Tebn ary fi, 1690 ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
107 
Pruning.—After the foliage begins to assume the colour indicating 
maturity we commence shortening the laterals slightly, and as soon as 
the foliage is off finally prune, and in doing so invariably cut back to 
one bud from the base, as bunches sufficiently large for ordinary pur¬ 
poses can be procured from them. Vines in good condition will often 
l)roduce bunches from 3 to 4 lbs. weight from the base buds, and invari¬ 
ably of a better shape than those from buds farther along the lateral. 
After pruning the rods are well scrubbed, using a new brush and 
soapy water, removing previously any loose bark that may be hanging 
about merely for appearance sake, but by no means have the old bark 
removed unless it is beginning to leave the rods; the house then receives 
its annual cleaning as soon as convenient, and is ready when the time 
comes for another start.— W. Simpson.— at a meeting of the 
Licerpool Horticultural Association,.') 
Eel.vhelling. 
Where the houses devoted to orchids have been cleaned, as well 
as the plants, there will be time for preparing new labels. Those 
made of wool are almost useless for these plants, and require re¬ 
newing every season. This entails more labour than can be spared 
in many establishments. The best method is to have stout 
galvanised wire supports, the wire being turned downwards at the 
top for about 1 inch and then upwards. On the end of the upright 
piiece a zinc label with a hole through it, a little larger than the 
wire, is placed, and this rests at the bend where the wire is turned 
upwards. If closed after it is placed on with a hammer the label 
cannot come off. The label should be written before it is placed 
on the wire, and special notes can be made on the back. A solu¬ 
tion of platinum must be employed in ink, which can be obtained 
from any chemist, and though rather dear a small quantity will 
suffice for a large number of labels. When obtairied from a 
reliable source it will often fail to write on ,zinc, passing over it 
as if the label had been greasy. This is due to the solution being 
too strong, and if it is reduced by adding water the labels can be 
written clearly and without much trouble. A piece of hard wood 
finely pointed is better for writing on these labels with than a pen. 
Once those to whom the writing is entrusted are accustomed to use 
it. We never think of using a pen, which the solution quickly 
destroys. 
B.\skets and Pans. 
It is a mistake to leave the preparation of these until plants are 
ready for being placed in them. The work of shifting the plants 
takes fully double the time that would be the case if the baskets 
and pans for suspending from the roof were supplied with wires 
ready for use. Copper wire is the best for this purpose, of a stout¬ 
ness that will not bend and dangle about when the basket or pan 
is lifted down for watering. A hook at the top is better to hang 
them up by than a loop, but the latter can be made more easily 
than the former. The most important matter to be taken into 
consideration is to suspend them in such a manner that they can be 
taken down quickly, and as many as possible, without the use of 
steps. Plants that are suspended out of reach are very liable to be 
neglected, and suffer in consequence, either from too much or too 
little water, and not unfrequently from insects, before it is dis¬ 
covered that they have been attacked. 
Suspend all plants as far as possible where the aid of steps can 
be dispensed with. Where quantities have to be overlooked daily 
and steps are a necessity, the amount of labour in watering is in¬ 
creased materially. This should be kept in mind when baskets and 
pans are being wired ready for use. 
Blocks. 
These are suitable for many Orchids, and when properly treated 
they do well upon them. We have found that the small thin pieces 
of wood so generally used dry too quickly for the well-being of 
the plants. These should be avoided as much as possible, for when 
the plants are once established upon them it is difficult to take 
them off and place them on larger ones. The only practicable 
course is to secure the one to the other. The size and growth of 
plants must betaken fully into consideration when placing them on 
blocks ; for instance, some of the Oncidiums, unless they are large 
pieces, will do on small blocks for many years, in fact, until the 
wood is sufficiently decayed to be picked and washed from the 
roots. A number of blocks of various sizes should be prepared 
ready for use. Almost any wood will do, but we prefer that of a 
moderately hard nature, so that they will last as long as possible. 
Branches of various sizes are selected for this purpose, and if they 
will allow of it are split in two ; if not, they are made flat on one 
side, as a flat surface is more convenient on which to secure the 
plants than a round one. Sharp angles are also removed. The 
hark should be removed, because it quickly commences to decay 
and part from the wood, and soon proves a splendid harbour for 
woodlice and other pests, if there are any about, and have the least 
chance of getting to the plants. After the blocks are prepared 
they should be thoroughly charred, which adds to their preserva¬ 
tion, and probably assists the plant in its growth by absorbing the 
ammonia from the atmosphere.— Orchid Grower. 
Orchids in Flower. 
The following Orchids are flowering in Messrs. John Laing and 
Sons’ nurseries at Forest Hill, S.E. :—Coelogynes cristata, Chats- 
worth var., and alba (Lololeuca) ; Calanthes vestita and rubra ; 
Cattleyas chocoensis, Percivaliana, and Trianie delicata ; Cypri- 
pediums callosum, Harrisianum, and insigne sylhetense; Den- 
drobiums crassinode Barberianum, fimbriatum, Jamesianum, nobile, 
pendula, Pierardi, Wardianum, and splendens ; Lmlia harpophyUa, 
Lycaste Skinneri, and superba; Masdevallias Harryana, ignea, 
Lindeni, polysticta, tovarensis ; Odontoglossums, Alexandrse, asper- 
sum, Cervantesi, Oerstedi, pulchellum majus, and Bossi majus ; 
Oncidiums barbatum, cucullatum, Forbesii, ornithorhynchum, re- 
flexum, splendidum, and varicosum ; Phaius grandifolius, Pilumna 
fragrans, Polystachya pubescens, and Zygopetalum Mackayi. 
Orchids at Heathfield House. 
The readers of th& Journal of Horticulturey^iWhe glad to know 
that the extensive range of glass houses at Heathfield House, Low 
Fell, Gateshead, late under the management of Mr. A. Methven, 
and now under Mr. J. Wood, late foreman in the gardens of 
Sir Chas. Tennant, The Glen, Peebleshire, have not lost their 
prestige or interest in the horticuloural world. Just now a plant is 
flowering of Odontoglossum grande with three stems in a 6-inch 
pot, two with six flowers each, and one with four, the flowers 
averaging G inches across. This plant at the time of my visit was 
flowering in the cool Odontoglossum house. The enclosed photo¬ 
graph will give some idea of the plant and the imposing appearance 
it had. Odontoglossum cirrhosum is bearing a fine seed pod.—S. S. 
[The photograph sent represents a well flowered plant of 
Odontoglossum grande.] 
APRICOTS. 
I NOTICE a correspondent, “ C. H.,” asks those who have been 
successful in Apricot culture to give the method they adopt to 
secure a crop, or in words to that effect, and this in the midland 
counties. I will try to show “ C. H.” the way I made the culture 
of Apricots a success in what may safely be termed one of the 
worst localities to grow them, or, in fact, any hardy fruit. The 
garden was in a veritable bog, with a lake each side and a couple of 
streams of water passing through the grounds. 
Although Apricots had been grown fairly well in this garden 
many years ago, there was not a tree worthy of the name when I 
took charge, in the summer of 1878. Yet Apricots were much 
wanted, and had to be bought. I have many times paid cottagers 
4s. and Gs. per dozen for fruit. But the purchase of fruit was not 
in accordance with economy, which was most rigidly practised 
during my eleven years’ stay in this garden. Therefore I asked 
permission to try my hand. The reply was, “ I should much like 
you to ‘ try,’ but I do not think you will succeed.” However I did 
try, and succeeded too. 
The first thing done was to select a good wall facing south¬ 
east long enough to hold a dozen full grown trees. A few old 
Pear trees were removed, the soil taken out and spread over the 
border, which had become too light in consequence of over¬ 
dressing with manure. This was prepared for the reception of 
the Apricots in the following manner. The soil was removed to 
the depth of 3 feet, and 4 feet wide ; the bottom was covered 
with 6 inches of chalk, well rammed and trodden down, then 
ordinary agricultural drain pipes were placed very carefully over 
the chalk with a good fall towards a main drain in the garden walk. 
At 4 feet apart, between the pipes, was put as much brick rubbish 
as was thought necessary to carry off the water. A good layer 
of fresh cut loam, grass side downwards, was next siqiplied. Then 
we mixed a quantity of loam that had been stacked for six months 
with equal portions of chaired refuse and bricklayers’ refuse. In 
this the trees were duly planted and nailed to the wall, the roots 
being covered with long stable litter. There was no pruning, but 
