146 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 21,1887. 
can be broken with a pointed stick and then washed out 
with tepid water. Before replacing the compost, how¬ 
ever, the plants must be allowed to drain well, so that 
the charcoal and roots become dry. When plants need 
larger baskets do not attempt to remove them from those 
they are growing in, but the basket should be dropped 
into the new one and the space between the two filled 
with charcoal and crocks, using peat fibre and moss near 
the surface, and the latter round the sides of the 
baskets to assist in retaining moisture during the grow¬ 
ing season about the roots of the plants. After the old 
compost is removed rebasketing these plants is an easy 
process. 
Cattleyas require very careful watering if they are to 
be kept in a luxuriant condition. Too frequently they 
receive too much water, with the result that the stems and 
foliage present a sickly appearance. The quantity of 
water during the resting or growing period depends upon 
the temperature the plants are grown in. If they are 
grown under cool airy conditions during the •winter less 
water is required than when the plants are given warmer 
treatment. During the summer those subjected to liberal 
ventilation will require more water than those grown 
under a closer system of treatment. Under whatever 
conditions they may be grown as regards temperature, 
shading, and ventilation, no more water should be given 
than is sufficient to keep the pseudo-bulbs fresh and 
plump. This must be strictly adhered to from the time 
growth is completed until they display signs of activity 
during the months of February and March. From that 
period the supply should be gradually increased as root 
and bulb growth extends until the time of greatest activity 
has been reached, when liberal supplies should be given 
until the pseudo-bulbs are firm, when the supply again 
should be gradually decreased. During active growth 
they must not be saturated, neither must the compost 
about their roots ever be allowed to become dry. When 
they are watered a thorough soaking should be given, and 
the plants left until they nearly approach a dry state, 
when the operation should at once be repeated. The 
system of syringing them heavily once or twice a day can¬ 
not be too strongly condemned, for this system keeps the 
compost in a state of saturation; in fact, they become 
too wet by this method, and the fibre of the compost is 
decayed much quicker than would otherwise be the case. 
Injudicious watering soon renders the compost sour, and 
the roots of the plants decay to a sufficient extent to 
render their appearance anything but satisfactory. Take 
two plants, and keep one on what I may term the dry system, 
and subject the other to the opposite extreme, and it will 
be found that the general appearance of the first will be 
decidedly the more satisfactory. It will not only possess 
larger pseudo-bulbs and foliage of a darker green, but the 
roots will be thoroughly healthy, while those of the other 
will be in a state of decay. Cattleyas require less water 
than the majority of Orchids, and only for a very limited 
time during their most active stage should what we may 
term liberal supplies be given them. 
I am no advocate for baking the plants as practised 
by some cultivators, but prefer to keep a moderate amount 
of moisture in the atmosphere during the season of in¬ 
activity, and thoroughly moist during the most active 
period of their growth.—A Northerner. 
SOME GOOD VEGETABLES. 
Somewhat late in th9 day I proceed to give my experience in 
1886 of a few novelties and of other older varieties of vegetables 
with selections, trusting that my experience may be of some little use 
to your readers. Owing to my leaving my late residence in Septem¬ 
ber I was not full}' able to see some of my Brussels Sprouts at their 
best, for they were rather backward. Taking everything into con¬ 
sideration I had fewer disappointments in my novelties than I might 
have expected, and although the season was a very unfavourable one 
to me at a critical period 1 had a good opportunity to form a fair 
opinion of the qualities of my various produce. 
In Broad Beans I grew Suttons’ Mammoth, Daniels’ Norfolk 
Giant, and John Harrison ; the last is the best cropper and of highest 
quality. Of runner Beans I only grew Girtford Giant, which pro¬ 
duced long fleshy pods, brittle as glass and very straight. The 
quality is all that could be wished, and it is excellent for exhibition. 
I found NePlus Ultra Dwarf Bean an immense bearer of long tender 
Beans which stood the test of the pot. The Monster Negro was in every 
way satisfactory, and I prefer it to the Canadian Wonder. It is 
very prolific indeed, and the two varieties mentioned will keep up an 
excellent succession. 
Brussels Sprou's :—Daniels’ Colossal, Webb’s Matchless, Gilbert's 
Burghley were all excellent, the last growing very tall indeed with 
good compact sprouts. Matchless have not so large knobs, but they 
are very hard and weigh well, neat in appearance, and splendid 
quality. A Chou de Burghley Brussels Sprout which I believe Mr. 
Gilbert has dubbed Chou de Realite, I cut very good heads from. It 
is very dwarf with side sprouts, but the heads form a firm miniature 
Cabbage possessing the flavour of the famous Chou and the Brussels 
combined, very sweet and entirely free from the objectionably strong 
taste so often found in the Brussels. Of Savoy Cabbages Gilbert’s 
Universal is far and away the best. It is a neat little beauty, which 
comes in quickly and lasts long. I cut some in September, and 
brought some here which I am cutting now. It is as sweet as a nut, 
and when boiled you are not driven out of the house by the stench as 
you are by some of the Savoy. It is a great acquisition. Dean’s 
Snowball Cauliflower is very early, forming small but very white 
heads in about fifteen weeks from sowing. Suttons’ New Red Inter¬ 
mediate Carrot cannot be bettered, for it is handsome in appearance, 
and altogether the best selection I have ever grown. Lyon Leek is 
a monster, and no doubt will be in favour with exhibitors. 
In Mr. Igsjulden’s Marston Park Green-flesh, Lunefield Hybrid 
Scarlet, and Mr. Abbey’s W. Iggulden Green-flesh, I found three 
Melons not easily to be surpassed. The last I was much taken with, 
for the constitution was excellent, the fruit large and beautifully 
netted, and the flavour very fine indeed. The Scarlet-flesh was the 
best I have tasted of the colour, but I am afraid I am prejudiced in 
favour of green-flesh. It has verv neat oval fruits, whilst Marston 
Park is rouud and only second to W. Iggulden. 
Suttons’ Golden Globe Onion is a very good one, but I prefer 
Cranston’s Excelsior, which is very handsome, weighty, and a good 
keeper. Early Kenilworth, William the Conqueror, Satisfaction, 
Duke of Albany, Duke of Connaught, Triumph, and several other 
Peas were tried. As a first early Early Kenilworth will take a 
forward p’ace, for it is a good cropper of excellent quality, whilst 
the C mqueror follows in a week later. They are very similar, and 
both are round blue Peas. Satisfaction is a real beauty ; I never 
tasted]a Pea I liked so much, for it is sweet as sugar, and melts in 
your mouth, whilst the Peas are truly immense. No one should fail 
to try this Pea, and I have no doubt those who do will derive “ satis¬ 
faction.” Duke of Albany is excellent for the show table, is also a 
very great bearer and of good flavour. Duke of Connaught is very 
sweet, but I was not satisfied with it, but it was not well situated, 
and I will not condemn it. Triumph (Sharpe) is good in all respects, 
and will no doubt be had in esteem by market growers, for it is an 
immense bearer, and 3 feet high. Early Milan Turnip is the earliest, 
flue in appearance, and good in quality if used quickly. 
Suttons’ Seedling Potato is handsome, a good cropper, and splendid 
on the dinner table. I say to all, Try it. Village Blacksmith is a 
peculiar ru3setted Potato, but is very floury. I have not fairly tried 
it, but I am pleased with it so far. Sharpe’s Victor is the very 
best first early Potato anyone can grow, excellent for frames, good 
cropper, of fine quality ; and Duke of Albany, which is a white Beauty 
of Hebron, is an excellent follow on. With Reading Russet and 
Vicar of Laleham for a later crop and for exhibition it would be 
very hard indeed to pick out six better Potatoes.—H. S. Easty. 
P.S.—Since writing the above I find that while I was writing my 
remarks you were printing Mr. Iggulden’s. He has taken “ the wind 
out of my sails,” but I am glad to see his opinion of many varieties 
agrees with mine, and he has not touched on all my subjects. I must 
chance it, and send in the above so that the editor can print or con¬ 
sign it to the waste paper basket as he thinks proper. 
[Thedecision is quickly formed—to “print.” Notes founded on 
experience are acceptable to U3, because useful to our readers, and 
we thank Mr. Easty for his contributions.] 
