198 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 7,188R 
section which produces erect flower spikes, this habit rendering it 
quite different in appearance to those kinds which produce their 
elegant flowers in long, dense, pendent racemes, of which such kinds 
as S. guttatum, S. prsemorsum, S. Blumei, S. giganteum, and others 
are familiar examples. This species was collected and sent home 
in quantity by M. Robbelin, who states that he found it growing 
upon isolated trees in the Rice fields of Siam, these trees being 
charred stumps which had survived the fires used in clearing the 
ground for cultivation, and many of the plants sent home by him 
bore out his statement, as they were growing upon partially burnt 
wood. Saccolabiums we consider amongst the most beautiful of 
the whole Orchid family, and it is with much regret we observe 
how little they are appreciated at the present time. In past years 
it was very different, and the fine specimens exhibited at our 
London and other flower shows were the gems of the collections, 
and were admired by everyone. Their neglect has been brought 
about by the false notion that they require extraordinary heat to 
grow them to perfection. 
“ The species which we here bring to the notice of our readers 
is a somewhat small-growing kind, but yet stronger in growth than 
many of its beautiful flowered congeners, examples of which are 
S. curvifolium, S. ampullaceum, S. bellinum, and S. Hendersoni- 
anum, which species are figured in former volumes of this work, 
and all are equally beautiful in their varied and distinct colours, as 
well as agreeing in being close and compact in their habit of 
growth, consequently they do not require great space for their 
accom modation. 
“ Saccolabium cceleste is a new and lovely species, evergreen, and 
compact in growth, with foliage 6 inches long. The plant attains 
to a foot or more in height, and is slow in growing to this size. 
The inflorescence proceeds from the axils of the leaves on either 
side of the stem, and the spike is erect, some 6 or 9 inches in 
height, the raceme being dense. The blunt cuneate-oblong sepals 
and petals are tipped with sky-blue, and the compressed blunt 
recurved spur has a blue tint on both sides of the centre ; the 
interior part is also sky-blue, while two falcate, subulate bodies 
rise from the apex inside the spur. The blooming season is July 
and August, and the plant continues in full beauty between three 
and four weeks, if kept in a fairly warm house and the flowers 
shielded from the effects of damp. 
“ This plant requires the temperature of the East India house 
to maintain it in proper condition, and should be grown in sphagnum 
moss, with ample drainage. It is of slow growth, and requires a 
considerable time to attain to the dimensions of a specimen, never¬ 
theless when strong it produces lateral growths, which, as they 
increase in size, tend to make the plant compact and dense, whilst 
as its young shoots produce flowers in abundance, it cannot be 
ranked as a shy bloomer. From the natural habitat of the plant 
it probably will occur to growers in tbis country that it requires 
strong heat, an abundance of atmospheric moisture, plenty of sun 
as well as light and air ; yet it will be found advantageous to shade 
it from the hottest sun in this country, as being beneath glass, the 
foliage is apt to become yellow, or burnt, which would not occur in 
the open air. As before remarked, this species during its period of 
growth requires an abundance of water, and even when at rest it 
should be kept free from drought. We find Saccolabiums succeed 
best as basket plants, suspended near the roof, and yet not too near 
the glass during the cold nights, as the leaves are apt to become 
yellow, and in this case the beauty of the plant is much diminished, 
as nothing detracts more from the appearance of a plant as yellow 
and brown foliage. 
“ Insects are not very troublesome, yet the white scale sometimes 
makes its appearance, which should be at once removed, or otherwise 
they will speedily cause the foliage to assume an unhealthy hue, to 
the great detriment of the health of the plant.” 
The plant has also been named Rhynchostylis coelestis. 
PHAL2ENOPSIS STUARTIANA. 
I should like to know if any of your readers have seen a finer 
specimen of the above Orchid than that I have in flower at the 
present time. It has a panicle 4 feet 3 inches high, bearing seventy- 
nine flowers.—J. P. 
GARDENERS’ EDUCATION AND THEIR SOCIAL 
POSITION. 
The thanks of all gardeners are due to Mr. A. Bighter for the 
manner in which he has opened up this question. I do not suppose any 
gardener will go to the expense of giving his son or sons a college educa¬ 
tion to fit them for gaining a livelihood by gardening, although I know 
one gardener who has given his son a college education and who now is 
a curate in the Established Church ; and I also know another who is 
sparing no expense that he may give his eldest son a thorough education 
to prepare him for a gardener, and the youth, who is barely fifteen years 
of age, has already iaken his certificate in agriculture, and is also pro¬ 
mising well in other subjects. I thoroughly believe in every young 
gardener making the very best of himself he possibly can do. Although 
he may have to start at the bottom rung of the social ladder he little 
knows how high he may eventually climb. I am also pleased to see 
others taking up the subject, especially in the matter of voting for 
members for the County Councils. 
As far as I am personally concerned the present state of things does- 
not affect me in my present situation. The cottage I occupy is not on 
the premises I have in my charge. I am given to understand the 
remedy for those who have been deprived of what surely must be their 
rights so recently, is very simple—viz., to have their cottages rated 
separately from other portions of the estate on which they reside. It 
fell to my lot to take a rather active part in the recent elections, and I 
addressed four public meetings in as many villages on behalf of one of 
the candidates, who is a large tenant farmer, and had the satisfaction 
of seeing him returned by a splendid majority. I have often wondered 
why some of our leading nurserymen and seedsmen do not strive to 
enter Parliament ? The important industry of horticulture might then 
receive its due recognition. 
Johnson’s “ Gardener’s Dictionary ” states the head gardener is the 
superior of the valet or butler, on the ground of his knowledge being of 
a higher order. Does Mr. Bighter agree to this ? I hope others will 
take up this important subject, and that it will be properly discussed,, 
and thus show British gardeners are true to their own interests.— 
VV. W., East Yorks. _ 
It is very interesting to find any gardeners complaining of social 
degradation, because under the service franchise, which has admitted 
them to the parliamentary register of electors, they are yet debarred 
from coming on to the ratepayers’ register, which forms the register for 
County Councils and other local elections. With respect to this ex¬ 
clusion I am disposed to think that not only gardeners but bailiffs, 
keepers, indeed all persons occupying separate houses on any employer’s- 
property or estate, are themselves to blame for the omission. The 
Parochial Assessment Act of 1869, the which practically enfranchised 
every humble occupier of a cottage or separate dwelling, provides that 
every occupier of any separate hereditament, messuage, or dwelling 
house shall have his or her name placed on the parochial register of 
electors, which is the rate book, provided such buildings be rated to the 
relief of the poor. Now, I hold that under this clause every occupier of 
any separate house or cottage, or any property or estate, even though 
the employer pay the rates of the whole in bulk, is practically a rate¬ 
payer, and should be placed on the register. There is no question as to the 
status of compound householders—that is, tenants whose rates are paid 
by or through the landlord or owner, and occupiers of gardeners’ houses 
are in precisely the same position. The parliamentary service franchise 
did enfranchise all occupiers of houses even though not rated to the re¬ 
lief of the poor, such as union, county, or parochial buildings, school 
houses, &c., but it is easy to understand such persons have no title to a 
rating qualification. Gardeners being occupiers of rated premises are 
just as much ratepayers as are their employers. All aggrieved persons- 
—that is, those whose names are left off the County Council register, 
should represent their case strongly to the parochial officials, referring 
them to the Assessment Amendment Act of 1869. 1 may state that in 
my own parish, whilst I know gardeners and others occupying houses, 
have been left off the register, employes of the railway company, 
occupying under precisely similar conditions of service, have been kept 
on, although all the rates are paid by the company.—A. D., Eeltham. 
AURICULAS. 
I am fully conscious of and grateful for the honour done me 
by Mr. Horner in taking notice of what I have written about 
Auriculas. But he does not belong to the class for whom I have 
written the papers now appearing in your columns. His fame is 
great as a grower of seedlings, but not as a grower of a collection, 
since he has not what we of the old school, and I think yet the 
best school, consider a collection properly representative of the 
efforts of the famous growers and raisers of the last sixty or 
seventy years. Mr. Horner is not like the late Mr. Lightbody, for 
instance, who did as good work as many, and who was a grower of 
old kinds as well as a raiser of new. It is amusing to me to be 
told that I am behind in my knowledge of Auriculas, and that I 
do not see the weak points of the flower. Can Mr. Horner point 
out one single flower which has not a weak point somewhere, 
according to the requirements of the properties laid down by the 
best judges ? The standard of excellence has been laid down for 
more than a hundred years, and Mr. Horner, with all his efforts, is 
only striving, as many other growers have done, to get as near as 
possible to that complete standard in any flower which he raises. 
As to my writing without knowledge of the later English seedlings, 
I have to say that I have in my collection, or have seen elsewhere, 
all those sent out, and which are to be procured in the market; and 
this I will boldly say, that not one of them except John Simonite 
and Heroine are improvements on some of the best old kinds. 
Mrs. Potts I have not yet seen. It is useless for Mr. Horner to 
mention his seedlings which are in no hands but his own. When 
they are sent out they will be judged, and probably other eyes will 
