June 5, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
635 
Mildew on Peaches.—I have some Peach trees, 
the fruit of which is every year affected with mildew, 
causing it to turn white and hard. The trees are on a 
wall facing east. Can any of your numerous readers 
state the cause and a remedy.— A. R.. Lewes. 
Semi-double Primulas. —Herewith I beg to 
send you a few blooms of semi-double Chinese Primulas ; 
they are from seed saved last year, and sown late in the 
season, consequently they are only just blooming. I 
have had the strain for some years, but have never 
troubled much about them. Are they worth trying to 
perpetuate, as I could manage to seed them well at this 
time of the year. — W. G. [Certainly ; they are very 
pretty, and if easily raised from seed, would be most 
welcome as useful decorative plants.—E d.] 
Gilbert’s Late White Broccoli “Victoria.” 
—From Sir. Richard Gilbert, of Burghley, we have this 
week received some beautiful heads of this Broccoli, and 
which, when cooked for the table, were as tender and 
delicate in flavour as the most fastidious palate could 
desire. It is unfortunate that such a thoroughly good 
variety should have had so many names bestowed upon 
it, but we hope, for the sake of the raiser, that it has 
had its last baptism. It is said to be a cross between 
Chou de Burghley and Cattell’s Eclipse Broccoli, and 
was first named Burghley Queen, then Late Queen, 
next Queen of the Broccoli, and now Victoria. It has 
been certificated by the Fruit Committee. 
Tomatos in the Open Air.—I observed re¬ 
cently, when visiting Messrs. Sutton’s Nursery, at 
Reading, that Tomatos were being planted out- in the 
open ground. The plants were strong and well har¬ 
dened, and I understood that all the preparation the 
soil received was simply a good working, no manure of 
any kind being used. Two plants were planted to¬ 
gether, and straight stakes placed to each, and I was 
assured that they cropped enormously. The main 
object is to get the first blooms to set.— Con. 
Acer Leopoldii.— All planters of ornamental 
borders and pleasure grounds should make a note of 
Acer Leopoldii. As seen in the ornamental border of 
the London Road Nursery, Reading, it is a most lovely 
variegated shrub.— Con. 
Agathea coelestis. —Those who have been 
smitten with the contagion for aesthetic flowers, will 
find in this Blue Marguerite something really chaste 
and useful, and probably one of the hardiest plants of 
its class. In a mild winter it keeps flowering out of 
doors in the open air, and its pretty blue flowers are 
very acceptable at this season. A friend of mine has 
a whole batch of it in flower, in small pots, in a tem¬ 
perate house, where it has been flowering for months. 
It is alike invaluable to the gardener and florist all 
through the winter and spring. The flowers are well 
adapted for bouquet-making, and are of such minia¬ 
ture size that their presence, while giving tone to a 
bouquet, supplies a colour not common in the dull 
season. — W. H. 
- —- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Climbing plants such as Allamandas and Stephanotis, 
are, unless properly treated, seldom well flowered, and 
a few remarks as to their -wants may be welcome. 
Should they be kept growing amongst other things re¬ 
quiring constant shade, the wood never becomes ripened 
and flower cannot be looked for under such conditions ; 
but under ordinary treatment they may be freely 
flowered if the young growths are exposed to light as 
much as possible. One of the best plans is to tie small 
twine from the trellis on which the plants are trained 
upwards to the roof, and as growth proceeds train up 
the growths where by exposure they become ripened, 
and so flower freely enough ; whereas if tied in constantly 
for neatness sake, you have no other reward than a ball 
or globe of foliage. 
Calanthes are now making a good free growth, and 
are staged in a batch in the intermediate house, where 
they get an abundance of light and air, but still are not 
subject to the direct rays of the sun ; staging by them 
selves allows of a better attention than if dotted amongst 
other plants, and the same may be said of Orchids 
where grown in a mixed collection, it is always advisable 
to stage them together through the summer. Foliage 
plants require and thrive with abundant syringing, but 
not so Orchids. See that the Poinsettias as soon as 
fairly started after their re-potting, are inured to more 
light and air, and let them be kept as near the glass as 
possible to prevent drawing, syringing freely of an 
afternoon to keep them free from red spider, which will 
speedily rob them of their foliage if once allowed to 
establish itself ; under cool treatment and ordinary care, 
the foliage becomes so hard and leathery that little fear 
need be entertained. 
Bedding out (let us now hope) may be proceeded 
with, and all hands should be put on to get it completed 
as quickly as possible. Nothing is more annoying than 
for work of this kind (generally carried on close to the 
mansion) to be kept lagging on ; whereas if all hands are 
employed a few days suffices to complete it, and all 
alike are grateful when it is over. 
THE FRUIT HOUSES. 
Intheearly Vineries where the Grapes are “finished,” 
and are required to hang for any length of time, it will 
be of the greatest benefit to give the Vines a partial 
shading, such as ^-in. netting tacked over the roof or 
a sprinkling of lime-wash. The strain is very great at 
colouring time, and there is always a danger of the 
foliage becoming dirty if relief of some kind is not 
given just at this time, and added to which, in the case 
of black Grapes, they retain their colour much better 
if subject to this partial shading. With white varieties 
it is different, as if shaded much they never “come up,” 
and, therefore, the lightest parts of the house should 
be always given to them. This is a matter which must 
be looked to at planting time, or when grafting or in¬ 
arching is done. 
It is hardly necessary to say that where the Grapes 
are ripe air must be kept on continually, but should 
birds be troublesome, netting must be placed over the 
apertures. We are now planting out a succession 
batch of Melons, and the one which is the most 
critical of all, as it should afford us a good supply 
during the month of August, just when they are in 
most demand. The early batch are giving us some 
pretty well-netted fruits, and the next lot are swelling 
up rapidly. Cucumbers we have given a good thinning 
out, and so induce them to start afresh. By this 
means, and with a good surfacing, they will carry on 
until the house is required for a late batch of Melons. 
The Potato pits we have prepared and planted with 
Cucumbers. Be careful that the thinning of the late 
house of Grapes is not neglected, or they will give 
endless trouble, and then not be satisfactory. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
We completed the hoeing and cleaning of our seed¬ 
beds, and right glad we were that we spent the time in 
clearing off the weeds as the work proceeded, as rain 
came directly afterwards, and it must have been gone 
over again, whereas now they are perfectly clean, and 
will be thinned as time can be found for the operation. 
The spring-sown Parsley has been singled out, and so 
will be in time to follow on the July sowing ; this we 
always make at the foot of the Peach and Apricot walls 
alternately. Let all squares, as soon as cleared of 
green crops—such as late Broccoli, which are now nearly 
over—be well manured and double dug if time can be 
spared. Attend to all the quarters of Potatos ; as soon 
as the rows can well be traced, give a good hoeing, and 
earth-up as soon as sufficiently advanced. 
The beds which we sowed with Asparagus seed are 
well furnished with plants, which must be hoed and 
afterwards singled-out; nothing further will be required 
this season than to keep the ground free from weeds. 
Another sowing of dwarf Beans may now be made ; 
indeed, it is absolutely necessary that frequent sowings 
be made, as if we get a spell of dry weather they are 
very apt to become stringy. Towards the end of the 
week a successional sowing of Scarlet Runners should 
be made. Vegetable Marrows we have planted out on 
a prepared bed, putting a good stout peg to each plant 
to keep them secure. Take care that frequent sowings 
of Lettuce are made. “Green Unctuous” we find to 
stand well, but of Cabbage varieties none are so good 
with us as the “ Neapolitan this, with Paris White, 
is what we rely upon. Let the hoe be kept constantly at 
work amongst all crops ; thin-out the seedling herb- 
beds, as soon as large enough, to the requisite distance. 
— Walter Child, Croome Court. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar, — The 
present is a good time to have one of those periodical 
reviews in the Orchid-houses, which should be had as 
often as possible, as it is only by passing each plant 
through the hands that it can be ascertained whether 
it be clean and right in itself, and comfortable in its 
pot or basket. Failing the evidence of insects or dirt, 
it is advisable, where possible, to carefully sponge the 
plant over before putting it back, and to see that the 
place where it is to be put is clean. If the plant is not 
sound in its pot or basket, no matter what the season 
or condition of growth may be, it is better to re-pot 
or re-basket it before passing it over, and in all cases to 
avoid over-potting, as a pot or basket of too large a size 
containing too much peat or other material is a source 
of weakness to a strong plant, and a certain means of 
preventing re-establishment in a weak and sickly one. 
Very poor and badly-rooted pieces of Lcelias, Cattleyas, 
and other epiphytal Orchids do best on rafts or blocks, 
provided they get good attention in the matter 'of 
placing them in suitable situations, and seeing that 
they get the necessary amount of moisture. When 
freely growing and rooting, theymay easily be re-potted. 
From henceforth throughout the summer the study 
should be to keep all the houses cool, shady, and com¬ 
fortable, each in degree adapted to its occupants, even 
the warmest section being, by the admission of air (par¬ 
ticularly from below), kept from being oppressive, as 
few Orchids thrive for any length of time in a close 
atmosphere, which feels uncomfortable to us. 
The Temperatures eor the Month of June 
should be—Warm or East Indian house, 75° to 80° by 
day, 70° at night ; Cattleya or Intermediate house, 
70° to 75° by day, 65° at night ; Cool or Odontoglossum 
house, 60° to 65° by day, 55° at night. Throughout 
the summer the solar heat will often necessitate higher 
temperatures, but it will be sufficient to use all means 
to keep them down to those recommended.— James 
O'Brien. 
Orchids at the Woodlands, Streatham.— 
Two magnificent Cattleyas are now in flower at the 
Woodlands, viz.:—Cattleya Mendelii Measuresiana and 
C. labiata leucophaeus. The first named is probably 
the handsomest variety ever seen, the glowing violet- 
crimson and bright yellow of the labellum contrasting 
admirably with the well-formed blush white sepals and 
petals—one of the petals has a dash of violet-crimson 
colour at its extremity, apparently absorbed from the 
labellum during aestivation. The C. labiata leucophaeus 
is a unique variety with nearly white sepals and petals, 
and an orange and slaty-lilac coloured labellum with 
a white fringe, quite a novelty as regards colouring, 
and charmingly beautiful. Among a number of mag¬ 
nificent Cattleyas and Lselias I noted two specimens of 
the chaste and lovely Cattleya Skinnerii alba, also the 
superb Aerides Houlettianum with two fine spikes of 
bloom ; several splendid varieties of Odontoglossum 
cordatum, 0. Andersonianum, O. vexillarium, and the 
great numbers of 0. citrosmum are quite an exhibition 
in themselves, the numerous long spikes of well 
developed flowers attesting the excellent mode of cul¬ 
ture pursued. There is no doubt but that this collection 
contains a great number of the finest gems among 
Orchids, for at all times of the year Mr. Measures has 
something extraordinary to admire himself and show 
his visitors. Everything is in perfect order throughout, 
and the new range of houses lately erected for Odonto- 
glossums and Masdevallias are models of what such 
structures ought to be, and will, I anticipate, give the 
best results with little or no anxiety to the owner, or 
his head gardener, Mr. Fraser.— L. G. 
Notes from Edinburgh. — Among the sub¬ 
urban residences around Edinburgh there are few which 
have become so well known of late years to horticul¬ 
turists as that of Mr. Buchannau, whose Orchids have 
attracted so much admiration at the exhibitions held 
in the Waverley Market. The specimens tabled by 
Mr. Buchannau’s successful and enthusiastic gardener, 
Mr. Grossart, have been justly admired, as indicating 
the quality of this somewhat extensive and choice col¬ 
lection ; the free-flowering proclivities and robust health 
of the exhibits have gained many honourable positions. 
The Cymbidium eburneum, and Lowianum especially, 
Denbrobiums, Vandas, and Lselias being among the 
choicest of the specimens. To see a specimen of Laelia 
