December 27, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
2G9 
much more active than those of a larger bulk. The 
common wren is all animation, its actions and move¬ 
ments bespeak hilarity and animal spirits ; and that 
minute creature, too, the golden-crested wren, is always 
in motion, flitting from the yew hedge to the fir, or 
darting away to taller trees with a spring and a power 
we could not expect from its size. 
“But in truth this Tomtit perishes in severe winters 
in great numbers. It roosts under the eaves of our 
haystacks, and in little holes of the mows, where we 
often find it dead, perished by cold or hunger, or 
conjointly by both ; yet the race survives, and this 
annual waste is recruited by the prolificacy of the 
creature, the nest of which will frequently contain from 
seven to nine young ones. Its chief subsistence is 
insects, which it hunts out with unwearied perseverance. 
It peeps into the nail-holes of our walls, which, though 
closed by the cobweb, will not secrete the spider within ; 
and draws out the chrysalis of the cabbage butterfly 
from the chinks in the barn ; but a supply of 
such food is precarious and becomes exhausted. 
It then resorts to our yards, and picks diminutive 
morsels from some rejected bone or scraps from the 
butcher’s stall. Yet this is the result of necessity, not 
choice, for no sooner is other food obtainable than it 
retires to its woods and thickets. In summer it 
certainly will regale itself with our garden Peas, and 
shells a pod of marrowfats with great dexterity ; but 
this, we believe, is the extent of its criminality.” 
Then about the Long-tailed Tit, he says, “Our tall 
hedgerows and copses are frequented by a very amusing 
little bird, the Long-tailed Titmouse. It seems the 
most restless of little creatures, and is all day long in a 
state of progression from tree to tree, from hedge to 
hedge, jerking through the air with its long tail like a 
ball of feathers, or threading the branches of a tree, 
several following each other in a little stream, the 
leading bird uttering a shrill cry of twit, twit, twit, 
and away they all scuttle to be first, stop for a second, 
and then away again, observing the same order and 
precipitation the whole daylong.Its food 
is entirely insects, which it seeks among mosses and 
lichens, the very smallest being captured by the 
diminutive bill of this creature.” 
Most of us know from descriptive books, if not from 
actual experience, the beautiful nest constructed by 
the Long-tailed Titmouse, so different from that of the 
ether members of the family, which generally build in 
holes in walls, trees or other odd places, particularly 
where woodwork joins brickwork and leaves a suitable 
interstice. The parents are most industrious and 
careful with their brood, though they sometimes forget 
the length and flexibility of a cat’s paw, which results 
in the death of old and young birds. The quantity of 
material, hair particularly, used by these birds is 
astonishing.— M. 
--W&e*- 
THE HERBACEOUS C AT- 
CEOLARIA.* 
It was an undeniable fact (remarked Mr. Yiner, in 
his paper on this subject) that the herbaceous varieties 
of this beautiful plant were sadly neglected at the 
present time ; nor were they grown, at least in that 
neighbourhood, as extensively and well as they deserved 
to be. The plant was one of the most effective for the 
decoration of the greenhouse and conservatory. The 
varieties were at one time usually propagated by 
cuttings, which method entailed a great amount of care 
and labour on the part of the gardener, but now the 
size, colour and form of the flowers were so good, and 
afforded such infinite variety, and the habit of the 
plant was so much improved by the system of culture 
from seed alone, that propagation from cuttings was no 
longer necessary, except some special colouring in the 
flowers was required, or perhaps for exhibition purposes. 
The system now generally adopted, and which was 
much to be preferred, was to treat the plant simply 
as an annual a matter of no small importance in these 
days, when the attention of the gardener was so greatly 
occupied. 
Describing the mode of culture which he had 
practised (and with considerable success), Mr. Viner 
said that the first requisite was to obtain a good strain, 
with a dwarf habit and a robust constitution. The 
best time to sow the seed was from the last week 
in July to the second week in August. The seed 
should be sown in shallow pans or boxes, filled with 
light sandy soil, pressed moderately firm to a level 
surface one quarter of an inch below the rim, and a 
paper read before the Ealing Gardeners’ Society bv Mr 
H. Viner. J 
little silver sand scattered over the surface, to fill up 
interstices. The seedlings should make their appear¬ 
ance in from ten to fourteen days. Snails and slugs 
must be guarded against, or they would clear off’ the 
seedlings before their presence was detected. Lime or 
soot sprinkled under and around the pans would keep 
these marauders at bay. One important consideration 
to be borne in mind with regard to these plants was 
that they should never be allowed to become so much 
pot-bound as to cause a stagnation in growth, so as to 
induce in their early stages a premature flowering. 
About the middle of November the largest and most 
forward would be ready for a shift into 5-inch pots, in 
which they might remain without injury until early in 
February. If frost was kept from them, they 
continued to grow all through the winter, and might 
therefore be potted on at any time, when the roots 
had well developed themselves in the pot, even 
though it might be mid-winter, but it would be far 
better to, if possible, leave them for re-potting till the 
turn of the year. The best place to winter the plants 
in was a brick-pit, where a little heat might be turned 
on in frosty weather, for although these plants were 
comparatively hardy, and were not affected by a 
few degrees of frost, if the foliage was dry, it 
was far better to entirely exclude the frost from 
them. Fire-heat should, nevertheless, only be applied 
in very severe weather, when the covering of mats 
would be insufficient to protect the plants from the 
extremity of the cold. All decayed leaves should be 
regularly picked off, and if green-fly made its appear¬ 
ance, fumigation with tobacco-paper should be resorted 
to at frequent intervals, a calm night being selected 
for this operation. If a heated brick-pit was not 
available, the plants could be placed on shelves in a 
cool greenhouse close to the glass ; but in this position 
they would be more subject to the attacks of green-fly, 
and greater attention would be required as regaided 
watering, &c. If a small house could be given up 
entirely to their accommodation their position would 
be improved, but few gardeners were able to do that. 
Early in February growth would have commenced, 
and the plants would require moving into larger pots. 
A .nice, moist, growing atmosphere should now be 
maintained. A slight rise in the temperature would 
be necessary to keep the plants moving freely—50° at 
night, 60° by day with sun-heat, with an abundance 
of air on all favourable occasions. The plants should 
have all the light available, but care should be taken 
to shade them from bright sunshine, or the leaves would 
be permanently disfigured. The plants should now be 
growing freely, and constant attention must be paid to 
the water supply ; neglect in this particular would 
result in premature flowering. The aim of the 
gardener must be to keep the soil in a moist, open 
condition, not saturated. This was only obtained by 
looking over the plants at frequent intervals, and only 
giving water where necessary. Frequent mild fumi¬ 
gation would now be necessary to keep down green-fly 
and other aphis, which would be becoming troublesome ; 
if any of the plants were discovered to be sadly affected, 
dipping them in a solution of soft-soap and tobacco- 
water would prove a speedy death to these pests. 
Heavy use of the syringe must be avoided, because if 
the water was driven with much force against the 
plants it would cause considerable damage to the leaves. 
The plants might be sprinkled slightly overhead on 
fine afternoons. This custom, and the maintenance of 
a moist, growing atmosphere, combined with early 
closing of the frame, would do much to keep down all 
insects and promote a vigorous growth. 
About the middle of March the plants would be 
ready for their final shift into the blooming - pots. 
Over-potting w T as, in his opinion, one of the causes of 
failure in the cultivation of the herbaceous Calceolaria. 
When potting, the pots should be carefully drained, 
as ample drainage was essential to the well-being of 
the plant. The soil should be in a slightly moist state 
when used, and pressed moderately firm with the 
potting lath round the ball of the plants ; this process 
must be carefully done, or the roots would be injured. 
The plants being of a quick-growing nature did not 
require the soil to be rammed as hard in the pots as was 
usual with some other plants, nor should they, on the 
other hand, be too lightly potted, otherwise the soil 
would soon get into a sour condition. Careful atten¬ 
tion must be paid to the watering, never allowing the 
plants to know the want of water for any length of 
time ; the sudden collapse of plants that was some¬ 
times seen was probably due to excessive dryness at the 
root3. With regard to fertilisation he thought that 
what assistance was needed in that direction was best 
given in a liquid form. That method of aiding the 
development of the plant could be more quickly 
applied, and the hard, caked surface, which was sure to 
occur when fertilisers were used in a dry state, was 
avoided. A bushel or so of cow manure placed in a 
coarse bag and put into a tub of water would 
make a good stimulant, not so rapid in effect as 
some perhaps, but very cooling to the roots and 
lasting in character. This decoction (which could 
be applied to the Calceolaria in a strength rather 
greater than would be advisable for most plants), given 
three times a week with occasional waterings with clear 
soot water, should ensure foliage large and of good 
colour—a sure indication of the wealth of bloom to 
follow. 
When the flowers show colour fumigation should be 
used for the last time, and the strength of the manure 
water be considerably reduced and finally discontinued, 
clear water only being applied. The features of 
management in the cultivation of this plant thus con¬ 
sisted in constant ventilation, regular attention to the 
application of water, frequent removal of decayed 
leaves, and lastly, frequent gentle smokings to keep 
down aphis. Let the gardener not wait for the insects 
to be seen before commencing these fumigations, for 
when the insects were perceivable half the mischief was 
done ; if the cultivator let his plants get well covered 
with aphis, and thought to cure them by excessive 
fumigation, he would be mistaken, and had better 
throw them on to the rubbish-heap at once. 
-.>$*.- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
-- 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
The earliest flowers of Cattleya Percivaliana are now 
opening, and very welcome they are at this season, but 
the fact remains that only very few forms of it produce 
more than one or two flowers to a bulb even when the 
plants are in robust health and the bulbs of good size. 
That there are notable exceptions we are well aware, 
but they are comparatively few, which is unfortunate, 
for the colouring of the flowers is exceedingly rich, and 
varieties vary considerably. They require very careful 
watering at the present time, when severe fog and frost 
prevail, and will be best kept on the dry side, for it is 
much safer for any of the plants if the houses get a few 
degrees colder than usual, and they are not nearly so 
likely to get a check. Odontoglossum grande, 0. 
Insleayi, and 0. citrosmum, as well as Oncidium 
tigrinum, may now be kept quite dry in a temperature 
with a minimum of 50° for some months to come. 
Fire-heat having been necessary in the cool house for 
some time, will tend to encourage thrip and green-fly 
just at a time when the growths are easily disfigured, 
and no quarter should be allowed to these very 
persevering pests.— W. P. 
Catasetum Bungerothii Randii. 
There is a beautiful coloured figure of this variety in 
L'Illustration Horticole, pi. 117. It comes from a 
different region from whence the type was introduced, 
and has lemon-yellow sepals and petals. The lip is of 
the same shape as the type, but less distinctly toothed 
at the margins than were the first plants of the species 
introduced and distributed; but later importations 
show that in this respect it is variable. It is of the 
same shade of yellow as the other segments, with the 
exception of the cavity of the short spur-like process of 
the lip, which is orange. The variety is named in 
compliment to Mr. S. Rand, of Para, who collected 
specimens of it and sent them to Brussels about a 
couple of years ago. No other actual treatment is 
required that that accorded the type. 
Ansellia Africana. 
The duration of the flowers of this old-fashioned subject 
makes it a favourite with a large number of grotvers in 
one or other of its various forms. Even the type is 
worthy of a place on account of the quantity of flowers 
which it produces on a branching scape. The length 
of the stems (usually 3 ft., sometimes 4 ft.) is the most 
serious objection to this plant where space is limited ; 
but as the plant flowers very regularly and freely, the 
objection is easily overcome. The sepals are oblong, 
and the petals somewhat similar, but wider, and all are 
blotehed with deep brownish purple on a pale yellow or 
greenish yellow ground. The side lobes of the lip are 
also striped with purple, but the middle lobe and the 
two lamellm are of a bright yellow. From the fact that 
the plant blooms in winter, and is comparatively little 
affected by fog, it is well worthy of a place in collections. 
Cypripedium Schlimii album. 
A good healthy plant of this fragrant variety is now' 
carrying twelve spikes in Mr. Pollett’s collection, at 
Fernside, Bickley. The plant, which is growing in a 
12-in. pot, standing in a pan of water, has been in 
bloom nearly three months, having produced from 
seven to ten flowers to each flower spike, although 
having but one or two flowers open at a time. The 
plant is hardly ever without a spike or two, but makes 
its best annual display during the dull autumn months. 
