August 18, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
813 
fall on tli9 return. Those who think about these 
matters in summer are the best prepared to meet the 
cold of winter ; therefore it is advisable to go over all 
the heating apparatus now, to make sure that it is in 
good working order. 
If a plug at the lowest part, or any other means 
exist for sluicing the boiler, a quantity of water should 
be run off from it to clear it of sediment, .the fire-bars 
and flues should be looked to, the piping levelled, the 
joints seen to, and the air-taps and valves oiled and 
worked After all is looked to the whole of the iron¬ 
work should be painted over with lamp-black and oil 
to prevent rust. For this purpose, or for any other 
about Orchid houses, any kind of tar, and especially 
gas-tar, should be carefully avoided as certainly mis¬ 
chievous beyond calculation, the mischief lasting for 
years. 
While seeing to the piping, the opportunity should 
be taken to clear any accumulation of rubbish from 
behind them, and to do any necessary repairs to 
staging, water-tanks, &c. At the same time repairs to 
the structures and ventilators should be done, but let 
me remind those in charge of Orchids, where repairs 
are going on in the houses, to look well after their 
plants, and put them out of harm’s way. Carpenters, 
painters and other workmen, as a rule, look after 
their own work and care little about the plants. 
Where any but trifling repairs have to be done, 
therefore, it is better if possible to clear the house 
until they are done. Failing that, half might be 
cleared and divided off with mats, the plants being 
returned to the repaired half for the second division to 
be attended to. With fresh painte'd houses it is 
always advisable to let them sweeten before the plants 
are put in .—James O'Brien. 
L/ELIA elegans Turneri. 
There are several varieties of this now in cultivation, 
as was evidenced on Tuesday last at the Drill Hall, 
James Street, where Mr. Ballantine, gardener to Baron 
Schroder, The Dell, Egham, exhibited three distinct 
coloured varieties. What is[considered the typical form 
has rosy purple sepals and petals, while another form 
had them of a much deeper purple ; but undoubtedly 
the best was one in which those organs were of a rich 
amethyst-purple, by some described as plum-purple. 
The lateral lobes and the tube externally of the type 
are of a pale rose more or less striated with purple, 
while the terminal lobe is of a rich purple. In the 
best variety, however, the whole flower was of a most 
intense colour, the lip perhaps being darkest, but of a 
different shade from that of the sepals and petals, being 
shaded with maroon. It is sometimes regarded as 
different from L. elegans, and considered as of specific 
value under the name of L. Turneri, as in Warner’s 
Select Orchids, I., t. 12. 
Saccolabium violaceum Harrisonianum. 
A magnificent spike of this beautiful Orchid was 
shown the other day at James’ Street, Westminster, by 
Mr. Ballantine, gardener to Baron Schroder, The Dell, 
Egham. The part of the spike occupied with bloom 
was 15 ins. in length, and must have borne some 
hundreds of flowers of the purest white, wdth the ex¬ 
ception of a small green spot on the column. The 
flowers are deliciously scented, and are usually produced 
in winter, when they last sometimes in good condition 
for the space of six weeks. On very strong plants 
spikes of 2 ft. in length are produced, but we should 
reckon that the extreme limit. The typical form has 
its sepals and petals spotted with mauve, and the lip 
wholly of a dark mauve with deeper lines. Specific 
rank has sometimes been given to the white variety on 
account of its distinctness. It is a native of Pulo 
Copang, and requires warm treatment. 
Oncidium Limminghei. 
Oncidiums are both numerous and varied ; but there 
are some of them, including the present, which one 
seldom sees in ordinary collections. We recently 
noticed a large patch of it (for it could hardly be called 
a plant) on a piece of a tree stem at Studley House, 
Hammersmith, in the collection of F. G. Tautz, Esq., 
so assiduously looked after by Mr. C. Cowley. This 
species has an extraordinary habit, more resembling a 
Sophronitis or a Hartwegia than an Oncidium. The 
pseudo-bulbs are obversely heart-shaped, very much 
flattened, lying against the tree stem, and surmounted 
by a solitary ovate or elliptic, short, fleshy leaf also 
lying against the stem. The leaf is spotted or blotched 
with brown in the same manner as 0. papilio or its 
variety 0. p. Kramerianum. The flowers are borne 
singly or in pairs on a peduncle ranging from 3 ins. to 
6 ins. high, and are of good size compared with the 
bulk of the plant bearing them. The sepals and 
petals are transversely blotched’with brown and purple 
on a yellow ground, and the large auricled lip is 
blotched with orange on a yellow ground. The flowers 
are pretty, and taken together with the peculiar habit 
of the plant, constitute the species a very interesting 
one. 
Aerides Lobbii. 
What a grand showy Orchid this is ! A nice plant 
with a fine branched spike—viz., nine branches from 
the main spike—and a grand variety is amongst the 
many in flower in the collection of H. Grose Smith, 
Esq., The Priory, St. Helens. I do not remember ever 
seeing such a fine spike before. Some fine varieties of 
the old Cattleya crispa are also in flower, and many 
fine Oncidiums amongst them, one called 0. viperinum, 
which is very bright. There are also numerous 
varieties of 0. dasytyle, some of which are very beautiful. 
Many Odontoglossum and Masdevallias swell the 
number with their showy flowers. In the entrance to 
one of the Orchid houses stands a grand specimen 
plant, 6 ft. through, of the lovely Impatiens Hawkeri, 
loaded with its brilliant rich deep carmine-coloured 
flowers ; this is relieved by a lustrous bluish tinge 
round the small white eye. The dorsal petal is 
roundish, and the two lateral lobes oblong and bilobed; 
the spur red, above 2 ins. long. The plant is a 
splendid specimen, and Mr. Earl, the gardener, is to be 
congratulated on his success in growing this plant, for 
it is only of recent introduction, but a perfect gem.— 
Rusticus. 
The American Orchid Trade. 
The American Florist is informed that Mr. James R. 
Pitcher, the well-known Orchid amateur of Short Hills, 
New Jersey (whose place was noticed in our number 
for July 21st), is about to enter the professional ranks 
with a Massachusetts Orchid grower, Mr. Manda, of 
the Harvard Botanic Gardens, as business partner. 
“This will scarcely be a surprise, for there seems a charm 
about the trade to many who begin as amateurs, and 
the professional army is constantly recruited by them.” 
-- 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural. —August 14 th. 
The exhibits in the Drill Hall, on Tuesday last, were 
not so numerous as on several previous occasions ; but 
there was considerable variety in the way of small 
exhibits. Orchids were but sparingly represented, as 
might be expected, considering that they are mostly 
out of season. Some large groups of hardy herbaceous 
plants and Roses occupied considerable space, and hardy 
fruits constituted a greater feature of the exhibition 
than on any previous occasion this year. 
A Silver-gilt Banksian Medal was awarded to Messrs. 
Paul & Son, Cheshunt, for a collection of cut flowers, 
consisting of herbaceous plants and Roses. Of the 
latter there were nine boxes, including one of Lady 
Alice, a new blush-coloured H.P. Amongst herbaceous 
plants, there were Echinops sphmrocephala, E. Ritro, 
Shirley Poppies, Lychnis chalcedonica flore pleno, 
Centaurea macrocephala, Harpalium rigidum, Arnebia 
echioides, Catananche coerulea bicolor, Hollyhocks, 
and autumn-flowering Phloxes.. Good varieties of the 
latter were Boule de Feu, Blanc de Plots, Louis Yan 
Houtte, and Madame E. Chevrel. They had also 
a good collection of Carnations, including W. P. 
Milner, Alegatiere, Dan Godfrey, and Feodora, 
while Picotees were represented by such varieties as 
Fanny Helen, Redbras, Rev. F. D. Horner, and Isabella. 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, 
was awarded a Bronze Banksian Medal for a collection 
of cut flowers of hardy herbaceous plants. Amongst 
them were a group of early or summer-flowering 
Chrysanthemums, Papaver orientale Blush Queen, 
Gaillardias Admiration, Adonis, lutea and aurea, also 
Ferraria undulata with curiously crisped segments, 
Iris Ksempferi in variety, Iceland and Shirley Poppies, 
Pentstemon heterophyllus (a blue-flowered species), 
Monarda didyma, Bravoa geminiflora, autumn 
flowering Phloxes and others. Mr Richard Dean, of 
Ealing, exhibited White Intermediate and pyramidal 
Stocks, Chrysanthemum segetum grandiflorum, border 
Picotees Rosamund and Paladin, Carnations, amongst 
which were a fine pink variety named Fair Maid, and 
White Lady, together with autumn-flowering Phloxes. 
An interesting collection of hardy flowers was shown 
by G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., Weybridge and 
Wisley. These included Gentiana ornata, a Himalayan 
species, G. septemfida in many shades of blue, G. 
asclepiadea, G. a. alba, G. cruciata, Lilium superbum, L. 
longiflorum with five and four large flowers on a stem, 
Opuntia vulgaris, flowered in the open air, the pretty 
Stenogastra concinna, and Maurandya Barclayana 
alba, raised from seeds collected by Mr. Scott Wilson 
on the Sandwich Islands. Mr. Wm. Gordon, of 
Twickenham, exhibited Lilium Leichtlinii, and 
a collection of many varieties of Iris Kaempferi, 
including Major Mason, purplish red ; The Bride 
and Lady Margaret, both white ; Red Gauntlet, 
rosy red ; Violet Queen, white with violet veins ; and 
James Flood, dark violet-purple. Messrs. H. Cannell 
& Sons, Swanley, Kent, had some pot plants of new 
double-flowered tuberous Begonias, including C. 
Showell, rose ; Mrs. Hadden, pink ; Mrs. Paget, buff- 
yellow ; Mrs. Cornwallis West, salmon and yellow; and 
Mrs. F. Jenkins, pale yellow. 
The largest collection of Orchids was exhibited by 
Mr. Ballantine, gardener to Baron Schroder, The Dell, 
Egham. Most interesting were Cypripedium Morganiai, 
the pure white Saccolabium Heathii, the hybrid Laelia 
callistoglossa, Sophrocattleya Batemanniana, Cattleya 
granulata asperata (a rare plant), Pachystoma Thom- 
soniana, Sobralia leucoxantha, Phalaenopsis Schroderiana, 
Cattleya Schroderiana, C. Chamberlaini, and several 
forms and varieties of Lselia Turneri, altogether a 
beautiful and valuable collection, while many are rare. 
Cypripedium concolor Regnierii and C. unicolor, a 
uniformly pale yellow unspotted variety, were shown by 
Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton ; Bifrenaria 
bicornuta and Odontoglossum Alexandra Heatoniense 
were exhibited by Mr. J. Charlesworth, Heaton, 
Bradford ; Oncidium splendidum, a rare species, 
was exhibited by Mr. W. Swan, gardener to G. C. 
Raphael, Esq., Cooke Hill, Englefield Green, Staines. 
Cypripedium Charles Canham was brought up by 
Mr. C. Cowley, gardener to F. G. Tautz, Esq., 
Studley House, Hammersmith. A good plant of 
Laelia elegans was shown by Mr. Cullimore, gardener 
to Malcolm S. Cooke, Esq., Coomb Berry Cottage, 
Kingston Hill. From the Royal Gardens, Kew, came 
bunches of the curious flowers of Mueuna imbricata, 
like bunches of black Grapes, also Pereskia Bleo, with 
rosy flowers, Littonia modesta, a yellow flowered Lily- 
wort, and Eucomis bicolor, all of which are uncommon 
species. A stand of yellow-ground Carnation blooms 
came from Mr. Charles Turner, Slough, including 
Almira, Colonial Beauty, Annie Douglas, Terra Cotta, 
and Agnes Chambers, a light red-edged Picotee, with a 
yellow ground. Mr. J. "Walker, Thame, Oxon, staged 
a large box full of a white Rose, named La Biche, 
which flowers through the summer and autumn, and is 
rare. Mr. W. Williams, Walcot Nursery, Ryde, 
exhibited some Carnations, named Miniature White 
Clove, and Jubilee, a buff, yellow seedling, for which 
a vote of thanks was awarded. A Lobelia, a sport from 
Blue Beard, was exhibited by Mr. T. Williams, Devizes; 
and a white variety named Miss Hope was shown by 
Mr. G. Davidson, Ammanford, R.S.O., Carmarthen¬ 
shire. Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, Sussex, had 
some Dahlia blooms to illustrate their new patent 
flower stand. Some hybrid Gladioli, for which a vote 
of thanks was given, were brought up by Professor M. 
Foster, F.R.S., Shelford, Cambridge. 
At a meeting of the Fruit Committee, a Silver 
Banksian Medal was awarded to Messrs. J. Yeitch & 
Sons, Chelsea, for a collection of Gooseberries and a 
few other fruits, such as Peaches, Nectarines, Cherries, 
Waterloo Strawberry, Jargonelle and Citron des Carmes 
Pears, Irish Peach, Red Julien, White Juneating and 
Red Juneating Apples, and The Czar Plum. There 
were about 100 dishes of Gooseberries, including yellow 
varieties Yellow Champagne, Stella, Leveller, Tiger, 
Gipsy Queen, Prince Arthur, Leader, and Pretty Boy. 
Green sorts were represented by Early Green Hairy, 
Stockwell Pet, Trumpeter, London City, and Telegraph. 
Amongst red sorts were Warrington, Ironmonger, 
Victory, Lancashire, and Champagne. Pyramidal and 
single upright cordon bushes were shown in some 
quantity in pots. A smaller collection of Gooseberries 
was shown by Mr. J. Walker, Thame, Oxon, including 
samples of Bobby, Overall, Ironmonger, Duke of 
Sutherland, Antagonist, Green Gage, Diadem, King 
of Triumphs, Greenock, and Golden Gage. He also 
had Red, White and Black Currants, Raspberries, and 
Black Raspberry, a black variety. A collection of 
fruit was sent up from the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Gardens at Chiswick, including Pears, Doyenne d’Ete 
and Citron des Carmes ; Figs, De la Madeline, 
Boutard and Pean Dure ; Plums, Blue Gage, Early 
Prolific, St. Etienne, Peach, and Prince of Wales; 
Apples, Red and White Astrachan and White Trans¬ 
parent. A good-sized collection of Gooseberries was 
staged by Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, including 
Slaughterman, Crown Bob, Whinhan’s Industry, Briton, 
