January 15. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
241 
bis customers, therefore, merely to keep his head above 
water in these times, he must look strictly at the matter 
in a commercial point of view. Like other sellers, the 
longer he keeps his goods, the more expense they entail 
upon him, not only for attention, but also for house 
room; and just like other sellers, he finds that for what 
he has kept so long, unless for some definite purpose, the 
knowing ones would not condescend to give him an offer— 
would not even have them for the carrying home. In a 
general order, therefore, it is clearly his interest to get 
rid of as many of these old plants as possible, for saving 
space, and saving time and labour. For many purposes 
they answer well, as their stunted condition causes them 
to bloom freely, but as to making a fine specimen out of 
such hide-bound and pot-bound hard-wooded plants, it 
would be next to labour thrown away. If we have 
reason to complain, it is when such old tallish plants, 
so fascinating to the eye of the uninitiated, are sent to us 
instead of young dwarf stocky stuff, the roots of which 
have not had time to become matted. In large towns, 
where the love of floral beauty, as in London, is in¬ 
creasing, there is always a means of getting rid of these 
old plants when in bloom. In country places, where 
pot plants are considered more a luxury, and those who 
have them wish to grow them well, such plants are next 
to a dead-loss stock. 
Thinking over these and similar matters, would dry 
up the sources of many complaints and disappoint¬ 
ments. 
In the case of all soft-wooded plants, where both 
branches and roots permit of being pruned in freely, 
there is little danger of receiving old plants, as the 
proper juices stored up in the stem, or collar, will cause 
such plants to grow and bloom better than young ones. 
Such are not to be rejected because the plant has been 
in pot a year or two; nay, it would often be advisable 
to give an occasional consideration to obtain it, though 
we would carelessly pass by all such old plants that 
belonged to the hard-wooded, hair-rooted sections. I 
remember a case somewhat in point:—Application was 
made for some Pelargoniums more distinguished for 
free-flowering than their lioral properties. The answer 
returned was, “ That the stock was not yet ready; but 
that they had cut down a number of small plants of the 
kinds wanted, and as their stock was large, he might 
have these cut-down plants at the same price as young 
ones.” Acting on advice, these plants were received, 
and right well did they repay the labour bestowed upon 
them. The cultivator imagined that he had got a 
“ wrinkle,” and was anxious to have another opportunity 
of testing it; nor did he wait so very long. He ran against 
a heap of heaths, healthy enough looking, though rather 
lanky, with plenty of flower-buds on them, though, as 
their owner stated, they had been in the same pots for 
years. Fie never mentioned what he intended doing 
with them, for fear their proprietor might clap a per 
centage on the very low price he asked for them. 
Growing heaths on the one-shift system, was then 
exciting great attention, and visions of great bushes 
were already flitting before his minds’ eye, joined to 
the wonder depicted in the countenances of admiring 
friends. Home the plants were carried, the finishing of 
their blooming could not be waited for, large shifts were 
given them, the shoots were tied down, seeundem artern , 
and all seemed to go merry as a marriage bell; but 
everything afterwards that was heard or known of these 
wondrous plants was an ominous shake of the head, 
whenever the one or the largo shift system was alluded 
to. It wants no gift to divine their sudden and quick 
resting-place, and yet such plants, properly treated, 
would have been useful. Pruned after flowering, and 
top-dressed, they might have yielded flowers for several 
years. Shifted after fresh growth had commenced, pro¬ 
vided the first shift was the smallest possible, and the 
pot being broken, portions clinging to the sides of the 
sides of the ball allowed to remain, would be attended 
with profit. These shifts, several times repeated, and a 
free growth induced, a larger shift might afterwards 
be given, and with great care a good specimen ulti- ; 
mately formed. But, unless as an experiment, why 
all this labour, when a nice little plant in a small 
pot, and a few inches in height, just growing freely 
but not pot-bound, would with less care, and less 
time, and less risk of failure, make abetter specimen? 
From such small plants large specimens may soon be 
formed, by liberal attention and large shiftings. Would 
that I could say, from my own experience, that their 
beauty was as long lived, as in the case of those plants 
grown more slowly. These are matters that have 
obtained, and will yet receive, attention. 
In the meantime, I trust it will be obvious that those 
who desire to possess large, nice-formed, bushy, healthy, 
hard-wooded plants, such as Erica, Epacris, Ghorozema, 
Hovea, Pimelea, &c., must obtain such specimens, either 
prepared, or preparing, and not grudge the extra re¬ 
muneration for attendance, house-room, timely shiftings, 
&c., which the getting up such plants involves. Or if 
this does not suit, then the youngest that can be got, 
provided they have been potted off, and are growing 
healthy and bushy, will be the best. Between these 
expensive-preparing specimens, and these young things 
waiting your rearing, there is not one prudent half-way 
halting-place. Far superior is a plant four or six 
inches in height, with laterals nearing the soil, than 
one three or six times that height, and half of that 
space destitute of healthy shoots and foliage, unless, 
indeed, you wish to grow little standards. Beginning 
thus, and proper attention bestowed, high hopes may be 
formed of the endings. 
One word more. In purchasing, and especially such 
young stock, pay attention to the temperature and 
atmospheric moisture such plants were enjoying. With¬ 
out the idea of misleading, as a mere matter of business, 
the nurseryman wishes to get his young stock into a 
saleable condition as soon as possible. By suddenly 
altering these conditions a ruinous check is frequently 
given. R. Fish. 
EXOTIC ORCIIIDACE.E. 
ORCHIDS THAT THRIVE WELL IN DOTS. 
Zygopetalum Culture. —This fine family is worthy 
of the utmost skill and attention of the cultivator. 
Unlike too many of the genera, which have many 
species with small insignificant flowers, and are, in 
consequence, useless as objects of ornament and beauty, 
every species of the family of Zggopetalum are beautiful, 
yet some are more beautiful when in bloom than others, 
as we have indicated in our description of them. 
There are some few species more difficult to cultivate 
than others, and to these we will first direct our atten¬ 
tion. They are— Z. cochleare, Z. maxillare, and Z. ros- 
tratum. These three have finer roots and a more deli¬ 
cate constitution than their more robust relatives, 
especially the first and the last. The compost for these 
should be more open and lighter; it should consist of 
fibrous peat, chopped into lumps about the size of an 
ordinary peach, and then pulled into smaller pieces with 
the hand, and the finest particles sifted out with a fine 
sieve. What remains in the sieve is what is to he used 
for potting. Then chop some sphagnum (white bog 
moss) moderately small, and with the same sieve sift it, 
using only what remains in the sieve. Then procure 
some willow or poplar wood (branches the thickness of 
a man’s arm are the best), commence chopping these 
branches near the bottom, with a sharp bill-hook, into 
pieces of various sizes, from that of a hazel nut to that 
of a hen’s egg. Sift these, to take out any dust or very 
