3G 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 15. 
pipes previously to reaching the plants; yet it is neces¬ 
sary, not only to let in fresh air, but also to let out that 
which is heated, and probably, by being confined, dete¬ 
riorated. This can only be done by having a portion of 
the roof moveable. Mr. John Shaw, the landscape gar¬ 
dener at Manchester, has invented a very ingenious 
method of doing this, which deserves to be better known. 
When he puts up a house, he has the rafter made 
hollow, and by turning a board inside with holes in it, 
the heated air is let out of every part of the house 
equally and effectually. The way in which this is done 
we are not at liberty to disclose, but any one that will 
write to that gentleman will, we believe, obtain every 
information on the subject. We saw it in operation, and 
were very much struck and pleased with its efficiency 
and perfect adaptation for the purpose. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
PROPAGATION OF ORCHIDS. 
(Continued from page 22.) 
Oncjdium. —This is a large assemblage of plants of 
various habits and appearances. The free-growing 
pseudo-bulb-bearing species, are easily propagated by 
cutting off two of the oldest pseudo-bulbs, and putting 
them in pots suitable to their size, giving no water till 
they begin to grow, and then very moderately. The 
large-leaved varieties, of which 0 . luridum may be con¬ 
sidered a type, require, in order to increase them, to 
have a couple of the oldest loaves cut off at the base, and 
then to be tied to a block of wood and hung up in a 
shady part of the orchid-house; syringe them now and 
then, till roots and fresh leaves are produced, then 
syringe oftoner; keep them on the block for one year, 
and then, when they begin to grow, take them carefully 
off the block, pot them in a very open material, and 
treat them in the usual way. There is a small section 
of this fine family that require very particular caro in 
propagating; they are mostly from Jamaica, and O. 
triquetum will serve as the type to give an idea of the 
whole. To increase this small-growing, but charming 
section of Oncids, pass a knife through the rhizoma, 
and allow the pieces to remain together till the first 
growth is perfected. They may then be separated, and 
treated like established plants. 
Paphinia cristata. —A very choice, rare plant, and 
not easy to increase. The safest way is to divide the 
rhizoma between the pseudo-bulbs, and allow them to 
stand and grow in the pot till fresh or new growths are 
perfected, then, at the growing season, separate them 
from each other, pot, and water, and give the usual treat¬ 
ment as if they had never been divided. 
Paxtonia.— A small genus of pretty, hut not very 
showy plants, easily increased by division at the time 
of potting. This is one of the very few orchids that 
have been increased by seed. It is a remarkable cir¬ 
cumstance, that orchids scarcely ever in this country 
i perfect seeds, at least none that will grow in the ordi¬ 
nary way—that is to ripen, bo gathered, and sown as one 
could any other seeds of plants. We have tried im¬ 
pregnation, but apparently without effect; for though 
there appear seed-vessels, and those full of a kind of 
thready dust, which we supposed to be seeds, and 
though we scattered this stuff on branches of trees in 
the orchid-house, on stones, on the surface of the 
compost, in the pots, the only reward we ever had, with 
i the exception of the genus we have now in hand 
(Paxtonia), and on one occasion, a few Bletias, was dis¬ 
appointment. And yet, in their native wilds, they must 
seed and propagate freely; for there is no friendly 
hand with a knife to divide rliizomas, and treat them 
rightly afterwards. We must not yet give up trying to 
propagate, and, perhaps, hybridize orchids by seeds. 
Peristeria. —A stately genus, producing very large 
pseudo-bulbs. It is mostly terrestrial, and, therefore, is 
easily increased in the same way as Bletia; that is, when 
a number of plants are desired, break up a large one 
into as many divisions as it will make, allowing at least 
a couple of pseudo-bulbs to each division; pot these, 
and be very careful how they are watered, for the least 
excess, or water lodging in the young shoots, would 
cause them to perish. 
Phaius. —This is a genus divided from Bletia, and, 
therefore, may be readily increased in the same manner. 
The noble P. Wallichii, is as easy to propagate as a 
Jerusalem artichoke. Every pseudo-bulb has dormant 
buds, which, when the pseudo-bulbs are divided from 
tbe old plants, will push forth, ninety-nine cases in the 
hundred, a shoot, and thus make plenty of plants wher¬ 
ever there is a large old one to work with. 
Phai./F.nopsis. —All our readers that are orchid growers 
will be aware that this splendid plant is very difficult to 
increase. We have grown plants for seven years before 
we could get any offsets to make new ones of. It is too 
scarce and dear to try experiments with, or, we have little 
doubt, it might be increased by single leaves with a bud 
at its base; it sometimes forms a young plant on the 
flower-stems. We saw, very lately, one so formed on a 
plant in the Horticultural Society’s Garden at Chiswick. 
It is, therefore, worth while to keep on the old flower- 
stems as long as possible, in order to give them a chance 
to produce young plants on them. Sometimes, on very 
old strong plants, side-shoots are produced; these, as 
soon as they have pushed a root or two, should be care¬ 
fully divided from the main stem, and be tied to a 
separato block without any moss, watering them only by 
dipping the block into tepid water, without wetting the 
stem or leaves of the plant. This small genus of plants 
is so rare and valuable, that any and all means are 
desirable to be tried to increase them. We need only 
mention that the price of very small plants are sold at 
five guineas yet, though they have been introduced 
several years. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
SEASONABLE NOTES FOR THE KITCHEN 
GARDEN. 
The middle of April usually finds kitcheu-gardens in 
better trim than they aro at any other period, there being 
few crops on the ground in that state of maturity ap¬ 
proaching to what is called “ rubbishy,” and the large 
breadths under the various seed crops just now making 
their appearance, excite an interest in their behalf which 
is not always awarded them at other times; added to 
which is the healthy appearance the foliage of common 
fruits presents, which are generally cultivated here. 
Now, we need hardly impress on the aspiring young 
gardener, who sees all these tokens of interest and pro¬ 
mise about him, to assist, by all the means he can, to 
increase the beauty of tbe scene, which, however, we do 
not assume to call by any other name than “ artificial,” 
or gardenesque, as formal cultivation is sarcastically 
called by those who see no beauty where there is no 
wildness. To such we give up the sylvan scenery of the 
neighbourhood, and we almost wish we could give them 
the east wind likewise, as its baneful effect on vegeta¬ 
tion is scarcely less than a severe winter. Even now, 
tire beginning of April, the loaves of Brocoli present a 
fringe of decay all round their margin, besides many 
being completely destroyed, and some partially so, and 
yet we have had but little winter. The same effects 
attend plants of more tender character. Calceolarias, 
which had stood unscathed until the middle or end of i 
February, have since suffered severely, and all from the 
pernicious effects of this east wind, or, what is nearly 
the same, the north-east. Now, in calling the amateur’s 
