812 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 18, 1888. 
in gardens, is readily distinguishable from all the others 
we generally meet in cultivation by the enormous size 
of its yellow flowers and its larger, opposite, smooth, 
deep green leaves, while both of the above-mentioned 
have the latter very distinctly hairy on the principal 
nerves beneath. A. neriifolia has opposite narrowly- 
oblong leaves and erect, not climbing, stems, so that it 
can readily be grown in a pot. The flowers are long 
and narrow, tubular or funnel-shaped, and deep yellow, 
striated closely internally with orange or violet lines, 
and the white spots are almost absent. 
Shirley Poppies. 
As these beautiful varieties of the common field Poppy 
will as they become better known be very popular and 
widely cultivated, it may be desirable that attention 
should be called to the fact that rabbits are exceedingly 
fond of them, so that all who are pestered with these 
vermin and wish to grow these Poppies must either 
clear the rabbits away or sow the Poppies out of their 
reach. I have had a most disappointing experience 
myself, and must say that I was very much surprised 
to find how fond these animals are of Poppies of this 
particular kind. For the decoration of epergnes, 
combined with grasses they stand unrivalled. Some of 
the semi-double whites, which look very much like a 
double white Anemone japonica, would, I think, be 
very useful in white bouquets. — TV. B. G. 
Fuchsias at Chiswick House. 
A Very fine effect is produced in the conservatory or 
Camellia-house, at Chiswick House, Chiswick, where 
Mr. May has about fifteen large specimens of Fuchsia 
macrostema, intermixed with a few garden forms, such 
as Venus de Medici. The Camellias, which have 
finished their season’s growth, and made a good set of 
blooms for next year, occupy the back part of the 
house, which is of great length. A low stage runs 
along the whole front, and is occupied with various 
greenhouse subjects. The roof is supported by a row 
of iron pillars or rods, and to these the stems of the 
Fuchsias, which may be described as standards, are 
trained. From the point where the pillars touch the 
roof, the shoots of these large specimens are trained 
downwards to the base of the sashes. The front staging 
and the pathway running along the whole length of the 
house are overhung by the Fuchsias, now profusely 
hung with their medium-sized but conspicuous and 
attractive flowers. The tube and sepals are scarlet, 
and the corolla is purplish blue ; and while the leaves 
seek the light, the flowers depend beneath, where they 
arrest the eye by the space they occupy and their 
numbers. 
--i-K-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar, 
_ 
THE STOVE. 
Celosias, &c.—The late batches of these should now 
receive their final shift. The present weather is much 
more favourable to their growth than that experienced 
during the rainy sunless days of July. It must not, 
however, be forgotten that autumn is now drawing 
nigh, the days are shorter, and cold nights and mornings 
may be expected, as the heavy dews remind us. There¬ 
fore it will be necessary after potting to give them 
careful attention by closing the frames earlier in the 
afternoon, so as to retain sun-heat as much as possible. 
Before doing so, syringe them on fine days, in order 
that they may not be incommoded by a high tem¬ 
perature and a dry atmosphere. These remarks apply 
to Cockscombs, the various forms of Celosia pyramidalis, 
and Gomphrena globosa compacta. Use a light but 
rich compost, which is very suitable for the growth of 
this class of plants. 
Propagation. — Alocasias—such as A. Veitchii, 
A. Lowii, and A. metallica — may be broken up at this 
time, both as a means of propagating the plants and 
also for reducing in size those specimens that have 
become too large for general decorative purposes. The 
days of large plants for exhibition purposes are gone or 
have become unfashionable — at least, for the present; 
and the space in houses is required for a greater number 
of small specimens rather than a few large ones, desirable 
as they may be for their handsome appearance when well 
grown. The smaller rhizomes should be potted singly 
in small pots, and encouraged to make a free growth, 
when they will constitute handsome little specimens 
for table decoration, where larger ones, are not ad¬ 
missible. The best of the green-leaved kinds of 
Draesenas, such as D. congesta, D. gracilis, D. rubra, 
and D. Daneli, should be propagated by taking off the 
tops, which will cause a number of side shoots to be 
developed, and these when taken off and rooted in the 
usual way in the propagating pit will soon form 
handsome usable plants. The last-named is one of the 
best for general purposes, as it retains its leaves to the 
base of the stem, and covering the pot till the plants 
attain 15 ins., 18 ins., or even more in height. 
Cyanophyllum magnificum is a grand old thing, not so 
much grown as it used to be, and certainly far less 
than it should be for stove decoration. It strikes 
readily enough from small shoots placed in sandy soil 
under a hand-glass. If well-coloured foliage is desired 
no better plan can be adopted than isolating the 
plants as much as possible, so that the light may fall 
as equally as it can on all the leaves, without, of course, 
exposing them to direct and unbroken sunshine. 
In this way a healthy well-balanced growth is the 
result. Nothing is more damaging to leaves of their 
character than being crowded amongst other plants, by 
which they are injured, not only by being under shade, 
but also by contact. _ 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Rhododendrons. —The greenhouse hybrids that have 
been brought to such perfection within recent years 
may still be potted, in cases where that is found to be 
necessary before the approach of winter. The season’s 
growth has been completed, and the flower buds for 
next year are forming, so that in potting on the plants 
now there will be no danger of a rank and coarse growth 
ensuing when the roots make headway in the new soil. 
Beware, however, of overpotting at any season, as the 
best results are obtained, so far as quantity of bloom is 
concerned, by confining the roots to as small a space as 
possible consistent with the healthy growth and pre¬ 
servation of the plants. The hybrids now in cultivation, 
obtained as a result of the crossing of R. jasminiflorum, 
R. javanicum, R. multiflorum, R. Curtisii, and R. 
Teysmanni, together with those produced by inter¬ 
breeding with the varieties obtained from these, are too 
numerous to mention here, but the treatment of all is 
very similar. Amongst these, but belonging to other 
types, may be mentioned Countess of Haddington, 
Lady Alice Fitzwilliam, as well as the species R. Edge- 
worthi, R. formosum, R. ciliatum, R. Nuttallii, and 
others. After the buds are well set, every encourage¬ 
ment should be given to the ripening of the wood by 
standing the pots out of doors on a bed of ashes, except 
in the case of those newly potted, which may be kept 
indoors a short time. 
Poinsettias. •—If there be plenty of convenience in 
the pits where these have been housed for some time 
past, they need not yet be moved for a while, especially 
considering the marked change in the weather for a 
short time past. Should the tops, however, be 
squeezed against the glass, move the plants at once into 
an intermediate house, where they will be more directly 
under the eye, and can have their wants better seen to. 
Place them near the glass to keep them healthy and 
sturdy, so as to retain as much of the foliage as possible 
to the last. Syringe freely, especially on fine days, to 
keep down red-spider, which does them irreparable 
injury when allowed to obtain a footing. 
THE FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vineries. —Less artificial heat will be required for the 
ripening of Lady Downes should the warm weather 
which set in recently continue ; but it will, however, 
be necessary to keep the hot-water pipes warm in case 
of an emergency. The ripening process furthermore 
must be hastened, so that the berries may be thoroughly 
coloured and finished before the dull damp weather and 
the short days set in, as the process then becomes much 
more difficult, nor do they keep well if badly ripened. 
See that inside borders of early houses from which the 
crop has been gathered do not suffer from dryness at 
the root, otherwise they cannot be expected to complete 
their growth properly and be prepared for next year’s 
work. 
Peaches. —A fruitful cause of buds dropping before 
the flowers expand in spring is due to the trees being 
overlooked in the matter of watering the preceding 
autumn. Seeing that the crop has been gathered, the 
trees are neglected or overlooked simply because they 
have been relieved of the strain caused by fruiting. 
No greater mistake could, however, be made, as the trees 
will enjoy and profit by a liberal amount of moisture 
for some time to come. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Onions. —This crop is much later than at the corre¬ 
sponding date last year, owing to the unseasonable 
state of the weather during July, following on a cold 
late spring. Ripening of the crops may be assisted 
after attaining full size by bending down the tops so as 
to check their vegetative vigour. Some varieties ripen 
much earlier than others and may be pulled accordingly; 
but the operation should be deferred for a few days in 
the case of those that are comparatively green, should 
the weather have been wet immediately previous. By 
doing so a great quantity of the superfluous water will 
be drawn off or transpired by the foliage, and so 
improve the keeping quality of the bulbs. Unless the 
ground is very dry they should be put on hurdles, or 
the stone or wooden floor of a shed, where they will be 
kept dry, while still exposed to sun and air. 
'Weeding. —As the days shorten and weeds increase 
apace, great efforts should be made in all parts of the 
garden to keep them thoroughly under. If allowed 
to ripen on the ground and scatter their seeds, an im¬ 
mediate fresh crop is the result, besides filling the 
ground for years to come. Where the hoe and rake can 
be conveniently used let the work be done thoroughly. 
Hand-weeding must be undertaken where plants are 
grown too closely for the convenience of tools. Wheel 
them away to the rubbish heap immediately, where 
they may be thoroughly fermented so as to kill the 
seeds. 
-->Z<-- 
ORCHID NOT ES AND GLEANINGS, 
The Perfumes of Orchids. 
The common impression is that Orchids have no 
perfume ; but this, like many other popular ideas, is 
a fallacy. Orchids universally may not give out a 
perfume ; I have not noticed any with Odontoglossum 
crispum, or with Cypripediums. Odontoglossum Rossii, 
on the contrary, has a most delicious odour, as also 
have most of the Cattleyas. Zygopetalum Mackayi 
again partakes somewhat of the odour of Violets, whilst 
Lycaste Deppei and Dendrobium suavissimum have a 
characteristic spicy odour. Every one is familiar with 
the flavour of Vanilla, although those who enjoy it in 
their chocolate or ices may not be aware that it is 
derived from the seed-pod of an Orchid—Vanilla 
planifolia. In contradistinction to the above, the 
smell exhaled by some of the Stanhopeas can only be 
mildly described as peculiarly offensive. A description 
was given in a former number of The Gardening 
World of a handkerchief perfume under the name of 
Cymbidium; I have not seen this, but a scent brought 
out under the more general title of Orchid Blossom 
Perfume, by Burgoyne, Burbidges & Company, London, 
reminds one irresistibly of Cattleya Mossiae or Gas- 
kelliana, and is the cleverest imitation of their 
delightful odour that I have met with. — Henry Tacy 
Peek, Blaby, Leicestershire. 
Cattleya gigas alba. 
The American Florist records the flowering of a white 
variety of Cattleya gigas in the nursery of Messrs. 
Siebrecht & Wadley, at New Rochelle. The plant is 
stated to have been imported from Colombia in company 
with a lot of others, and its identity was not known 
until it flowered. “ It is a large strong plant, showing 
four flower-spikes ; the general character is that of 
C. gigas. The sepals and petals are pure white ; the 
lip white, with a faint blush of mauve. On each side 
of the throat is a yellow spot characteristic of C. gigas ; 
the throat is pale yellow. The lip is beautifully curled 
around the edges.” 
The Orchid Growers 1 Calendar. 
The present time is the best to overhaul the heating 
apparatus of the Orchid houses, bearing in mind any 
cause of trouble last winter, and endeavouring to 
remedy it. If any but trifling alterations are required 
it is better to call in the aid of the firm that supplied 
the boilers or fixed the piping. Sometimes, where 
houses do not heat well or regularly, the cause may 
readily be traced by one who understands the principles 
of heating by hot water. Frequently a dip in the 
piping in a doorway or other part of the house—more 
often made for the sake of arranging it to look well 
than from a matter of necessity—throws the whole of 
it out of working, and causes much trouble in cold 
weather ; whereas, if the sudden dip were altered to 
a gradual rise, all would heat well and easily. 
In the same manner the settlement of the hot-water 
pipes out of the level causes them to work badly, and 
much fuel to be wasted in winter in endeavouring to 
force heat where it would go naturally if the piping 
had a gradual rise to the extreme point on the flow (on 
which an open-air pipe should be placed) and a gradual 
