312 
THE GABDENING WORLD. 
January 14, 1888. 
HYACINTHS IN GLASSES. 
I presume there are some lady readers of The Gar¬ 
dening "World who are sufficiently interested in 
flowers to devote attention to growing a few Hyacinths 
in glasses for the decoration of their sitting-rooms. I 
may take it for granted that the bulbs were placed in 
their glasses during October or early in December, 
having been put away in the dark, which is the usual 
custom, in order to induce the bulbs to throw their 
roots down into the water before they commence to 
throw up their leaves and flower-stems. They should 
now, if not already done, be brought to the light. The 
best position for the glasses, after being gradually 
inured to the light, is on a shelf, which can be 
removed at pleasure, and wide enough for the glasses 
to stand upon, half-way up the window. 
"When in such a position, a little discretion is neces¬ 
sary on the part of the cultivator ; I witnessed the other 
day a striking example of the want of this on the 
part of one who had undertaken the growth of 
Hyacinths in this way. The bulbs had been brought 
on in the dark, the glasses were well filled with roots, 
and properly placed in the windows ; and then the 
thought that they might be attacked by frost did not 
appear to have entered the mind of the cultivator, for 
the water had frozen, and two of the glasses had burst. 
The moral to be derived from the occurrence is, vdien 
frost threatens, remove the glasses from the window, 
and replace them during the day, if there is a fire in the 
room, or the sun shines upon it, although it may still 
be frosty. 
There is one grave difficulty attendant on the growth 
of Hyacinths in glasses, namely, the frequent tendency 
on the part of the water to become offensive. I have 
grown Hyacinths in glasses for some time, and I have 
found the best preventative to anything like staleness in 
the water, is to place three or four pieces of charcoal in it 
about the size of a nut ; these should be put in when 
the glasses are filled with water in the first instance. In 
a few hours the charcoal becomes thoroughly saturated 
with moisture, and sinks to the bottom, and then the 
Hyacinths are placed in the glasses, with the w T ater 
just touching the base. But I know of no cure when 
the roots turn rotten through the impurity of the water. 
I have tried several experiments, but all failed to be of 
service, and now as soon as anything goes wrong, I 
throw the bulb away, thoroughly scour the glass, and 
place a fresh Hyacinth in it. These experiences should 
be borne in mind for another season. 
"When the Hyacinth glasses are placed in the window, 
care must be taken that the plants be not too much 
drawn ; a kindly growth can be developed by giving 
air on all favourable occasions, and by keeping the 
leaves free from dust. The glass should be kept well 
filled with water, and the support so carefully adjusted 
that the flower-stem shall have full liberty to ascend. 
Such simple precautions help to ensure a good bloom, 
and so repay the attention of the cultivator.— R. D. 
-->X<-- 
NOTES FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 
I am again going to trouble you with some remarks on 
our lovely Cape terrestrial Orchids, in the hope that a 
few hints may be picked up respecting their culture 
from my notes of the conditions we have them growing 
under here, as jotted down in my rambles. The first I 
will touch on is 
Holothrix Lindleyaxa (Tryphia secunda). 
This lovely plant was quite new to me, and for its 
name and indication of the place where it was to be 
found I am indebted to Mr. Bussell Hallack, of Port 
Elizabeth. I do not think I have before named this 
plant to you. It is quite a little gem, and has two rather 
fleshy radical leaves lying close to the ground. Flowers 
pure white, borne on neat little hairy stems in single 
sprays about 8 ins. or 10 ins. in height, the stems 
being covered with flowers to within 2 ins. of the 
bulbs. Sprays curved back ; flowers deeply cleft, five- 
parted, with a small spur curled at the back. In short, 
it is the neatest little model of a plant I have ever 
seen. 
At first sight it strikes one as being delicate ; at the 
same time it flowers in our winter (July and August), 
and the situation where it is found is fully exposed to 
our westerly storms of wind and rain, the flowers not 
taking the least harm, although the weather, when it 
is in full flower, is often very inclement, especially at 
night. I mention this in order to dispel any notion of 
attempting to grow the plant or any of its classes 
in a hot house if ever the pretty little stranger should 
get into the hands of the clever gardeners or amateurs 
at home. I say clever advisedly, as I am sure by what 
I read week by week in The Gardening World that 
gardeners are much more clever at plant-growing now 
than formerly, especially with Orchids. 
I found Holothrix Lindleyana on rocks, but Mr. 
Hallack informs me that it sometimes grows on 
shelving or sloping ground where there is water below, 
but always on the shady side, never on the sunny side. 
Like the Disas, it forms new tubers every year, growing 
in patches, often ten or twelve together, in a very 
small space. The bulbs are frequently found covered 
with sphagnum moss, a provision of nature no doubt, 
in order to prevent them getting disturbed or washed 
away by our heavy rains. During the growing season 
it gets abundance of moisture, but after the flowers and 
leaves fade they do not get any from rain for months 
together, but get sufficient from the moss or whatever 
else they are growing in to keep them plump ; under 
cultivation, therefore, the plants should never be quite 
dried off. 
I often think to myself, were I ever to return home 
(which is not likely) to follow my former occupation, 
and could place on my employer’s table nice little 
flowering plants of the two I specially mention in this 
note, what admiration would be lavished on them. 
The other I allude to is 
Disa sagittalis. 
This plant, in my note to The Gardening World, 
p. 748, 1886, I wrongly spelt “sagittata.” It grows 
with the Holothrix, under precisely similar conditions, 
and its pretty sprays of snow-white flowers, with a lilac 
line in the petals, make it a fitting companion. Its 
flowers are now (November 20th) fading, and for the 
next four months the bulbs are nearly dry. The other 
day, also, I came across a very fine crimson Satyrium ; 
and here let me remark—for it seems to me that the 
fact is important—that it, like the two previously 
named and many other terrestrial Orchids I have found 
here, was growing on the side of a hill facing south, 
which is our shady side. The moral, I think, which 
can be gleaned therefrom is, that these plants, especially 
when grown under glass, should not have direct sun¬ 
light in unbroken rays, but, otherwise, a good clear 
light is very essential. Another point is, that positively 
cool treatment gives the only chance of success, and 
what is called drying off when at rest must not be 
pushed too far, for the evergreen Disas certainly require 
keeping moist even when apparently inactive ; and the 
others, like Partholina, Holothrix, &c., are so small of 
tuber that protracted drought must cause to them perish. 
—James Hall, Port Elizabeth, S. Africa. 
-—- 
MOUNT VIEW, SHEFFIELD. 
Calling at the above establishment, the residence 
of David Ward, Esq., a few days ago, I was con¬ 
ducted through the several compartments, containing 
many hundreds of healthy well-grown Orchids, by 
Mr. Harry A. Page, the gardener, who, if not a “Master 
of Arts,” is evidently a master of the art of Orchid- 
growing. This is not the best time to visit collections 
to see their full beauty, but where there are a good 
collection such as Mr. Ward possesses there is at all 
times many objects of interest to be seen in flower. No 
attempt is made to mass the plants which are in flower 
together, so that each compartment has its share of 
bloom. 
We first entered the Cattleya house, which is a good 
light well-built span-roofed structure ; here the plants 
are in the most vigorous condition, with their roots 
running in all directions amongst the material given 
for their support. Amongst those in flower are 
several pieces of C. Leopoldii ; the useful and beautiful 
C. maxima and C. Trianae are fast advancing through 
their numerous sheaths, as also are fine lots of C. 
amethystoglossa and C. Mossife. One plant of the 
latter in an 8-in. pot I noticed had eight flower-sheaths. 
Amongst others looking equally well are Cattleya 
Skinneri, C. Gaskelliana, C. Dowiana, C. D. aurea 
and others. 
Lfelias are also well represented, while specimens of 
L. purpurata are very fine, and will be objects of beauty 
in due time ; L. autumnalis and L. anceps made one 
side of the house look particularly pleasing with their 
bright and various shades of colour. I noticed a spike 
of L. autumnalis with eight fine blooms ; also a fine 
mass of L. anceps carrying twenty spikes, with extra 
fine broad sepals and petals of a rich colour, the lip 
being very dark. Close by the last-mentioned plant is 
a fine piece of Zygopetaluin Mackayi bearing three good 
spikes, two of which have six flowers and the third 
seven. Amongst the Dendrobiums in flower are some 
fine well-flowered pieces of D. Wardianum and D. 
aureum ; of D. luteolum there are several plants in bud, 
some of the new growths being very strong, quite 2 ft. 
6 ins. in length. 
Odoutoglossums and other cool house Orchids occupy 
a considerable amount of space, there being two houses 
devoted to their cultivation. The first we entered was 
a lean-to, with a north-west aspect, and situated under 
the back wall of the vineries. Here the plants appear 
to be quite at home, and growing freely. Conspicuous 
amongst them I noticed about two dozen plants of 
Oucidium concolor in pans suspended from the roof, 
with pseudo-bulbs as large and as well grown as those of 
0. Marshallianum. This is, evidently, a proper position 
in which to grow 0. concolor. The flower spikes of 0. 
crispum are making their appearance in quantity. 
In the cool house No. 2 the plants are much larger, 
many of them being in bloom, and others following, 
which will keep up the display for months to come. 
0. crispum is well represented by many fine varieties, 
including one with two spikes from a growth bearing 
twenty-seven flowers of good substance. 0. Anderson- 
ianum is also numbered amongst the treasures. 0. 
Pescatorei, 0. Rossii, 0. Oerstedii, and Sophronitis 
grandiflora are bright with flowers. Ccelogyne cristata, 
O. vexillarium and other intermediate subjects have a 
house to themselves. Of the Coelogynes I saw some 
fine pieces that bristle with flower spikes. 0. 
vexillarium and 0. citrosmum are very strong. 0. 
phalienopsis, which is found by many cultivators to be 
very shy in flowering, appears to flower well under 
Mr. Page’s management. Lycaste Skinneri is pro¬ 
ducing dozens of flowers in various shades of colour. 
Masdevallia tovarensis is a mass of flowers ; one 
plant in a 6-in. pot I noticed had forty-five spikes, 
several of which had three or four flowers each. 
Everyone who grows a few Orchids should not be with¬ 
out a few plants of this charming winter-flowering 
species. 
The Dendrobium house is filled with a fine lot of 
strong healthy plants, many of which are now at rest. 
D. Wardianum and D. nobile are swelling their buds 
freely, and will soon produce a splendid show. The 
East Indian house contains a splendid lot of well- 
grown Phakenopsis, some in flower and many throwing 
up their strong spikes from amongst the well-developed 
leaves, all indicating good cultivation. P. amabilis 
may be justly called the queen of Orchids, as it is 
seldom without bloom. The rare and beautiful 
P. leucorrhoda, amongst the rest, is in fine condition, 
and will be in flower shortly. P. Sanderiana, P. 
Stuartiana, P. violacea, and P. Sehilleriana are all in 
the best possible condition. 
Some of the Cypripediums are enjoying this warm 
compartment, especially the beautiful C. Spicerianum, 
which has seven flower-spjkes, on three of which are 
twin flowers. It is quite a treat for anyone interested 
in Orchids to see the fine batch of Odontoglossum 
Pioezlii here, as one often sees them in such a miserable 
condition. Here, however, they grow like weeds, 
associated with the Phakenopsis, giving off flowers in 
abundance, to the delight of their cultivator and their 
generous owner, who, I am sure, spares no expense in 
order to supply the necessary requirements for his 
floral treasures.— Visitor. 
-» >I< -- 
VICTORIA AND PARADISE 
NURSERIES. 
Considering the difficulty attending the cultivation 
of flowering plants, and especially of Orchids, in such a 
densely populated part as Upper Holloway, which at 
this season of the year is characterised by a leaden sky 
and an atmosphere begrimed with smoke and fog, it is 
surprising to find such a wealth of plants with so 
fresh and healthy an appearance. It is yet early for 
the thousands of C. Triame, C. Mossiee and C. Mendelii; 
but C. chocoensis alba, C. "Walkeriana and C. Percival- 
iana lead the van for a more extensive display. C. 
chocoensis alba is pure white, with the exception of a 
blush tint on the labellum ; the petals are of remark¬ 
able breadth for their length. Amongst the forms of 
Ltelia anceps is a dark-lipped variety of some merit. 
Conspicuous for its heavily fringed and bearded lip is 
Ccelogyne barbata, while C. Massangeana is even more 
ornamental aud never out of season. It is undoubtedly 
a most useful basket species. Zygopetaluin Clayi is a 
hybrid with somewhat of the general aspect of Z. 
intermedium. Brassia Lawrenceana, Angrascum ses- 
quipedale.the spotted-leaved Phaius maeulatus, Pilumna 
nobilis, a grandly-spotted form of Odontoglossum 
Insleayi Leopardinum and various coloured varieties of 
Sophronitis grandiflora are all interesting and very 
acceptable. A pale form of the latter appeared as if 
