236 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
C srarcii sa, im. 
satisfaction it appeared to be effectual with nine, for in the course 
of a week the ovaries were perceptibly enlarging. They were care¬ 
fully watched, and as they slowly advanced golden visions began to 
rise of a few thousand yellow flowered plants of 0. Pescatorei, and 
these hopes were sustained for nearly six months, when the cap¬ 
sules, which were then well developed, commenced shrivelling, and 
upon examination M'ere found to contain nothing in the shape of 
fertile seed. 
With the other plants of the two species named a different ex¬ 
periment had been tried—namely, seven or eight flowers were 
fertilised with their own pollen or with that from other flowers on 
the same spike, but in only one case was the ovary in any way 
affected— i.e., where a flower of 0. triumphans had been fertilised 
with pollen from another flower on the same plant, and in this 
instance the development only lasted for a week or two, and the 
capsule then collapsed as in the previous case. These experiments 
were interesting as proving what Darwin and others have recorded 
—namely, that pollen often has the power of affecting the ovary, 
though it cannot influence the ovules, and cases have even been 
described where the ovules too have been effected, but no embryo 
produced. Experiments were tried with several other Odonto- 
glossums, but without success, except in one instance, between 
O. Cervantesi and O. Rossi majus. A flower of the former was 
fertilised with pollen from 0. Rossi majus ; on March 29th, 1888, 
a capsule was produced, which slowly developed and ripened until 
June 30th, 1889, when it commenced dehiscing. The pod was then 
removed, and was found to be packed with minute seeds, which 
when examined under a glass appeared to be perfect. In the course 
of the following week the seed was sown, and now a few diminutive 
seedlings are just visible. The reverse cross failed to produce any 
result, and in any case the seedlings from such parents are not 
likely to possess any special merit even if they survive, which is 
doubtful. 
The subject is a tempting one to pursue still farther, but I have 
said enough, perhaps too much, and I will now leave it to others to 
extend the hints I have attempted to furnish. 
REGRAFTING ORCHARD TREES. 
The advice sometimes given in respect to totally removing 
trees of inferior varieties might well be modified in favour of the 
plan of cutting back and regrafting with superior Apples or Pears, 
as the case may be. In this way whole orchards might be gradually 
improved in character and value without the loss of a season. It is 
not advised to cut large trees hard back to near the trunk, but the 
greater portion of medium sized branches may be sawn cleanly off, 
when all danger of severe frosts is past, to near the main limbs, 
and each be eventually grafted with a fresh variety. The more 
fresh grafts there are inserted all over the trees the quicker will a 
full bearing state be arrived at. Such measures should be promptly 
decided upon, in order to be well in advance instead of a few 
seasons behind the numerous orchards recently formed in this 
country. Not till the sap is rising should the grafting be done, 
though the stocks may be prepared in advance of this, while the 
scions or grafts ought to be taken off the parent trees now or very 
soon, in order to retard the movement of sap, as it is necessary for 
them to be a few days behind the stocks. The strong branches of 
superior varieties cut from vigorous trees now being pruned ought 
to be saved, kept separated, labelled, and bedded in moist cool 
ground till they are wanted for grafting purposes. 
The selection of varieties for grafting on other trees ought, to 
a certain extent, to depend upon circumstances, or whether the 
produce is required for home consumption or for marketing pur¬ 
poses. In the former case a constant succession may be desirable, 
but for sale the early and late varieties are usually found to be the 
most profitable. It is useless to attempt to sell Apples at a time 
when nearly every owner of a garden or orchard has abundance 
and to spare, this being principally in September and October. 
Therefore regraft inferior varieties with Lord Suffield, Keswick 
Codlin, Stirling Castle, Cellini, Ecklinville Seedling, and Cox’s 
Pomona, these being heavy cropping, large fruited, culinary 
varieties, that can be sold readily direct from the trees ; and of des¬ 
sert varieties, to be similarly sold, the best are TVorcester Pearmain, 
Red Joaneting, Mr. Gladstone, Beauty of Bath, Kerry Pippin, Irish 
Peach, Red Quarrenden, and Summer Golden Pippin. The most 
valuable keeping culinary varieties are Warner’s King, Grenadier, 
Loddington, Lane’s Prince Albert, Wellington, Beauty of Kent, 
Tom Putt, Reinette du Canada, Lady Henniker, and Annie Eliza¬ 
beth ; while Blenheim Orange, King of the Pippins, Cox’s Orange 
Pippin, Bramley’s Seedling, Sturmer Pippin, and Court Pendu 
Plat are excellent dessert Apples for storing, high prices often 
being obtained for them during the winter. The following are 
good orchard Pears, and might well be grafted on inferior stewing 
or perry sorts :—Doyenne d’Ete, Jargonelle,Williams'Bon Chretien, 
Hessle, Beurre d’Amanlis, Souvenir du Congres, all to be sold direct 
from the trees, and Durondeau, Pitmaston Duchess, Duchesse 
d’Angouleme, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Beurr6 Superfin, Beurre 
Hardy, Eyewood, Beurre Clairgeau, Beurre Diel,and Beurre Ranee, 
all of which must be stored for a time.—W. I. 
[This is the first time we have seen Bramley’s Seedling de¬ 
scribed as a dessert Apple, though we know some persons enjoy it 
in an uncooked state.] 
Yandas axd Tiikips. 
Yand.\p, Aerides, and Saccolabiums are soon injured by fumi¬ 
gation with tobacco to eradicate thrips. The employment of strong 
tobacco smoke often accounts for their pale green, sickly yellow- 
appearance. If thrips appear, whether yellow or black, it can be- 
destroyed without recourse to such treatment. We lift the plants 
attacked carefully, a small cloth is placed over the moss to prevent 
active insects entering it. The plants one at a time are placed at 
one end of a tank in a sloping direction in which is a solution of 
tobacco. The plant is shaken or tapped gently ; many of the insects 
fall into the solution below. Tobacco powder is then dusted inta 
the axils of all the leaves, as well as the heart of the plant. The 
cloth is shaken into the tank and placed on another. If the 
plants are stood by themselves and carefully attended to for a few 
days this troublesome pest can soon be destroyed. The powder 
at the end of two or three days should be thoroughly washed from 
the axils of the leaves, and especially from the centre of the plant, 
being careful not to injure any of the foliage. 
Moss FOR Potting from Cold Sheds. 
It is a mistake to leave moss in cold sheds until is needed fo^ 
potting and top-dressing. What is wanted for the day’s work, 
whether of peat or moss, should be placed in the structure in which 
it is to be used the night before. If it is not laid too thickly 
together it will be thoroughly warmed by the morning ready for 
use. Slight checks often result from carelessness in having the 
potting material many degrees colder than the temperature of the 
house in which the plants are grown. A good supply of moss- 
should be picked and cut in readiness, so that it only needs carry¬ 
ing to the place where the plants are to be repotted. Some trouble 
is required to eradicate slugs which are introduced with the moss.. 
We take the precaution of spreading out thinly a good quantity 
on the floor of the house, and then give it a thorough soaking with 
water at a temperature of 200°. The moss is then left to dry again, 
which it quickly does if a suitable place is selected for it. 
We spread it on a path below which are some of the main 
pipes, and it dries quickly again and is ready for use. Even with 
this treatment we have not succeeded in clearing out all the slug& 
or their eggs. They have appeared shortly after potting, but by a 
soaking of hot water hundreds have been driven out at different 
times. Sometimes the moss is much more infested with slugs than 
at other times. Almost constant attention is needed to eradicate^ 
slugs after potting, but if this is done a good deal of trouble and 
annoyance during the remainder of the season is avoided. 
Placing the Roots in Pots and Baskets. 
Beginners in the culture of these plants often try to compel 
the roots to enter the material provided for them. Those that 
manage for the time to flourish outside the pot or basket are fre¬ 
quently broken and destroyed by cramming them amongst the 
compost during the work of repotting or rebasketing. We have 
often seen plants in this condition, and have turned out many that 
have undergone this treatment, with the result that the bulk of 
the roots had perished. Yandas, Aerides, and Saccolabiums espe¬ 
cially delight in having their roots in the moist atmosphere of the 
house. It is a mistake to try and compel the plants to confine 
their roots to the limit of the pot or basket. These plants vary 
considerably in their method of rooting and the quantity they 
make. If we examine two Aerides—namely, A. Lobbi and A. 
virens, we find the former inclined to root within the basket or pot 
to a large extent, a few roots only extending beyond. In a pot 
this plant is more inclined to push its roots outside than when 
growing in a basket. This is undoubtedly due to the roots being 
more fully exposed to air and the moist atmosphere of the house 
