248 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 81,1887. 
With regard to water beneath tubular bars, I condemn very strongly 
any such system. 1 see u Thinker” unknowingly, or the reverse, con¬ 
veyed the impression that I would advise a flow of cold water beneath 
them to keep them cool. I have not done so, and as far as I can see 
I have not written a sentence that will bear such a construction. W hat 
good are tubular bars to a boiler to assist its power if an attempt is 
made to cool them ? Tubular bars are generally wider apart than solid 
bars, and therefore [ consider combustion would be increased rather than 
otherwise by the admission of a greater volume of air. 
More perfect combustion by the aid of air above the fuel can be 
insured than when it is only admitted through the furnace bars. I re¬ 
ferred to this some time ago, but I see the subject is again brought up. 
I am strongly of opinion that combustion with the least possible waste 
can only be insured by the admission of air above as well as through 
the bars. By admitting air only from the base there is a large, escape 
of carbonic oxide, which, with the addition of atmospheric air from 
above, will convert it into carbonic acid, in which form it escapes. But 
different boilers require widely different management, for it is clear that 
only about one-half of the oxygen of the air admitted really enters into 
the process of combustion, which no doubt arises from the difficulty of 
mixing the gases during their passage through the boiler. The longer 
these gases are in contact and agitated in passing through the various 
obstructions of the furnace, the more likely are they to abstract the 
oxygen of the air. 
Much more might be written on the combustion of fuel, for I am 
convinced that there is greater waste in the passage of gases up the 
chimney unutilised than is the case in the destruction of bars by burn¬ 
ing or twisting. But I have already trespassed too far on your valuable 
space on this subject, and therefore have finished for the present, but 
at some future time hops to revert again to the combustion of fuel. I 
am glad to learn that the discussion has been instructive to others be¬ 
sides myself, as letters I have received testify.— Wm. Bardney. 
[The publication of this article has been unavoidably delayed.] 
ROSE SHOW8 IN 1887. 
June 23rd, * Ryde. 
„ 28th, * Bagshot. 
„ 29th, * Croydon and Richmond 
„ 30th, * Canterbury, * Moreton- 
in-Mirsh, and * .Nor¬ 
wich. 
July 1st, * Reigate. 
„ 2nd, Crystal Palace, and 
* Eltham. 
„ 5th, * S.Kensington (N.R.S.l. 
„ 6th, *Ealinv, Regent’s Park 
(R.B.S.), * Sutton, and 
* TunbridgejWdlls. 
July 7th, *Bath,*Farnham,* Farn- 
ingham,*Hitchin,’'‘Ips¬ 
wich,ana* Winchester. 
„ 8th, * Maidstone. 
„ 12th, * Dies and Oxford. 
„ 13th, * Edinburgh (N.R.S.). 
„ 14th, Birmingham and Harles- 
ton. 
„ 15 th, * Helensburgh and Hull. 
16 h, * New Brighton. 
,, 20th, * Birkenhead. 
„ 22nd, * Ulverstone. 
Those exhibitions which are held by the National Rose Society or by 
Societies affiliated with it are distinguished by an asterisk. The only 
two-days Rose Shows in the above list are those at Birmingham and 
Hull. In each of these cases the date of the first day’s exhibition only 
is given.— Edward Mawley, Rosebank, BerJthampsted, Herts. 
THE LITERATURE OF GARDENING. 
An exhaustive and interesting paper on “ The Literature of Garden¬ 
ing,” was read by Mr. William Paul. F.L.S., before the Royal Society of 
Literature, Delahay Street, St. James’ Park, on Wednesday, the 23rd 
inst. The President, Sir Patrick Colquhoun, Q.C., was in the chair, and 
there was a good attendance of members and visitors. We can only 
briefly note the principal points in Mr. Paul’s lecture this week, but we 
hope to refer to it more at length in another issue, and we understand 
that it will be published by the Society in extenso. 
After dealing very fully with the numerous scriptural references to 
gardens, Mr. Paul reviewed the progress of gardening amongst the 
ancients up to the time of the Greeks and Romans. Some quotations 
from the works of the principal writers in the latter period were given. 
On the revival of learning the Italians and Dutch were first in the field, 
followed by the French, English, and other nations. The herbalists 
seem to have been in the van, the six books of Dioscorides, written in the 
time of the Emperor Nero, having held the sway down to the opening of 
the seventeenth century. In the writings on gardening proper much 
superstition was mixed up iwith practical gardening down to the time of 
Bacon. At the end of the seventeenth century a new era in gardening 
may be said to have been inaugurated. From the dawn of the present 
century the progress has been most rapid, not only in England but in 
all civilised countries, and great indeed has been our gain by the 
uprising of the gardeners’ improved races of vegetables, fruits, and 
flowers. 
On the conclusion of the paper, the President, after complimenting 
the reader upon the elaboration of its contents, discussed at some length 
the ancient allusions to gardens more or less famous, particularly those 
of Alcinous and of Nebuchadnezzar. Mr. E. Gilbert Highton, the 
Secretary, alluded to and described the curious floating gardens of 
Mexico, and likewise the hanging gardens of Babylon before referred to, 
and then proceeded to enlarge upon and discuss the hints thrown out by 
the reader in reference to the famous controversy between the artistic 
and natural styles of landscape gardening at the beginning of the last 
century—quoting the exquisite description of Eden in Book IV. of the 
“ Paradise Lost,” as showing that Milton took his grand idea from the 
very handiwork of Nature and her God. Mr. G-ilbert Highton took 
occasion also to echo old Evelyn’s complaint of the paucity of gardens 
in London, and expressed a hope that this paper might sow the seed of 
future progress in this respect. A vote of thanks to Mr. W. Paul, moved 
by Mr. J. W. Bone, and seconded by the Treasurer, Mr. J. Haynes 
terminated the proceedings. 
ORCHIDS AT AVYNCOTE. 
In the gardens of Mrs. Neumann, Wyn o L e. Allerton, a narrow house, 
formerly a passage to a stokehole, has been strikingly beautiful with the 
delicate flowers of several Orchids. One of the most imposing plants 
was Dcndrobium Wardianum Lowi with six pseudo-bulbs, varying from 
18 inches to 3 feet, profusely flowered, a very line form of this lovely 
Dendrobium. A background to this plant was a large Gleichenia. Not 
less conspicuous was a fine plant of Dcndrobium Ainsworthi with 150 
flowers in a basket, and several plants of D. crassinode, some of good 
size, and all profusely flowered. The old D. nobile was also noteworthy, 
and no less charming than many of the newer, and, at the present time, 
more popular forms. D. crepidatum roseum with its delicate white 
sepals and petals tinged with rose was well grown and bloomed. The 
same may be said of the dwarf D. albo-sanguineum. Although less 
striking in colour than many forms, it is nevertheless worth a place in 
every collection however limited. Several forms of the free-flowering 
Odontoglossum Rossi majus were suspended amongst other plants. Some 
nine or ten plants of Cattleya Trianas with their large flowers added to 
the charming effect in this little house. Perhaps most attractive of all 
was Cattleya amethystoglossa, a remarkably fine variety, having two 
spikes of large flowers, one carrying nine and the other ten. Very few, 
if any, Orchids surpass this in beauty—that is, fine varieties with light 
rose sepals and petals spotted with rich purple and a lip of the same 
colour. There are many varieties of this plant, but the one Mr. Mease 
possesses is the finest form I have yet had the pleasure of seeing. There 
were several other Orchids in this little house associated with Ferns and 
a few bright coloured Coleuses. 
In another house the distinct Dendrobium Brymerianum was display¬ 
ing three of its deep yellow blooms with their conspicuous golden fringe, 
which hangs majestically for 2 inches below the lip. Cymbidium 
eburneum, with its pure white fragrant flowers, was in full beauty. 
D. Devonianum in the stove would have in a few days several hundreds 
of its delicate flowers expanded, some of the pseudo-bulbs being nearly 
4 feet in length, and flowering over fully three parts of their length, 
while D. fimbriatum oculatum was showing no less than 200 spikes. 
The Phalsenopses, as usual at this season of the year, were remarkably 
fine. Fancy a beautiful drooping raceme of rosy pink flowers, 120 in 
number, as was borne by one plant of P. Schilleriana. Three or four 
other plants were in flower, but with a less number of blooms. P. 
amabilis had one fine spike, while P. Stuartiana, several plants in bloom, 
varying in shade of colour, were producing their delicately spotted 
flowers. One spike was carrying fifty blooms. 
ORCHIDS AT ELM HALL, WAVERTREE. 
There are many Orchids in the gardens over which Mr. A. R. Cox 
presides, but they are mostly of small size, small imported plants only 
appear to have been purchased. Very noticeable amongst a collection 
of small plants was a very fine specimen of Phalasnopsis Schilleriana 
with grand healthy foliage, bearing a large spike of fine flowers. A 
young plant was showing on the flower stem. Young ones 
raised by this means generally do well and possess greater vigour 
even than the present. The best and most floriferous plant at Wyncote 
was raised from the flower stem. Several forms of Odontoglossum 
Rossi majus were in flower, growing in pots, shallow pans, and on blocks. 
Several forms of Cattleya Trianse were in bloom, and noticeable amongst 
them was one of the dark Popayan varieties bearing six fine flowers. A 
very fine plant of a Cattleya named intermedia, but which, I think, is a 
variety of Harrisoniae, had seventeen of its delicate rose-coloured flowers 
with a slight tinge of yellow in the lips. There appears to be some con¬ 
fusion between C. Harrisonite and C. intermedia in gardens, for I noticed 
in the Harvey collection a plant (428 according to the catalogue) 
bearing three flowers of the same colour named the latter. Perhaps 
Mr. Cox will kindly send you a flower, so that you could determine 
really which it is. The flowers are totally distinct from the form of 
C. intermedia that I possess, and of the various forms that I have seen 
in several other gardens. The plant that Mr. Cox grows is to my mind 
much superior even to the best forms of intermedia that I have seen. 
The flowers possess more of that delicate pale rose-lilac tinge charac¬ 
teristic of good forms of C. Loddigesi than is to be found in C. inter¬ 
media. A very fine plant of Dendrobium nobile was in flower, carrying 
over 300 of its delicate, useful, and showy blooms. It may be noted 
for the benefit of others similarly situated that Mr. Cox was very much 
troubled with yellow thrips amongst his Orchids until he commenced a 
year or two ago a general and judicious use of the syringe. This simple 
