172 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 15, 1890. 
others too low, and in others bunchy and ungraceful. 
The second prize lot (Mr. J. Enapman’s) had some 
splendidly grown flowers in it, some of them fit for the 
cut bloom class. Cyclamens were fair, Primulas rather 
poor. In the plants for the dinner-table classes there 
was much sameness, and the plants staged were nothing 
very extraordinary. The Poinsettias were good, and so 
were Violets in pots. 
Fruit, as usual, was well shown, and what always 
strikes one not acquainted with the pre - eminent 
advantages of the Devonshire climate is the grand 
colour of many specimens not noted for colour. 
Cornish Gillyflower, for instance, is as a rule of a dingy 
brownish green, but it is often shown at the Exeter 
shows with a bright red colour suffusing the dull green. 
Blenheim Orange is often staged too, at this show, 
with a deep crimson colour. The chief prizes in Apples 
and Pears were taken by Sir Thos. Acland, of Killerton. 
His gardener, Mr. Garland (how appropriate a name 
for a gardener !), is an old hand at the show tents, 
and his opponents know that they must be awake 
pretty early in the morning if they want to catch him 
napping in a fruit competition. Where he generally 
scores, is in the condition and uniformity of his fruit, 
more than in size. Many a fine dish is spoiled in 
appearance by badly-matched fruit. Grapes were well 
showD, and in the classes for single dishes of fruit 
some very fine specimens were showD, of the kinds 
which usually crop up at November shows. Among 
the local nurserymen who helped to make the show 
the success it was, Messrs. Robert Veitch & Son’s 
collection, which, with Chrysanthemums, miscellaneous 
plants, and fruits occupied the entire breadth of the 
great hall, was conspicuous. At the end of their 
staging was a splendid dish of their Goldfinder Peas, 
sown on the 8th July and picked on the 7th November 
from the open in their own trial-ground. Other 
nurserymen who exhibited were Messrs. Randall & Son, 
C. G. Sclater, Jarman & Co., Ireland & Co., Mr. W. J. God¬ 
frey, and Mr. W. B. Smale. Taken as a whole, the members 
of the society have much reason to be satisfied with the 
exhibition, which closes a successful year for them. 
-- >X< -- 
ORCHID MO TES AND GLEANINGS. 
A Yorkshire Orchid Nursery. 
Were any one to assert that in Lancashire and York¬ 
shire there are more valuable private collections of 
Orchids than in all the other English counties put to¬ 
gether, the statement would certainly meet with some 
opposition, or at least be considered a rash one ; but we 
believe, nevertheless, that it would not be far from the 
literal truth. The wealthy manufacturers of the north 
have for years been among the most liberal buyers of 
this singularly fascinating class of plants, and about the 
larger towns and cities there are a vast number of 
choice collections, large and small, about which little 
is known outside their respective localities, except to 
nursery travellers and those who deal in Orchids. It 
has been said, and often said, that rich manufacturers 
grow Orchids, not so much for the pleasure they derive 
from them, as to display their wealth, but we believe 
this to be entirely untrue of the great majority. In no 
part of Great Britain is the love for plants and flowers 
more strongly implanted in the people than in Lanca¬ 
shire and Yorkshire, and that being admitted, why 
need we be surprised if those who can afford the luxury 
enjoy the best they can get ? Business men must of 
necessity reside near to their business places, and 
equally of necessity can devote but a limited amount of 
time to their floral treasures. Hence it is that the 
attraction must be close at hand, and the largest amount 
of interest must be crammed, comparatively speaking, 
into the smallest amount of space. Under such con¬ 
ditions then, what other tribe of plants is there that 
yields the same amount of interest and pleasure all the 
year round as Orchids ? Not one, and that is why they 
are so popular ; and while some two or three or more 
houses of them afford to many busy men more delight 
and recreation than others get from the possession of 
hundreds of broad acres, may the Orchid trade continue 
to flourish ! 
But our business is not with the Orchid amateurs ; 
we would say something rather of a Yorkshire Orchid 
nursery, and there are not many of them in the 
county of greatest area. The particular one in question 
is that of Messrs. Charlesworth, Shuttleworth & Co., 
which Mr. Charlesworth established at Heaton, a 
suburb of Bradford, some six years ago. Mr. Charles¬ 
worth, who has a large commercial interest in the wool 
trade, commenced growing Orchids as an amateur, and 
is a most devoted lover of them for their own interest 
and beauty, independent of any considerations of a 
pecuniary nature. He has at Manningham, on a fairly 
open spot, high up above Bradford, erected one of the 
most completely equipped blocks of houses that we 
have ever seen ; and the orderly spick and span style in 
which the nursery is maintained, and the admirable 
cleanliness and health of the plants as well, adds 
greatly to the enjoyment , of an inspection in the 
company of Mr. Charlesworth and his clever nursery 
manager, Mr. Eichel. 
The two oldest houses are narrow span-roofed 
structures, 100 ft. long, with beds on either side of 
the central path devoted to cool Orchids bedded out — 
a system much favoured here on economic grounds. 
They are planted in a thin stratum of peat and moss 
on a good layer of crocks, and in this way more can be 
grown than in pots, and the plants also make finer 
growths at starting. In one house nearly the whole 
of one side is filled with Odontoglossum crispum, a 
very sturdy lot, and notable on the opposite side is a 
very fine lot of the showy 0. polyxanthum, by no 
means a good one to start, but which does well under 
this treatment. The second house contains a large 
bed of 0. Rossii majus, which evidently also likes the 
planting-out; and a large number of O. crispum, 
which have been potted up, look the picture of health 
and vigour. 
Next comes a span-roof, 147 ft. long and 22 ft. wide— 
a light roomy structure, with stages on each side and 
down the centre, on which latter, amongst other thrifty 
stock, we noted a grand batch of the beautiful summer¬ 
flowering Epidendrum Frederici Guillielmi, from a fine 
importation of a few months ago. Then alongside 
comes a strong yet lightly-constructed house of the 
same width, but some 10 ft. shorter, with plenty of 
width between the rafters, and so affording a maximum 
of light. On the centre stage were established Cattleyas 
in blocks, of such species as Mossiae, Trianae, Mendelii, 
Gigas, Skinneri, one mass 4 ft. through, very fine ; 
and other good useful species of different genera ad 
infinitum. Another and exactly similar house claims 
the unbounded admiration of all who are privileged 
to enter it, for here is to be seen the Oncidium of 
Oncidiums, the magnificent O. macranthum, in such 
numbers, and the plants of such size and vigour, as we 
had never seen before, and so far as we know, could 
not see anywhere else. They are worth a journey 
alone to Heaton to see. Some 120 spikes were in 
the process of development, and what the sight will be 
when all are in bloom can be better imagined than 
described. Here also is a strain of 0. macranthum, 
differing from the type in having longer bulbs and 
short stumpy spikes, which we had not seen before. 
Other occupants of the house were the handsome 
Oncidium lameligerum in bloom, a nice lot of 
Epidendrum syringothyrsus, one of the most beautiful 
of Bolivian Orchids ; and quite a host of Odontoglossum 
crispum, 0. Hallii, 0. sceptrum, 0. mirandum, &e. 
Another large span, in two divisions, contained in 
the warmer department a large quantity of Odonto¬ 
glossum vexillarium in all sizes, and in rude health. 
Hanging from the roof with other things was a plant 
of Promemea stapelioides, whose remarkable speckled 
flowers had been open quite a month. In the cooler 
half were some thousands of Odontoglossum Harryanum, 
forming a splendid batch, with many in flower, and 
showing some variations, but not nearly so much as is 
seen in some other species. It is scented like Honey¬ 
suckle, and the greatest variation that can be seen is in 
the varying degrees of brightness of the shades of 
yellow. The plants are in grand health, and must be 
valuable in good time if it be true as rumoured that 
there are not many more to come from its native home. 
Here also was a very fine lot of Odontoglossum 
cirrhosum, established plants with a rare lot of spikes 
throwing up. Another but smaller house is mainly 
devoted to various Dendrobes, and a small collection of 
the best Cypripedes, among them being C. Morgani® 
with five growths, and C. euryandum with seven leads. 
Some perfect little pieces of Aerides Leoni®, and various 
species of Phahenopsis, a nice piece of the true 
Cypripedium Harrisonianum, another one of C. 
calurum superbum, one of the best types of all, and 
a good piece of the lovely Vanda Amesiana throwing 
up a spike also claimed notice. At the end of one house, 
facing south, a happy position was found for a batch of 
Cattleya citrina, growing and flowering finely on small 
rafts. Near by was a plant with fifty-six bulbs and 
seven leads of the fine Oncidium crispum grandiflorum, 
which the Orchid Committee certificated in June 1889. 
The pretty Maxillaria Sanderiana is done well, both 
in baskets and pots, but perhaps the best, if anything, 
in baskets. Oncidium Lanceanum on double rafts, 
with peat in the bottom and charcoal on the top, 
makes leaves 18 ins. long ; and some in small baskets 
have roots hanging down quite 2 ft. in length— 
handsome little specimens. Of the difficult to establish, 
but noble Yanda Sanderiana, we noted a plant with 
six leads and two flower spikes coming on in a basket; 
a nice lot of recently imported Cattleya Acklandi® 
were rooting away splendidly on rafts ; and Zygope- 
talum rostratum, a difficult plant to grow with many, 
thrives here like a weed at the moist end of a house 
where thereis not much ventilation. We cannot pretend 
to have noted all the good things which Mr. Charles¬ 
worth has established at Heaton, as space forbids 
allusion to but a comparatively few ; but in conclusion 
we cannot refrain from adding a few words about a 
remarkably successful importation of Lselia purpurata, 
which was being unpacked at the time of our visit, 
and which included some of the largest pieces we have 
ever seen—really handsome masses, compact, sturdy and 
perfect in leafage. 
- ->X< — - - 
£)£ufuari?. 
We regret to iearn of the death of Mr. Richard D. 
Catchpool, the hon. secretary and superintendent of 
the Reading Chrysanthemum Show, which took place at 
Reading on the 8 th inst. A few years since, he 
instituted, upon a larger scale than had been before 
attempted, the annual Chrysanthemum show, putting 
it on a broader basis and making it in every way a 
gratifying success. Mr. Catchpool was taken ill 
on Thursday the 6th inst., and died on thefollowing day. 
The annual show at Reading took place on Thursday 
the 13th, and he who had worked so hard to make it 
successful, died almost on the eve of its taking place, 
at the age of sixty-eight. 
-—->-X<-- 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, 
Books. —IF. M.: Messrs. Macmillan published a book some 
years ago, by Miss Hassard, that gave a good deal of useful 
information on the subject, but we do not know if it can now be 
obtained. There is nothing else worth having. 
Insect on Spruce. — Roxburgh: The parasite on the Spruce 
you sent us is one of the Aphides. We have not yet had an 
opportunity of studying this species on the tree which it infests. 
We find great variation as to the amount of damage which the 
tree-inhabiting Aphides inflict upon the trees. In some cases 
they cause the whole of the leaves to drop, and in other cases 
cause the death of the tro*. Many of them do not increase to 
any extent, and do the tree no visible harm. If, however, you 
find the insects as numerous all over the tree as on the shoot 
you sent us, you may reck n that the tree will suffer harm by 
the loss of more or less of its foliage, and the pest must 
therefore be destroyed. Give the tree a good syringing with 
a solution of soft soap, at the rate of 4 lbs. to 6 gals, of water, 
and if to this solution you add half-a-gallon of tobacco water 
after the solution has become cool, it will be more effective. 
If the tree or trees are valuable, you might wash them, with 
clean water applied forcibly by means of the garden engine, the 
following morning. 
Name of Fruit.— Constant Reader : Pear Doyenne du Comice. 
Names of Plants.— T. G. James: The Spindle-tree, Euony- 
mus europseus. D. Bell: Dendrobium formosum giganteum. 
White Mulberry. — Eaton: The fruit of the White Mulberry 
(Morus alba) is white or pale red, and ripens in September, if 
grown in favourable situations. It is more tender than the 
black Mulberry (Morus nigra), and ripens fruit but very seldom 
in this country. In fact there are few trees of a suitable size to 
bear fruit. We fear, however, you have not got the White Mul¬ 
berry, as the leaf you send us is that of the Common Fig (Ficus 
Carica). You should be able to find a great many leaves on your 
tree that are simply heart-shaped, and not lobed if it be the 
White Mulberry ; but even when lobed, the venation and teeth 
on the margin of the leaves are different from those of the Fig. 
Supposing you have the White Mulberry it takes more than three 
years to get the wood into a sufficiently matured and fruit-bear¬ 
ing condition. If the Fig, of which you send us a leaf, is in a 
warm and sheltered position, preferably against a wall it, will 
soon begin to bear, if it has been raised from a tree already in 
bearing condition and not from seeds. Unless indoors, how¬ 
ever, you cannot expect it to ripen much fruit in bad seasons. 
Communications Received.— J. McH.—J. W.—S. J. (next 
week).—T. Pett (next week).—S. & S.—Stirling.—Calanthe (next 
week).—W. S.— Staffordshire (next week).—J. J.—W. P.—J. L. 
—M. M. L.-J. P. —W.D.—J. A. M.—R. T.—J. H. 
-- 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
H. J. Jones, Ryecroft Nursery, Hither Green, Lewisham.— 
New and Choice Chrysanthemums, 
Little & Ballantyne, Carlisle.—Trees and Shrubs of all 
kinds. 
Thomas Methven & Sons, Kdinburgh.—Forest Trees, Orna¬ 
mental Trees and Shrubs, &c. 
-->X<-- 
LONDON SEED TRADE. 
November 10 th. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, 152, Houndsditch and 39, 
Seed Market, Mark Lane, S.E., report no activity in 
market for agricultural seeds. A fetv buyers are found 
for finest grades of French. Red Clover. Supplies of 
new English Red Clover are of medium quality, and at 
present dealers do not care to operate. Rye Grasses 
steady. 
