62 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jiitnary », ItSO 
of the bulbs. Large bulbs require 8 or 9-iacb pots, whilst a 7-incb pot 
will accommodate a medium-sized bulb. I employ 9-incb pots, and have 
three bulbs in a pot, having a Spruce top for training the shoots to. The 
bulbs are placed triangularly in the pot, leaving a clear space in the 
centre for the introduction of the stem cf the Spruce, which, clear of the 
pot, will be 2i to 3 feet high, and half the height in diameter at the 
base, running up to a point so as to form a pyramid. I prefer this form 
because the plants take up less room. 
Drainage is given to the extent of one-fourth the depth of the pot, 
covering it about an inch deep with the rough of the compost, which 
consists of equal parts of light turfy loam, leaf soil, and sandy peat, and 
a sixth part of silver sand. Fill the pots to within 2 inches of the rim, 
place the bulbs with the growing side upwards upon a little silver sand, 
and surround with the same material. Cover about an inch deep, the 
potting being done moderately firm. It is well for the soil to be in a 
moist state, but not wet, when employed for potting, so that necessity 
for watering may not arise until growth takes place. 
The plants may be placed in any light airy cool house, and as soon as 
the shoots are long enough training should commence. The object 
should be to cover the trellis of whatever form it may be equally in 
every part with flowering shoots. Upon this depends in a great measure 
the beauty of the specimen, to secure which very frequent regulation of 
the shoots is required, not leaving them until they become entangled, it 
being difficult to disentangle them without much injury resulting. 
Water should be given rather sparingly at first, avoiding at all times 
making the soil sodden, and yet the plants must not be allowed to suffer 
by want of water. If water be given when the soil is dry—a thorough 
supply—all will be well, making it liberal when the plants are in full 
leafage and advancing for flowering. When the flowering is past the 
leaves will shortly after turn yellow, when water should be gradually 
withheld, discontinuing it when they are all in that state. The bulbs, 
after the stems are withered, should be taken up and kept in a cool dry 
place until potting time again arrives. 
They succeed admirably in a winter temperature from fire heat of 
40° to 45°. . Aphides sometimes attack them. It is best destroyed by 
fumigation with tobacco, but it is necessary that the foliage of the 
plants be dry and an overdose be not given, or the foliage is liable to 
suffer.—G. 
BRITISH APPLE CULTURE. 
At pages 38, 39, Mr. Wm. Thomson of Clovenfords makes a few 
pertinent remarks, but he fails to point out the resources some countries 
have over Britain in making barrels. It is quite true we could turn out 
barrels so far as the making is concerned as cheap as any nation, but 
we lack the forests of suitable timber, and are therefore much handi¬ 
capped in that respect, while every day timber is rising in price. I fail 
to see the advantage barrels have over square packages. The latter can 
be made lo “ nest ” better than barrels, and can be returned as empties in 
this way more cheaply and easier than if sent singly. About thirty- 
seven years ago I contracted with a fruit merchant to make nesting 
boxes for all kinds of hardy fruit, so that a return load of something could 
be brought from town, a thing not easily done when the empties 
occupied the same space as full packages. 
Apples are being imported from Normandy, packed in shallow square 
cases, and judging from the appearance of the fruit this seems a more 
desirable way than packing in barrels. These Apples have a peculiar 
flavour, entirely their own, and are sold at 3d. and 4d. per pound this 
season. 
I feel certain that timber packages will have to be more economi¬ 
cally dealt with in the future than making kindling wood of. Willows 
might occupy many acres of what is at present uncropped ground, and 
the making of hampers would give employment to many unable to per¬ 
form other work. 
Lord Suftield Apple has never found favour with me as a cooking 
Apple, being, in my estimation, much inferior to the old Keswick 
Codlin ; nor are any of the newer sorts equal to a variety known 
locally as “ Perston” or Pearston. Size in many cases is the only recom¬ 
mendation possessed by Apples.—W. T., Blantyre, 
A FEW NOTES FROM AMERICA. 
Many of the older generation of horticulturists will remember Mr- 
J. W. Laurence and the Farnham Castle Orchids in Bishop Sumner’s 
time, Mr. Laurence having been gardener there for about twenty years. 
Soon after the death of the late Bishop Sumner, and the disposal of the 
Orchids, Mr. Laurence and his family emigrated to America, and started 
a business at Pittsburg, but a very advantageous offer being made to 
him to remove to Harrisburg, Pa, he did so. In a letter I have just 
received from him he writes, “ Our business keeps on increasing, and 
the locality is healthy, only that age is telling upon me. Still I am to 
enjoy myself in the greenhouses amongst the Primulas, Cyclamens, &c. 
We make a speciality of both, and send young plants of our Primulas 
all over the States in the fall, and have a fine stock in 5-inch pots for 
Harrisburg. We go in now for raising our own seed successfully. Our 
Cyclamens are the finest strain in the United States, and some of our 
plants could not be covered by a half-bushel measure. 
“ We have had a whole year of bad weather. Last winter it was 
slushy, and our horse was not roughed once, and the sleigh was not once 
used. The summer has been wet, but we are here on high ground 
fortunately ; for Harrisburg had its share of the floods in every street 
The Susquehana rose 27 feet. Our Tomato crop was good but rather 
late. Potatoes have decayed badly. Grapes also, but we saved much of 
our crop by spraying with the Bordeaux mixture. In fact the weather 
has been as bad as ever I saw it in England, and it has been raining now 
(November 21st) for a week. Apples are a great failure this season, so- 
our vinegar crop is short. Strong winds blow all the flowers off the 
Apple trees. We had a cyclone or two this summer, which blew down a 
lot of houses, and made things lively ; but the town puts up more, and 
goes ahead as usual. All the streets have the electric light, and steam 
heat is laid on to the houses in the same way as water or gas.”—W. D. 
MEDLARS. 
I DO nob think the value of Medlars is generally known, and I 
cannot understand why they are not more cultivated. I do not 
advise anyone to grow them so extensively as Apples and Pears, 
but from one to half a dozen trees might advantageously be grown 
in every garden. The trees are naturally of ornamental habit, so 
that they are well adapted for planting in pleasure grounds. They 
produce a luxuriant mass of leaves, a great show of pinkish white 
flowers. They rarely fail to fruit, as a rule, heavily, and neither 
insect nor bird, or any kind of pest, ever attempts to injure the crop.. 
The fruit may be allowed to hang on the tree until November. 
It is hard and apparently green at that time, and they have to be 
drawn from the tree when they are spread out in a layer three or 
four deep in the fruit room or similar place. There they remain,, 
and early in December some of them begin to soften. As soon as 
they are in that condition they are ready for use, and they will be 
found a very agreeable addition to the dessert. 
They remain in use for about two months, and when so many 
of them are ripe at once that they cannot be used as dessert they 
should be preserved. Medlar jelly is a great delicacy, and for this 
purpose alone the fruit merits most extensive cultivation. Indeed 
I question if there is a finer jelly made than that from Medlars,, 
as it is of a beautiful colour, and the flavour gives general satisfac¬ 
tion. There are four varieties of the Medlar. The Dutch is large 
but not superior in flavour ; the Monstrous is still more so in both 
respects. The Royal is medium sized and good, but what is known 
as the Nottingham is the smallest and best flavoured. The latter 
is the one I prefer. As to culture they are as easily grown as a 
Gooseberry or Currant. They will succeed in any ordinary soil or 
locality, and the best time to plant is during winter when the- 
leaves are off. They are offered in dwarf pyramid and standard 
forms, and the latter form the most handsome trees.—J. Mdir. 
This Orchid is rarely out of flower when grown in the warmest 
house throughout the year. It increases rapidly in a warm moist- 
structure when given liberal root room, in fact it is an almost 
continuous grower. Such plants are seldom removed from the- 
house in which they are grown except on special occasions, but 
when in flower a prominent position is accorded them. Less water 
is given during the winter ; but the soil is never allowed to 
become thoroughly dry, and no attempt is made to force rest upon 
the plant. 
Cypripedium Spiceriaxu-W. 
Certainly charming when in flower, and one of onr plants- 
annually produces two flowers from the one stem. Ic is slightly 
different both in the foliage and colouring of the flower than the 
other plants. It is a good grower when given careful treatment 
and a warm moist temperature, but it requires care during the 
winter, or its foliage will become spotted. Abundance of water 
is necessary throughout the summer, and it must have material 
about its roots that does not decay quickly. Plants potted in loam 
are liable to have the leaves spotted ; the soil becomes too close 
and often too wet during the winter. Our plants do well in char¬ 
coal, crocks, and peat fibre, with living sphagnum on the surface 
only. The roots cling firmly to the sides of the pot and te 
portions of crock that are used in the compost. During the worst 
weeks of the year the plant should not be watered over the foliage- 
This we carefully avoid, but give to the roots a moderately liberal 
supply. No harm results, because the compost is open, and the 
water quickly drains away. Cold water must not be used; it is 
certain to end in the foliage being spotted. It should be a few 
degrees higher than the temperature of the house. 
