May 19,1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
397 
Duchess of Oldenburg, and some others being, as a rule, better on the 
Doucin than the French Paradise, as combining free growth with equal 
productiveness. It is noticeable that the influence of the different 
stocks is in a measure lost in a few years on the Blenheim Pippin, all 
the trees in a plantation being practically similar in size and pro¬ 
ductiveness. The horizontal cordons as margins to the central walk 
are extremely attractive, Braddick’s Nonpariel being a striking one by 
its clusters of large blossoms. The bloom is fully a fortnight later than 
usual, yet cannot be regarded as absolutely safe in a changeable 
•climate. 
The monthly meeting of.the Belgian Horticulturists 
was held in Ghent last week, those present being MM. Van Coppenolle, 
Jules Hye, L. Desmet-Duvivier, A. Baudu, Jules Closon, Ad. Rosseel, 
and F. Horsman (Colchester) who was visiting Ghent, and was invited 
to serve on the Committee, M. F. Desbois presiding, and M. Cuvelier was 
Secretary. Certificates of merit were awarded for Azalea indica seedling 
No. 2 from M. A. De Kncef ; Azalea indica Miss E. Jarrett from M. 
Louis i an Houtte ; Boronia heterophylla from M. Aug. Van Geert ; 
Ncphrolepis rufescens tripinatifidum from the last exhibitor ; Odonto- 
■glossum Halli leucoglossum, Odontoglossum Maesereeli, and Miltonia 
vexillarium from MM. Edm. Vervaet et Cie.; Odontoglossum Halli from 
M. Maurice Mctdepenningen ; Anthurium Andrcanum sanguineum from 
M. Louis Desmet-Duvivier; Pandanus Desmetianus from MM. F. 
Desbois et Cie. ; Aphelandra Louisa, Philodendrum Corsianum, Begonia 
Louise Closon, Phytolacca purpurascens fol. var., and Impatiens Hawker 
from MM. Jacob-Makoy et Cie.; Azalea indica Phara'ilde, Azalea indica 
Jean Van Eyck, Azalea indica Princesse Clementine, and Azalea indica 
Ami du coeur from M. Joseph Vervaenc ; Lycaste Skinncri alba from 
M. le Comte de Kerchove de Denterghem ; Spirea japonica fol. atropur- 
pureis from MM. Fr. Desbois et Cie. Cultural certificates were awarded 
for Masdevallia Houtteana from MM. Edm. Vervaet et Cie.; Rhododen¬ 
dron Gibsoni from M. Bernard Spae ; and honourable mention for Mas¬ 
devallia Denisoni from M. A. Van Geert ; Odontoglossum Alexandra;, 
Cattleya Mossiae, Laelia elegans, Cypripedium Druryi from MM. Edmi 
Vervaet et Cie.; Dracasna norwoodiense from M. Louis Desmet-Duvivier ; 
Nidularium Innocenti fol. aurea var. from l’dtablissement Ste. Dorottnjc ; 
and Laslia Boothiana from M. Jules Heye-Leysen. 
FRITILL ARIES. 
The Snakeshead Fritillary, Fritillaria meleagris, is one of the most at¬ 
tractive flowers that bedeck our valley meads during the months of 
April and May. It is not, however, one of those plants that will flourish 
anywhere at the will of the cultivator ; but under cultivation, to insure 
success, it must be provided with similar situations and conditions that 
have indisputably restricted its growth to certain localities for centuries. 
Wherever the Fritillary finds a genial home there it establishes itself and 
becomes permanent. It is decidedly a moisture-loving plant, and from 
the shape of its tesselated or chequered flowers it has received a generis * 
name that has for ages associated it with the dice box ; the appearance 
■of its markings, too, have been likened to that of a chess-board. 
It rarely happens that the flowers of this plant are as conspicuous as 
they happen to be at the present time, for generally the early growth of 
the grass effectually conceals them, although they may abound unob¬ 
served within a few yards of the spot occupied by anyone in search of 
them. This season, however, owing to the sparse growth of the grass, 
they are enabled to raise their blooms above it, and present a sight that 
•can be seldom witnessed. The backward state of vegetation this season, 
too, has contributed to the disfigurement of great numbers of them, 
which it is possible not to observe until they have been plucked, for the 
tender leaves of the Hawthorn that ordinarily, long ere this, provide so 
much food for oui feathered songsters, have as yet scarcely made their 
-appearance, and so to compensate for this and feed on the nectar that 
the Fritillaiy supplies, they have with their little beaks torn away a 
portion of many an unexpanded flower ; but ere this appears in type the 
Hawthorn may be clad not only with leaves, but with flower buds too, 
that in a short space of time may envelope many a hedgerow with garlands 
of delicately tinted fragrant flowers. Occasionally two blossoms may be 
seen on one stem, but they are almost invariably borne singly ; and 
although the chequered light and dark reddish purple-tinted flowers 
predominate, there is not unfrequently a fair sprinkling of white seifs 
which are most effectively poised on slender stems a few inches above 
the grass. 
The majority of the plants do not exceed a foot in height, but the 
bulbs that produce them are, in many cases, considerably more than this 
distance below the surface ; and herein, together with their diminutive 
size, lies their security from many a would-be plunderer. Most fittingly 
here Nature doth prevail. If the Snake-head can be associated with any 
■one place more than another in Great Britain, or may justly be entitled 
•Fritilluj, a dice-box.—WITHERING. Movct arma f rifillo.—J C VENAL. 
to a place in the memories of many who have dangled its flowers in their 
fingers simply because its uncommon appearance arrested a passing 
curiosity, or, perchance, it may be, have plucked handfuls of them to 
embellish a room where hard reading was more or less a pleasing toil, it 
must be admitted that Oxford is facile princeps. It is there that the 
Fritillary luxuriates in more than one college ground. Christ Church 
meadow, at the lower end, is full of them ; Magdalen College meadow, 
although of smaller proportions, is, in a sense, a Fritillary bed ; and the 
fields on cither side of the river Isis, between Kennington and Iffley, 
furnish the homes of the flower-loving artisan or labourer at this season 
of the year with a bunch, or it may be a bouquet, of field flowers that 
tiny hands may have helped to gather without having trespassed tco 
much, and which possibly may be a source of indescribable pleasure in 
many a humble home. 
To what extent the bulbs of these plants suffer, if they do at all, by 
what may be aptly described as a wholesale gathering of their flowers, 
cannot be summarily stated, but the opinion may be accepted in reference 
to this point, that they suffer no appreciable injury, more especially if 
the stalks are severed above the ground and not ruthlessly pulled up 
from a distance of several inches below the surface. When fairly 
gathered the bulbs would certainly be affected to the same degree as 
those of any other similarly constituted plant, and it is well known by 
the most intelligent cultivators that by gathering the flowers of many 
bulbous plants the bulbs are rather strengthened than weakened by 
the process ; and the duration of the cut flowers under proper treatment 
would not be less than if the flowers were allowed to remain on the 
plant. The Gladiolus (a corm) and the Lilium auratum are notable 
examples of this ; but this observation has a wider application than 
may be generally imagined by those other than professional growers. 
On the other hand, were the flowers allowed to remain and produce seed 
the bulbs would assuredly suffer to a much greater extent than possibly 
is imagined by those who are most apprehensive lest that by repeatedly 
gathering them eventually it may lead to their partial extermination. 
It should be remembered that in the case of meadows that are known 
to have produced them more than half a century ago—meadows easily 
accessible to the public—and where the Fritillary flowers have been 
year by year systematically gathered, it cannot now be urged that there 
they have at all diminished in number ; and, further, it may be asked 
whether, after allowing the bulbs to become weakened by the process of 
“ seed-setting,” they would in any but strictly grazing meadows ever 
survive the necessary operation of mowing? Forages the Snakeshead 
has adorned the Oxford meadows, and there need be but little fear that 
they will continue to do so. 
Those who are unacquainted with this flower will find it figured on 
the first plate in “ Baxter’s British Flowering Plants,” and there is no 
difficulty in obtaining bulbs of them in the autumn through the 
ordinary sources, as they are in certain places cultivated largely for 
sale, and are moreover inexpensive to purchase. Of course, they cannot 
be expected to flourish in unsuitable situations unless special attention 
be given to their natural requirements. They can nevertheless be 
successfully cultivated in ordinary flower pots, provided that during 
their growth the pots are placed in saucers that are kept regularly 
supplied with water ; or, when planted out in borders, by submerging 
spacious shallow earthenware vessels about 18 inches below the surface 
of the soil and planting the Fritillary bulbs a few inches deep imme¬ 
diately above them. Groups of the somewhat uncommon Snakeshead 
may, in the ordinary course, more than satisfy the expectations of many 
who may have already abandoned the hope of ever growing them 
successfully.— Oxoniensis. 
[Our correspondent sent us several bunches of flowers representing 
their great abundance in the district to which he refers in his interesting 
communication.] 
PC 1)165 
ORCHID3 AT HOME. 
The notes in the articles on “ Indian Experiences” are just what an 
Orchid grower requires. If the natural mode of growth is known the treat¬ 
ment in disease is half combated. I have heard persons that have seen 
the very Orchids they have collected grown artificially say they never 
grew like that when they collected them. Very true. What is the use 
of cultivation if we cannot do something to bring what is cultivated 
to our ideas of beauty ? On the other hand, my belief is that many of 
our imported Orchids are killed by too much kindness. Plants may 
bear a certain degree of extra living, and seem to prosper and improve ; 
but it may be prejudicial, and, like over-feeding in human beings, be 
productive of disease and death. If we know the natural habits and 
habitats the remedy is more easily applied. 
I think that gardeners do not pay enough attention to regularity of 
temperature. I have grown Orchids for some years, and I take the tempe¬ 
rature night and morning aud strike the average at the end of the year. 
My annual average is 73° and 63°. I have never had it above !)0° but twice, 
and never below 58° during the last five years, and my Orchids grow 
