460 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 20, 1886. 
doughty and fearless champion as Mr. R. Gilbert; but 
the pits in which Mr. Roberts winters his Strawberries 
are simply formed by digging out the soil to the depth 
of 9 ins. or so, and placing a piece of board along the 
sides as an edging. Such pits as these are within the 
possibilities of the gardener of anyone, even be they at 
the opposite pole of wealth to a millionaire. I should 
think the cost of labour in stacking up the pots on their 
sides in the old-fashioned ridge, and filling up the in¬ 
terstices with ashes or some such material, would be no 
more than constructing the pit, purchasing the fibre, 
and filling it with pots. I do not say that Mr. Roberts’ 
method is a better one than that followed by my old 
friend at Burghley ; but he thinks it is better and so 
follows it. An unexpected ally has turned up this 
morning in another old friend and excellent gardener— 
indeed, forming a trio that it would be difficult to beat 
as all-round men—namely, William Wildsmith, of 
Heckfield, who says, “ I have a nice lot of Strawberries 
ripe, but not wintered a la Gilbert and Challis, but as 
Mr. Roberts winters them.” With this parting shot at 
the “ G. 0. G.” of Burghley, I shall await with some 
little anxiety and no small perturbation of mind for a 
return shot from Stamford. — R. D. 
Will your able correspondent, Mr. R. Gilbert, be so 
kind as to give your readers the name of the Strawberry 
he started in December last, and was so successful with ; 
and will he also, later on, if he grows Sir Charles 
Napier, and stacks them like the others, tell us, through 
your columns, how many he had “blind,” in com¬ 
parison with the same number of the sort that he grows 
early ? I find here that Sir Charles Napier will not 
stand the sharp frost and dry east winds they are 
exposed to, if stacked in ashes, according to my ex¬ 
periences. The cheapest and best plan is to keep them 
in cold frames, with the lights on, during the winter. 
I have found Sir Charles Napier more liable to come 
“blind” than most other varieties, and I grow over 
2,000 plants of it in pots every year.— G. T. 
-- 
ORCHID NOT ES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar.— As the 
Dendrobes go out of flower and commence their 
growth, they should be examined to see whether they 
require re-basketting or re-potting, which should at 
once be done if necessary. Baskets are best and safest 
for most Dendrobes (the D. densiflorum, D. thyrsiflorum, 
and others of the evergreen section, however, grow 
well in pots), and some of them are much easier to 
manage, and display their flowers better when grown 
in baskets and suspended near the glass. A great 
many things which we invariably see in pots would do 
better in baskets, and would probably be often placed 
in them, but that many suppose that placing them in 
baskets necessitates their being suspended. Such is 
not the case, however, as in a healthy house many 
plants which would be greatly benefitted by being 
grown in baskets would do well on the staging in the 
same position as they occupy when grown in pots. For 
such use, the terra-cotta baskets of Mr. Matthews, of 
Weston-Super-Mare, are excellent as they imbibe and 
give off moisture, do not decay, and are clean looking 
and ornamental. 
The Phalfenopsis and many of the Aerides, &c., will 
now be freely started into growth, and as direct sun¬ 
light is very injurious to them, the roller blinds in the 
house should at once be placed in readiness for use, indeed, 
it will be better now to see that the blinds on all 
the houses are in order. The Phalsenopsis are par¬ 
ticularly impatient of bright sunlight, and one of the 
chief points in growing them is to carefully shade them 
from it. 
In all the houses the walls behind the piping, and 
all odd corners should be kept thoroughly moist, but in 
attending to it care should be taken not to raise steam 
from the hot pipes more than is absolutely unavoidable. 
The shell-gravel, spar, or other moist holding material 
on the close staging should also be carefully kept 
moist, and ventilation given according to the state of 
the weather. As a rule, free bottom ventilation may 
be given in any weather if the top ventilators are 
nearly closed, or governed so as not to cause a draught. 
—James O'Brien. 
Disa gran diflora. —We learn from a Cape cor¬ 
respondent that public meetings have been held at 
Cape Town to protest against the exportation of the 
favourite Table Mountain Orchid, Disa grandiflora. In 
all probability the locality will be closed shortly to 
collectors, and as there is none other known, it is prob- 
-able that future supplies of this Orchid will be on a 
very small scale. 
Dendrobium Wardianum. —From Mr. E. 
Dumper, gardener to .J. Fitzgerald Bannatyne, Esq., 
of Summerville, Limerick, comes a grand flower of a 
very highly coloured form of this, 4 ins. across. Of 
this, however, Mr. Dumper says “it is not so lasting 
as the ordinary form.’’ In this flower, and in others of 
the gigantic forms, a peculiar elongation of the lip, as 
in D. Falconeri, is noticeable, and the markings of the 
lip also resemble that plant. It certainly has superior 
attractions as a flower, but it may be at the expense of 
its durability. We should be glad to hear if any of our 
other correspondents have noticed that some Wardi- 
anums keep longer than others. Mr. Dumper also sends 
afineexample of D. crassinodeBarberianum, with charm¬ 
ing bright magenta tips to the segments of the flower. 
Odontoglossum pulchellum majus. — 
There is a fine specimen of this beautiful and extremely 
useful Orchid of Davenham Bank, Malvern, the seat of 
J. D. Perrin, Esq., under the care of Mr. Jacques, which 
has borne this season 105 flower spikes ; such a plant 
both grower and owner may be justly proud of. So 
also may they be of a specimen Yanda ccerulea, which 
has been under Mr. Jacques’ care for fifteen years, and 
grown on from a small piece. The plant is now in 
perfect health, being well furnished with leaves, and 
flowers very freely every year, fifty or more blooms was 
the last number recorded upon this very creditable 
specimen. Such successful culture as this would satisfy 
the demands even of Mr. Anderson, who a short time 
ago questioned the ability of some writers in a contem¬ 
porary to keep this lovely Yanda in health for any 
length of time. It is very pleasing to be able to write of 
specimen Orchids that have had the same supervision 
for years, clearly showing that their cultural require¬ 
ments are perfectly understood and acted upon.— Thos. 
Simcoe, March 15th, 1886. 
Dendrobium pulcliellum is really a charming 
little Orchid, and ought to be grown by every Orchid 
fancier. We have a small specimen growing here on a 
bit of Elm bark suspended near the glass, which is just 
now smothered with its sweet pretty flowers of yellow 
and pink. When making its growth, we grow it with 
other Dendrobes in a warm Fernery, and when the 
bulbs are well matured we remove it to a cool Vinery 
to rest for three months, and then gradually bring it 
back to a warm house where the flowers will come 
quickly on, and when all the flowers are fully expanded, 
remove it into a temperature of 50°. It will last in 
perfection a long time. — IV. Driver, Longfords, Min- 
chinghamptcm. 
Cattleya, bicolor varieties.— A very pretty 
set of these comes from Mr. W. Swan, The Gardens, 
Hawick House, Preston, gathered from plants imported 
by Mr. Wrigley. Of their beauty we have evidence 
before us, and Mr. Swan’s remark, ‘ ‘ the batch has 
been in flower for the last three months,” giving a good 
idea of their usefulness throughout the dull season, 
indeed, a well-grown established C. bicolor which often 
bears eight or ten of its bright magenta lipped flowers 
on a spike is a very showy and effective thing, and two 
of the varieties before us are rendered still more 
effective by the white on the labellums. The sepals of 
the different varieties vary from yellow to olive-green, 
the labellums bright magenta-crimson, that which 
Professor Reichenbacli named Wrigleyana, having a 
clear white margin, and C. Measuresiana having the 
lip prominently and broadly banded at the edge rvith 
pure white, which sets off the rest of the flower 
charmingly. Blooms of a very finely shaped pale 
yellow O. Alexandra, which should grow into a fine 
thing, also accompany the Cattleyas. 
Disa grandiflora. —This beautiful Cape species 
when in bloom is the admiration of all. It succeeds 
well in a compost of equal parts of sphagnum and good 
fibrous peat, with an addition of broken crocks, charcoal, 
and sand, mixed well together before potting; perforated 
pots are the best to put them in. Have the pots filled 
with crocks to the top row of holes, leaving them un¬ 
covered to allow any young suckers to grow out, as they 
ofteu will do. Pot as firm as the spongy nature of the 
compost will allow, raising it nicely above the rim of 
the pot. Place them in a house with a temperature 
ranging from 45“ to 50°, give plenty of air in the day¬ 
time, and leave a little on at night when the weather 
will permit. Syringe the plants overhead two or three 
times a day, and keep them well damped between the 
pots. Little shading will be required except on very 
hot days, as it is best to throw the house open on hot 
summer days.— G. H., Shipley. 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
In all probability some of the earliest batch of Pelar¬ 
goniums—those which were not pinched—will now be 
showing flower. Should this be the case, and the plants 
are very dense, resort to tying-out, so that they may 
fully develope, but do not over do it, sufficient simply to 
allow of necessary light to the centre, and avoid making 
the plants appear straggling. The later batch should 
now be growing apace ; the only thing necessary with 
them will be to give them plenty of air and room, with 
increased sunshine. All such subjects will require more 
frequent watering; but until the pots become well 
filled with roots avoid giving liquid manure. 
Y T e have potted on a good batch of zonales for green¬ 
house work, and put them on a stage in an early Peacli- 
liouse, the temperature of which is not too high to 
cause them to draw. They will shortly be transferred 
to the cold pits, or the syringing will be apt to cause 
them to damp if the water lodges on the foliage. Be 
careful not to allow cuttings that are struck to remain 
too long in the pots, but let them be potted off singly 
before the roots become cramped, or they do not grow 
away with the same freedom. After they have re¬ 
started, pinch the points out to encourage a bushy 
habit, and shade from the direct sun. In the case of 
Centropogon Lucyanus do not be too hasty in the 
taking of cuttings, as the early growths seldom make 
good stuff, much rather wait until the plants have 
made a good free growth. 
As soon as large enough, pot off singly the requisite 
stock of Solanums, so that they may be as large as 
possible before planting out; the old plants, if more 
than a year old, had better be thrown away, as young 
ones are so much preferable in every way. As the sun 
becomes more powerful, it will be found necessary to 
shade the stove, so as to prevent scorching, particularly 
in the case of some of the Ferns. A little wash made 
of lime syringed on to the roof through the jet will be 
sufficient for the present, and will be better than cover¬ 
ing the whole of the roof at this early period. 
THE FORCING HOUSES. 
Take care that the earliest batch of Tomatos are kept 
growing, but encourage a good sturdy growth by using 
a sound compost and potting rather firm ; if they are 
to be grown on trellises adopt a serpentine course in 
the training as being more fruitful than if carried 
straight ; after having tried most kinds we have chosen 
“Dedham Favourite” as our principal. See that 
the sowings of French Beans are regularly made, and 
if room can possibly be spared let the sowing be extra 
large, for the supply of all kinds of greens -will be 
extremely scarce, and provision must be accordingly 
made. We have put in another batch of Asparagus 
roots and are cutting a good supply, which we find 
most useful. Look to the stock of Chicory roots, and 
select the strongest for putting into the Mushroom 
house ; it is a great help to the salad bowl. 
Keep a sharp look out on the Strawberries, and see 
that they do not want for water, or that pest, red 
spider will speedily appear ; where the fruit is ripening 
let more air be admitted or they will be deficient in 
flavour. Keep the succession batches constantly made 
good, and if any are blind let them be at once removed. 
Sir C. Napier may now be brought into the Peach 
houses. It is one of the very best late varieties, and 
always fruits well in pots ; keep the plants well 
syringed except where the fruit is changing colour, 
when it must be discontinued. Mushrooms with us 
are abundant—and likely to continue so ; where they 
are required later on, and a cellar can be used, little 
difficulty will be experienced in supplying, but in a 
house they do not succeed during the summer months ; 
extra time must be allowed, as although of superior 
quality, they are of much slower growth. 
Attend to the stopping and thinning of Cucumbers, 
or they will speedily become crowded ; stopping may 
also be more severe than heretofore, as fruit will be 
needed in greater quantity, and growth is now more 
luxuriant. Our early Melons are already making quite 
a start in their new quarters ; we have to-day potted 
off another batch, and also of Cucumbers, and early 
Marrows. Follow the directions given last week as to 
the Vineries and Peach-houses, being particularly 
careful that abundance of water is given to the borders 
