April 4, 1889. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
275 
which are usually to be found just under or quite on the surface. 
It is therefore safer to add material when wanted than put too 
much at first ; but as fresh imported plants will be in a more or 
less exhausted state, with different degrees of fitness for making 
roots, and some much longer than others before they make a move, 
not only the material with which they are potted, but the drainage 
should be thorough and most effective for the quick passage of the 
water when applied to the roots. Most of the pots, of whatever 
size, should be fully two-thirds filled, or even more for some of 
the dwarf Orchids ; however, all of them ought to be high 
potted—that is, above the rim of the pot. Here the beginner may 
see some difficulty in securing a firm position for the plant after 
potting, previously mentioned as being so important; however, in 
the case of plants with long pseudo-bulbs, such as Cattleyas and 
Dendrobiums, I put a few stakes round the inside of the pot with 
the drainage, as there is great difficulty in getting them in after¬ 
wards ; then the plants are tied to those where needed, and the 
others taken out; but with dwarf plants pegs are used effectually. 
BASKETING. 
The chief reasons for using baskets for many Orchids is to 
provide those plants which have roots inclined to ramify beyond 
the limits of a pot, or are in need of more light and air and 
moisture, with a suitable medium for keeping them in a healthy 
state, besides affording the roots appropriate material to cling to, 
as well as for those of a pendant growth, such as Dendrobium 
Wardianum, and for suspending from the roof, where their beauty 
is better seen. There are some Orchids which refuse to grow in a 
pot or pan, but will thrive in a basket or upon a block. Cattleya 
citrina is one of these ; Cattleya Acklandise and Sophronitis grandi- 
flora are much healthier so treated. Other examples might be 
named, but where there are several plants of a genus it will be 
safest to start the plants under three different ways—by placing 
some in pots, others in baskets or on blocks. Experience will in 
time tell which presents the most suitable condition for their health. 
The operation of basketing imported plants is not more difficult 
than that of potting, because being already disentangled, and more 
or less injured in consequence, the object is to put the plants in the 
right way for recovery ; therefore use reasonably small baskets, and 
fix the plant high in the centre of it, using two-thirds sphagnum to 
one of peat, placed carefully and rather firm round its base, adding 
pieces of charcoal rather freely for large baskets, but in the case of 
small plants and small baskets little else besides charcoal and 
sphagnum will be necessary to give them a start. Such plants as 
Vandas, Saccolabiums, and Aerides, require rather shallow baskets, 
Stanhopcas especially so, as they have a habit of sending their 
flower stems through the bottom and sides of the basket. 
BLOCKING. 
As the natural habit of epiphytal Orchids is to grow upon 
trees in their natural country it appears that this is the most 
suitable method to adopt in our Orchid houses. I have found the 
plan the safest for fresh imported plants, provided the right sort of 
wood be chosen and the woik done carefully. Not having the 
choicer sorts, such as teak wood or acacia, I have used maple, 
oak, ash, and hazel, all of which have answered the purpose They 
were first cut into different sizes to suit different plants. I, how¬ 
ever, first char or burn them until they have the appearance of 
charcoal, then dip each block in water for some time before using. 
Each plant is fastened on by small copper wire, but first place a 
thin layer of sphagnum under the roots and again on the top, then 
fasten the whole firmly. When they commence growing it is sur¬ 
prising ho w soon the roots cling to the charcoal surface. 1 have 
two or three dozen of Laelia anceps, the roots of which have spread 
quite over the surface. Cork blocks I have an objection to, as I 
cannot keep the plants sufficiently moist. The most flourish¬ 
ing are Scuticaria Hadweni and Steeli, as well as the little 
Oncidium Limmingi and Jonesianum. Schomburgkia Tibicinis, 
the Cowhorn Orchid, is at home on a block of maple, and many of 
the dwarf statured kinds have nothing but the wood to grow upon, 
and so far are establishing themselves well; but this plan of grow¬ 
ing Orchids involves more labour in keeping them moist, but the 
plants flower equally well and have a most charming effect when 
suspended. 
CYPRIPEDIUM1. 
Being a different class of plant from any of the above, pot 
; culture for these is the most suitable. My plants came to hand 
very small, consequently great care was needed to save them. 
They were placed in as small pots as possible, well drained with 
both potsherds and charcoal, and a compost of chopped sphagnum 
and fibry peat in equal proportions, turfy loam with the fine soil 
beaten out of it used. Th°y were potted rather firm, and surfaced 
with living sphagnum. Out of fifty plants only two caused any 
anxiety ; these (C. Godefroyas and C. niveuml appeared to be 
delicate. The Cypripediums like a fair amount of heat, and plenty 
of moisture overhead as well as at the roots, and require to be kept 
very clean in the foliage. 
GENERAL TREATMENT. 
For fresh imported plants I thought it would be unwise to give 
them a strong heat at first, therefore a temperature ranging from 
45° to 50° was decided on, with the intention as they started into 
growth to place those in more heat according to the class to which 
they belong. This answered very well, as the plants were thus 
established in a gradual way, and the per-centage of losses was 
very small. They have and are still going on satisfactorily, with 
due attention to their wants in heat and moisture while growing, 
as well as ripening the growth of those plants which require a 
decided rest. My remarks must be taken to apply only to fresh- 
imported plants, and as the means adopted and described above 
have turned out successful in my case they might be a help to 
beginners. —Thomas Record. 
WASHING THE ROOTS OF YOUNG VINES. 
Mr. Bardney on page 230 says I fail to prove him wrong in his 
methods. There is no more difficult problem than to prove the right in 
all cases. Therefore I will be satisfied with the expression of opinion, 
and leave your readers to choose their own method. 
I was induced to write the letter referred to on page 188 from the 
difference in principle of shaking out, versus non-shaking out, plants 
when planting out of pots. Many failures have been seen both in pot¬ 
ting and planting with the balls of roots unbroken through plants suffer¬ 
ing by want of water, and not firm in the new soil when plants are pot- 
bound, that we advise shaking out according to discretion. The Vine 
will endure this operation admirably, and I think is the least likely to 
go wrong in the hands of those who on the average have charge of them 
by this method, though some may succeed with the other. It does not 
need great stretch of imagination to anticipate the inferior condition of 
the leading uncoiled Vine roots when grown old, compared with roots 
carefully spread out when planting. Roots expand in proportion to the 
Vine. It is not needful to split a hair over the depth of planting. We 
are practically agreed on that point. 1 have not assumed that quill¬ 
like roots are more liable to be produced from an unbroken ball. My 
note refers to the check such roots receive by the method adopted in 
making the border, but I affirm that roots are, as a rule, less likely to 
succeed when planted with an unbroken ball. This is my point in a 
nutshell. 
Mr. Bardney says the depth of border which I commend, 2 feet 
9 inches to 3 feet, is enormous and unnecessary, that air and warmth 
cannot penetrate through the mass, and that the roots of Vines cannot 
occupy such a bulk of soil. Most of the above statements are opposed 
to facts, as the Vine roots exist here. The old Vine borders are 4 feet 
deep. We have frequently taken portions out and returned a foot to 
18 inches of stones and broken bricks, always being careful to fill 
up the angles or the outside of the borders round by the walls 
much higher than the centre, with drainage, and in some cases to the 
surface. This helps to keep the roots quite healthy near the walls (a 
very important point), and to assist the circulation of air. Drain pipes 
are also passed underneath open to the surface. Our borders are there¬ 
fore much less than the average of 3 feet. We have frequently 
examined the borders, and know them to be filled with roots regularly 
from top to bottom to my entire satisfaction. 
When we plant Vines we intend them to last a long period, and con¬ 
sider this depth of soil best adapted to produce that result. The borders 
are less liable to get dry, the water passes through with freedom, and a 
good healthy condition of the soil is sustained. 
We all know that first-class Grapes can be grown in an 18-inch pot, 
and any quantity of soil more or less above that, but my advice applies 
to Vines grown for durability.— George Harris, Alnwick. 
THE OAK OF MALEDICTION. 
The following account of the Oak of Malediction, written by Mr. 
Wentworth Webster, of Sare, St. Jean de Luz, Basses Pyrdnhes, has been 
kindly sent us by Mr. Peter Barr. The Oak alluded to, judging from 
specimens we have received, is Quercus pyrenaica, of which there are 
many varieties. It is Q. Tauzin of Persoon and Q. Tosa of Bose, and 
the Auzin, referred to in Mr. Webster’s letter, of which we have also 
received a specimen, is one of the varieties of pyrenaica. 
I herewith send you specimen branches of three kinds of Oaks 
from the department of the Landes, France. They have been given to 
me by a most trustworthy and competent person, M. P. Cuzacq, 
geometre, Tarnos, Landes. Two of these Oaks are known in the coun¬ 
try under Gascoun names, (1) Auzin, (2) Tauzin ; the third is the 
Cypress-like Oak (Quercus pyramidalis /). 
June 16th, 1875, M. Cuzacq read before the Society des Sciences et 
Arts de Bayonne a paper on the “ Folk-lore and Superstitions of the 
Landes in it he speaks of one of these Oaks, the Auzin :— 
“ Antiquity had always a veneration for the Oak, which was con¬ 
secrated to Jupiter. In mythology Oaks were the chosen abodes of 
hamadrvades, dryades (Greek, dry*, an Oak), and nymphs. The Forest 
