November 28, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
203 
DENING World that “Dr. Barrie” is a new Chrysan¬ 
themum to all intents and purposes ; I believe that the 
plant imported by me in the spring of this year was the 
first and only plant introduced into this country. It is 
true the variety was catalogued by Messrs. Delauxin 1882, 
but it was not, I think, distributed at that time, for the 
variety formed part of my order to this firm in the 
spring of 1S8-3. It was, however, not sent, and it was 
not till the spring of the present year that I was 
able to procure a very small and weak cutting, hence 
it is decidedly a new Chrysanthemum to this country, 
in the same way that Belle Pauline, Mdlle. Lacroix, 
and many others have been considered so, though they 
were really raised on the continent some years before. 
Mr. Clark might just as well say that the recent intro¬ 
ductions from Japan are not new varieties, though 
probably some of them were raised before he himself 
was born.— N. Davis, Lilford Road, Camberwell. 
I am pleased to find that this subject has been 
taken up by Mr. Clark, and I must say, I think it 
is high time some steps were taken by the members of 
Floral Committee of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society, to satisfy themselves that blooms exhibited as 
new varieties are really what they purport to be. Pro¬ 
bably, one reason why this subject has escaped the 
attention of the Chrysanthemum world is, that the 
only report I can find of the National Floral Com¬ 
mittee meeting which mentions this flower, spells it 
Dr. Burrell instead of Dr. Barrie, It is impossible for 
anyone to recognize the name of a flower when it is 
mutilated in this way. I, too, was utterly astounded 
to find, after the Floral Committee had made their 
awards, at the Royal Aquarium on the 11th of Novem¬ 
ber, that a silver medal had been awarded, in class 30, 
to a stand containing Dr. Barrie, and I at once called 
the attention of one of the executive to the fact, that 
this variety was at least four years old (for, like Mr. 
Clark, I am unable to trace it back beyond 1881), and 
since then I have mentioned the subject to one of our 
leading Chrysanthemum growers and a prominent mem¬ 
ber of the floral committee, but the only explanation 
1 can get is that they did not know the flower. Class 
30, in the National Chrysanthemum society’s Schedule, 
is as follows :—“For the best stand of new Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, in six distinct varieties; 1st prize, silver medal.” 
Now in this class there were only two exhibits, one 
stand containing six of Messrs. Delaux’s new varieties 
for this season, and the other stand containing five 
new flowers and Dr. Barrie, and it does appear to me a 
mistake for the committee to go out of their way to give 
two silver medals instead of one, especially under existing 
circumstances. I gather from Mr. Clark’s letter, that 
he considers none but new varieties should be certi¬ 
ficated. Now upon this point I do not quite agree 
with him, for to my own knowledge there are a number 
of very fine varieties in cultivation which are not to be 
found in any English catalogues, and have not yet 
been seen at any English Chrysanthemum show. 
Several of these I have succeeded in adding to my 
collection, and I find more than one are superior to 
some of the so-called new varieties which have received 
First Class Certificates. I would suggest that certifi¬ 
cates should be awarded, not simply because a flower 
is a new variety, but should be awarded to such flowers 
as are considered by the Floral Committee to be 
thoroughly meritorious as exhibition flowers, notwith¬ 
standing the fact that they may have been sent out 
several years previously. For instance, the Royal 
Horticultural Society, on the 13th October last, 
awarded a First Class Certificate to L’lle des Plaisirs, a 
variety sent out by Messrs. Delaux about eight years 
ago ; but three very fine blooms were put up, and 
thoroughly deserved the award, and there are numerous 
other cases where the Royal Horticultural Society have 
awarded certificates to flowers several years old. IVe 
do not want certificates awarded to enable the trade to 
demand a high price for new varieties, but for the 
guidance of the Chrysanthemum grower in making 
the selection of plants he intends growing next 
season, whether for competition or conservatory deco¬ 
ration.— Geo. /S'. Addison, 22, Peckham Grove, London, 
S.E. 
The Largest Field of Pine Apples in the world is 
on an estate in the eastern district of New Province, 
Bahamas. From one spot it is possible to see, at a single 
glance, 1,200,000 Pine Apples growing.— Indian 
Gardener. 
BOUVARDIAS. 
Among winter - flowering plants we have nothing 
which can surpass these for general beauty and excell¬ 
ence. Whether required alone for button-hole use, or in 
company with other choice flowers for bouquets or 
sprays, they are equally valuable and charming. Brilliant 
beyond comparison in some instances, and in others of 
the purest snowiest white, accompanied by a deliciously 
refreshing fragrance, we have all that it would appear 
possible to get from a single group of flowering plants ; 
a button-hole or spray, to whom it may be presented, 
seems ever welcome at any time in the year, still more 
so at this dull time and when the flowering occupants 
of our'plant houses are not seen in much variety ; gifted 
too with a natural profuse flowering quality only ren¬ 
ders the Bouvardia still more valuable to those who are 
ever eager and ready to make use of it. For some 
years the Bouvardia was considered a stove plant essen¬ 
tially and treated accordingly,but the present mode of cul¬ 
ture quite upsets this notion, thanks to that enthusi¬ 
astic body known as “The London Market Growers,” 
who bring them to such perfection by simple and easy 
means, and such as are within the reach of most people. 
Cuttings are secured early in the year, and when 
rooted, duly hardened off, and potted into 2J-in. pots, 
in these they are well established and are kept pinched 
into shape, after which they receive the final shift into 
48’s, and when the weather permits they are placed out 
of doors, sometimes standing on a bed of coal ashes or 
plunged in suitable material. So placed and with plenty 
of sun the growth is thoroughly ripened, a condition 
so essential to then’ free flowering afterwards ; some pre¬ 
fer planting them out, and were there is followed, they do 
not get the shift into 48’s and take much less time in 
watering and so forth, and provided the soil is suitable, 
the planting out system has its advantages ; but 
whichever course is pursued, they are much more robust 
and vigorous when grown out of doors than are those cul¬ 
tivated under glass. They require when established plenty 
of nourishing food, and to be taken under cover on the 
approach of frost, by which time the flower-buds will 
be seen in the leading shoots, and when they should 
have a temperature of from 50° to 60° which will enable 
them to perfect their flowers. When the leading trusses 
have been secured, the smaller ones and also the laterals 
will, if kept in a warm house, soon push forth ; the 
plants should then be encouraged with w’eak liquid 
manure water, say three times a week, and here I would 
remark on the policy of giving plants manurial aid, 
it being far safer to give it three times weekly in a 
weak state than to overdose them at any time. 
Nitrate of soda, at the rate of 1 oz. to a gallon of 
water, is ample for good strong plants, and may be 
given every fourth or fifth day. Standen’s manure may 
be applied at the rate of a small tea-spoonful to two 
plants in 48-sized pots once a week ; this is a powerful 
manure and requires care. Clay’s fertiliser is a durable 
and safe manure in the hands of most people ; of this 
a small tea-spoonful scattered over the surface once a 
week will make a decided improvement, and its lasting 
properties are considerable. Either of the three kinds 
named will be productive of good results, and (if care¬ 
fully used) equal to any I know, and being all clean, 
may be used by anyone. In using either of the two 
latter, I prefer to do so after watering the plants, and 
for this reason, when sprinkled on the damp surface 
it becomes at once incorporated with the soil, but if 
applied previous to watering, and on a comparatively 
dry surface, the chances are that the first watering 
washes a goodly portion of it out of the pots, and, as a 
natural consequence, the plants never receive any benefit 
whatever, and a valuable manure is wasted. A small 
rose watering-can is the best thing to settle the manure 
on the surface, giving sufficient to damp the whole. 
Some of the best white kinds are Vreelandi, 
Davisoni, Bridal Wreath (very fragrant), Jasminiflora, 
and Humboldtii corymbiflora, also fragrant; Alfred 
Neuner is the double white. In the other extreme we 
have Hogarth, Elegans, Dazzler, all excellent free- 
flowering scarlets ; the last-named is especially brilliant 
in colour, and it has a good bushy habit, and bears fine 
trusses of flowers. Queen of Roses is a good bushy - 
habited plant of a distinct shade of rose ; nor must I 
omit the pleasing flesh-coloured President Garfield, a 
counterpart of Alfred Neuner save in colour. Both 
kinds produce large handsome trusses, which, when 
well developed, are highly valuable for their lasting 
properties.— E. J. S. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
Collecting and Packing Orchids.— Mr. 
Diver’s remarks on this subject, at p. 171, are perfectly 
correct, and much to the point. There is no doubt 
that the main feature in successful Orchid importation 
depends on their being collected as soon as possible 
after their growths have thoroughly hardened and the 
resting season has begun, and on their being immediately 
packed and forwarded by the quickest possible route. 
A notion used to prevail, even among professional 
collectors, that the plants should have a preliminary 
drying in the sun on several successive days before 
packing ; but this idea has long since been abandoned, 
as the plants get quite drying enough on the journey. 
The best way is to select sufficient cases of moderate 
size, so as to be portable, and place the plants in them 
at once without any packing material, or, at most, but a 
sprinkling of some dry shavings or fibre as the packing 
goes on. A layer of plants should be placed in the 
bottom of the box with their leaves all one way, 
another layer should be placed on this with the heads 
the reverse way, and so on until the case is full of 
plants, gently press one against another so that the 
shrinking which must necessarily take place on the 
journey should not leave too much space unoccupied. 
During the process of packing, a strut or light stick 
here and there should be fastened across by means of 
nails driven into it at each end through the sides of the 
box, as this prevents the plants being shaken about on 
removal after they have lost their firmness by the 
journey, the struts ensuring to each the space originally 
allotted to it, and preventing the plants from pressing 
on each other. The smaller the plants are, the smaller 
the cases for them should be, and when the consignment 
contains frail specimens, they should be packed 
separately, and the collecting and packing should be 
done after the time for getting to the vessel has been 
calculated. For the rest but little remains but to have 
a fair journey to make sure of success, unless it be in 
very rare instances, for most Orchids collected at the 
proper time, properly packed, and sent quick, travel 
better than any other plants, perhaps Cacti and bulbs 
excepted. 
But now a word on another point bearing on amateur 
Orchid collecting is necessary, as experience has taught 
me that many of our friends in the tropics have very hazy 
notions about what we want here, and fancy everything 
coming under the denomination “ Orchids ” must be ac¬ 
ceptable. Only last year I was asked fo inspect two 
immense cases, each as bigas a sentry box, whichhadbeen 
brought over filled with Orchids, which the amateur 
collector had repeatedly written about, and the mere 
recital of the wonders worked up my curiosity to the 
highest pitch ; among other things he stated he was 
bringing the three first blue Yandas ever found. When 
I was told that the plants had been plentifully watered on 
the journey, I was quite prepared to find the greater part 
dead, but I thought their remains would be interesting. 
Judge of my disappointment, however, when I found the 
contents of those huge cases were made up of a bushel 
or two of Pholidota imbricata (all alive, of course, who¬ 
ever saw a dead one ?), a like quantity of the most 
insignificant Ccelogynes and Bolbophyllums still living, 
a few plants of Dendrobium nobile and D. chrysanthum, 
alive, but beyond care, and many more dead together 
with the phenomenal blue Vandas, which certainly 
looked like V. ccerulea, which, if they had been alive, 
would have been worth at least ten shillings. This 
precious consignment is the type of many I have seen, 
and I do not think the recipients will ever trouble their 
friends for Orchids again, as the cost of freight of some 
of them has been enormous. 
Nevertheless, many in this country have friends in 
the tropics, often in new localities, from which they 
could send some lovely things. In this way the 
localities of some of our best plants have been learnt, and 
it is to the interest of growers, both private and in the 
trade that good things should be sent by those who can, 
butaboveall they should make sure that there is sufficient 
beauty in the subjects, to warrant the trouble and cost 
of collecting and sending them. When writing to 
friends in the tropics who do not know Orchids 
botanically, it would be well to give them instructions 
about packing. I here give and add, that they are to 
send only showy flowered things as plants, but carefully 
dried flowers of the less beautiful should be sent in 
