely allied to the Statices. 
PRIMULA MINIMA. 
The Fairy Primrose is an alpine gem of considerable merit and 
deserving extensive cultivation. It is usually recommended for 
dry positions, but my experience is rather opposed to this. My 
plants are growing in a rather rich loamy soil in pots, and are 
abundantly supplied with moisture, which, judging by their 
luxuriance, suits them admirably ; the situation is somewhat shaded 
and generally moist. The plant throughout is of diminutive 
growth, not more than an inch high from the soil, the leaves forming 
the rosettes deeply -notched at the extremities ; from these tiny 
rosettes a simple stem bearing a solitary flower springs, which is of 
a rose colour, nearly an inch across, and these when well grown 
will nearly hide the plant—that is the spreading tuft of leaves — 
from view. 
A much superior plant is a variety of the Fairy Primrose, 
called Yivid, the flowers considerably larger, brighter in colour, 
and generally more effective than the type. I only procured this 
one during last year, having previously no knowledge of it, and am 
much pleased to make its acquaintance ; and since it has proved so 
decided an advancement upon the original species I can with every 
confidence recommend it to all lovers of choice alpines. Though 
readily increased by division of the stools its multiplication is not 
to be generally recommended, for a large plant is calculated to 
produce a very telling effect if in one mass, as it should be, though 
they make but little show if cut up into small scraps. Some years 
ago I had plants growing in pots 7 inches across, the plants being 
perfect masses, quite filling the pots ; they flowered profusely 
annually, and were greatly admired. I gave them a similar treat¬ 
ment to that I now adopt, taking care always to withhold water 
from them during the greater part of the winter season, and 
admitting abundance of air to the frames day and night, even in 
the most frosty weather, to these and other choice Primulas, 
believing that our continuous damp winters are opposed to their 
welfare, and at the same time they encount r no injury from 
prolonged frost when comparatively dry overhead and at the 
ro its. 
As regards repotting— i.e., merely shifting on into larger pots— 
this may be done at any time during the early summer months ; 
but for dividing and repotting the plants I have found both the 
early autumn and early spring alike good, with little or no apparent 
difference as the result. Personally I prefer the month of March, 
just when these plants exhibit signs of new life, for then the new 
roots which are annually formed have a better chance of getting 
away into the soil. After flowering is the generally accepted time 
for potting these plants, though it has never had my support, for 
many p’ants make a great quantity of new roots p:ior and up to 
