June 25, 1887. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
515 
forcing in pots. By planting three to four bulbs in a moderate-sized pot 
they can do very well in a room, when their gradual development during 
winter i3 a daily pleasure for an admirer of Nature to notice. These Tulip 
roots can also be used on water like a Hyacinth, in which style they look 
very showy among other flowers or plants. Of the class of single early 
Tulips there are numerous varieties in almost all shades of colours, and 
although fifty years ago many varieties existed, during the last fifty years 
the most striking and most beautiful sorts, now so much in esteem, have 
been raised and brought into use, and are certainly very great improvements 
upon the older varieties. During the last few years a little collection has 
been formed of Tulips with variegated foliage, of which some are very 
conspicuous. It appears that th : s class is not so much known, but some of 
them would be useful for decorative purposes. The Yellow Prince, with 
foliage, is indeed a real beauty, while Purple Crown and Silver 
Standard, La Precieuse, &c., all with variegated foliage, are aho very fine. 
I his class has an important advantage over the oth<rs, because they are 
decorative independent of the flower, and therefore their decorative property 
lasts longer and begins earlier than all others. 
The double early Tulips now in cultivation are not so numerous in 
variety as the single, but some of them are very beautiful and highly 
attractive by the large size of their Rose-shaped flowers and also by their 
fine combination of colours. Some of these double Tulips are most suitable 
for planting out in beds owing to their short-growing habit and the very 
sharp and well-distinguish'd colours. 
The following early varieties are dwarf growing, and together grow very 
““form, a R of the same height, and coming into bloom at the same time, 
.these are :—Rose Blanche, pure white ; La Candeur, whits; Agnes, briUiant 
scarlet; Rubra Maxima, deep red; Rex Rubrorum, dark red; Queen 
Victoria, purplish red; Murillo, rose ; Tournesol, red and yellow; Lac Yan 
Haarlem, pure violet, and many more. 
When planted in beds all sorts of figures in distinct colours can be made 
of them after certain designs. 
Of the tall-growing “ double late ” sorts, some are extremely beautiful, 
among which I may mention the Mariage de ma Fille, red, striped with 
white; La Belle Alliance, white, striped with violet; Yellow Rose, pure 
yellow; and so many more which, when planted in front of or between 
shrubberies, produce a very fine t fleet. 
(To ba continued.) 
HARDY ORCHIDS. 
An interesting collection of hardy and cool-house Orchid flowers 
was contributed by the Comte de Paris, Sheen House, Surrey, to the 
Royal Botanic Society’s Show last week, and though they were not very 
conspicuous they attracted the attention of many orchidists. The 
plants from which the flowers had been gathered were grown in the 
gardens and cool houses at Chfiteau d’Eu, France, and most of the 
European species had been collected wild in various districts, and there 
are several parts of southern Europe where there are far more native 
representatives of this family than in Britain. It is urged against many 
-of these that they are more curious than beautiful, but some species of 
Orchis, like mascula and maculata, will, when flowering freely, compare 
favourably with many tropical epiphytal Orchids. Then we have the 
North American Orchids, and with the help of a frame or cool house 
we can have several Chinese or Japanese forms. Cypripedium specta- 
bile is a grand plant for moist positions ; C. macranthum, especially 
when it is seen as it was recently shown at South Kensington from 
Floore Gardens, Weedon, is also very handsome, of a purplish-crimson 
colour, and for uniformity and richness it is scarcely surpassed even by 
the choice indoor Cypripediums. The Cape of Good Hope yields us the 
Disas, which through a source of difficulty to some cultivators, are not 
very troublesome when a suitably moist cool situation is provided for 
them in a house or frame. The Satyriums include some very curious 
and handsome terrestrial Orchids, somewhat fastidious, but worthy of 
the care necessary to ensure their success. There are thus ample to 
select from, yet collections are rare, even in large gardens. The Orchids 
shown by the Comte de Paris were as follows :—Aceras antliropophora, 
Cypripedium spectabile, Scrapias Lingua, Ophrys tenthredinifera, 
Serapias pseudo-cordigera, Ophrys bombylifera, Cephalanthera ensifolia, 
Ophrys fusca, Orchis longicornu, Orchis fusca, Orchis tephrosanthes, 
Orchis militaris, Ophrys lutea, O. Speculum, Cypripedium pubescens, • 
Bletia hyacinthina, Orchis mascula, and 0. maculata.—X. 
ORCHIDS AT HIGHGATE. 
Mb. H. Eason, gardener to B. Noakes, Esq., Hope Cottage, Highgate, 
has long been known as a prizetaker at the Royal Botanic Society’s and 
■other exhibitions, but he is- perhaps not so well known as a successful 
Orchid grower. 1 had the pleasure of being shown over his place a few 
days ago, and amongst his small, but very select and exceedingly well 
grown collection of Orchids, I was much struck with his examples of 
Cypripedium niveum, numbering some twenty plants in 48-sized pots, 
suspended from the roof by wire, about 2 feet or so from the 
glass, and all in full flower. The pretty variegated foliage looked the 
picture, of health, and quite a number of the plants had four to five 
blooms each, the charming satiny-white and speckled blossoms looking 
very beautiful indeed, and the beau ideal of a chaste “ buttonhole." 
It is, I believe, not unusual to suspend this Burmese Orchid in its cultL 
vation, but Mr. Eason always treats it in this way and his success is 
beyond doubt. Amongst others in the collection I noticed a dozen plants 
of Epidcndrum vitellinum majus, Cypripedium superbiens, and Aerides 
Veitchi, all splendidly grown and flowered ; also a number of grandly 
grown plants of Coelogync cristata (Cliatsworth variety) in 14-inch pots 
full of splendid pseudo-bulbs and in remarkable health.—J. L. 
AN ORCHID BOUQUET. 
Messes. F. Sandeb & Co., St. Albans, on Monday last had on view 
at Mr. Stevens’ Rooms, King Street, Covent Garden, a magnificent 
bouquet of Orchids that had been prepared for H.M. the Queen. It was 
about 7 feet high and nearly as much in diameter, surmounted by a 
crown formed of Dendrobium clirysotoxum, D. suavissimum, and 
D. thyrsiflorum and Oncidium sphacelatum, the greater portion of this 
huge bouquet being composed of Cattleyas Mossias, Mendeli, Sanderiana, 
Laslia purpurata, Odontoglossum crispum, 0. cordatum, Oncidium 
crispum, Phalffinopsis grandiflora, &c., with the letters V.K. in bands of 
Epidendrum vitellinum. It was an extraordinary production, and com¬ 
prised some thousands of Orchid flowers, the value of which it would be 
difficult to estimate. 
WORK FoiyrHE WEEK.. 
S5 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Newly Planted Teees. —The unusally hot and dry weather recently 
experienced has naturally checked all active growth on late-planted 
trees. Very few of them will form any lateral growth, nor will the lead¬ 
ing shoots make much progress ; but if properly attended to the root- 
action will be going on. Unless these comparatively poorly rooted trees 
are kept well supplied with moisture, which a liberal mulching on 
strawy manure will help to conserve, very few fresh fibres will Ire 
formed, and as a consequence they will break weakly next season. 
Syringing the foliage in the evenings of sunny days will also 
benefit them. No newly planted young trees ought to be allowed to 
bear any fruit. If left on the trees it rarely attains a serviceable size, 
but the attempt to perfect it materially checks both leaf and root growth. 
Do not hastily remove any Apple or Pear trees that have failed to start 
into growth. If the wood remains plump and green it may start into 
growth at midsummer, or even next spring. Water them at the roots 
occasionally, syringe over the foliage and mulch. Pyramids and standards 
in the open ought long ago to have been properly secured to stakes, other¬ 
wise wind-swaying effectually checks root-action. Besides, the stems 
also require to be kept straight. 
Thinning' the Chops. —Pears bloomed very abundantly, and where 
they set well the young fruit ought at ofi.ee to be freely thinned out, 
otherwise the trees will attempt to perfect the lot, the most probable 
consequence being a general failure to swell any to a good size. Nor is 
this the only evil result, as, when overcropped one season, it takes one 
or more seasons to recover them from the check. Therefore thin early 
and freely, and be the gainers thereby in every way. In the case of all 
the larger sorts, such as Pitmaston Duchess, Marechal de Cour, Yan 
Mons Leon le Clerc, General Todtleben, Beurre Bachelier, Beurre Clair- 
geau, Doyenne Boussoch, Duchesse d’Angouleme, and Uvedale’s St. Ger¬ 
main, not more than one fruit should be left of each cluster, and where 
they have set plentifully, even those left ought to be eventually reduced 
in number. They are nothing if not large. Nor can such fine sorts as 
Williams’ Bon Chretien, Jargonelle, Beurre Superfin, Louise Bonne of 
Jersey, Marie Louise, Beurre Diel, Doyenne du Comice, Glou Morgeau, 
Beurre Hardy, Brockworth Park, Ne' Plus Meuris,-HuysheS’Prince of 
Wales and Prince Consort, Easter Beurre, Hacon’s Incomparable, and' 
Gansel’s Bergamot; be well grown too large. Only the -best fruit in each 
cluster-, of these should be saved. The small, or comparatively small 
sorts, njay frequently be left in clusters of two or three fruit, but even 
these, if abundant, may well be left hanging singly. In the latter 
category we include Alexandre Bivort, Crasannes, Autumn Bergamot, 
Bergamotte Esperen, Beurre d’Aremberg, Beurre Giffard, Beurre Sterck- 
mans, Citron des Carmes, Jean de Witte. Jewess, Josephine de Malines, 
Knight’s Monarch, Olivier de Serres, Seckle, and Winter Nelis. Unless ! 
Plums attain their natural size the fruits are of very poor quality. It 
is advisable to thin out lightly now, and.again when nearly fully grown, 
the latter thinnings being excellent either for tarts or making into 
preserve. Cherries are much finer if thinned out early, and the same 
holds good with regard to the dessert Gooseberries. Peaches are set very 
thickly, and in many instances if more than one in ten of the.fruit are 
left on the trees only small fruit will be ripened off. Thin out at once,. 
not waiting for the trees to shed a number of the fruit. 
- Geoss Shoots on Tbained Tbees.— Peach, Apricot, and. Plums, 
are especially liable to form extra strong shoots, and if those are not 
checked they quickly spoil the shape.of the trees. Not only do these 
gross shoots rob the other branches, but they are not calculated to even- . 
tuajly develope into good bearing wood. If they are necessary for fur- j 
nishing blank spaces, lay them in, taking care to depress them as much 
