360 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 18, 1834. 
brenchleyensis and the heads of Tritomas form a most pleasing 
contrast. Dahlias of all kinds are extensively used, though I think 
the singles are the most elegant. Sprays of the Canary Creeper, 
too, are very effective, and light Grasses, Reeds, and Sedges all 
help to make a charming decoration. Berries of many kinds are 
also largely used, chief among which are the Mountain Ash and red 
Berberis, while long bramWes of Blackberry, with its bright 
yellow^ leaves and tipped with glossy fruit, produce a good effect. In 
the windows we find rosy cheeked Apples, and on the floor in 
prominent places heaps of vegetables, whilst dotted about are 
sheaves of corn—in fact, all the first fruits of the harvest, for 
which the festival is dedicated to give thanks.—G. Hollingavortii. 
Notes on Sophronites. 
This is not a large genus, but one that is quite indispensable. 
There is no plant in the whole Orchid family so bright and showy 
as S. grandiflora, and the size of the flowers compared with the 
growth is quite remarkable. Sophronites are small-growing Orchids 
of pseudo-bulbous habit. They grow very compact, the pseudo¬ 
bulbs pressing closely against each other so as to almost hide the 
rhizome, and each bears a single leaf. 
Being of true epiphytal character, they do not like much 
compost about their roots, and many growers have been successful 
with these plants on lightly dressed blocks. Shallow, well-drained 
pans are, however, to be preferred, as they give much less trouble 
in watering during hot weather, and the plants thrive equally well. 
The temperature best suited to their requirements is an inter¬ 
mediate one between the cool and the Cattleya houses. If this is 
not at command they may be accommodated either with the 
'Odontoglossums or suspended near the door in the Cattleya house. 
Tn the latter position they are more likely to be attacked by 
insects, especially scale, than if growing in the cool house, and 
should be frequently examined and, if necessary, cleaned. 
Very little peat is required for the compost, and that used 
should be quite free from sand or any earthy particles. Clean 
-sphagnum and finely broken potsherds are quite sufficient to grow 
these Orchids well. They must be elevated a little, and firmly 
fixed in position with wire pegs or otherwise. While growing 
they must be kept uniformly moist, and like all small growing 
Orchids dislike fluctuations in the atmosphere. The plants must 
not be allowed to get quite dry at any time, particularly while 
in blossom. 
S. grandiflora is the most popular species in the genus. There 
are at least two varieties of this plant, one rather stronger growing 
thp the other, and having longer pseudo-bulbs. The flowers of 
this variety are 3 inches across, bright scarlet, with yellow markings 
on the lip. The smaller growing kind has flowers of a bright 
■purple or carmine shade. S. violacea is not much grown, but is an 
'interesting little plant with pseudo-bulbs less than an inch in 
Iieight, and small violet coloured flowers. 
S. cernua comes from Rio de Janeiro, and is the oldest species 
in the genus. The pseudo-bulbs of this kind are small, compressed- 
looking, and grow so closely together as to form a dense, cushion¬ 
like tuft. Unlike the preceding species, which produce single- 
flowered scapes, this kind has usually about six blooms on each. 
These are about 2 inches across, similar in colour to S. grandiflora, 
and like this species flowers in winter, lasting many weeks in good 
condition.—H. R. R. 
NUTRITION OF ROOTS. 
As Mr. Bishop has neither confirmed or withdrawn the state¬ 
ments he has made during the progress of this controversy, it 
only remains for me to bring the matter to a conclusion. 
How delightfully easy is the art of discussion conducted on 
Mr. Bishop’s method ! Suppose next week he writes to say that 
he has discovered that the moon is made of green cheese ; suppose 
I write asking him to quote authorities to that effect; all he has 
to do is to reply “ that he believes it to be so,” and that “ twenty 
authorities could be quoted to support his view.” There you are ! 
Could anything be more simple ? 
Mr. Bishop in the first instance entered the arena with a great 
flourish of trumpets on purpose to put me right, to extend his 
valuable protection to Mr. Eaillem, and to contend that that 
gentleman was correct when he said that roots of plants absorb 
water as it is in process of being evaporated, and on this point 
Mr. Bishop defied contradiction. Mr. Bishop now—abandoning 
his friend Mr. Raillem altogether, and contradicting himself as 
usual —says that he has stated in every instance “ that roots do 
absorb their food in solution with water.” What, then, could 
be his object in pretending to defend Mr. Raillem’s proposition ? 
Perhaps Mr. Bishop believes that evaporation and condensation 
mean one and the same thing. 
Mr. Bishop’s eight statements, which I have brought together 
and numbered (page 218), are, as far as I know, utterly opposed to 
the teachings and writings of all the standard authorities. Putting 
forward such statements he is bound honourably to supply autho¬ 
rities for them, or to withdraw them. Well, Mr. Bishop is the 
best judge of what he owes to himself, if he fails to perceive 
what is due to the readers of the Journal of Horticulture. But 
as sure as the night follows the day, so surely the time will come 
when he will regret the course he is pursuing on this question. 
Some day, when he has wiped the cobwebs of ignorance from his 
mind, he will learn ;— 
1, That evaporation and condensation are not one and the same 
thing. 
2, That roots can only absorb actual water. 
3, That moisture in the soil is water, and that even in the driest 
weather every tiny particle of soil is surrounded with a film of 
actual water. 
4, That capillary attraction can only move liquids. 
5, That clouds, mist, fog, and visible steam are all actual water ; 
that Professor Tyndall says so, and that Mr. Bishop or his scientific 
instructor can have the quotation if required. 
6, That nothing but actual water cm contain all the elements 
of plant food. 
7, That one gas cannot dissolve another, and that a gas cannot 
hold anything in solution.—D. Gilmour. 
[Mr. Bishop has sent us a letter on this subject, but it cannot 
be inserted this week.] 
NOTES ON PEAS. 
The Pea season is now drawing to a close, and as a whole it has 
been a good one. During the summer one or two of the sowings never 
reached perfection, mainly, if not entirely, on account of aphides, 
which again were a result of the abnormal frost in the third week of 
May. I do not remember ever to have seen Peas attacked in the same 
manner as these, though other gardens in the neighbourhood did not 
escape. 
As an early variety I grew only Chelsea Gem, which is a thoroughly 
reliable sort, being early, heavy cropping, and of excellent flavour. 
William the First followed, and was also good. As a second early I 
imagine that Colossus will be found worthy of attention. The pods are 
enormous, yet well filled with large peas of fine flavour. Epicure and 
Censor are capital main crop Marrow Peas. Of the former I have very 
high opinion. Critic, Main Crop, Daisy, and some on trial were among 
the varieties destroyed by aphis, so these must be passed over. 
Coming to late Peas, Fame holds a high place. It is a splendid 
cropping variety, with larger pods and seeds than Ne Plus Ultra, which 
in other respects it greatly resembles. I have not yet arrived at that 
stage when the latter must be set aside for Fame. It has proved for too 
many years a sheet anchor to discard it hurriedly for any novelty 
howsoever good, but it must at least divide with Fame its former 
position of superiority. At the time of writing some fine pods are being 
secured from Juno, which might almost be called a dwarf form of Fame. 
I was, unfortunately, too late in sowing this variety— 2l8t June. Four¬ 
teen days earlier would have given much better results. Moreover, the 
shoots have never been stopped, an operation that is of great importance 
in helping the swelling of a late crop of Peas. The method of stopping 
is somewhat rough and ready, consisting as it does in cutting off with 
a sickle all the growths as they reach the top of the Pea sticks. But 
though rough it is eminently effective, and causes not only a better set 
of pods, but what is of as much consequence is helpful in causing the 
seeds to swell. The proper swelling of the seeds is indeed where so 
many varieties fail late in the season. The Duchess appears likely to 
be a variety worth consideration for late work. It is known as a good 
summer sort, but it also possesses the power to swell out its seeds late in 
the autumn as well. 
Another point in the management of late Peas is that of the manure 
supply. I have seen the seeds sown on a thin layer of soil underneath 
which a thick dressing of manure had been buried. My experience 
points to growing late Peas in soil without manure. The first effect 
produced by manure is a strong and tall growth, and no bloom on the 
lower parts of the haulm. Peas grown on unmanured ground, such as 
here, do not grow so rankly, and pods are formed from the ground 
upwards. Then as the autumn advances plants growing in rich 
ground do not pod so freely as those in comparatively poor soil.— 
R. P. Brotherston, 
