474 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June IS, 1899. 
may probably appreciate a cloche, or some other device, for protect¬ 
ing from excess of wet. But I am hopeful now of success with a 
plant which has defied so many of us. 
Alpines, a specialty here, have been good this spring, and will 
remain for some time longer. Edelweiss is blooming in good 
character, abundantly and strongly. Gentiana acaulis has thrown 
bloom by hundreds, and has been exceptionally good. It varies 
much in different years. G. verna, though not up to the average, 
has been fair. We find no difficulty with it given strong plants for 
the start, and lime or chalk in some form, no matter what, mixed 
with sound loam for compost. It has now indeed seeded itself—a 
fair test, I take it, that it is happy and healthy. 
The Edraianthuses (dalmaticus, serpyllifolius, and pumilis) are 
greatly to be recommended to the owners of a chalky or limestone 
soil. All are now out w ith us. Myosotis rupicola, too, is charming ; 
the “most alpine” of Forget-me-nots, and rivalling the Eritri- 
chium for beauty, while it surpasses it altogether for profuseness 
of bloom ; but it baffles me in the mode in which its progeny 
degenerate, and seemingly revert in a single season to a trumpery 
common form. I am told by Herr Frcebel that this is evidence 
of the hybrid origin of M. rupicola. I agree, but am scarcely 
comforted. 
Anemones have been generally excellent this spring, specially 
the species. We have bloomed many which are not common— e.g., 
A. albana and A. alba, a neat and “ squab ” form of A. sylvestris. 
Unlike the latter, it has not a drooping flower, but an upturned 
one. A. nemorosa rosea we found a genuine pink, somewhat to 
my surprise, for new “ rosea ” forms we commonly find to be 
"frauds.” A. ranunculoides pallida (sulphur) is chaste and 
charming. Very beautiful and desirable is the true A. Robin- 
soniana, a nearer approach to an “ opal-coloured ” flower than any 
I know. I would it were cheaper, and could be had in quantity. 
There is no analogous excuse for being without a large planting of 
the admirable double Wood Anemone. It makes a charming 
carpet for a thin shrubbery, but is good enough to adorn any 
station. We associate the common but pretty A. apennina 
Of a large planting of Cypripedium calceolus, only made last 
autumn, every plant has bloomed this spring, without giving 
trouble, in a moist peaty border, on hard calcareous bottom, and 
without shade. I had anticipated more difficulty with it. C. spec- 
tabile is established strongly by its side, and will not fail to bloom 
well presently. It has given us no trouble, and called for no pro¬ 
tection since its original planting, years since. C. pubescens we 
have been blooming coddled in pots and under glass. I am sceptical 
whether it be thus fastidious. 
Hardy Primulas have been admirable, and are greatly to be 
commended. Certainly, at least as to many of them, they like glass 
overhead in a wet winter. But they deserve it. At the same 
time, when well established they prefer to be planted out than to 
be cultivated in pots. I have therefore made a large planting of 
them and of allied plants, such as Androsaces, Alpine Ranunculus, 
and the like, on a flat bank in the open, in such form that I can 
readily place over them every winter a garden light. We find the 
plan an excellent one as against that of pot culture, which is more 
troublesome and less natural. 
Among plants which we have bloomed this spring, and which 
are comparatively little seen or cultivated, we may name the follow¬ 
ing, received last autumn from America: — Silene virginica, 
Trollius laxus, Viola pedata bicolor, V. p. alba, and Thalictrum 
anemonoides. The first is the Virginian “ Fire Pink,” with an 
exceedingly brilliant Lychnis-like flower. The two forms of the 
Bird’s-foot ^ iolet referred to are, to my thinking, among the most 
strikingly beautiful of alpine (?) plants, and they wholly eclipse 
the type. They should be (in moisture and shade) upon every 
rockery. The same may be said of Thalictrum anemonoides. This 
is better known, but is not seen so often as it should be. 
Arnebia echioides.— Can anyone tell me how to make the 
“ Prophet Flower ” seed a little less stingily ? An average of two 
seeds from every strong plant it seems to consider to be all that 
can be expected of it. One would like to startle it by some 
means into more reasonable behaviour.—II. Selfe Leonard. 
THINNING GRAPES. 
It is necessary to devote more care and attention to the thinning of 
late Grapes than early ones, as most of the early Grapes are cut and 
used shortly after they are ripe, but late ones hang for months, and 
have to pass through a time when decay is most liable to occur from 
damp. This is always more injurious in too closely packed bunches 
than in those which are well thinned. Indeed, the main secret of 
keeping late Grapes successfully is to be found in proper and sufficient 
thinning. 
It is better in all cases that the bunches should be slightly over¬ 
thinned than the reverse. No matter how waterproof the roofs of late 
vineries may be, damp is sure to find its way to the bunches in October 
and November, and when the bunches are so close that the air cannot 
circulate amongst them the berries will fail. 
I do not approve of the plan of thinning a little now, and more later 
on if necessary. No Grapes can be thinned with advantage when the 
berries are well advanced in growth or colouring ; and the excuse that 
the thinner was “ uncertain as to the size the berries would attain,”' 
ought not to be heard from anyone who has thinned Grapes more than 
once, or had an opportunity of seeing them attain maturity. As a rule, 
the thinner’s hand is withheld by the fear of reducing the bunch too 
much, but well thinned bunches do not represent reduced bunches. 
A careful and observant thinner will perform the operation thoroughly 
without clipping a berry from the extremities of any of the bunches, 
nor is it necessary he should, as it is in the centre of the bunches that 
the most objectionable form of crowding occurs. I therefore recommend 
all who wish their Grapes to escape decay to give extra attention to- 
thinning out the centres of the bunches, and if this is done when the 
berries are not larger than the smallest Teas decay will be averted. As- 
a rule, well thinned bunches produce huge berries, and these are always 
an indication of good culture, but a crowd of small berries only denotes* 
neglect.—A Kitchen Gardener. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM VEXILLARIUMV 
As it may be of interest to you I enclose a photograph of at 
rather fine Odontoglossum vexillarium I have just flowered. It is 
one plant which I bought last year as imported. This is the first 
time of blooming in this country. Thirty-four flowers were out at 
the one time, of which the enclosed is a sample. The colour was 
deeper at first, but having been on the plant over a month the- 
bloorn is rather faded.—H erbert J. Robinson. 
[Evidently the plant (now called Miltonia vexillaria) has been 
well grown, and the variety is an excellent one, the flowers being: 
large and rich in colour.] 
CATTLEYA MENDELI FLOWERS. 
Mr. H. Simpkins, gardener to R. J. Measures, Esq., Cambridge- 
Lodge, Camberwell, sends four fine Cattleya Mendeli flowers, two 
representing very handsome varieties, the others somewhat curious- 
freaks. One of these is of the ordinary shape, but one side half 
the lip is crimson the other white, giving a peculiar effect. In the- 
other there are only two sepals and two petals, the lip and one- 
sepal being absent, and the flowers have come in the same strange- 
way for two years. The petals are of great size, being 3) inches, 
in diameter. 
DENDROBIUM JAMESIANUM. 
Those who are not enthusiastic admirers of Orchids -generally 
are apt to complain of the smallness of the Dendrobium flowers. 
There are a few species among them, however, which produce 
fairly large and very beautiful blooms, such as the species under¬ 
notice. D. Jamesianum is of easy culture and rarely fails to flower 
freely in May and June, and it may be briefly described as an early 
form of D. formosum. The flowers are certainly somewhat 
smaller than the last named and not nearly so fine as those of 
D. formosum giganteum, but they are more abundantly produced 
than in the case of either of these, and this more than compensates* 
for any falling off in size. The individual flowers measure from* 
3 inches to 4 inches across, the petals and sepals are pure white,, 
the lip is stained with orange red. They are produced from near 
the points of leafy growths formed the previous summer from* 
six to a dozen or more in number, and remain fresh for several 
weeks. The plants succeed best in the usual Orchid mixture 
and in comparatively small pot3 or pans. During the growing 
season, or after flowering has ceased, the plants should be suspended) 
in a brisk heat, a fairly moist atmosphere being maintained and 
slight shade afforded till such times as the pseudo-bulbs or young 
growths have attained their full size, varying say from 9 inches to 
15 inches in length, when they ought to receive much less moisture 
and be fully exposed to the light and sunshine in order to solidify 
the growths. It is not advisable to unduly bake them, nor should 
they be rested in a cool house. 
dendrobium: bensosle. 
This when well grown is exceptionally floriferous and beautiful. 
There are several forms of it, but that most numerous produces 
medium sized flowers with creamy white sepals and petals with & 
