THE GARDENING WORLD. 
491 
April 2, 1887. 
in the ground the box, minus its bottom, may be 
utilised to protect the former from sun or frost. 
Plilox Drummondii grandiflora splen- 
dens.—This is one of the very best and showiest of 
summer bedding plants. If Mr. Ernst Benary had 
never introduced another novelty but this he would 
have earned the gratitude of all lovers of beauty in 
flowers. The flowers are of the richest blood-crimson, 
with a white star-like centre; a good grower, and mar-' 
vellously free of bloom. To my mind there is no 
Verbena that can touch it; and unlike them, it never 
takes the mildew or becomes infested with thrip. 
Now is the time to sow. Be sure and ask for 
grandiflora splendens. Years ago, when first intro¬ 
duced to England, the Floral Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society looked askance at it, and I fear 
it never obtained what it richly deserved—a First Class 
Certificate of Merit. At that time this high award was 
freely made to Verbenas that were of questionable 
value, and rarely seen again the second time ; but 
Phlox Drummondii grandiflora splendens will be grown 
for twenty years to come.— R. D. 
Cotoneaster microphylla. —When grown 
against a wall we have noticed this ornamental Hima¬ 
layan shrub adapt itself so readily to its surroundings, 
that it spread over the wall regularly without artificial 
training ; it can also be grown in various positions and 
under varying circumstances, w 7 here its adaptability 
is remarkable. It is planted on the rockery at the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens, Chiswick, with 
the view of covering some of the more prominent and 
projecting boulders that could not be covered by 
herbaceous plants or small-growing Alpines. The 
plants still continue to be covered with berries notwith¬ 
standing the severity of the winter. 
Camellia reticulata. —A great variety of bloom 
is annually obtained from a large plant of this showy- 
flowered Chinese species, growing in a frame in the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Chiswick. The 
frame was enlarged many years ago to accommodate 
it, and at present, and for years back, the shoots have 
been tied down to keep it away from the glass, and 
allow the flowers room to expand. The plant is of great 
age, and would by this time have attained considerable 
dimensions if allowed free scope for development. 
Apart from the distinctness of the foliage, the huge 
rosy flowers are very different from those of the common 
C. japonica. There is a figure of the former in the 
Botanical Register, t. 1078. 
Streptocarpus polyanthus. —The solitary 
leaf of this plant, hugging the surface of the soil more 
or less closely, will always be an object of curiosity 
independent of the showy character of the flowers. 
When planted out as an edging in some conservatory 
border, the individual leaves appear as if some one had 
been arranging them for amusement. This illusion is 
dispelled, however, when the fine deep blue flowers with 
their small white eyes make their appearance in suc¬ 
cession on a short cymosely branched scape. Numerous 
plants are now flowering freely in an intermediate house 
at Pendell Court. 
Antholyza sethiopica bicolor. —By growing 
this plant indoors, greater earliness is secured, and the 
long delicate green foliage is preserved in all its 
freshness and beauty. The latter resembles that of the 
better known Tritonia aurea, whose beauty is un¬ 
questionable when in prime condition. The long 
curved tubular flower is scarlet and yellow in the lower 
part, with the long upper lip scarlet. Mr. Ross grows 
it very successfully in the conservatory at Pendell 
Court. 
Hardenbergia Comptoniana.— The beauty 
of this free-flowering conservatory climber, apart from 
the handsome leathery evergreen leaves, is self-evident 
when it annually comes into bloom, and lasts in per¬ 
fection for many weeks during spring and early 
summer. The flowers are a deep blue with a white 
eye, which gives them a very attractive appearance, 
and although small, they are so abundantly produced 
in racemes that the plant is profusely laden with them. 
It is now in excellent condition at Pendell Court. 
Pink, Lord Lyon. —I think that as a good grower 
and a free bloomer, and also for the size and rich colour 
of the flowers, this stands at the head of the forcing 
Pinks. It was raised many years ago by the late Mr. 
James Clark, Bury St. Edmunds, and named by him 
after the Derby winner, Lord Lyon. It can be easily 
grown in pots and flowered under glass without giving 
it any artificial heat; and being a strong grower, does 
well in the open ground. The best way to propagate it 
is by taking cuttings as soon as convenient after the 
plants have done flowering, putting these in pots of 
sandy soil, and striking them in a gentle bottom heat, 
or under a handlight in a cold frame. When rooted, 
they should be potted singly, and grown on as strong 
as possible, finally placing them in their blooming pots 
about October. The flowers are of a large size, excellent 
form, and of a rosy purple colour with dark blotches. 
It is one of those things that should find a place in 
every collection of choice hardy plants.— R. D. 
Thyrsacanthus strictus. —T. rutilans is, 
probably, much more familiar to most gardeners than 
this species, with, however, a habit of an extremely 
different character. A specimen of T. strictus planted 
out in a stove at Pendell Court, where it is regarded as 
a fine thing in Mr. Ross’ estimation, reaches the height 
of a tall man, and bears a profusion of tubular scarlet 
flowers in short stiff racemes all over the upper part of 
the plant. These racemes are erect, and certainly give 
the plant a very different aspect from T. rutilans, calling 
for recognition on its own merits. 
Saxifraga ligulata. —Here is one of the very 
best of spring-flowering plants for a cold house. I have 
one large specimen in a 16-in. pot, with about a dozen 
strong shoots that are laden with fine bold spikes of 
flower just in their full beauty. The plant has been 
in the same pot for five years, and when it has gone 
out of bloom it is stood out in the open all the summer, 
and the pot placed in a pan of water, which saves a 
good deal of trouble in the way of watering, and 
prevents worms from getting into it. Without the 
necessity for employing anything in the way of artificial 
heat, this fine Saxifraga flowers early naturally ; but 
under glass the blossoms do not take on so great a depth 
of colour as when growing in the open border. — R. D. 
Bellicide. —That this new preparation for killing 
Daisies and other weeds is well answering its purpose 
is shown by the results of its application to the lawn 
at Oakley Court, Windsor. Mr. T. Lockie, the gar¬ 
dener, writes :—“I used it on Dandelions, Plantains, 
&c., on a thin mossy lawn during last autumn, taking 
advantage of showery weather, and simply sprinkled it 
over the Plantains, &c., doing it with thumb and 
finger, and in a few days they began to wither and 
gradually disappear. This day (March 28th) we have 
been sweeping and rolling the lawn, and I find that the 
weeds treated with Bellicide have quite disappeared, 
and the places where the weeds had been are being 
grown over with Moss and Grass. I must say that it 
answers remarkably well.”— R. D. 
Iris reticulata. —When grown under the pro¬ 
tection of glass, this proves a highly satisfactory and 
popular, subject for the decoration of greenhouse or 
conservatory, but when well flowered out of doors no 
spring flower can vie with it in neatness, depth and con¬ 
trast of colours, combined with a delicious and delicate 
odour. A compact well-flowered clump of an intensely 
blue form, contrasting well with the orange spots and 
blotches, is now very attractive on the new rockery at 
Devonhurst. 
Double Wallflower.— In the conservatory of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, at Chiswick, are 
numerous large specimens of the double yellow Wall¬ 
flower in pots. Occasionally we see this plant in 
gardens, but owing to the necessity of preserving it by 
frequent propagation, it is liable to die out when 
planted outside and left to the mercy of the elements. 
Asplenium marinum. —The fronds of this 
evergreen native Fern are so rigid and leathery in 
character, that they constitute the plant a subject 
highly suitable for the drying atmosphere of a sitting- 
room. When grown liberally in a moderately warm 
and moist heat, the fronds assume such dimensions, 
that the plant as ordinarily seen in a state of nature is 
hardly recognisable. Even there, however, in some 
instances the fronds elongate, and become pendent or 
arching, so as to lose their rigidity and present a 
graceful contour. When dusty they admit of washing 
without danger of destroying them, as happens in the 
case of the more delicate popular kinds. The Fern is 
also excellently suited for cultivation in Wardian cases. 
Mr. J. Addison, of Merton Lodge, Chiswick, grows this 
amongst the favourite British and half-hardy Ferns, 
The British Ferns, however, do not enjoy the promi¬ 
nence they deserve in many gardens, and especially 
those in or near towns. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid-growers’ Calendar. — From 
henceforth, careful shading and ventilation, and careful 
and liberal watering, of all growing plants, and the 
giving of enough water to those not growing, are 
matters demanding special attention. In matters of 
watering, once the bright sunshine of spring is with us, 
it is much easier to do damage to the plants by giving 
too little water than it is by giving too much ; indeed, 
if the plants are well potted and properly drained, it is 
not easy to overdo them with good rain-water while 
actively growing and rooting. 
The Calanthes which are ready should be re-potted, 
and with respect to them, I cannot do better than refer 
your readers to the clever article on the subject which 
your correspondent, Air. Blandford, commenced atp. 470 
of your last issue, as it embodies the best information 
possible on the subject. The compost recommended by 
him for the Calanthes, may be adhered to with advantage 
for many of the terrestrial Orchids, such as Phajus, 
Calanthes of the Yeratrifolia section, strong-growing 
Zygopetalums, &c., now ready to re-pot if the condition 
of their flower-spikes will admit of it. The same 
compost, too, would grow many of the strong-growing 
Cypripediums far better than the hungry stuff they are 
often potted in, and with the addition of a little more 
peat, the varieties of Lycaste Skinneri would take 
kindly to it, and may be re-potted as they go out of 
flower. 
The varieties of Ltelia anceps, L. autumnalis, L. 
albida may now be re-potted and placed in a light airy 
situation in an intermediate house. Dendrobes which 
require re-basketting or potting should be attended to, 
and for any plants requiring the same attention as to 
pots, blocks, or baskets, and which are in a fit condition 
of growth, no better time can be found to do the work. 
Artificial heat should be checked on all the houses as 
much as possible, very little indeed being required in 
the cold house. 
The Temperatures eor the Month of April 
should be :—Warm or East Indian house, 65° to 70° by 
day, 60° at night; Cattleya or intermediate house, 60° 
to 65° by day, 55° at night ; Cool or Odontoglossum 
house, 55° to 60° by day, 50° at night.— James 
O'Brien. 
Cattleya intermedia Laingi. —Under this 
name we have received a very fine flower from Air. J. 
Laing, of Forest Hill. It has the blush or pale rose 
sepals, petals and tube of the labellum of the type, but 
the broad flat front lobe of the lip is as fine in colour 
as Laelia elegans Turneri, and much reminds us of that 
species. A very large and well-marked form of 
Odontoglossum Cervantesii decorum, a richly coloured 
Dendrobium crassinode Barberianum, and an equally 
good Dendrobium primulinum giganteum with rosy 
lilac sepals and petals also accompany it, as samples 
of the many fine Orchids to be found in flower with 
Air. Laing. 
Three-lipped Dendrobium Wardianum. 
—Two very curious malformed flowers of this species 
have been sent us by Messrs. William Thomson & Sons, 
Clovenfords, Galashiels. One of them has three 
nearly perfect lips about the same size ; the two 
abnormal ones are imbricated one over the edge of the 
other, and inserted on the column right and left of the 
normal lip. The column is rather broad at the base, 
but otherwise perfectly normal, and the whole flower 
is large and well coloured, including the three lips. 
The two lateral sepals of the other flower are connate 
to the tip, with a yellow line at their junction. Two 
lips rather below the average size are developed 
collaterally in place of the normal one ; otherwise the 
flower is ordinary. 
Coelogyne cristata alba. —A specimen of the 
grand pure white variety of C. cristata (figured in 
Yol. II. of the Orchid Album), bearing 270 flowers, 
is just now a conspicuous object in Mr. R. H. 
Aleasures’ collection at The AVoodlands. A fine plant 
is also in bloom in Air. H. AI. Pollett’s collection 
at Fernside, Bickley ; the specimen bears eight spikes 
with six large blooms (as large as C. maxima) on a 
spike. 
Dendrobium japonicum.— When indifferently 
grown, this small-flowering species is not very con¬ 
spicuous or attractive alongside some of the more 
