March 12, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
443 
the season and varieties for another year will have to be 
extended. Not being conversant with the best culti¬ 
vated sorts now in vogue, I would be obliged to you, or 
your readers who make this class of plants a speciality, 
for names of the best sorts, say twelve each, single and 
double, for pot culture, and succession ujj to the end of 
March, as the vegetative wave of spring does not reach 
here to bring them out in bloom before then. Making 
notes personally upon these is next to impossible, as 
our best growers are so far from here. — B. L. 
Habrothamnus elegans Newellii.— The 
flowers of the ordinary form of this useful free-flowering 
Mexican shrub are rosy purple or carmine, but those of 
the plant under notice are of a lively crimson, with a 
glossy shining 1 ustre. Judging from the specimen, 
which was grown in a small pot, this form will be as 
useful and free-flowering as the type. Mr. Morrison, 
gardener at Carville Hall, Brentford, intends planting 
it out, but until it flowered could not say whether it 
was different from the ordinary form, or whether it 
merited house-room. When space can be spared this 
shrub will cover part of the wall of a conservatory 
very profitably, and yield a great quantity of flowers 
for cutting purposes. 
Azalea indica Deutsche Perle.— This fine 
pure white early-flowering double variety is in great 
beauty with Mr. Dinsmore, gardener to T. E. Blackwell, 
Esq., The Cedars, Harrow Weald. Its flowers resemble 
Gardenia blooms, and it is being eagerly sought after 
by growers for cut flowers. 
Asplenium Ceterach. —If not one of the most 
conspicuous or attractive, this is certainly a striking 
and interesting Bern when seen in good condition and 
fair average size ; at the same time it is one of the 
most distinct, owing to the dense covering of rusty 
scales covering the underside. Many desire to add it to 
their collections, but the measure of success attending 
its cultivation fluctuates greatly under the varied 
treatment it receives. It naturally lives and delights 
in dry exposed situations, yet the roots under cultivation 
must not be allowed to get dry, and a shady position 
often causes a far richer development of leafage than 
when fully exposed to the influence of the sun, especially 
in small pots. The finest lot and the greatest number 
of plants in one place that the writer ever witnessed, 
was in the straggling village of Bishopstone, South 
Wales, where it had taken possession of the masonry of 
a garden wall by hundreds, or even thousands, forming 
dense lines of fine tufted plants with fronds 3 ins. to 6 ins. 
high. \Y hen commenting upon the luxuriance and 
beauty of this comparatively rare and cherished British 
wilding, the owner of the garden merely replied that a 
“prophet is not without honour except in his own 
country. ”— Filix. 
Lilium candidum. —An immense quantity of this 
fine white Lily is forced in pots by Mr. Gough at the 
great gardens at Harefield Grove. The plants are well 
budded, and promise to be even better this year than 
usual. 
Saxifraga Burseriana. —In a cool frame, with a 
northern aspect, in the Gardens of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society at Chiswick, an idea can be gleaned of 
the effect produced by one of the loveliest of all 
Saxifrages. Its snowy purity is all the more conspicuous 
at this season, from the fact of its being the pioneer 
of the genus, and, consequently, enjoys immunity from 
competition. Whether it suffered from competition or 
not, a neater or more compact species, with compara¬ 
tively large flowers, does not exist. The flower stems 
do not exceed 2 or 3 ins. in height, and these are 
produced in numerous compact masses, owing to the 
densely aggregated condition of the rosettes of awl- 
shaped leaves. The plant does not increase rapidly, 
but can be propagated with great certainty from the 
short radical rosettes. 
Eriostemon cuspidatum. —Bor greenhouse or 
conservatory work several of the species of Eriostemon 
are invaluable, being both neat, dwarf growing, and 
easily-cultivated New Holland shrubs. The leaves are 
small, closely set, and evergreen, and do not possess 
the disagreeable odour pertaining to many of the 
Butacece to which they belong. The Orange also be¬ 
longs to the same family, and the flowers of Eriostemon 
may be compared to those of the latter, although 
smaller. They are somewhat pinkish in bud, but ex¬ 
pand of a pure white. When the tide of favour for 
New Holland plants turns, the species of Eriostemon 
will receive more attention than they do at present. A 
well-set plant, with flowers about to expand, holds its 
own in the conservatory at Carville Hall, Brentford. 
St. Ann’s Amateur Floral and Horti¬ 
cultural, Nottingham. —The general monthly 
meeting of this society was held at the “Queen’s Arms” 
Inn on Tuesday week—S. Thacker, Esq., in the chair. 
There was a good display of plants and flowers ; Mr. 
Thacker exhibited a fine lot of plants suitable for table 
decoration, amongst which were Cocos Weddeliana, 
Crotons, Pandanus Veitchii, and Orchids in bloom. A 
fine plant, grown in a C-in. pot, of Ccelogyne cristata, 
had no less than fourteen spikes ; two good plants of 
Sophronites grandiflora, well flowered ; Odontoglossum 
Alexandra, Cattleyas, Dendrobium nobile, Wardianum, 
&e. Mr. T. B. Hallam exhibited some good Hyacinths, 
intermixed with Asparagus plumosus, which had a 
good effect; Mr. H. Lee and Mr. J. Stonystreet exhibited 
good plants of Cyclamen, Primula, Cineraria, and some 
very fine Rhubarb. A discussion on the growth of the 
Cyclamen and Cineraria was carried on by several 
members until a late hour, and a vote of thanks to 
the chairman for presiding brought a very pleasant 
meeting to a close.— J. S. F. 
-*»3=o- 
ORCHID RO TES AND GLEANINGS. 
Cattleya Trianse alba. — There are three 
distinct forms of the above here, all of the purest white 
except the throat, which has the usual pale yellow 
blotch upon it. The largest and best shaped flower 
measures 6 ins. across ; the lip 2 ins. ; the sepals over 
2 ins. ; and it is altogether a good bold flower and 
perfect in shape. My experience is quite different to 
that of Mr. Eraser, who speaks of the rose colour dimin¬ 
ishing as the flower gets older. I have been dis¬ 
appointed more than once in flowering an imported 
Cattleya for the first time. “Ah”! one exclaims, 
“Trianse alba true ; yes, very fortunate.” What about 
the same flowers forty-eight hours afterwards ? Why, 
they had become pale rose or lilac-coloured ones, so we 
named them “ C. Trianse delicata and if these forms 
of delicata were less plentiful, they would be more 
appreciated. We have one in flower just now, with 
the sepals and petals white, and just sufficient colour 
in the lip to make it a bad variety. I think none ought 
to be called C. T. alba that have any rose or lilac 
tint about them. The true variety is as white as snow 
when it opens, and remains so until the flowers fade.— 
Thos. Simcoe. 
Dendrobium Wardianum.— Last year I sent 
you a flower of a large form of D. Wardianum, with the 
remark that it was not near so lasting as the ordinary 
forms ; and at a subsequent communication, in reply 
to Mr. Simcoe’s remarks, who said it was equally as 
lasting or even more so than the smaller forms, I stated 
just how it lasted in comparison with several others 
grown on the same raft. I send yon a flower from the 
same plant as last year, also a flower from the smallest 
form on same raft, which, strange to say, is the next 
piece to the largest form. The largest flower has been 
out over a month, and was out three or four days 
before the smaller. At the time of sending, the large 
flower is just showing its age, whilst the small one has 
ost all beauty for two or three days, thus fully endors- 
ng Mr. Simcoe’s remarks, which I am very glad to be 
able to do, as the extra size, coupled with length of 
duration, adds additional charms to the larger flower. 
As its duration has proved my remarks incorrect, I 
admit the same ; size this year being quite equal to 
last.— E. Dumper. 
Cattlyea Triana3 from Howick House.— 
Now that this handsome Cattleya is in flower, no end 
of fine forms of it appear in every direction. Mr. W. 
Swan, gardener to E. G. Wrigley, Esq., Howick House, 
Preston, sends us a box of flowers varying greatly in 
size and the shades of colour. The labellum shows the 
greatest variation in this latter respect. The flowers 
were cut as a sample of some 300 blooms that have ex¬ 
panded from time to time recently. One or two showed 
a pale labellum, which would recommend them to some 
tastes, but are put in the shade by the brilliant and 
gorgeous colours of their better-favoured relatives. 
Not only were some of them characterised by the rich 
colouring of the labellum, but the latter organ, in 
some instances, was very broad, finely and con¬ 
spicuously crisped, reminding one of the labellum of C. 
Mendelii. The petals were also more or less crisped, 
and one flower exhibited a beautiful pale—almost 
white—margin around the deeper colour. 
Odontoglossum gloriosum.— The delicious 
odour diffused through the house by this popular 
Odontoglot is the first thing to greet the visitor on 
entering. There can be very little doubt that this 
is the leading source of its great popularity in gardens 
in the absence of more striking colours. It is true that 
when seen in best form, with long branching racemes 
bearing its masses of flowers, which are usually of some 
shade of yellow, spotted with chestnut-brown, it is 
neither devoid of interest nor beauty. During day¬ 
light, and especially when the temperature rises by 
sunlight, the fragrance emanating from the flowers is 
decidedly that of Cinnamon. This character was par¬ 
ticularly noticeable at Devonhurst, Chiswick, the other 
day, in a house that was gay with numerous Orchids. 
Dendrobium Pierardi. —Under ordinary cir¬ 
cumstances this species becomes deciduous, so that the 
flowers are developed in lateral clusters, all along 
naked pendent stems that sometimes reach a length of 
three, four, or more feet. Under such conditions, 
when well flowered, the plant possesses considerable de¬ 
corative value, notwithstanding the absence of striking 
colours. At Syon House, Isleworth, where the plants 
were partly in flower, the stems retained most of their 
leaves in a healthy presentable condition. We have 
also noticed the same thing elsewhere. 
Ccelogyne cristata alba. —Some fine speci¬ 
mens of this fine pure white Orchid are in bloom with 
Wm. Lee, Esq., of Downside, Leatherhead. When 
strong, its flowers prove even better than had been 
anticipated. Comparison shows that those on Mr. 
Lee’s plant are as large as C. c. maxima. 
-- 
FLOR ICULT URE. 
Camellias at Slough. —The large Camellia house 
at the Royal Nursery, Slough, is just now an object of 
considerable attraction, for it is a spacious structure, 
and contains some two dozen or so fine specimens, all 
in pots, some of them very large and in the best 
possible condition ; and the attractiveness of the house 
is further enhanced from the fact that on the back 
wall are hung a number of cages containing Canaries, 
that appear to be quite at home and perfectly happy 
there. Nearly all the Camellias are in bloom, the lead¬ 
ing varieties being Cup of Beauty, white, striped with 
rose ; fimbriata, pure white ; Henri Eavre, pinkish 
rose, extra fine ; imbricata, one of the best reds, and 
its charming white variety also ; L’Avenir, rosy pink ; 
Comte Cruvelli, rose and white ; Isabelle de Boiard, 
pink; Proserpine, red, extra fine; Lady Hume’s Blush ; 
Marie Antoinette, carmine, flaked with white ; Maria 
Theresa, mottled pale red and white ; and Valtevaredo, 
bright rose, mottled with white ; this list makes a 
good selection. A visit to the Royal Nursery just now 
would show these fine conservatory subjects in the best 
form, and there was not a trace of dropping buds to be 
seen.— R. D. 
-- 
LAW NOTES. 
Rogers v. Coombs.— Before Mr. Justice Grove and 
a Special Jury. In this case the plaintiff, who had 
formerly been in the employ of the defendant, a florist 
at Stamford Hill, sued the latter to recover damages 
for wrongful dismissal, slander, assault, and malicious 
prosecution. The main question involved in the action 
was whether or not the plaintiff acted improperly in top¬ 
ping a large number of Gardenias, and in his treatment 
of certain India-rubber plants. It appeared that on the 
13th January, 1886, the plaintiff gave a month’s notice, 
but before the month had expired was dismissed sum¬ 
marily, the defendant alleging that he had maliciously 
damaged the plants and trees. This formed the slander, 
to which defendant pleaded a justification. The alleged 
assault was not of a serious character, and the important 
portion of the claim had reference to the alleged 
malicious prosecution. The defendant prosecuted 
plaintiff at Worship Street police court for wilful 
damage, and the plaintiff (who asserted that the Gar¬ 
denias were properly topped in the ordinary way, as it 
was necessary for their growth, and that the India- 
rubber trees had been properly treated) was acquitted. 
He now brought the present action, and the defendant 
pleaded reasonable and probable cause, and counter¬ 
claimed for the damage which he said had been done to 
his plants. —Mr. Cock, Q. C. and Mr. Borman appeared 
for the plaintiff ; and Mr. Philbrick, Q.C., and Mr. 
Peill for the defendant.—The jury, after long delibera¬ 
tion, found for the plaintiff on all counts, and gave 
him a verdict for £62.—Judgment accordingly, with 
costs. 
