February 5, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
863 
and treated well during summer, a quantity of thick 
crowns giving dense blooms can be had at Christmas. 
I send you a few blooms of Daffodil Ard-Righ or 
Irish King ; you can judge for yourself as to its value 
at Christmas from bulbs potted up in August. Erica 
carnea is beautiful. We have had very little frost and 
no snow up to date.— W. Baylor Hartland, Cork. 
Wych Hazels. —Mr. W. E. Gumbleton, Belgrove, 
Queenstown, Cork, sends us two forms of Hamamelis, 
popularly known as Wych Hazels. The few species 
known resemble each other strongly, and are all com¬ 
parable to the older and better known H. virginica. 
A finely-flowered spray of H. arborea was one of those 
sent us, and the flowers are certainly both singular and 
beautiful. The petals resemble long twisted and crisp 
strips of deep yellow paper cut up for the purpose of 
making artificial flowers, and if not equal to some of 
the dragon-flowered Japanese Chrysanthemums, the 
shrub is, nevertheless, worthy of cultivation in the 
shrubbery, where it is perfectly hardy. The inner face 
of the sepals is deep purple, affording a fine contrast to 
the petals, and herein is one of the chief distinctions 
between this species and H. virginica. A flowering 
spray of H. Zuccariniana accompanied the other, having 
lemon-coloured petals, with the inner face of the sepals 
greenish yellow. All the species or forms seem to be 
hardy, and flower as the weather permits from October 
to February. 
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The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
General Work. —With the present mild weather a 
higher temperature will naturally prevail, and many 
things will rapidly start into growth, so that much 
care is necessary. Any of the Orchids that have for 
some time past been kept on the dry side will, 
probably, require attention in this respect, as when 
new growth is made fresh roots are emitted, and the 
compost should be in a proper condition for them to 
enter. The stock of Gloxinias must also be overhauled, 
and those making a start can be placed in leaf-soil in 
boxes or pans according to quantity. If kept moistened 
by the use of the syringe, such treatment will quickly 
prepare them for potting. After potting they should 
not be watered until growth has fairly commenced, or 
they are apt to become soddened, in which case re-pot¬ 
ting is absolutely a necessary if success in their cul¬ 
tivation is the object; in fact, the same remark applies 
to all kinds of stove bulbs. 
We are busy with the potting of stove plants, which 
we hope to complete without much further delay. 
With so many operations on hand, however, it is 
impossible to make very rapid progress. Those plants 
of large proportions, such as Palms, Cycads, Dracaenas 
and the like, which for want of room cannot he potted 
on, will receive a good deep surfacing of rich compost, 
which will carry them on for another season, by the 
aid of some kind of fertiliser, when they may be 
discarded as others get large enough to take their 
place. The Dracaena eyes which were put in last 
autumn are making nice growth, and will at once be 
potted off singly. 
In the case of the propagation as before advised, do 
not use eyes, but cut off the head of those plants 
which have become “leggy,” and unfit for use ; and as 
the breaks from the stem become large enough take off 
with a heel, and insert singly in small 60’s. They 
strike very readily, and are frequently most useful 
even in such small pots. Potted on they are in¬ 
dispensable where much in-door work has to be done; 
but we never keep them after the 32-sized pot has 
been reached. We have sown the main lot of Cycla¬ 
men, some Gloxinia and Impatiens Sultani. The last 
named, if sown frequently, is indeed a valuable decora¬ 
tive plant; its flowers are of a most pleasing shade, 
and the habit of the plant is all that can be desired. 
Where it is desirable or intended to save seed of the 
Primulas, the best should be at once selected and 
placed on some favourable shelf, where every attention 
should be paid to them in the way of giving manure 
water and the maintaining of a growing atmosphere, 
or but very little seed will be found in the pods when 
harvesting. - 
THE FORCING HOUSES. 
In this department we are all activity ; each day 
brings its work, but, as the season advances, so much 
more is required from each structure, that our abilities 
are somewhat taxed, and unless precautions are taken 
failures cause an immensity of trouble later on. 
Let a good sowing of some kind of Tomato be made, 
if not already done ; we find Ilackwood Park a very 
reliable variety, but later on we always rely upon 
Dedham Favourite, one of the very best and most 
useful yet introduced. A successional batch of both 
Cucumbers and Melons have been sown and plunged in 
bottom heat to encourage rapid germination, so neces¬ 
sary with these seeds. The previous sowings are 
making good progress, and we shall shortly plant out 
the most forward ; they have been shifted on into 32’s, 
and are good stuff. The oldest set of Cucumber plants 
hold out signals of distress, and will be replaced with 
Melons as soon as ready ; meanwhile, they will be 
encouraged, so that all the fruit possible may be cut 
from them. 
Where Lily of the Valley abound, roots dug up and 
boxed in leaf-soil, covered lightly with moss and 
placed in moderate heat, will afford lots of bloom, most 
useful for cutting and always acceptable. AVe are, 
to-day, making up another Mushroom bed, which 
should carry us on well through the season ; the next 
we hope to make up in the cellar, admirably suited for 
summer crop. We have introduced a further batch of 
Asparagus, and also of Sea Kale and PJiuharb, and as 
these come on more rapidly it will be found necessary 
to introduce them more frequentl}'. We have closed 
the Muscat vinery preparatory to starting next week. 
A goodly batch of Roses, both standards and dwarfs, 
have also been placed in the succession vineries, the 
temperature of which is admirably suited to start them, 
in conjunction with a free use of the syringe. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
All possible progress must be made in this depart¬ 
ment, the frosty weather having occasioned consider¬ 
able delay. AVe are making good headway with 
digging ; pruning is also nearly completed, with the ex¬ 
ception of Gooseberries, some of which, however, being 
rather in the way, have been cut back. As a rule, 
birds do not harm them much in this place. AVe shall 
begin the double-digging of some squares as soon as 
the more urgent work is completed. I cannot too 
strongly urge upon all the necessity for deep tilth, 
more particularly if the subsoil is at all retentive. 
If not already done, lose no time in thoroughly pre¬ 
paring the square or border to be devoted to seed-beds. 
To our knowledge much mischief arises from this not 
being done in good time ; and, unless a good bed is pre¬ 
pared for the reception of seeds, how can good plants 
be expected ? By a good plant I do not mean plenty 
of them, but a healthy stock, and one that will do 
good service in the season for which it is prepared. 
The Cauliflower, Lettuce and Brussels Sprouts sown 
last week have been removed to a cold frame, from 
which the lights can be drawn as required ; and we 
hope very shortly to complete the planting of all fruit 
trees for this season. A\ T hen introducing Sea Kale for 
forcing, all thongs may be removed at the time of 
lifting, and carefully laid aside preparatory to making 
a new plantation. This is not advisable with the 
earliest batches, the thongs from which can be taken 
off when exhausted. A dusting of soot to the Cabbage 
square will be found very beneficial preparatory to 
hoeing or earthing up.— Walter Child, Croome Court. 
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ORCHID NOT ES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. —Plants of 
Disa grandiflora which are in too small pots or pans 
should now be given a shift into larger ones, care being 
taken not to break the ball, or otherwise the brittle 
rhizomes will be broken. This fine plant is grown to 
perfection by Mr. F. AV. Moore, at the Royal Botanic 
Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin ; and he considers a great 
point in ensuring success is to be made by re-potting 
in October, or not later than the end of that month, as 
from that time throughout the winter they make root 
and rhizomes preparatory to pushing up the strong 
growths which have to bear the bloom. Good fibry 
peat and living sphagnum moss is the best material to 
use for re-potting ; and for situation, a shelf over a 
doorway, or in any other airy position near the glass in 
a cold house, is the most suitable. Disa grandiflora 
requires to be kept moist all the year round, abundance 
of rain-water being given from now until the buds are 
visible. 
The varieties of Lselia anceps, L. autumnalis, and 
L. albida, as they pass out of bloom, should be placed 
in a light, cool and airy position, and only be watered 
occasionally to keep them plump until growing time 
comes round again, a free admission of pure air to 
them being meanwhile of the highest importance. 
With the Cattleya Trian® and rapidly - increasing 
number of other things in flower, it is well, where con¬ 
venient, to set up a division for plants in bloom, where 
they may he kept a little cooler and drier than in the 
growing house ; otherwise, the plants in bloom should 
be, as far as possible, arranged near each other in a 
cool part of their respective houses, and out of the way 
of drip overhead by any chance. 
Cypripediums, as they pass out of bloom, should he 
re-potted, equal parts of peat, sphagnum moss and 
loam-fibre being a good compost; and some think the 
plants improved by having a layer of crushed bones 
placed over the crocks. The various other odd plants 
which are found to be growing and rooting should now, 
if requiring it, be re-potted or basketed. 
The Temperatures for the month of February 
should be : — AVarm or East Indian house, 65° to 70° by 
day, 60° at night ; Cattleya or intermediate house, 60 a 
to 65° by day, 55° at night ; Cool or Odontoglossum 
house, 50° to 55° by day, 45° at night ; the fires being 
slacked and sun-heat made available as much as 
possible.— James O'Brien. 
Well-grown Calanthes.—AVe often meet with 
well-grown examples of these useful Orchids, and I 
thought I had grown them well myself in past seasons, 
hut I must say that I was surprised when I saw some 
plants growing at Dedlington Hall, Norfolk, and which 
were much the best I have ever seen. They were grow¬ 
ing in the Amherstia house (which contains a nice 
plant of the rarely seen Amherstia nobilis) on a shelf 
in the west section of the house, and about 6 ft. from 
the ground. The house is not shaded except just a 
very thin dash of lime-wash over the Calanthes to 
prevent them from scalding in the afternoon in very 
hot weather. They are grown in G-in. pots ; three 
bulbs of A r eitchii, and five or six of Yestita lutea and 
Y. rosea in a pot. The potting material was old 
Mushroom-bed manure, loam and a little peat-moss 
litter with a sprinkling of rough sand. AVhen in full 
growth they received three applications of Standen’s 
manure, which had a wonderful effect on them. I 
measured the bulbs, which in the case of Yeiteliii were 
over 9 ins. long, and the leaves 2 ft. long ; when in 
bloom the Veitchii bulbs had two spikes to each bulb, 
and each spike was 4 ft. long, with from forty to fifty 
blooms on a spike ; the Vestitas were equally good. 
The temperature of this house is never allowed to go 
lower than 65° at night in winter, rising to 75° or 80° 
by day in summer, and 70° by night, shutting up at 
85° and allowing it to rise 10° or 15° more ; the plants 
are rested in a stove close by. It is clear by this that 
Calanthes are in their glory when grown with plenty 
of light, heat and moisture, and a good rich diet; they 
do not need half the shade many people think they do. 
AVe never had Yestita rosea half so good as this year 
by growing it in wire baskets close to the glass without 
any shade, but with plenty of moisture and heat. — Con. 
Saccolabium giganteum illustre.— At this 
dull, sunless season of the year, when Cattleyas, 
Phaltenopsis and Angrrecums lose their colour and 
shrivel up, it is gratifying to witness the handsome 
flowers of this grand winter-flowering species unaffected 
by the fog. The flowers also last several weeks in 
perfection, and are deliciously scented. AVe recently 
saw it in fine order in Messrs. Veitcli & Son’s nursery 
at Chelsea, and had the pleasure of comparing it with 
the typical S. giganteum. The leaves are longer and 
broader than in the latter, and the flowers are altogether 
larger and better coloured. A particular fine variety, 
however, was conspicuous amongst the rest on account 
of its much richer and more intense colouration. The 
sepals and petals are white, spotted with rich amethyst 
purple, while the blotches on the tips of those organs 
are unusually large. The terminal lobe of the labellum 
is of a fine mauve-violet colour, that is distinctly richer 
in tint than the ordinary form, constituting it a valuable 
variety. For the adornment of the East Indian house, 
nothing more desirable of its class could be had at this 
season. Add to this its fragrance, and long lasting 
qualities, which are strong features in its favour. It 
is a native of Cochin-China, and is figured in the 
Illustration Horticole, 3rd series, t. 517. 
