February 25, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
407 
In an angle of the church on the south side is the 
resting-place of the celebrated landscape gardener, 
Humphrey Repton, who for some time resided at 
Aylsham. It is in a sunny spot, and is enclosed, 
having the walls of the south chancel aisle and the 
south transept for two of its sides, while the other two 
sides have iron rails of medium height. The interior 
is laid out with Box-edged flower-beds and narrow 
gravel paths. On a stone with a florid Gothic 'arch, and 
attached to the wall of the church, is the following 
“HUMPHREY REPTOH, Esq., 
Formerly of Hare Street, Essex. 
Who died March 24th, 1818. 
Hot like the Egyptian tyrants—consecrate, 
Unmixt with others, shall my dust remain ; 
But mould’ring, blended, melting into earth, 
Mine shall give form and colour to the Rose ; 
And while its vivid blossoms cheer mankind, 
Its perfum’d odour shall ascend to heaven.” 
This gentleman was born in 1752, and believed to 
be a native of Bury St. Edmund’s ; his father after¬ 
wards removed to Horwieli. At the age of twenty- 
three young Repton was known to be residing at 
Aylsham, where his only sister had come to live after 
her marriage with a well-to-do solicitor. In 1783 the 
Right Hon. William Windham, of Felbrigg Hall, near 
by, was appointed chief secretary to the Earl of 
Horthington, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and he took 
Humphrey Repton with him to that—then—unsettled 
country. But their stay was short, for they soon 
returned again, and it was after this that Repton 
commenced the profession of landscape gardening. He 
is reputed to have excelled in his day, and was also 
active with his pen, for he is credited with being the 
author of several essays and papers relating to the art. 
Amongst them are “Cape Scenery at Cobham Hall, 
Woburn” ; “White Lodge, Richmond Park ” ; “Ash- 
bridge,” “Beau Desert,” “Wingerworth,” “Strathearn,” 
“An Account of the Hundred of Horth Erpingham,” 
“Fragments on the Theory and Practice of Landscape 
Gardening, including some Remarks on Gothic and 
Grecian Architecture,” and several others. 
In his day travelling was very different from what it 
is now ; but his services were much in demand. He 
died at the age of sixty-six, leaving a son, an ac¬ 
complished architect, who also left his mark behind 
him in some published works bearing upon his pro¬ 
fession. The father and son are interred in the same 
vault, and their family seems now to be extinct.— 
Rambler. _ 
THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 
How that the Royal Horticultural Society is about to 
quit South Kensington, cannot something be done to 
place it on a truly national basis ? It is quite time a fresh 
departure was made, seeing that for a number of years 
it has been given over to the leadership of a few cliques, 
who have directed its course as best suited their own 
purposes and inclinations. This, at least, has been 
the settled conviction of a large number of outsiders 
for a lengthened period. The decisions of its Fruit and 
Floral Committees have been held in contempt, and 
sometimes met with no small amount of ridicule—the 
misfortune of the situation being that to a very great 
extent the exhibits sent with a view to gain certificates, 
with few exceptions, have come from a limited area. 
Many years back the Floral Committee was credited 
with passing by productions of merit unless they 
belonged to their set, a notable instance of which 
occurred in connection with Calceolaria aurea floribunda, 
which ultimately became one of the mo9t popular 
bedding and market plants. Mr. Horth, of Lee, the 
raiser, told us the story of three unsuccessful attempts 
to gain a Certificate for it from the Floral Committee, 
which so angered and disgusted him that on his return 
journey on the third occasion, when passing over 
London Bridge, he threw the plant into the Thames. 
One step—and a very important one, no doubt— 
would be to interest gardeners throughout the kingdom 
in its prosperity ; and until this is done it will have 
small claims to be called either Royal or Hational. 
The admission of gardeners at a small annual sub¬ 
scription is suggested. This, if they, as a class, had a 
surplus of pocket-money, would be a good thing to do ; 
but with respect to a very large majority, this is very far 
from being the case. So many, when in situations, 
have quite enough’to do to make both ends meet, and 
cannot therefore afford to piart with anything unless 
something tangible is likely to accrue to them for their 
outlay. So we think that very little financial assist¬ 
ance can arise directly from them ; but if it were made 
a rule of the society to confer honorary membership on 
men of mark in the profession, a wide-spread interest 
in the society and its doings would be awakened 
throughout the country, and the letters Hon. F.R.H.S. 
would mean something different to what F.R.H.S. has 
done in the past, and might possibly have a money 
value to its fortunate possessor as indicating a man of 
mark in his profession, and raise him and his calling 
in the esteem of those he serves ; also when thrown out 
of place it wouldbe a good recommendation to a new one. 
We think, too, that employers would look favourably 
on the claims of a society that honoured their employes, 
and would take some interest in its welfare. 
Another step in the right direction would be to get 
the numerous horticultural societies throughout the 
country affiliated with the Royal Horticultural, giving 
them the privilege of forwarding the names of gardeners 
in their localities who, for their services to the cause 
of horticultural science, they think worthy of fellow¬ 
ship. A rule might also be made that all societies in 
connection with it should forward to the committees 
of the Royal Horticultural all floral and other Certifi¬ 
cates granted by them for new things, for confirm¬ 
ation. As suggestions for honorary membership we 
will instance striking general ability, eminent success 
as an hybridist, contributions of importance to the 
horticultural press, the invention or introduction of 
appliances—mechanical or otherwise—of real practical 
utility, unusual success as a plant and fruit grower or 
propagator, or as discoverer or introducer of new plants 
of commercial value. We throw these out as hints. 
Hon. F.R.H.S. would be an incentive for many a 
young aspirant, and there may possibly be some few 
left in these degenerate days who would value a man 
for having won the esteem and approbation of his 
fellows in the profession. — TV. B. Q. 
-- 
HARDY OYPRIPEDIUMS. 
To “Arthur’s” enquiry (p. 381) I gladly reply by 
giving my own experience with hardy Orchids in pots. 
But first of all I must tell “Arthur ” candidly that if 
he has a square yard of garden to spare he had better 
devote it to the cultivation of these most beautiful and 
interesting plants than trouble with them as pot speci¬ 
mens. I have tried both ways, and certainly give my 
vote in favour of planting out. Where, however, this 
cannot be conveniently done, I would advise the 
following methods of culture, and likewise recommend 
those kinds named in the following list to be used :— 
Of Cypripediums C. spectabile is, perhaps, the easiest 
managed species, and to grow it successfully use a 
compost of good well-decomposed leaf-soil, and a small 
quantity of sharp river sand. On and around the root 
when planting place a small quantity of sand, as it 
materially assists in the formation of rootlets. 
C. pubescens is another lovely species that may be 
grown easily enough by planting the roots in leaf-soil 
and loam, with a dash of sand. C. acaule must have 
decaying vegetable matter, and for this purpose nothing 
is better than pieces of a crumbling log freely inter¬ 
mixed with leaf-soil and sand. C. parviflorum is the 
freest flowering species that we have yet tried, and to 
grow it successfully, all that is required is rich leaf-soil 
freely incorporated with sharp sand. It increases 
rapidly, single crowns having with me increased to 
fully a dozen in three years. C. arietinum and 0. 
macranthum I have tried more than once, but they did 
not succeed in a satisfactory manner, and so we pass 
their culture unnoticed. Bletia hyacinthina is a lovely, 
free-flowering, hardy Orchid that only wants a shady 
situation, and limy loam. 
Amongst our native Orchids will be found several 
species that can, when well grown, justly rank with 
any of the foreigners. What can be more chaste, 
beautiful, and delicious of scent than a potful of Orchis 
conopsea, which only requires ordinary loam and a 
little lime-rubbish to grow it to perfection 1 Then, 
again, 0. mascula and 0. fusca are excellent pot plants ; 
while the lovely and distinct 0. latifolia may be grown 
with success in the same way. 
The Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) must not 
be omitted from our list of native Orchids, for it is 
certainly a gem of the first water. When planted in 
calcareous loam, and between pieces of limestone, we 
have got this rare and lovely native plant to grow with 
the greatest freedom, and flower luxuriantly from year 
to year. But there are few native species that will not 
succeed well as pot plants, and be highly ornamental 
into the bargain when in full bloom. As examples, we 
may note Habenaria bifolia and H. albida, Ophrys 
apifera and 0. aranifera, Epipactis palustris, Herminium 
monorchis, and a dozen others, which time will not 
permit of our dwelling upon at present; but to this 
subject we promise to return at an early date.— A. D. 
JVebster. __ 
Notes from Scotland. 
Glazed Pots for Plant Growing. — Mr. 
Potts, writing on this subject (p. 391), says: “I 
fail to perceive any direct advantage from cultivating 
plants in them, other than to test their merits, as they 
are certainly more expensive than the ordinary pot.” 
I question whether they are more expensive in the 
end. They certainly cost more at the pottery ; but a 
great amount of labour is saved by their use, as they 
never require washing, unless empty, and plants grown 
in them require about half the water necessary for 
those grown in the ordinary pot. This argument 
applies to private establishments. For market grow¬ 
ing I believe they would not pay, as they would not, 
as a rule, be long enough in the establishment to save 
in labourjthe extra'first cost. Mr. Potts does not say 
that he ever tried them, or that he has found them 
unsuitable ; his argument is altogether theoretical. 
Any person giving them a fair trial cannot condemn 
them for plant growing, as plants seem to thrive quite 
as well in glazed as they do in common pots. We 
have about half of our foliage plants growing in them, 
and it is impossible to tell the difference in the health 
and vigour of their occupants. They are also very suc¬ 
cessfully used, as previously mentioned, for Orchids in 
several important establishments in Scotland. With 
this class of plants the whole of the pots are generally 
visible, and the continuous clean appearance of glazed 
pots is a very great advantage.— R. Bell, Morton Hall, 
Midlothian. 
Orchids from Terregles, Dumfries. — 
Horth country Cattleya Trian* plants show up the 
colours at their best, but those from Mr. Alexander 
Chalmers, out of Captain Maxwell’s collection, show that 
they must have secured a fine strain. The one marked 
12 is a massive flower, well formed, and rich in colour ; 
while 2, 3, 5 and 6 are also large and bright. Ho. 1 is 
very large but narrow, and the peculiar mottling of 
Ho. 4 may be only accidental. The several varieties 
of C. Percivaliana are also above the average. Ho. 4 
with bright-coloured labellum, is especially good ; the 
bright yellow mottling being very attractive. Also in 
the consignment are a very large form of Dendrobium 
Wardianum, and another equally large, but with the 
rich markings of D. crassinode Barberianum ; Brassia 
verrucosa major, with a flower 9 ins. long ; a spray of 
a magnificent form of Phaltenopsis Schilleriana ; Odon- 
toglossum pulchellum majus ; the Chatsworth variety 
of Cokegyne cristata and Oncidium maculatum Russell- 
ianum (sold as 0. Russellianum), which with its yellow 
and brown sepals and petals, large white and primrose 
lip and sweet odour, is a very pretty Orchid. The 
sample is of good things, all well grown, and they do 
great credit to Mr. Chalmers.— J. 0. B. 
-- 
OALADIUMS. 
IN form and colour these beautiful Arads have few 
equals, if any, among the various plants that are 
cultivated for the beauty of their foliage. Their various 
spotted, veined and marbled brightly tinted leaves are 
of a very distinct character, and make them fitting 
subjects for associating with Ferns, Palms, and other 
dark-leaved plants in the stove during the summer 
months, for their beauty is transitory ; they take leave 
of us in the autumn, and appear again in all their glory 
in the spring. They are deciduous, requiring a season of 
rest. Perhaps such a trait is commendable ; were they 
evergreen, and we always had them to look upon, the 
eye would become too familiar, perhaps satiated with 
them, and they would not possess that bright fresh 
appearance which is characteristic of the young foliage 
when unfolding. 
Positions occupied by Caladiums can be turned to 
account for other plants during the winter, when 
most cultivators find it a hard matter to accommodate 
all subjects under their care, and space is then 
necessarily valuable. The tubers of Caladiums having 
now had a season of rest will require shaking out of the 
pots, and should be repotted into others in which the 
tubers will conveniently go, using soil composed of 
turfy loam, peat, and leaf-soil in equal proportions, 
with a good sprinkling of sharp sand to keep the soil 
open. To keep up the stock of small plants which are 
. very suitable for decorative purposes—particularly that 
elegant small-leaved variety C. argyrites— some of the 
