468 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 9, 1887. 
natural productions. These have not hitherto been so largely utilised 
as they might be. The efforts made for so many years to assist colonial 
industries by Kew has naturally thrown upon this establishment a 
large share in solving the botanico-economic questions which have 
effected the colonies during the last fifty years. As a natural process 
of growth, it is only reasonable to expect that well-marked groups of 
colonies should combine as regards questions of scientific and industrial 
interest, and that Kew should deal directly only with the recognised 
centre, from which would be distributed such special information and 
such collections of seeds and plants as are specially suited to local cir¬ 
cumstances, and which could from time to time be reinforced from Kew. 
How far schemes of this kind can be carried out remains to be seen. 
At present there are good grounds for believing that the scheme will 
soon be on its trial in the West Indies, and the experience gained there 
will greatly assist in laying down the details of a further scheme that 
may prove of great value to the West African Settlements.” 
THE GRANGE, WALLINGTON. 
“ My Garden,” is widely known as one of the most interesting 
private establishments around the metropolis, and is not only known 
by reputation but through the liberality of its owner, A. H. Smee, 
Esq., in throwing it open annually to visitors, it is familiar to a large 
number of persons resident in the neighbourhood, and to others who 
have travelled from a distance to avail themselves of the privilege 
so generously accorded. It has been found necessary this year to 
restrict the admission to certain days, and to those who have tickets, 
which are, however, readily procured. During May and June this 
quaint and unconventional garden is in its best and freshest condition, 
and a most enjoyable hour can be spent in viewing its varied attrac¬ 
tions, its picturesque tree-shaded walks and Fern glades, its cryntal- 
like streamlets, rivulets, and miniature waterfalls, the choice col¬ 
lection of Orchids, or the wonderful collection of fruit trees. 
Usually the handsome scarlet Hawthorns which brighten the 
shrubberies or clothe the banks of the lake with a richness of colour 
dipping to the surface of the water, are in the best form ere this, but 
the late season has told upon them, and they are only just expanding 
their flowers. In one sheltered nook the Rhododendrons are, how¬ 
ever, flowering well, the Laburnums are bearing their golden racemes 
In profusion, some old Quinces are covered with large flowers, while 
the purple Hazel peeps out at intervals with its bright distinct foliage 
in beautiful contrast with the fresh green tints around. The grace¬ 
ful Ostrich Ferns, Struthiopteris germanica and pennsylvanica, have 
thrown up their towering bright green crowns of fronds ; the elegant 
Carex pendula, with its dark drooping spikes, which is so abundant at 
the sides of the glade walks, are the special features of that part of 
the garden. '1 here are numberless other plants of interest, such as 
Adiantum pedatum, which has been out for several years and 
appears quite hardy, though of course the position is a sheltered one. 
Pteris cretica also succeeded for some time, though now lost, but it is 
thought this is due to an accident, and not to its being killed by 
frost. Then in one nook in a large box frame with a glass top is a 
fine specimen of Todea suptrba with fronds 8 feet long from tip to 
base. We must not omit to mention a fine band of the white and 
blue Scilla nutans, which renders a border adjoining the lawn Very 
beautiful. The plant grows strongly and bears spikes of great 
length with large drooping bells. 
The Apple trees, of which there are 325 varieties, have been very 
handsome with their abundant flowers, and there is likely t) be a fine 
-crop of fruit. Small fruits are not quite so abundant as last year, 
but very promising, Strawberries flowering freely, and the vegetables 
are now advancing rapidly under the stimulating influences of a 
higher temperature and abundant moisture. 
But we must turn to the Orchid houses, for in them there is much 
to admire just now. With such a varied and extensive collection there 
is no period in the year without some special attraction, but at the 
present time Mr. Smee has a large number of plants of Cittleya 
Mossim in flower; and as he has given much attention to the forma¬ 
tion of the collection, purchasing all the best forms he could procure, or 
selecting them from imported plants flowered at The Grange, it is not 
surprising that he has now a series of varieties that for distinctness 
and richness could scarcely be surpassed. They constitute alone a 
•study of much interest, and show at once the range of variation pos¬ 
sible in a species, and how well marked many minor characters are in 
the discrimination of such forms. One notable character is seen in 
the form and position of the petals ; in some they are spreading and 
even in outline, in others they are gracefully arched or drooping, 
these being usually much broader and the flower larger than the others. 
In the lip also a considerable difference is observable in the form. 
Some have the lateral lobes unfolded over the column, so as to form a 
long tube, and then the expmded front portion is more or less 
rounded ; in others the tube is very short, and then the front portion 
is longer, oblong, elliptical, and show the colouring in the throat 
better. The coloration is much varied. In some a crimson tint pre¬ 
dominates ; in others the yellow or orange is chiefly seen. Occasionally 
an orange or gold tint seems to underlie the crimson, and then an in¬ 
tense magenta shade is produced of remarkable richness. The 
colouring is either solid to the margin or broken up into veins on a 
lighter ground, in some cases on pure white, and the effect is then 
very beautiful ; the margin is commonly lighter or pure white and 
frilled. At the base of the lip there is a rich veining of crimson or 
other similar shades that in the more open forms is well seen. Three 
of the most distinct have been selected for names, one of which, 
C. Mossim Mis. Smee, is an extremely handsome variety, represented 
by an admirable specimen, bearing seventeen fine flowers. The 
petals are 4 inches long by 3]- inches broad, drooping gracefully ; 
the lip is open, 24 inches in diameter, beautifully and deeply frilled 
and crisped at the margin, of a very rich golden hue in the throat, 
running up the sides of the lip, the centre magenta, broken towards 
the edge, which is like the sepals and petals, a bright rosy mauve 
tint C Mossim Dr. Duke is another distinct form with bold flowers 
delicately tinted with a bright golden orange colour predominating in 
the lip. C. Mossim Cummiugsiana [named after Mr. Smee’s intelli¬ 
gent gardener, Mr. G. W. Cummings] is notable for the neatly 
fringed lip with a golden bronze or coppery centre. Many others 
could be mentioned showing almost equal divergences of character, 
and all have a capital effect arranged with the Ferns. 
In the same house Lmlia purpurata and Cattleya Mendeli are still 
handsome, while there are numbers of other Orchids of special in¬ 
terest, such as the useful Dendrobium thyrsiflorum with very long 
racemes of large flowers like the variety Walkerianum ; several 
Brassias, such as Keiliana, with narrow sepals and petals, dark red¬ 
dish at the base, tipped with orange, and a yellow lip ; B. Aniherotes, 
nearly black at the base of the petal, with the upper part yellow ; 
and the greenish yellow B. verrucosa. Lmlia cinnabarina has a 
number of its bright orange scarlet flowers that are seen to excellent 
advantage amongst the other lighter coloured flowers. Cypripedium 
Lawrencianum is represented by a remarkably fine variety, the dorsal 
sepal 24 inches across, and veined withveiy rich dark crimson tipped 
with wfiite. The rosy crimson Broughtonia sanguinea is grown on 
teak and cork blocks, but the plant on the former seems to be much 
more happy than the other. Some old stem3 of Tree Ferns have been 
purchased for Orchid blocks, and are cut into segments of suitable 
size, according to the plants to be placed on them. These are found 
better for many epiphytal Orchids than wood, and when well 
moistened and the plants secured to the cut surface it is surprising 
how rapidly the roots penetrate the substance. 
Other plants flowering in the fernery are a form of Masdevallia 
Veitchiana, supposed to be a natural hybrid between M. Davni and 
Veitchiana, a very fine dark variety of M. Chimm , 'a, M. Iloutteana, 
and M. rosea, very free ; Epidendrum vitteliinum majus, good 
variety ; Odontoglossum lmve, 0. maculatum, which has been 
flowering for several months ; Lycaste fSkinneri, that has been in 
flower since Christmas ; the pretty yellow Oncidium concolor ; and 
Dendrobium luteolum, Odontoglossum Rossi majus, with very large 
flowers ; 0. maculatum, dark variety ; 0. Pescatorei ; 0. citrosmum, 
with long drooping racemes ; Oncidium macrantbum, showing its long 
panicles ; Dendrobium clavatum, Cypripedium Lowi, and Hooker®, 
the neat distinct Vanda cristata, and the curious Pleurothallis Bar- 
beriana, with hair-like racemes of minute semi-transparent flowers 
dotted purple, and the Aerides-like Thrixspertnum Berkleyi, with a 
knob like lip. Trained to the roof are plants of Ball of Fire 
Tropaeolum almost constantly in flower, and the Elvaston variety of 
Smphanotis fl .ribunda, together with several plants, in pots or planted 
out, of Begonias, Asclepias curassavica, and the graceful profuse 
Hoya Paxtoni, which is so well adapted for suspending in pots from 
the roof of a house. 
Houses are devoted to Masdevallias, of which a large collection 
his been formed, comprising many of the small-flowered species, and 
also of the large and richly coloured Harryana, Lindeni, and ignea 
types. The following are flowering now—amabilis, Benedict®, 
Chimmra, Estrada, H irryana vars. conchiflora, cmrulescens, and 
sanguinea, ignea superba, Lindeni, ochthoides, rosea, Shuttleworthi, 
Trochilus, Veitchiana, Wagneri, Chestertoni, ludibunda, and Simula. 
With these are also many Odontoglossums, such as crispum, cirrhosura, 
cordatum, maculatum, lmve, Pescatorei, proenitens, and Rossi majus. 
