272 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 7, 1887. 
immediately after the first clause of the third paragraph. Indeed I 
think he should have given a little more instruction on getting up the 
edge, as I suppose he wrote for the benefit of those who are unacquainted 
with the work. The plan I adopt at this stage of the work—viz., after 
the ground has been made firm by treading, which, by the way, I have 
always found necessary even when it was not of a very loose character, 
is to stretch a line in the exact position, then with a bright spade beat 
along the line from end to end, being careful not to touch the level 
stations. By this means the soil is slightly lowered, and the line will 
then bear on all the levels. If, however, it should be seen that it does 
not rest on all, high places are sought for and lowered. I then begin 
at one end and place on as much fine soil as will when beaten down 
bring the old surface up to the line. Of course the line must be kept 
tightly strained, and the result will be a firm true top edge, which, to 
me, seems a very important thing to have in order to finish the work neatly. 
As to whether the trench is cut perpendicular or slightly oblique may 
not be of much consequence, but I think the latter is both more easily 
cut and planted.—T. S. 
LEEDS PAXTON SOCIETY. 
The first annual dinner of the above Society was held at the Green 
Dragon Hotel on the 30oh ult. About eighty members and friends sat 
down to an excellent repast, served in tde host’s best style. The tab! s were 
beautifully decorated with plants and flowers, and called forth the highest 
encomiums from the visitors present. The President of the Society, Mr. 
Josh. Smith was in the chair, and Mr. J. AV. Frankland, Vice-President, 
occupied the vice-chair. After the usual loyal toasts had been drunk, Mr. 
J. G. Newsham, in appropriate terms, proposed “The Town and Trade of 
Leeds,” and this was suitably responded to by Mr. J. H. Clark, Secretary to 
the Leeds Horticultural Society. The Hon. Secretary, Mr. Geo. Hemming, 
submitted the report, which showed the Society to be in a very prosperous 
condition, numbering five honorary and 121 ordinary members, with every 
prospect of this number being greatly augmented. During the year twenty- 
four essays on different gardening subjects had been read at the meetings, 
and the average attendance had been thirty-3even. Excursions bad been 
made during the summer to Clumber, Welbeck, Oakworth, and Cliffe Castle, 
and these had been greatly enjoyed by those participating. An Exhibition 
of Chrysanthemums was also held on the 10th December (on the occasion 
of Mr. Garnett reading his critique), and this was of a very high order. 
The Committee hoped soon to enlarge their sphere of operations, and 
appealed to members to assist them in furthering the interests of the 
Society. The balance sheet showed a sum of £8 16s. 8d. in Treasurer’s 
hands. 
Mr. B- Whiteley proposed the toast of the evening, “ The Leeds Paxton 
Society. He congratulated the members on the excellent progress made 
during the year, and predicted that the Leeds Society would become the 
most powerful organisation of gardeners in the West Riding of York. The 
President briefly responded, and said from the incre sed interest taken in 
the Society s proceedings he was exceedingly hopeful as to its future, and 
he assured the members generally that everything would be done by the 
Committ.e, as far as lay in their power, to further the interests of the 
Society. The \ ice-President proposed “Kindred Societies,” and this was 
responded to by Messrs. Ainley and Bradley. “ 'The Officers of the Society” 
was given by Mr. Wm. Sunley, Secretary to the Leeds Professional Gar¬ 
deners Friendly Benefit Society, who in eulogistic terms referred to the 
principal ones individually. The President and th: Treasurer (Mr. Edward 
Kay) replied. 
Mr. R. b eatherstone, Chairman of the Leeds Horticultural Society, pro 
posed J- he Yorkshire Association of Horticultural Societies,” and ex 
pressed t_ie hope that by amalgamation the different societies comprising 
the union might be the means of diffusing a great amount of knowdedgi 
and instruction to their members, and encourage research into the liighei 
walks of the art and sci ; nce cf horticulture. Messrs. Eadon and Slanei 
responded. “The Essayists,” proposed by Mr. W. Crossley and respondec 
to by Messrs. Appleby and Massey. “ The Press ” was proposed by Mr 
Newman and replied to by Mr. Ainley. At the close of the evening’s enter 
tamment the greater part of the flowers used in the decoration of the tablei 
were forwarded to the Leeds General Infirmary for the benefit of thi 
patients. 
i A? 10 ? g8t ^ ose attending as delegates from other Societies were Barns 
ley Paxton Society, Messrs. Ballinger and Northrop: Bradford Paxtoi 
Society, Messrs. E. H. Bradley and J. Collier; Leeds Professional Gardeners 
Friendly Benefit Society, Messrs. T. Jamieson and Wm. Sunley ; Mori y ant 
.District 1 axton Society, Messrs. Ainley and Spencer; Sh ffie'd (Floral ant 
Horticultural) Messrs. J. G. Newsham and Jr,o. Eadon; Sheffield and Hal 
larnshire Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society, Messrs. Hall and Slam y 
Wakefield Paxton Society, Messrs. B. Whiteley and E. Fenn r. 
BIGNONIA YENUSTA. 
... This Bignonia blooms with us very freely during the winter mont 
Its bright orange red flowers have a particularly cheerful appearance 
January, when flowers of almost all colours are scarce. One defect 
that it does not keep fresh long when cut; this is regretable, as it h 
such a rich appearance when placed in a mass in a vase with its own 
other suitable foliage. 
, The plant grows rapidly, almost too much so, where space is limite 
but by judiciously thinning the growths as they are formed flowers 
abundance can be had in a small space. Here it is planted in 
Cucumber bed along with some Gardenias, which occupy one side 
a small Cucumber house ; on the opposite side Cucumbers are grow 
and the moist temperature required for them in the spring and sumra 
SS?™ EUltS , t ^' S Bignonia. It is growing in a compost co 
sisting of two parts loam, one of leaf soil, some charcoal and bom 
and it receives copious supplies of water and occasionally of liqu 
manure in summer. During hot weather the foliage is vigorously 
syringed twice a day. The young growths are trained over the path¬ 
way in the centre of the house, which is span-roofed, and thus managed 
they do not interfere either with the Cucumbers or the Gardenias. The 
strongest shoots are trained thinly on the wires, and all the weaker 
ones are removed, thus allowing those retained to be thoroughly 
ripened, and from their points and also from the axils of many of the. 
leaves on the current season’s growths, flowers appear in profusion. 
Brown scale is the only insect which attacks this plant, and an occa¬ 
sional syringing with lemon oil is the best remedy for it ; it can also be 
removed by sponging with soapy water, but when the plant is large 
this is a slow process.—E. Molyneux. 
^Ilp^et)id5 
THE BARRON3, TWICKENHAM. 
Some fine varieties of Lycaste Skinneri were exhibited at the Com¬ 
mittee meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on March 8th, 
especially three or four which were shown for certificates ; but though 
they were not honoured with that distinction some competent judges 
think them well worthy of that award. Considering the increasing 
interest taken in collecting and cultivating Orchids, I am surprised that, 
gentlemen, and growers too, do not unite and form an Orchid Society, 
with a responsible Committee ; much good work would be accomplished 
by its members. There can be no doubt if the scheme was once fairly 
started there would be no lack of funds to carry the work on 
successfully. 
I am glad to see that Lycaste Skinneri is gaining more favour with 
Orchid growers generally, and certainly the grand show in the houses of 
Henry Little, Esq., at the present time would convince the most sceptical 
of its usefulness. They are grown here by the hundred, and among them, 
are some fine forms, many of the plants carrying fifteen and eighteen 
blooms each, and a few even more, but I icould not perceive any two 
exactly alike. Perhaps the most remarkable feature is the length of 
time the flowers remain in perfection. One of the first plants to bloom 
was exhibited in the first week in November last year, and the blooms 
are still fresh and good. The plants do not suffer in the least with the 
flowers remaining on so long, for they make larger pseudo-bulbs and 
flower more freely each year. It is truly a winter flower, and gives 
charming colour all through the dull months from November till the 
end of April. The culture is well understood by Mr. Hill, the gardener,, 
who is also very successful with Orchids generally. Large masses of 
Cattleya Skinneri, imported last July, are well established, and showing 
many sheaths. A fine plant of C. S. oculata has fourteen leads ; Catt¬ 
leya Mendeli. said to be equal in beauty to that grand variety Duke of 
Marlborough, has eight flower sheaths ; large specimen plants of C. 
Mossiac and C. Trianse, C. Eldorado, C. E. Leeana, C. Lawrenceana, 
Laslia elegans Littleana, L. purpurata, and the rare L. intrica, supposed 
to be a natural hybrid between L. elegans and Cattleya amethystoglossa. 
Many fine pans of Coelogyne cristata ; Vanda suavis with eight leads- 
and fifteen flower spikes ; large plants of Cypripedium Isevigatum, C. 
Stonei, C. Lowi, C. niveum, C. Lawrenceanum, C. caudatum, C. 
Veitchi, and Saccolabium Blumei. Dendrobiums, &c., are well represented 
in fine health and varieties. Besides the show of Lycastes in bloom 
there are Angracum citratum, A. sesquipedale, Cattleya amethystoglossa, 
C. Trianse, Coelogyne cristata, C. c. Lemoniana. Cypripedium caudatum 
roseum, C. Argus, C. Lowi, Dendrobium crassinode giganteum, D. Find- 
leyanum, Oncidium Cavendishianum, Odontoglossum Alexandra, 0. 
blandum, O. Litt.leanum, 0. nebulosum, 0. Pescatorei, 0. Rossi majus, 
O. R. rubescens, Phalasnopsis amabilis, P. Luddemanniana, and P. 
Schilleriana,— G. AV. Cummins. 
CCELOGYNE OCELLATA MAXIMA. 
Suspended from the roof of the Cattleya house at The Dell, Egham, 
a plant of Coelogyne ocellata maxima has been extremely beautiful for 
several weeks, and that the variety merits the high praise which has 
been accorded to it may be judged from the illustration (fig. 49), ] re- 
pared from a sketch of Baron Schroder’s plant. There is a considerable 
difference between the type originally brought into notice in this country 
and the variety appropriately named maxima, and a comparison of the 
two is greatly in favour of the latter. C. ocellata is a native of Sylhet,. 
it was introduced by Loddiges, and was described and named by 
Bindley. It was figured in the “Botanical Magazine” in 1839, the 
plant there represented being a rather poor sample of the species, or as- 
Mr. AV illiams says, “ it was a starved specimen.” In that the racemes have 
three flowers each, and this is the usual character of the type, the 
flowers being small with narrow spreading white sepals and petals, and a 
white lip with yellowish spots margined with a darker shade or 
“ occllated,” and which apparently gave rise to another name the plant 
bears— i.e., C. punctulata, though that is rarely seen now. 
C. ocellata maxima is an introduction from India obtained by Mr- 
B. S. AVilliams of Upper Holloway, with whom it flowered early in 
1879, and was shortly afterwards distributed. The flowers are much 
