392 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 19, 1887. 
A GARDENERS’ ORPHANAGE. 
Some of your readers, when they see the above 
heading, will say, “Well, I did not know that a gar¬ 
deners’ orphanage existed in this country !” and 1 am 
hound to say that 1 do not know of any such particular 
institution ; hut I see no reason why one should not he 
established. We have an admirable institution for the 
benefit of aged gardeners and gardeners’ widows ; but 
the little children appear to be overlooked. 
At the present time, various schemes are being pro¬ 
posed in the horticultural journals for appropriately 
celebrating the Queen’s year of Jubilee by the “ horti¬ 
cultural world ” in this kingdom ; and I know not of 
any higher, nobler, or more unselfish method of cele¬ 
brating this auspicious year than by founding a home 
for the destitute, fatherless and motherless children of 
those who have honourably followed the illustrious 
calling of “gardener and by this term I embrace all 
who are directly connected with horticulture, either 
journalistically or by trade. 
I do not know, Mr. Editor, a more appropriate 
journal than yours wherein to make this appeal on 
behalf of the young ; for I think The Gardening 
World is the youngest gardening periodical in this 
country, and, child-like, it gets into nooks and corners 
that its aged aDd sedate contemporaries fail to reach. 
Appeals have appeared, from time to time, in the 
horticultural press for contributions on behalf of the 
orphan children of well-known and clever gardeners— 
men who have passed away at a comparatively early 
age, and consequently had little opportunity of making 
provision for those they loved so well. I fear these 
appeals have not always met with the response they 
deserved—not from lack of sympathy, good nature, or 
charity, but rather because “what is everybody’s 
business is nobody’s business ” ; and instead of everyone 
doing something, each person leaves the work to be done 
by another, and in the end it turns out that scarcely 
anyone has done anything. 
Gardeners, as a rule, are surpassed hy none in 
generosity when this is required in a good cause, and 
I feel sure that if an appeal is made to them on behalf 
of a Gardeners’ Orphanage it will meet with earnest 
consideration and liberal support. Since writing the 
foregoing, on the evening of the 8th inst., a paragraph 
has appeared in a contemporary from the pen of Mr. 
Penny, of Sandringham, urging the establishment of 
the institution I suggest. 
I have before me, as I write, the balance sheet of 
the Railway Servants’ Orphanage, and I observe that 
with a capital of nearly £21,000 the managing com¬ 
mittee are maintaining an orphanage containing nearly 
200 children, and have provided accommodation for 300 
more. This orphanage is managed in connection with 
the Railway Benevolent Institution, and it occurs to 
me that a Gardeners’ Orphanage might be established 
in connection with the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent 
Institution. Surely we gardeners ought to be able to 
establish a small institution without any difficulty. 
Every head gardener ought to willingly give his 
guinea ; I am prepared to do so, and will gladly double 
it if 499 other gardeners will do the same ; for out of 
over 3,000 gardeners to be found in the directory, it is 
scarcely unreasonable to expect that there are at least 
500 who will give the above sum. In addition to the 
above, each head gardener should contribute 2s. 6 d. 
per annum, or more ; and every under gardener a 
donation of 2s. 6 cl., and an annual subscription of Is., 
or such larger sum as he may choose. I hope other of 
your readers will state their opinions.— J. Uclale, 
Elford, Tamworth, Feb. 11th, 1887. 
--->3E«—- 
ON THE USE OF MANURES 
IN ORCHID CULTURE. 
If careful note is taken of certain Orchids as im¬ 
ported, it will be found that the material in which 
they have been growing in their natural home is of a 
very rich description, shewing unmistakeable signs of 
decayed vegetation, manurial deposits, etc. The fact 
that such is the case tells us that under certain con¬ 
ditions these Orchids thrive in a richer material than 
that composed of moss, crocks, peat, charcoal, etc. 
Take for instance the Cymbidium Lowianum or gigan- 
teum at home ; this Orchid is found growing most 
luxuriantly on the sides of small watercourses, the soil 
being of a fine friable loam rich with decayed vegetable 
matter. At certain seasons the rain descends in 
torrents, washing down the accumulations of decayed 
vegetation and manurial deposits, liberally deluging 
the plants with what we should term “ liquid manure, ” 
soaking the soil, and, at the same time, enriching it 
to an extent that seems incredible. In this soil the 
plants grow, and throw spikes some 6 ft. long, carrying 
as many as thirty flowers, and, in some cases, even 
more. During the dry season these watercourses (or 
dykes) dry up, thus leaving the plants without any 
water, except such as they obtain from the dews of 
night. The result is that the roots penetrate the soil, 
seeking nourishment from the rich material stored 
there ; and their appearance shows how well it suits 
them. Here then, surely, is an Orchid that we should 
treat with manure if we wish to grow it in perfection. 
Another matter worthy of note is the fact that 
although the country is, at certain seasons, very hot, 
the finest plants are those grown in a comparatively 
cool atmosphere, where plenty of shade is obtained. 
We have always grown this Orchid in a cool place, and 
have, on more than one occasion, been told that we are 
growing it too cool. Following, however, what we 
think the natural treatment, and giving them a plentiful 
supply of manurial stimulant, such as they receive at 
home, or its equivalent, our plants grow freely, and 
give us a plentiful return of bloom, the foliage being 
spotless, and of a rich dark bright green ; showing that 
here, at least, we have an Orchid deriving benefit from 
the application of manure when given by careful hands 
and at necessary times. 
At one time, Jensen’s manure was applied in small 
quantities on the surface of the material, letting the 
watering wash the particles to the roots. Latterly, 
however, we have given it in a liquid form, giving the 
minimum quantity often rather than a dose of over¬ 
strength. Let those who object to such treatment 
satisfy themselves in seeing what can be done by it, and 
I have no doubt they will be convinced of the benefit 
derived by the plants. Like “ Caution,” with certain 
other subjects the result has not been so successful; but 
experience is never more profitable than when bought. 
— St. George. 
-——- 
THE RESURRECTION PLANT. 
Occasionally this crops up in a sensational para¬ 
graph, as for instance, not a great while since when a 
statement made the rounds of the papers in this 
country, and also in America, purporting to be de¬ 
scriptive of this “marvellous plant,” the “latest 
discovery in the vegetable kingdom !” and highly ex¬ 
aggerating the peculiar characteristic properties which 
it possesses. It is really an interesting Lycopod, for it 
belongs to the Lycopodiaceae, a natural order of plants 
which forms an intermediate link between the Ferns 
and the mosses, and of which the native club-mosses are 
the home representatives. The Resurrection Plant is 
Lycopodium lepidophyllum, and was so named by the 
late Sir William Hooker, who described and figured it 
in his leones Plantarum, published in 1836, he having 
at different times got specimens from Mexico ; the first 
of which, also supposed to have been the first that was 
brought to Europe, was by a Mr. Cuming, who pur¬ 
chased it in Central America for its weight in gold. 
After giving its botanical description, Sir William 
states that “this plant in South America, having 
enjoyed such a celebrity from its remarkable hygrometric 
property, that specimens form an article of commerce 
between Mexico and Peru. lake the Anastatica hiero- 
chuntica, or famous Rose of Jericho, in the dried state 
the stems and branches are incurved, so that the whole 
plant forms an elastic ball. On being moistened, the 
stem and branches spread out horizontally, and the 
experiment may be repeatedly performed.” 
On its native Mexican plains, it forms, in the rainy 
season, pretty, flat-spreading, compact, green moss¬ 
like plants ; but when that of extreme drought sets in, 
these incurve, as before mentioned, drawing their little 
rootlets at the same time out of the ground, when they 
become rolled up into balls, which are then bowled 
about by the winds till, on the recurrence of the rainy 
season, they again spread out, fix themselves, and 
resume their growth. Although kept dry for many 
years, the plant will expand on being placed in water, 
and roll up again when dried, although its actual 
vegetating or growing powers may be entirely lost, nor 
is it likely these will be retained long after the period 
allotted for its annual rest ; hence its resuscitative 
powers are strictly hygrometric—absorbing or retaining 
moisture—and, therefore, more imaginary than real. 
A MANUAL OF ORCHIDACEOUS 
PLANTS.* 
The first part of a work, that promises to be an in¬ 
valuable boon to Orchid growers in general, amateurs 
and all lovers of this the most deservedly popular class 
of plants, has at length appeared, and will, no doubt, 
fulfil the sanguine expectations of all who have been 
eagerly looking forward to its advent. A prominent 
and noticeable feature, that cannot fail to interest and 
instruct readers, is the insertion of two maps, showing 
the geographical distribution of the genus Odonto- 
glossum. The countries inhabited by the several 
species occupy a narrow longitudinal strip, running 
through the Andean region of South America and the 
Rocky Mountains of Central America and Mexico ; this 
region is coloured differently from the rest of the maps, 
while the species inhabiting the several districts are 
given in blue ink. 
In mentioning the founders of the genus, we fail to 
understand why Bonpland, one of the number, should 
be left unnoticed. The generic distinctions of On- 
cidium, Odontoglossum and Miltonia have always been 
unsatisfactory, and probably will always remain an 
unsolved problem while they are kept separate. Me 
are glad, however, to note that Miltonia vexillaria, M. 
Endresii (syn. Odontoglossum Warscewiczii) and M. 
Warscewiczii (syn. O. Weltoni, Hort.) are relegated to 
their proper genus. The lip is described as being 
parallel with the column at the base, but it is difficult 
to see how this applies to Odontoglossum grande, O. 
Schlieperianum, O. Insleayi and O. hastilabium ; the 
woodcuts given in the body of the work, however, pay 
special attention to this fact aud are invaluable on that 
account. A detailed description is also given of O. 
citrosmum, showing in what important particulars it 
differs from a typical Odontoglossum, which latter may 
best be conceived by reference to O. erispum, O. odoratum 
or 0. blandum. In describing the column we notice a 
marked improvement on the description in the Genera 
Plantarum, which says “ columna . . . apice preeter 
dentes v. lobos clinandrii exalata, rarissime more 
Oncidii ad latera stigmatis 2-auriculata." Many of 
the most typical species have prominent wings alongside 
of the stigmatic disk ; some species, such as 0. par- 
dinum, 0. nebulosum, 0. hastilabium and others have 
no wings to the column, but the same thing occurs in 
several species of Oncidium. 
Of the sixty to seventy acknowledged and distinct 
species, about fifty-five are given on the distribution 
maps ; and over forty of the best and most useful for 
garden purposes are accurately described, and show the 
imprint of a masterly hand. All the more important 
varieties are described under their respective species, 
and a laudable distinction is made between really 
botanical variations and those describable simply as 
colour varieties. To a casual observer, 0. Wallisii 
recalls some of the varieties of 0. constrictum, such as 
0. c. Sanderianum ; but the monograph under notice 
points out its distinctness in the long linear leaves. 
Besides those mentioned, a list of purely botanical 
species, and the so-called natural hybrids, are given at 
the end of the book, with short descriptions. These 
will be most useful for reference by those who are per¬ 
plexed with the specific value of 0. elegans, 0. Wileke- 
anum, 0. brachvpterum, and others. A great number, 
of allied forms, however, are grouped under the species 
they most resemble ; and this is a most laudable—and, 
possibly, least confusing—method of dealing with the 
so-called or assumed natural hybrids. 0. odoratum, 
0. luteo-purpureum, aud 0. erispum are the most 
prolific in intermediate forms, and their distribution in 
contiguous districts is very significant. 
Copious cultural notes with regard to potting, tem¬ 
perature, watering, and shading are given in the 
introduction ; and alter the specific descriptions given 
in the body of the work, the history of the species 
(when it has any) is related in a manner that will 
induce readers to peruse it with pleasure. Numerous 
references to figures or coloured plates in all the more 
important botanical and illustrated works will doubt¬ 
less prove of immense value to those in search of further 
information. Synonyms are introduced where such 
exist, and foot-notes referring to descriptions, and 
other information, render the manual a work of no 
ordinary merit. The accompanying illustration of the 
very handsome Odontoglossum Pescatorei Veitchiauum, 
now in Baron Schroder’s collection, forms the frontis¬ 
piece to the work, and for its use in these columns we 
are indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Harry Veitch. 
* A Manual of Orchidaceous Plants, Cultivated under 
Glass in Great Britain. Part I., Odontoglossum. By James 
Veitch & Sons, King’s Road, Chelsea. 
