360 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 5, 1887. 
THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 
Youk correspondent “ Y. G.” complains of the choice 
of the new members of the council proposed for the 
election of the 8th inst. It is a somewhat invidious 
task to find fault with gentlemen willing to give their 
time to the society ; but how can the members help 
it? The council propose the new names, and the 
Fellows are advised of the same a fortnight before the 
election. They have no time to concert together as to 
whom they consider most eligible ; and even if time 
were given, how could they prepare for a poll, con¬ 
sidering that no printed list of the members of the 
society can be obtained? Ho doubt we w'ant practical 
men — n ot scientific men. The latter may vent their 
theories and proclaim their discoveries at the Linnsean 
Society ; at the Horticultural we want amateurs and 
professional men, who will help us to popularise 
horticulture. 
An objection has been made to nurserymen lest they 
should keep trade interests exclusively in view. This 
may be the case, I am not prepared to argue the 
point; but if a few only of the leading nurserymen 
were selected there would be no such danger, and the 
society would derive great benefit from their experience. 
At the next meeting the council list will be proposed ; 
nobody will feel bold enough to make any remark, and 
the list will be passed with a good majority. 
The Gardeners' Chronicle mentions names, and 
states that Mr. H. J. Yeitch has been sounded by the 
council, but has declined to come forward. He would, 
undoubtedly, be a popular candidate, and I still hope 
that he will take a seat on the council if he finds that 
he is backed by a strong majority. I therefore propose 
to place his name on my balloting paper, and if those 
of your readers who think as I do will take the same 
course, we may yet carry the point in 1888. I am not 
prepared to follow “V. G.” as far as Chiswick ; if he 
has anything to propose, he may do so at the general 
meeting.— A. F. L. 
-- 
HARDY ORCHIDS. 
The note of a correspondent on the above subject 
just brings to my mind that the season for planting 
both British and Foreign hardy Orchids is now upon 
us, and should be taken advantage of by those who are 
in any way interested in these pretty and easily 
managed plants. To those who have not before gone 
in for the cultivation of hardy Orchids, I would now 
strongly advise them to do so, for it is about as pleasant 
and inexpensive a recreation as can well be imagined. 
Of our forty species of native Orchids, it has now been 
proved beyond doubt that all with, perhaps, three or 
four exceptions, are quite amenable to garden culture, 
and not only under a good course of treatment become 
thoroughly established, but increase in numbers as 
well. 
What can be prettier in any herbaceous border than 
a good-sized clump of, say a couple of dozen, of the 
early purple Orchis, 0. mascula ? Then we have the 
spotted Orchis, 0. maculata, a truly grand and pretty 
plant that any amateur can as readily grow in his 
garden as he can a Scilla or a Crocus. Other desirable 
species of Orchis are 0. fusca, with its conspicuous 
reddish-brown flowers ; 0. morio, another easily grown 
plant ; 0. militaris, 0. ustulata and 0. pyramidalis. 
The latter is a lovely Orchid with dense, pyramidal 
spikes of pretty prickly rosy flowers. The Butterfly 
Habenaria, H. bifolia, an occupant of rich meadow 
loam, is easily enough managed, and I know of no 
prettier sight in the floral line than a clump of half-a- 
dozen of this plant when in full flower. The various 
species of Ophrys are of great interest from the re¬ 
semblance borne by their flowers to the various insects 
whose names they bear. The Bee Ophrys, 0. apifera, 
certainly has a striking resemblance to the common 
humble bee, while the Spider and Fly Ophrys, 0. 
aranifera and 0. muscifera are curious and interesting, 
their flowers fancifully appearing like the insects, after 
which their popular names have been given. They are 
easily grown by mixing a quantity of lime or chalk 
with the soil in which they are planted. 
Our handsomest native Orchid is, perhaps, the Lady’s 
Slipper, Cypripedium Calceolus, a rare and beautiful 
plant, whose cultivation is simple enough if broken 
lime and stones are added to the soil in which it is to 
be grown. The Helleborines are stately bright- 
flowered Orchids, especially Epipactis palustris and 
E. ovalis. Cephalanthera grandiflora, C. ensifolia and 
C. rubra all succeed perfectly well in calcareously- 
flavoured loam. Herminium Monorchis, or the Musk 
Herminium, as it is commonly called, is a sweetly- 
scented free-flowering plant of small growth, and one 
that for years I have grown in a most successful 
manner. 
Amongst foreign hardy Orchids that have been found 
well suited for our English climate, I may refer par¬ 
ticularly to Orchis undulatifolia, 0. sambucina and 
0. pallens. These grow well and increase rapidly in 
our gardens if planted in good free loam. Then the 
North American Cypripediums, including C. spectabile, 
C. acaule, C. parviflorum and C. candidum, to which 
we may likewise add C. pubescens, flower grandly and 
increase in strength from year to year if planted in 
decaying vegetable refuse to which a dash of clean sharp 
sand has been added. Orchis spectabilis, from the 
same place, is also quite at home in our gardens if 
planted amongst decaying leaves, and in a shady 
situation. 
In conclusion, I may add that all the above species 
of hardy Orchids have become fully established in my 
garden, and may be considered as of easy culture, while 
fully a score of other kinds are likewise doing well ; 
but their cultivation is not to be recommended for the 
beginner, for whom these notes are mainly intended.— 
A. D. Webster, Llandegai. 
-- 
GALANTHUS ELWESI. 
How exquisitely graceful are the snow-white droop¬ 
ing flowers of this Snowdrop ! The flowers of Galanthus 
Elwesi are much larger than those of the ordinary form 
Galanthus Elwesi. 
of G. nivalis, and much more expanded when in full 
flower. The outer segments are clawed at the base, 
and pure ■white. Owing to the narrowness of the claw 
the small inner segments are much exposed, showing 
the intense green blotch at the base of the latter, and 
the two green spots, one on each side of the bifid tip. 
Viewed interiorly, these two spots assume the form of 
stripes or green lines, constituting a lively and attractive 
feature of the flower. No garden should be without a 
clump of this large-flowering and handsome Snowdrop. 
While comparable in size to G. nivalis Melvillei, the 
expanded character of the perianth, together with the 
green blotches of the inner segments, are features 
peculiar to this species. 
-- 
BROWALLIA ELATA. 
For winter-flowering purposes a batch of this elegant 
and attractive South American plant would be very 
effective, and at the same time inexpensive. A packet 
of seed is easily procurable, from which any quantity of 
seedlings may be raised without difficulty. A sowing 
could be made indoors early in spring, treated in the 
same way as other half-hardy annuals, and planted out 
when the weather permits in various parts of the 
summer flower-garden, as fancy or convenience might 
suggest. 
The value of this plant will be more fully recognised, 
however, for the decoration of the greenhouse and 
conservatory, where a temperature is maintained for 
the purpose of keeping up a continuous show of winter 
flowering or forced subjects. The habit is so different 
from such things as Hyacinths, Tulips, Deutzias, &c., 
and the deep blue flowers so distinct from anything 
at this season, except, perhaps, Cinerarias, or Agathea 
ccelestis, that collections of any extent might, with 
advantage, contain a quantity sown annually at different 
periods, in order to keep up a succession. For this 
purpose sowings might be made in July, August and 
September, in well-drained pans of sandy soil, and 
placed in a stove or propagating pit to germinate. 
When this has been completed remove the pans to a 
more airy structure, where the seedlings can have the 
benefit of ample ventilation when necessary to prevent 
drawing. As soon as they have made a few leaves, or 
even earlier, they may be put in flowering pots im¬ 
mediately, using about three seedlings in a -32-size pot; 
if considered worth the trouble, single plants might be 
put in 60’s and potted on from time to time to induce 
a free branching habit. Stopping or pinching may 
even be done to their advantage, if in any way inclined 
to throw out rambling shoots or run up with a single 
stem. 
' The seedlings may now, when the roots have taken 
to the fresh soil, be placed in a cool frame close to the 
glass with ample ventilation. This will induce a 
healthy appearance and a sturdy habit, obviating any 
necessity for staking. Grown in this manner they will 
not exceed 12 ins. to 16 ins. in height, and if given a 
proper exposure, without that crowding which is detri¬ 
mental to the health and general appearance of any 
plant, they branch or ramify in a free manner. If the 
frame in which they have been growing during summer 
is unheated, the plants ought to be removed to warmer 
quarters before the approaching winter, or late autumn 
cold gives a check to growth. Never, however, allow 
the plants to become spindly by placing them too far 
from the glass. A handsome display of their azure- 
blue flowers will ultimately rew T ard the cultivator’s 
attention. 
This species, judging from my acquaintance with it, 
and its frequent appearance in gardens, is the best of 
the genus, and was originally introduced so long ago 
as to be figured in the first volume of the Botanical 
Magazine, t. 34. It belongs to the same natural order 
as the Solanum, but from the peculiar structure and 
irregularity of the flowers was placed amongst the 
Serophularineae. The typical form is of a deep azure- 
blue with a small white eye, but there are several new 
named varieties in cultivation known as Browallia elata 
ccerulea and B. e. alba. The first named variety is a 
paler blue than the type with a larger white eye, and 
is for all practical purposes inferior to that form, and 
not particularly desirable except for the specialist. 
The white variety, however, is much more distinct and 
forms a good contrast for mixing with the blue one, or 
for massing by itself. A special feature can be made 
of this, and many other conservatory subjects by 
massing or grouping a number, of say a dozen or two 
of each kind, in prominent positions where their 
characters will be brought out in the most conspicuous 
and advantageous manner.— J. F. 
-- 
RHODANTHE MANGLES! 
This is a popular and well-known border annual of 
the easiest cultivation, that may be sown in the open 
ground at once, or in pans or boxes, and ultimately 
transferred to their flowering quarters. The variety 
now illustrated — alba nana — is characterised for its 
dwarfness, which makes it more suitable for cultivation 
in pots than the ordinary form, and is one of the 
novelties recently brought out by Messrs. Carter & Co., 
High Holborn. A dwarf strain of the typical rose- 
coloured one would make an excellent companion and 
contrast. As it is, however, many will doubtless 
prefer this dwarf white variety on account of its 
shining silvery white colour. For cutting purposes it 
will be found extremely useful for either immediate use 
or for various indoor decorative purposes during winter 
in a dried state. As an everlasting it is one of the 
most handsome and serviceable. The dwarf compact 
habit makes it a suitable subject for the greenhouse or 
conservatory. Whether grown in pots or the open 
border, one thing the cultivator must bear in mind, and 
that is, either to sow thinly or weed out the seedlings 
to proper distances apart, so as to prevent crowding. 
When annuals are allowed to grow up in dense masses, 
as they usually are, the season of flowering is greatly 
curtailed, and half the beauty destroyed for lack of 
proper room to develope. 
