262 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 26, 1885. 
as a winter bloomer ; but surpassed by Carrieri, which 
seems to live by flowering, for even the cuttings will 
flower and it is always in bloom. The flowers are pure 
white, and produced in good size clusters, and of its 
freedom some idea may be formed from the accompanying 
illustration. B. Knowsleyana, silvery blush, is also a 
good bloomer. B. nitida is still one of the best of the 
old ones, and B. nitida alba is a novelty with smaller 
blooms. B. semperflorens gigantea rosea, one of M. 
Lemoine’s novelties, make a fine companion to B. 
nitida. B. Ascotiensis, not much known here, but 
much used on the continent as a bedding plant, is also 
useful for its rose-pink blossoms ; and B. manieata 
aurea maculata, is desirable for its fine foliage, which 
much resembles in colour and working, the leaves of 
Fariugium grande. 
The General Collection 
We noted a very fine batch of flowering plants of the Pride 
of Penslmrst Carnation, perhaps the best yellow yet sent 
out, and worthy of wide cultivation. In Lily of the 
Valley, Mr. Cannell has flowering specimens of the Ger¬ 
man, Dutch, and home-grown crowns, and the latter 
obtained from Mr. Jannock, of Dersingham, is held in 
high estimation. Amongthe fragrant Heliotropes, White 
Lady is still the best—a grand winter bloomer, and 
Genera] Garfield, violet with a light centre, is much 
appreciated here, for its medium sized,-neat, compact 
trusses. Among Salvias, S. Pitcheri and S. Bethelli 
still stand first aijd we understand the former proved 
specially valuable during the general election, when 
blue and other party colours were in great demand 
in all parts of the country for button-hole flowers, 
which, if we may judge from the quantities sent from 
Swanley alone having, to a great extent, supplanted 
the ribbons. 
- — -- 
THE CLAPTON NURSERIES. 
As hunters of novelties and distributors of new 
plants for many years in a steady and persevering way, 
probably no firm has put so much money into or 
brought so much experience to bear on the introduction 
of new or rare plants as Messrs. Hugh Low' & Co., 
of Clapton, many sections of Orchids being specialities 
with them, and notably so, Cypripedium Lowii, 
Coelogyne Lowii, Dendrobium Lowii, Odontoglossum 
Alexandra?, 0. blandum, 0. Pescatorei, Vanda San- 
deriana, Vanda lamellata Boxallii, Dendrobium Box- 
allii, Vanda Parishii, and V. P. Marriottiana, and 
generally speaking all the best Burmese kinds. 
Orchid growers also will not be slow to acknowledge 
their efforts through Sir. Boxall and their various 
other collectors in different parts of the world to 
introduce rare plants which amateurs have long wished 
for. As examples of these we may mention Oncidium 
inaeranthum, 0. superbiens, Vanda Sanderiana, Den¬ 
drobium Lowianum, D. Dearei, D. Brymerianum, 
Vanda Denisoniana, Odontoglossum blandum, 0. 
nsevium majus, &c. The establishment at Clapton is 
a general one, but the Orchid part has grown to such 
proportions, that it never fails to present itself to 
the notice of every visitor. It therefore claims the 
first place in our notice. 
The Orchid Houses. 
Let us say then what many of our readers will well 
know, that there is house after house of Odontoglossum 
Alexandras of the finest strain ; house after house of 
Odontoglossum Pescatorei, and Cattleyas and Laelias of 
all kinds, and that the Phalamopsis and .Brides and 
Vanda houses, are as rich now as ever. Among the 
immense batches of good things, our attention was 
especially attracted by quantities of Dendrobium Dearei, 
some of them with their lovely white flowers ; D. Lowii, 
with their charming yellow blooms ; D. Veitchianum, 
a good batch ; Oncidium varicosum Rogersii, well fur¬ 
nished with spikes ; 0. pnetextum, 0. Forbesii, 0. 
Wentworthianum, and many other fine Oneidiums, 
well furnished with bloom. Several houses are filled 
with the grandest strain of Odontoglossum Alexandra; 
and 0. Pescatorei, among which are flowering good 
forms of O. hebraicum, 0. blandum, 0. crispum 
flaveolum, and others which usually come with the 0. 
crispum from the best localities. The Phalaenopsis 
have been often noticed, suffice it to say that they are 
up to their usual standard, the raised stage over a close 
bed in their chief house, seems to suit them admirably. 
In the main house in bloom or bud are quantities of P. 
Stuartiana, which is a very charming plant; P. 
Sanderiana, P. amabilis, P. Schilleriana, &c.,and among 
them a very pretty and presumably quite new species, 
with robust growth and flowers like an enlarged form of 
0. equestris, with blooms almost entirely pink and white. 
Cattleyas and L.elias. 
The Cattleyas and Laelias occupy many houses, and 
an idea of the extent of the stock may be formed when 
we say that a new span-house, 200 ft. in length, is 
entirely devoted to Cattleya Mossise, of which, and its 
varieties, some grand specimens are to be found. Some 
of them are presumably new, if their habit of growth is 
any guide, one in particular being quite a pigmy in 
growth, but a beauty in flower, if the evidence of the 
numerous old flower-spikes may be taken as a guide. 
The house devoted to the varieties of C. guttata 
contains some fine specimens, and in these this firm is 
very rich. C. Sehofieldianum, C. resplendens, C. 
Whitei, and those grand forms of C. Lodigesii (which 
have puzzled so many), having flowered out of them ; 
and the Lielias have been no less prolific in L. 
Schroderi, L. purpurata pallida, &c. In bloom at the 
present time are some superb forms of white-petalled 
L. purpurata. 
In the other houses, in bloom, are Dendrobium 
Brymerianum, Cypripedium purpuratum (true), C. 
insigne alba marginatum, C. ciliolare, C. Hooker®, C. 
Lawrencianum, C. Haynaldianum, C. Lowii, C. Sedeni, 
C. villosum aure'Um (true), C. Boxallii (in many great 
forms), C. Spicerianum, Dendrobium barbatulum, 
Oncidium varicosum (a large batch), 0. Wentworthi- 
anuin, 0. preetextum, 0. prsetextum olivacum, and 
a grand new form with bright chestnut-red flowers. 
The Warm Houses. 
Vanda Sanderiana, Aerides marginatum, A. Law¬ 
rencianum, Vanda lamellata Boxallii, V. ccerulea, An- 
grreeum Ellissi, A. citratum, and various others are 
represented by good specimens promising well for 
bloom, and in the general collection of Cattleyas, some 
immense plants of C. Skinneri (to which a house is 
devoted), some well-bloomed plants of the still rare old 
form of C. maxima, and several good specimens of the 
pretty and sweet C. luteola, call forth marked attention; 
among the other good batches of plants in bloom, may 
be noted Galeandra Devoniana, Odontoglossum Roezlii, 
and 0. Roezlii album, 0. tripudians, Liparis elegantis- 
sima, Cattleya dolosa, Laelia pumila, L. pumila Dayana, 
Cypripedium Harrissianum splendens, Epidendrum 
ciliare (very fragrant at night), Houlletia odoratissima 
(veiy showy and sweet), Dendrochilum glumacum, D. 
uncatum, various Calanthes, Odontoglossum vexillarium 
Keinastianum, 0. Oerstedii majus, and many Masde- 
vallia tovarense are in bloom. The large batches of 
Cattleya gigas varieties, C. aurea, C. Dowiana, C. 
Mendelii (which has produced such treasures), and C. 
Trianse, not in flower, are almost as grateful to a growers 
heart as when the infloresence is perfected. 
Flowering Plants. 
But not alone does Messrs. Hugh Low & Co. pursue 
the high art of Orchid culture, their efforts extend to 
all plants useful for cut bloom, or of ornamental 
foliage, and particularly to those useful for winter 
decoration, consequently large numbers of houses are 
devoted to Heaths, Epacris, Cyclamens, &c., of the 
last named some 20,000 are in bloom or bud, and a 
proportionate quantity of berried Solanums, Erica 
hyemalis, Tree Carnations, Bouvardias, &c., are grown, 
separate houses being devoted to each. Among the 
Carnations some grand new seedlings are in bloom, 
notably a pure vermilion, a white, a scarlet-flake, an 
orange, a scarlet and white tipped with pink—these 
are all of fine form and perfect shape. 
Among the Bouvardias the well-known pink Priory 
Beauty, the whitish Alba odorata, and Vreelandii are 
very fine ; and among the new doubles, B. Victor 
Lemoine, a double scarlet, B. Sang Lorraine, a double 
orange-scarlet, and B. Thomas Meehan, a double 
scarlet American form are particularly good. The 
double flowers are much more durable than singles. 
Foliage Plants. 
Among the foliage plants many houses are devoted to 
Palms, such as Latania borbonica, Cocos Weddelliana, 
Geonoma gracilis, Kentias, &c. ; and of coloured-leaved 
plants there is a fine stock, including the best varieties of 
Crotons, Dracamas, &c. Among the last named may 
be noted two, which all who have indoor or conser¬ 
vatory decoration to do ought to get, as they are bold, 
ornamental, and brightly coloured, viz., D. Massan- 
geana, green, with a broad yellow band and lines down 
the middle, and D. Lindenii, dark green, with yellow 
marginal and medial bands. These are varieties of the 
well known greenhouse variety, D. fragrans latifolia, 
and are therefore not to be confounded with the warm- 
house kinds. 
Greenhouse Rhododendrons, & c . 
The house of Greenhouse Rhododendrons contains a 
large stock of well-budded plants, many scarlet varieties 
of the Duchess of Edinburgh section being in bloom, as 
well as Princess Royal, Princess Helena, and others ; 
and the large stock of decorative Ferns, Araucarias, 
and other ornamental plants, surprise one with their 
vigour when we consider that they are grown within 
the sound of Bow Bells. 
The large stock of hard-wooded Ericas, and other 
New Holland plants, is like the rest of the great and 
varied stock, in the best possible condition. Messrs. 
Hugh Low & Co. no doubt have to attribute some of 
their success to their having the immense establishment 
at Enfield ; but the Orchids and other stock which is 
always kept at Clapton, is always to be found in the 
same sound, thriving condition. 
--—- 
Scottish Gardening. 
The Selection of Seeds. —The present time is 
generally considered suitable for making a selection of 
seeds for the ensuing season, and before the list is put 
on paper it is well to look over the stock of kinds left 
from last year. A number of packets may generally be 
found containing seeds not used, and these should be 
examined, so that what are sound and healthy may be 
noted ; and when the list is made out it may be minus 
the quantities in reserve. All the Brassicas, Leeks, 
Onions, Carrots, Turnips, Celery, Parsley, and Radish 
Seed remain good for several years, when kept dry and 
cool. Any favourite kind which may have been saved 
should be cleaned and put into paper bags r and those 
which have been found unworthy of cultivation should 
be cleared out as they are worse than useless, and may 
if retained, perhaps by inadvertance, be sown again, 
and so cause disappointment. 
There are few seedsmen now but who may be depended 
on for a supply of genuine articles; indeed, most of 
them know that they would only defeat their own 
interests by doing otherwise. A mishap may take 
place under the best of management, but accidents are 
carefully avoided by vendors of seeds generally. When 
new kinds are purchased they should not take the place 
of any favourite and approved sorts, but be treated the 
first year as auxiliaries, till they are proved—and then 
some may be found wanting. Localities favour some 
sorts, while others do not thrive in the same parts. 
Roses. —It is notable that Roses flower more 
freely, are less susceptible of injury, and make finer 
foliage in some northern districts than others. Some 
kinds, it may be, are all that can be desired in form and 
general excellence, while not many miles off they are 
found to be worthless, never opening their flowers 
freely, showing green hearts, or decajring before they 
are open. This we need hardly say is much influenced 
by climate and soil, not that the colder parts are the 
least favourable, but we think damp localities where 
sun action is more or less defective, and sappy growth 
is accelerated by extra rainfall, are evils which do 
much in diminishing the flowering proclivities of many 
Roses. Entire control over such difficulties can scarcely 
be obtained, but we know much can be done by 
raising the plants well above the surface, thorough 
draining of the ground, choosing a position well exposed 
to sun and air if such can be done, keeping the roots well 
to the surface by mulching, and preventing individual 
shoots from monopolising the chief part of the growth. 
Root-pruning during any period of the growing season 
is a preventitive, always keeping the growth stiff, and 
not allowing it to have its freeedom till late into 
autumn. Attention to such amenities as these, I feel 
sure, will always give due reward by rendering the 
plants more hardy than the “leave alone system,” and 
by inducing in the mass of fibres at the roots dis¬ 
position to flower and an increase of size. 
I have proved this frequently, but never before so 
pointedly as during the past season. I offer a list of 
kinds which have done best, flowering in great profusion 
till the early frosts stopped them at the end of Sep¬ 
tember and early in October. In two former seasons, 
these with a number of other kinds, were more inclined 
to grow to wood and leaf, opening their flowers 
