April 2, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
487 
Carnations, Gloxinias and Calceolarias. 
Special attention is likewise devoted to the culture 
of these, and a grand display will shortly be seen. 
Amongst the former, just now shining most conspicu¬ 
ously, is the best yellow in cultivation—viz., Pride of 
Penshurst, a grand and useful florists’ flower. Another 
that took my fancy was Mrs. W. Bright, a good bronzy 
yellow, of fine substance and good shape. A visit to 
these nurseries at any season of the year will always be . 
found interesting to those who are fond of seeing 
flowers well done ; for they are certainly to be found 
here in wonderful luxuriance, and in quantities to suit 
everybody in every station.— Rusticus. 
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PARAFFIN OIL 
As a Preventive against the Attacks of Birds, 
Rats, Mice, &c. 
The great season of seed sowing is now upon us, and 
with it all the cares and anxieties which are incidental 
to the ultimate success or failure of these operations. 
It is well known what terrible ravages birds, rats, mice 
and insects commit upon seeds and young seedlings. 
With what perseverance will the rats and mice when 
they discover Peas sown, search the rows from end 
to end, «,nd often destroy the whole crop ; and should 
the seeds escape, as soon as the young plants make their 
appearance above ground, they are subject to the attacks 
of birds, who are very fond of the young and tender 
shoots. How often do we find whole beds of the 
Brassica tribe disappear, destroyed by the birds as soon 
as the little cotyledons make their appearance, notwith¬ 
standing the precautions which may have been taken to 
net the beds. The sparrows and finches are almost sure 
to finda hole somewhere in which to creep and com¬ 
mence their depredations. 
I might also mention other vegetables, such as 
Radishes, Turnips, and so forth, but those I have 
already enumerated are quite sufficient for my purpose, 
as the same remarks will apply to all. It is often a 
matter of deep consideration with us how best to guard 
against the attacks of these enemies who so relentlessly 
wage war against us. I have tried several things, but 
for all general purposes I find nothing to equal the 
judicious use of paraffin oil, both for large and small 
seeds, and also young seedlings. For large seeds such 
as Peas and Beans, in sowing, I mix say a pint of 
paraffin with water in the proportion of one-eighth of the 
former to seven-eighths of the latter. This is quite 
strong enough, and will do for several quarts of seeds. 
Put say a quart of Peas into a flower pot having a piece 
of rag or some other substance at the bottom, which 
will at the same time prevent the Peas from falling out, 
and ensure a quick drainage. Pour in sufficient to wet 
all the seeds, and after it has drained through, add 
sufficient very white sand or wood ashes to dry the seeds, 
and make them better to handle, and then sow. The 
same mixture can be used as long as it lasts, if precaution 
is taken to place the flower pot over something which 
will hold water. 
For smaller seeds, such as Radishes, Cabbages and 
so forth, I find it best to syringe the bed immediately 
after sowing—and it answers quite as well. As soon 
as the young seedlings appear above ground syringe 
them very slightly, in the proportion of quarter of a 
pint of paraffin to four gallons of water, but as paraffin 
oil is of a much lighter nature than water, and will, 
therefore, not readily mix with it but swim on the top, 
great care must be taken to keep it well stirred. Draw 
out a syringeful of the mixture and squirt it back hard 
into the waterpot two or three times before each syringe¬ 
ful which is sent over the seed-beds. 
Paraffin oil carefully used upon all kinds of seeds 
and seedlings in the manner I have described, will not 
injure even the most tender. I have used it this year 
upon the early Peas and other seedlings which were 
attacked by the birds and mice as soon as they made 
their appearance, but since I syringed them with it, 
nothing has touched them. Two things must be well 
understood : the mixture must not contain too much 
paraffin, and it must be kept well stirred or the seed¬ 
lings may possibly be injured. This method, which I 
. have endeavoured to describe, is very simple, most 
economical, and what is more to the purpose, it is quite 
efficacious.— Alfred Gaut, The Gardens, Copped Hall, 
Totteridge. [Paraffin is a perfect insecticide, if used 
with care. It is more easily mixed with water, if milk 
or a little soft soap is added.—E d.] 
ORCHIDS AT SUDBURY HOUSE, 
HAMMERSMITH. 
Go when one may, there is always something of 
interest to be seen in this noted and extensive collection, 
notwithstanding the fact that so many are grown simply 
for cut-flower purposes. What will probably strike the 
visitor most forcibly is the vast number of cool Odonto- 
glossums, filling house after house of such species as 
0. crispum, 0. Pescatorei, 0. gloriosum, 0. cirrhosum, 
and others. The range of variety in several of these 
would be extremely confusing to anyone attempting to 
limit a species by the size, shape and colour of the 
flowers. All of these points are almost limitless in 
O. crispum. The superiority of some varieties of 0. 
triumphans was evidenced by a fine form we noted here 
the other day. The spotting was very intense on a rich 
yellow ground. 0. crispum Ruckerianum was con¬ 
spicuous by the spotting on the sepals and petals, 
margined with rosy purple. The rich and varied 
spotting in the forms of 0. Rossii is a feature here in 
winter and] spring, comprising the curious 0. R. 
virescens. Many fine specimens of the beautiful trans¬ 
versely barred 0. Cervantesi have flowered from time to 
time very attractively. 
The species now scientifically relegated to Miltoni, 
namely 0. vexillarium, 0. Roezlii and 0. Phalanopsis, 
are special favourites with Mr. Peacock, and exist in 
large numbers. The plants of the first-named occupy a 
broad stage along the front of a lean-to house near to 
the glass, and look a picture of vigour and health. 
Last year they produced some 800 spikes of bloom, and 
may confidently be expected to produce a much finer 
display in a few months. The latter two species are 
pushing into flower now, one of which, namely, 0. 
Phalienopsis, is difficult of cultivation. A great number 
of plants of Phalaenopsis in baskets make a fine display 
from time to time. The leaves of P. Schilleriana and 
P. Stuartiana speak to the treatment they receive, as 
many of them measure from 12 ins. to 17 ins. in length. 
These, as well as P. amabilis (P. grandiflora, Ldl.), are 
flowering just now, and show a considerable range of 
colour in different individuals. 
In another house, Oncidium Cavendishii with its 
great rigid leaves was flowering conspicuously amongst 
a batch of Coelogyne flaccida, whose pendulous racemes 
of flowers may be described as pretty, but the peculiar 
odour emitted by the flowers is not particularly sweet. 
Some Cattleyas were flowering in the Cattleya house, 
chiefly forms of C. Trianse and C. Percivaliana. The 
numerous fogs that prevail in the vicinity of the river 
are greatly detrimental to Cattleya flowers in winter. 
Occupying one end of this house, however, a magnificent 
display is formed by Cymbidium eburneum. The pots 
are arranged in lines, tier above tier, all occupied by 
plants in a most healthy free-flowering condition. 
Many of the scapes bear two flowers, one at some 
distance above the other, although ordinarily the 
flowers are solitary. The delicious odour exhaled by 
them permeates the whole house, and is perceived on 
entering the house, but becomes stronger as the group 
is approached. Various other Orchids are flowering in 
different places, such as Dendrobium Findleyanum, 
Lycaste Skinneri, L. mesochliena and Maxillaria 
venusta, with its curious mealy or pasty labellum.— 
J. F. 
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PORTRAITS OF GARDEN PLANTS. 
Adesmia balsamica. 
About eighty species of Adesmia are known to science, 
but with the exception of the present, of which the 
figure was taken in the gardens of Sir George Macleay, 
Pendell Court, none worthy of cultivation seem to have 
been introduced. The golden yellow flowers are pro¬ 
duced in great abundance, and the graceful foliage and 
slender ramifications of the stems and branches, 
combine to render it a handsome decorative conserva¬ 
tory plant. Claude Gay says its balsamic odour in'' its 
native habitats can be detected at a great distance.— 
Botanical Magazine, t. 6921. 
Strobilanthus colokatus. 
The tubular pale bluish purple flowers of this species 
are produced in terminal panicles, 6 ins. to 12 ins. in 
length ; it is a native of Assam and the Eastern 
Himalayas, at an elevation of 2,000 ft. to 5,000 ft. ; and 
under favourable conditions it attains a height of 10 ft. 
in its native home, but will flower in a much smaller 
state if grown in pots. The specimens figured were 
raised from seeds sent from Calcutta by Dr. King, and 
flowered at Kew.— Botanical Magazine, t. 6922. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
Vegetables in Season. —For green vegetables this 
month is, perhaps, one of the most trying, both to 
amateurs and professionals, especially in the neighbour¬ 
hood of large towns, the smoke and falling soot of 
which have a very deleterious effect on these crops, and 
together with alternate freezing and thawing com¬ 
pletely destroys them. Few have now any Brussels 
Sprouts, Savoys, or Cabbages left; but where these 
exist they will be much appreciated. Purple-sprouting 
Broccoli, Chou de Burghley, and Curled Greens, or 
Cottagers’ Kale, will now be serviceable. The two 
former are extremely hardy, and where properly tried 
are very much esteemed at this season. The white 
Broccolis, where they were late and stood the winter, 
if not ready for cutting will soon be so. The Curled 
Greens and Cottagers’ Kale are unknown in many 
gardens, but deserve more extensive cultivation for use 
during the spring months, when their delicacy and 
flavour is much improved. The latter variety especi¬ 
ally is not very inviting to the eye on account of its 
colour and rough appearance ; but the young sprouts 
and leaves, abundantly produced on the stems even in 
summer, prove acceptable to those who have given 
them a trial. The coarse leaves need not be used at 
any time, and those produced on old plants when 
growth recommences in spring are mild and delicate in 
flavour. 
Turnips, where sown late, are still in excellent 
condition; and Leeks, where a proper supply was 
planted, will furnish an excellent and wholesome green 
vegetable to those who like them. The perfection to 
which these have been grown lately render a large 
breadth of them unnecessary. The various roots, such 
as Carrots, Beet, Parsnips ; and tubers, such as Potatos 
and Artichokes, will continue in good condition for 
some months to come—indeed, till a fresh supply can 
be obtained. Those who commenced early to force 
Potatos will, towards the en 1 of the month, get new 
ones ; and those who were provident or economical 
enough to sow Carrots, Radishes, and Lettuce between 
the lines will by this time have some fit for use. 
Planting. —Owing to the occurrence of a rather 
protracted snowstorm during the middle and latter end 
of March, outdoor operations of many kinds were 
brought to a standstill, consequently, planting and 
sowing had to be postponed till the ground became 
more workable. Much planting that might otherwise 
have been completed will have to be done in April. 
Vegetation is, moreover, not very far advanced, and 
'accordingly plants suffer less from the operation than 
if in active growth. Where necessity requires it, fruit 
trees, such as Apples, Pears and bush fruits, may still 
be transplanted. This applies to young trees, which, 
however, cannot be expected to bear crops unless a 
favourable growing season ensues, because the 
mutilated or pruned roots have not had time to 
re-establish themselves, and draw fresh supplies. 
Gooseberries are now too far advanced, and should not 
be disturbed if it can be helped. Roses may safely be 
transplanted yet, but the operation will have the effect 
of retarding growth and the production of bloom. 
Evergreens, such as Laurels, Hollies, Aucubas and 
Evergreen Conifers, may be moved with safety and 
propriety, but care must be exercised, especially in the 
case of Conifers, not to allow the soil in which they are 
planted to become dry. 
Forcing Department.— As a rule, amateurs do not 
lay stress upon the work that may be said to belong 
properly to this department, and in many cases no 
forcing whatever is done ; but those who have the 
leisure and the means can, by a little judicious appli¬ 
cation to the art of gardening, add much to their 
pleasure and comfort. Regular forcing houses or pits 
are of great service and admit of being put to a great 
variety of purposes, according to the season ; these 
need not be extensive, but in their absence the hot-bed 
may often well serve the purpose. Besides the forcing 
of Potatos, Rhubarb, Sea Kale, Asparagus and such 
things, seeds may be sown in such warm places and 
brought into bearing much earlier than by the usual 
method. Seeds of Tomatos, Cucumbers and Melons 
may still he sown, but those who put them in early will 
now have good-sized plants if they have been properly 
treated. Where it is intended to plant them out in a 
bed, no time should be lost in getting it done so as to 
keep them healthy and growing. Pot on those in¬ 
tended to be grown in pots, while those to be placed 
out of doors should be placed near the glass to prevent 
drawing and at the same time encourage them to grow 
slowly. Peas raised in boxes may he planted out in 
sheltered places if they have previously been thoroughly 
hardened off.— F. 
