November 5, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
153 
III. of The Gardening World. At p. 748 instances 
of two distinct lips are described in the case of two 
different plants of G. Veitchii, more correctly known 
botanically as C. superbiens. In both cases the mor¬ 
phological value of the lips were different ; and now 
we have before us a third case, in the shape of a speci¬ 
men of C. Haynaldianum, sent by Mr. J. Routledge, 
gardener to C. L. Wood, Esq., Freeland House, Bridge- 
of-Earn, Perthshire. 
In this instance there are three distinct lips—viz., 
the normal one and other two, consisting of the 
ordinary petals metamorphosed. All the three organs 
occupy their normal positions, so that no doubt can be 
expressed as to their morphological value. The 
normal lip is perfectly formed, and according to the 
type, except that the lower part or claw may be some¬ 
what less concave, and does not so completely enclose 
the column, as in ordinary cases. The claws of the 
petals do not completely simulate that of the lip, and 
are but slightly concave, though furnished, however, 
with a set of coloured hairs, and in other respects 
conform in the matter of colouring to that part of the 
lip. The purple spots and blotches, so conspicuous a 
feature of the petals of C. Haynaldianum and those of 
its near ally, C. Lowii, have entirely disappeared, and 
the apex has become enormously widened and concaved, 
so as to resemble true lips. 
The latter are smaller than 
the true lip, and have 
similarly erect auricles ; but 
instead of being thick, 
fleshy and concave in¬ 
ternally, they are broadly 
ovate, obtuse, flat, and 
almost membraneous. The 
deeply inflexed auricles, ex¬ 
tending into the pouch of 
the typical lip, are, in the 
case of the pouches of the 
petals, merely represented 
by a small, triangular, in- 
flexed tooth. The pouches 
of the petals, furthermore, 
are of a bright rosy purple 
colour externally, and shine 
with the same lustre as 
the primary lip, that part 
of the flower being suffused 
with brownish purple on a 
yellow ground. 
We have, then, in this 
monstrosity a remarkable 
instance of Peloria—that is, 
regularity in the size and 
shape of the component 
parts of the flower. Truly, 
the development is not 
complete ; but we see in it a 
remarkable tendency towards 
a perfect regularity of the 
three inner segments of the 
floral envelopes. The two 
outer segments are normal, 
or almost so, the upper 
one or standard being the larger, white in the upper 
half, and transversed on the lower half by brownish 
green veins on a greenish yellow ground, with a few 
brownish spots. The flower from which our illustra¬ 
tion was engraved was one of two developed on the 
some spike. Both flowers were precisely alike, and 
Mr. Routledge informs us that the plant producing 
them has borne similarly deformed flowers for the last 
five years. We must say that such occurrences are 
extremely uncommon.— J. F. 
-->X<-- 
WITSENIA CORYMBOSA, 
At p. 75 of your issue for October 1st, a paragraph 
appears on the erroneous belief that this plant is not 
a free-flowering subject. This belief can easily be 
dispelled, by simply taking the trouble to grow it. It is 
one of those old-fashioned things that are pushed on 
one side at the present day, and, being a plant that 
will stand any amount of hardship, it is difficult to kill; 
consequently bad treatment is often the cause of it not 
flowering annually. It was an introduction from the 
Cape at the commencement of the present century 
(1803), according to an old work —Hortus suburbanus 
Londinensis, edited by Robert Sweet, F.L.S. 
Its cultivation is easy enough, but its propagation is 
rather more difficult. It will commence flowering, on 
healthy plants, at three years old, and blooms every 
year, provided the proper treatment is given to it. 
It requires a cool-greenhouse temperature, with plenty 
of light and air; to be potted in a good firm soil of 
equal parts peat and loam, with a good sprinkling of 
grit intermixed, potted firm, but at no time over¬ 
potted, and it will do for a number of years in the same 
pot. An occasional dose of liquid - manure whilst 
growing will benefit the plant and keep the glaucous 
appearance of the foliage a good colour, while adding to 
the size of the corymbs of flowers. 
Its propagation may be effected by cuttings, but to 
root these successfully a knowledge of the best shoots 
to take is necessary. If these are too hard and old 
they will take twelve months to root, but nice little 
shoots heeled off in about a half-ripe condition and 
potted in well-drained pots, with bell-glasses placed 
over them, will root in two to three months, and soon 
make nice young plants. An intermediate temperature 
is a good place to root them in, and in this same heat 
they will thrive best until well established in their first 
pots ; afterwards they may be removed to a house that 
will grow New Holland plants well. 
Plants about 12 ins. to 18 ins. high, nicely branched, 
with a few trusses of flowers upon them, make nice 
conspicuous little specimens to adorn a greenhouse at 
the present time of the year; and at any time, whether 
Monstrous form of Ctpripedium Haynaldianum. 
in or out of flower, the peculiar arrangement of the 
distichous leaves makes a striking ornamental object in 
themselves.— W. Gf. 
-- 
HEATING AMATEURS’ PLANT 
HOUSES. 
Delightful and, indeed, almost summerish as the 
autumn may be at the moment of writing, it is 
absolutely certain that speedily will it be followed by 
severe weather—sharp frosts, bitterly cold winds, and 
heavy falls of snow. It is when weather of that kind 
prevails, that necessities of heating power in plant 
houses is made manifest, for, without some such aid, 
no power can exclude the biting frost, and cherished 
plants, too tender for our climate, are destroyed whole¬ 
sale. Too many persons, even in these days, think 
that in putting up a greenhouse in which to grow 
plants, that they have done all that is needful, and in, 
perhaps, seven months of the year, certainly, from the 
beginning of April till the end of October, plants are 
in such unheated houses pretty safe. It would, how¬ 
ever, be of little consequence their being so far safe for 
ten months of the year, if the other two months should 
be marked by low temperature and severe frosts. 
The value of a greenhouse is to be tested by its 
capacity to preserve plants well in cold weather as well 
as in summer; indeed, to use an old simile, the 
weakest link in the chain constitutes the real test of 
its strength, and if the house will not protect plants 
from harm in hard weather, its usefulness for the 
purpose intended is destroyed. Professional gardeners 
requiring houses in which to preserve tender plants 
always, would never dream of erecting such houses 
without providing an efficient system of heating ; such 
as would not only suffice to maintain the desirable 
temperature through ordinary winter, but to brave the 
pressure of unusual or intense cold, should such 
interpose. Aided by this protecting power, the 
gardener knows, that let the winter be as severe as it 
may, his tenderest plants are safe, even though they 
need warmth twice that necessary for the amateur’s less 
tender things. 
Toput up a greenhouse, as so many house-builders 
do, attached to villa and other good class residences, 
without providing heating power, is to the unfortunate 
tenant, or occupier of such places, a delusion and a 
deceit. Plants are purchased, carefully tended to, and 
grown with satisfactory success until the winter, when 
the unfortunate owner of those tender denizens of his 
greenhouse, after a sharp frosty night, enters it to find 
his plants frozen, and, possibly, injured beyond hope 
of recovery. And yet there is no reason whatever why 
the smallest of plant houses should not be furnished 
with ample heating power, 
and that, too, at trifling 
cost. Local board sur¬ 
veyors seem just now to be 
exercising considerable au¬ 
thority over buildings within 
their respective districts, 
sometimes beneficial, some¬ 
times otherwise ; but it 
does seem as if many an 
unfortunate tenant would 
be saved from saddening 
disappointment if builders of 
greenhouses, forming part of 
any ordinary house-tenancy, 
were compelled to fix in 
every such greenhouse some 
suitable heating apparatus. 
The safety of the tenant’s 
plants henceforth would 
then be with him alone, 
and not upon the shoulders 
of a deceitful landlord or 
builder. 
Then the question arises, 
'Which is, combined with 
cheapness, the best system 
of heating ? Naturally it 
is replied, by means of hot 
water, of course. That is 
very well, and it would be 
difficult to find a better; 
but the first cost for a hot- 
water apparatus daunts so 
many poor amateurs, who 
would gladly have some 
efficient heating power in 
their houses if they could 
but afford it. No doubt the cheapest heating medium 
is an oil lamp, which gives very little trouble ; but the 
best of these present but a broken reed when really 
hard weather comes, and if not reliable then, the less 
trusted to the better. Added to this defect is the ob¬ 
jectionable perfume arising from the combustion of 
paraffin oil, and its deleterious effect on plants. 
Gas stoves, if fitted with hot-water piping, may be 
very well provided. The gas combustion furnishes 
the required amount of heat; but if it does, the cost in 
the end would, perhaps, be as much as that of ordinary 
firing. Then gas can only be obtained in favoured 
localities. A cheap arrangement for heating a small 
house, which needs only sufficient heat to keep frost 
out, is found in an ordinary furnace, such as would 
suffice for.a small copper, with 6-in. drain-pipes firmly 
fixed with pug clay in the joints for flue and chimney. 
If the fire be not too fierce, and care be taken not to 
crack the pipes, the plan admits of a house being heated 
well and quickly. A furnace of this kind will consume 
almost anything. 
If a hot water apparatus proper can be afforded, £6 
will go a long way in furnishing and fixing an upright 
independent boiler and the needful piping ; or, if pre¬ 
ferred, £7 will furnish, set in brickwork, a small saddle 
boiler, the best of all provisions, and then only ordinary 
attention is needed to maintain a desirable temperature 
just as required.— A. D. 
