108 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 17, 1885. 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Hardy Plants for Forcing.— All hardy plants 
that are to be used for forcing should now be potted up 
as soon as convenience will allow. In all cases where 
a regular supply of cut flowers is needed, these come in 
so useful, that they are indispensable. Many of the 
hardy plants are also invaluable for conservatory or 
general decoration, therefore we recommend that re¬ 
sources should be strained to secure a good supply. In 
making a selection it should be as varied as circum¬ 
stances will allow ; at the same time, preference should 
be given to a few of the most useful for general pur¬ 
poses, that is those that will come in either for cuttiug 
purposes or as plants for decoration. 
The following are all useful plants for forcing :— 
Deutzias—D. gracilis is the best of this species, 
especially as a pot plant, though D. scabra and D. 
crenata flore pleno are both very useful for cutting 
from. These will generally force better if the plants 
have been established in pots for a year, as they do not 
make such vigorous growth when the roots are confined, 
and, consequently, the wood gets better ripened ; how¬ 
ever, D. gracilis will force well the first year if plants 
with short well-ripened growth are selected. 
Azaleas.— The varieties of A. mollis are the most 
useful, though the old yellow form of A. pontica is still 
a favourite with us ; A. amcena, this is also a very use¬ 
ful species, plants that have been forced previously will 
come into flower much more freely than those that 
have not been used for forcing before. 
Syringas (Lilacs).—These are very desirable either 
for conservatory decoration or for cutting from, their 
perfume alone is sufficient to recommend them, giving, 
as it does, such a delicious reminder of “beautiful 
spring.” The old Persian Lilac is still one of the best 
for forcing, Charles the X. may also be recommended. 
Stapiiylea colchica.— This is very useful for cut¬ 
ting from, or for arranging with other plants, but it 
does not make a handsome plant to stand by itself, as 
the flowers are produced before the leaves are developed, 
its pure white flowers, however, render it a very desir¬ 
able subject for early spring use. 
Hydrangea paxiculata guandiflora. —As a pot 
plant this is one of the best for forcing, it not only 
makes a very handsome plant, but the flowers are very 
durable, it will keep in good condition almost as long 
as H. hortensis, which is another very useful species, 
and too well-known to require any description ; Ii. 
Thomas Hogg is also a useful species for forcing. 
Viburnum opulus (Guelder ltose) is still a favourite 
with some, but we consider it may be dispensed with 
in favour of Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, except 
where large plants are required for special purposes. 
Philadelphus coronarius may also be included in 
the list, it has one great drawback, however, that is, 
that the flowers drop very quickly. 
Prunus sinensis flore pleno.— This forces well, 
and is very pretty as a pot plant, though not very 
serviceable for cutting from. 
Jasminum grandiflorum is another useful plant, 
especially the semi-double variety. Rhododendrons, 
Kalmia latifolia, Andromeda floribunda, are three of 
the most useful evergreen flowering shrubs. 
Laurestinus is also very useful as a pot plant for 
winter use, as it flowers freely in a cool greenhouse, or 
even out of doors if the weather is not too severe ; but 
with some protection the flowers come much whiter, 
and are therefore more serviceable. 
Hoteia (Spirzea) japonica.— For early forcing we 
prefer imported clumps of this, as they are generally 
ripened off earlier in autumn than home-grown roots. 
Spik-ea palmata. —This is certainly one of the best 
plants of its class for pot culture, that is, if good 
strong clumps are obtained, and well managed. They 
will not come in quite so early as Hoteia japonica, as, 
if subjected to too much heat, they grow tall and 
weakly. 
Lily of the Valley.—I mported clumps of these 
are generally the most reliable ; or the single crowns, 
as imported, generally force well. 
Dielytra spectabilis should be included in every 
collection. It is unquestionably one of the most beau¬ 
tiful hardy spring-flowering plants, and when well 
managed in pots it is even more beautiful than when 
grown in the open border. 
THE FRUIT HOUSES. 
Melons. —To ripen Melons satisfactorily in October 
and November, there should be provided suitable houses 
in which to grow them, and these should have a good 
supply of top and bottom heat (hot-water pipes) at 
command, together with a liberal supply of fuel with 
which do maintain a night temperature of from 65’ to 
70° (according as the weather is cold or mild), and TO 3 
to 75° by day, running it up 10° with sun-heat, having 
a little air on at the same time. To attempt to grow 
Melons in the absence of such accommodation as I have 
indicated during such weather as we experience during 
late autumn must end in failure, inasmuch as the fruits 
grown under less favourable conditions must necessarily 
be deficient in size, colour, and flavour. 
To attain these indispensable points, the temperature 
maintained in the houses during the ripening period of 
the fruits should be somewhat high, as indicated above, 
and dry and airy. These essential points can neither be 
acquired nor maintained in the absence ol fire-heat in 
late autumn. Therefore, under these circumstances, 
the linings of frames in which Melons are grown, being 
made up after the end of September with a view to 
ripen or hasten the maturation of the fruit, is not only 
labour misapplied, but it is also calculated to thwart 
the very object that it was intended to accomplish—the 
quicker ripening and flavouring of the fruit, inasmuch 
as the steam or ammonia which arises in the frames and 
settles upon the fruits in proportion to the temperature 
produced, by the frequent making up of the linings 
with fermenting material, is tantamount to 'a humid 
and stagnant atmosphere, which renders the flavour of 
the fruit thus grown little better than that of a Turnip. 
But witness the difference in the quality of fruits 
grown under conditions the reverse of these, namely, 
under the influence of plenty of light, top and bottom 
heat, and judicious treatment. We are like others 
similarly situated cutting daily, as we shall hope to 
continue doing for some weeks, highly coloured, and 
well flavoured fruits of Cox’s Golden Gem, weighing 
from 5.) lbs. to 7 lbs. each, and Hero of Lockinge from 
34 lbs. to lbs. each. The supply of these will be 
supplemented by fruits of Golden Perfection and Blen¬ 
heim Orange, which are swelling satisfactorily in the 
late houses, in which atmospheric moisture must be 
very sparingly distributed, supplying only sufficient to 
promote a genial atmosphere, as well as to counteract 
the otherwise parching influence of the highly heated 
pipes during the time the plants are swelling their 
fruit, especially on the mornings and afternoons of 
bright sunny days, but as soon as the fruits approach 
maturity, moisture, other than that arising from the 
application of water at the roots, when necessary, and 
which should be given in the morning, should not be 
distributed in the house, otherwise the flavour of the 
fruit would be impaired, more especially does this 
remark apply to the houses in which fruit of such thin 
skinned varieties as Hero of Lockinge arc now ripe or 
ripening, in which case the fruits, unless a very dry 
atmosphere is maintained, are liable to suffer from 
damp settling about the stems. — II. W. JFard, 
Longford Castle, Wilts. 
--►>*<-- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
Winter Treatment of Vandas, &c.—In 
my’ paper, read at the Orchid conference in May last, 
when calling attention to the baneful effects of growing 
Vandas, Saccolabiums, Aerides, &c., too far from the 
glass, and keeping them too hot in winter, I said :— 
“In growing this class of plants, if the growers would 
hut take the hint from the Dendrobes, which grow 
with them in their native habitats, and make the 
growing time of the Saccolabium to correspond with 
theirs, they would give their plants less heat and water 
in winter and more in spring and summer, and a 
better condition would come upon them. The excessive 
heat which is often given to Saccolabiums and Aerides, 
and given, too, in winter, and while they are so far 
away from what little light there is, stunts them, pre¬ 
vents their flowering, and makes it hard work for them 
even to live.” The mischievous season being at hand, 
I here repeat those words, as it seems to me that they 
are calculated to awaken a very reasonable train of 
thought in the minds of those who have been in the 
habit of keeping their resting Dendrobes cool in winter, 
while they have been giving the greatest amount of 
heat at their command to the Saccolabiums, Aerides, 
Vandas, &c., which often come from precisely the sama 
localities, simply because they have not so decided a 
fashion of showing that their work being finished they 
require a little rest, and that if the temperature and 
atmosphere be not managed so as to be conducive to 
this, they must either grow weakly and prematurely 
or die. 
Nothing is of greater service to Orchid growers than 
a good hot moist house, for use when plants are growing, 
as it is not easy to injure any Orchid seriously with 
healthy moist heat when making its growth ; but 
nothing is productive of more mischief, if the plants 
are kept permanently in such a house or left in it after 
the growths are finished. It is, therefore, in practice 
now generally resorted to, to use the East India house 
for growing plants only, and the Cattleya house for 
many East India things when they are not growing, 
and a further extension of this plan will be found to be 
beneficial. 
Mr. William Lee, of Downside, Leatherhead, who 
has such a grand collection of Vandas, never thinks of 
treating them as other than intermediate house plants, 
and every year finds fresh East Indian things treated in 
like-manner at Downside, and with a never-failing 
good result. I would, therefore, ask all amateurs to 
examine well their Saccolabiums, Aerides, Vandas, and 
other jflants of like growth ; and which there is no othor 
reason for including in the same house, at all times, 
than that they are alike in habit, and to keep only 
those which are growing actively and those which are 
supposed to require a high temperature, such as Vanda 
Sanderiana, Aerides quinquevulnerum, Aerides Huttoni, 
&c., in the East India house, and those which are not 
growing in a house of intermediate heat, or if not pos¬ 
sible to move them, to keep the warm house well down 
in temperature and freely admit air during winter. 
In any case the plants should be brought well up to 
the glass, in order that they may get a good even tempe¬ 
rature, and the greatest possible amount of light during 
the dull season. The cooler the plants are kept the less 
water will they require .—Janies O'Brien. 
Zygopetalum Mackayii macranthum.— 
This is the finest form of that handsome old species 
Z. Mackayii. It was in Mr. Rucker's collection, where it 
was flowered out of an early importation, which seems 
to have been of a much finer strain than any since got 
over. In some gardens it was known as Z. Mackayii 
major. A bloom from a seven-flowered spike of the true 
plant comes to us from Messrs. Drummond Brothers, 
Rosebank Nursery, Wardie Road, Edinburgh. The 
flower is over 4 ins. in length, and 3 ins. in breadth, 
the labellum being 2 ins. across, and the handsome 
flat petaline segments nearly f in. in width, these are 
bright emerald green, barred with brownish crimson, 
and have the appearance of painted glass when seen 
against the light. The labellum is white, veined with 
violet, and the flowers emit a delicate odour like that 
of some of the Hyacinths. 
Dendrobium longicorne var.— I shall be glad 
if you will name the enclosed flowers for me, asl can get 
no reliable information about them here. How should 
the plants be grown 1 — A. de V., Cologne. [The flowers 
sent are those of a rather distinct form of Dendrobium 
longicorne, which is known in some gardens as D. Friedv- 
anum. They are pure white, with the labellum closely 
netted with bright orange or Roman red. The growth of 
the plants is more compact than that of the usual run of 
D. longicorne. The Liverpool Horticultural Company 
imported a good lot of it this year, we believe. For 
the culture of all this section, see our issue for Sep 
tember 19th, p. 45.—Ed.] 
Masdevallia nyctsrina.— This species belongs 
to the Chimnera section, and was originally introduced 
for that plant, but when the true and more beautiful 
variety found its way across the ocean, M. nycterina 
had to give place to its more favoured relative. Al¬ 
though not very showy it is well worth growing, and 
does well suspended in either pan or basket, in which 
position its flowers are shown to the best advantage. 
I find if the flower stems are not picked off they will 
produce another crop of flowers. If looked at through a 
magnifying glass the markings will be found to be 
very beautiful. It does well in the cool house during 
summer, but likes more heat than is usually applied 
to Odontoglossums and some of the Masdevallias during 
winter, in fact, if not already removed into warmer 
quarters, lose no time in doing so,— E. Dumper. 
