February 7, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
865 
1884- The exhibitions daring the past year in point 
of merit proved highly satisfactory, with the slight 
exception perhaps of the spring show, which suffered 
through the alteration of the date. The autumn ex¬ 
hibition showed a balance in favour of the association, 
a result never before achieved. The number of 
visitors present at the shows -were : spring, 2,789 ; 
summer, 7,645 ; autumn, 6,893 — total, 17,327. 
The subscriptions show an increase of £42, although 
there is a slight falling off in the number of ordinary 
members. The committee also express their thanks to 
members of the trade for groups shown »t the various 
exhibitions ; for special prizes ; aod also for the offer of 
Messrs. K. P. Ker k Son of a Challenge Vase for Chry¬ 
santhemums. The statement of accounts showed a 
total income of ^1,140 14,s. 9 d., and an expenditure 
amounting to £1,050 15s. 8d., leaving a balance in 
favour of the society of £238 13.s. 3d., or a gain on the 
year’s working of £89 19s. Id. 
After some discussion, in which Mes-rs. A. R. Cox, 
R. Curie, T. Carling, G. Thompson, E. Bennett, J. 
Glover, J. Foster, R, G. Waterman, the chairman, and 
others took part, the report and statement of accounts 
were adopted. 
The election of officers resulted in the re-appointment 
of Mr. Fletcher Rogers, as treasurer Mr. G. Black- 
more, as sub-treasurer ; Messrs. J. Peers and J. Kelly, 
as auditors; and Mr. E. Bridge as secretary. The sum 
of five guineas was voted to the Gardeners’ Royal 
Benevolent Institution and the Gardeners’Orphan Fund. 
A hearty vote of thanks to the chairman for presiding 
concluded a somewhat lively but satisfactory meeting. 
- -—> 3 -* « - 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
--f.- 
The Orchid Growers’- Calendar. 
The return of warmer weather has enabled the 
gatherers of sphagnum moss to piocure fresh supplies, 
which were greatly needed, aud cultivators of Orchids 
will be now turning their attention to the re-potting 
of any Masdevallias, Odontoglossums, or other cool- 
house plants, which was not done in September. 
Without doubt September is the best time of the year 
for re-potting the bulk of the cool-house occupants, for 
at that time the plants are neither cairying flower- 
spikes, nor pushing young spikes up, but are commenc¬ 
ing to grow, and are just right for re-potting, besides 
which no fire-heat need be used at that season, and the 
plants seem to get a good start during the autumn, 
before much artificial heat is needed. Nevertheless, 
there are sure to be some plants which for various 
reasons are left over till February, and these should be 
attended to now without delay. Amongst these will 
probably be found O lontoglossum nsevjum majus, 0. 
bictonense, 0. Uro-Skinneri, O. Harrvanum, &c., 
besides about 10 per cent, of the plants of O. crispum 
which were in flower at potting time in September. 
My experience convinces me that it is not wise to use 
very large pots for Odontoglossums if a large percent¬ 
age of them are expected to flower annually, and very 
few of them require pots larger than 6 ins. or 7 ins. 
in diameter, unless the growths of the bulbs are very 
numerous. When grown in smaller pots the plants 
require more often watering no doubt, but there is 
compensation in the fact that they are less liable 
to be overwatered, and the extra time taken up in care¬ 
fully examining all the plants when grown in big pots, 
strikes the balance. 
The tenacity with which nparly all Orchid growers 
cling to brown fibrous peat for pnttinv purposes is con¬ 
clusive evidence that nothing better has yet come to 
the front, although several other kinds of potting 
material have been introduced with feeble success, aud 
therefore we. still advi-e two parts of peat and one part 
of fresh chopped sphagnum, with a sprinkling of clean 
pot-herds broken small in which to re-pot the cool- 
house plants. Masdevallias have proved most useful to 
us when grown in 5-in. pots for mixing with the 
Odontoglossums when in flower, as we find such 
varieties as M. Veitcliii, M. Harryana, M. Lindeni, 
and M. Chelsoni produce six to twelve flowers on a 
plant in 48-pots (5 ins.), which brighten up the sprays 
of white considerably. 
Where large plants of Masdevallias are growing in 
good condition, the effect is very fine when they flower 
freely, but where any large plants have got bare in the 
centre and want pulling to pieces they may with 
advantage be re-potted into smaller pots and grown on 
again. The leaves being very top-heavy they will 
need small sticks to support them, or a strand of 
matting to go round them after re-potting. The con¬ 
tinuous firing for seven or eight weeks has made it no 
easy matter to keep thrips within bounds, as they seem 
greatly to enjoy crippling the young flower spikes of 
0. cirrhosum and the flowers of the yellow 0 Rossii 
Humeanum and 0. R. aspersum, as well as Oncidium 
macranthum and 0. superbiens ; but we are glad to 
think that the plants can now enjoy more fresh air and 
soft water, which must be to their great benefit. 
Temperatures for February. — East Indian 
House, 60° night, 65° day ; Cattleya House, 55° night, 
60° day ; cool house, 45° night, 50° day. — W. P. 
COCHLIODA NOEZLIANA. 
There are now several pretty species of Cochlioda in 
cultivation, including C. Noezliana, the most recent 
introduction. There is a beautiful coloured plate of it 
in the Lindenia (English edition), plate 266. The 
flowers are of good average size for the genus, and are 
borne on archiug or drooping panicles that hang over 
the sides of the pots or baskets in which the plant is 
grown. The colour of the sepals and petals is orange- 
scarlet, and the three-lobed lip is somewhat enlivened 
by a large yellow blotch in the centre. The column is 
also furnished with a large purple blotch, which is 
retained even after the flowers have been dried. The 
species was introduced from some part of the Andes of 
South America by Messrs. Linden, Parc Leopold, 
Brussels. It has also been introduced to this country, 
for we named some specimens some two months ago for 
Messrs. Charlesworth & Shuttleworth, Park Road, 
Clapbam. Different species have been placed at one 
time in OJontoglossum and at another in Mesospini- 
dium, but it is now agreed to maintain the genus 
Cochlioda, which was first established by Lindley in 
1853. 
MlLTONlA CANDIDA. 
The sepals and petals of this species are spreading 
oblong and of a cinnamon-brown colour, marked trans¬ 
versely with yellow streaks. The lip is infolded at the 
sides so as to appear semi-tubular, and in this respect 
it differs greatly from the other species in cultivation, 
which Lave the lip flat or nearly so. The latter organ 
is white or only tinted with pink, and in this respect 
it forms a fine contrast with the other parts of the 
flower. The scape bears a raceme of about six flowers, 
which expand at various times in different individuals 
from autumn onwards till at least early spring. The 
whole plant is very robust in growth, and very showy 
when well flowered. 
-- 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
Cubic Feet in Vinery.— Omega : First find the cubic contents 
of the lower part of the house to the height of the upright 
sashes in front. Multiply the length of the house in feet and 
inches, by the width, and the product by the height of the 
front sashes from the floor of the house. Then to find the 
contents of the part under the sloping roof, measure the height 
of the back wall from a point on a level with the top of the front 
sashes to the top of the wall. Supposing this to be 6 ft., you 
would take the half of it, that is 3 ft, which you would multiply 
by the length of the house, and the product by the width. Add 
the calculation of the lower part of the house to the upper, and 
the sum will be the cubic contents of the house. The same rule 
applies to the measurement of a half-span house. 
Gardenia Root Disease. —Juno : Your Gardenias are badly 
affected with one of the nematoid worms, namely, Heterodera 
radicicola, which is widely distributed, and very destructive to 
many kinds of plants, both in this and other countries. Amongst 
other garden subjects it attacks Cucumbers. The swollen 
portions of the roots are spoken of as galls, and it is there the 
worms in question are to be found. Of course they are micro¬ 
scopic in size, but a magnification of 150 to 200 will show them 
plainly. The bulk of those we examined were still folded up in 
the eggs, but they were full grown, fliat is, ready to leave the 
egg. They are believed to pass into the damp soil, and rest 
there till they attain a certain development, when tlwy enter the 
roots' of plants within their reach. There is no means of getting 
at them to destroy them when in the roots, so that the only 
method you can adopt to get i id of them is to take eutf ings from 
healthy plants, and after they are rioted to burn the old plan-s, 
every vestige. Do not use the seme soil again, and h ive it all 
removed from the potting shed right outside the garden. Get 
soil from a fre-li source to re-pot your young plants. 
Maggots in Begonia Pots, A-c.— Naluuit: The specimens 
you sent us were those of a W.-evil or snouted-beetle The best 
plan of dealing with the maggots would he to turn out the 
plants from the pots, washing the roots clear of the soil and 
everything else ; re-pot in freih soil and see that every grub in 
the old soil is destroyed as the work proc eds. Should the 
plants happen to be in flower, and you cannot therefore disiurb 
them (as in the case of Cyclamens, Primulas, Polyanthus, &c ), 
you might try occasional waterings witli lime aud soot water. 
Steep some quicklime in water, and after allowing it to settle, 
water with the clear liquid diluted. With regard to the perfect 
weevil, it is probably a night prowler, and you should go round 
at ni"ht with a lantern to see whether it is then at work, and so 
catch it. Remove all rubbish from the houses, amongst which 
the weevils may hide during the day, and point up all crevices 
in the walls with mortar or cement. Every hole that offers them 
any means of escape should be stopped. On the contrary you 
may lay pieces of bark and boards about the house at night, 
and then examine by day, destroying all the weevils you find 
h ding there. By such means you will he able to keep the pest 
in check. 
Names of Plants. — .S'. England : The Chrysanthemum is out 
of season and out of character, and we do not recognise it. 
J. D. : Odontoglossum pulchellus majus. Collector: 1, Pterls 
serrulata cristata ; 2, Nephrodium molls ; 3, Asplenium 
Fabianum ; 4 and 5, sub-varieties of Aspidium angulare prnli- 
ferum. J. Cooke: 1, Odontoglossum Rossii majus; 2 and 3, 
varieties of Odontoglossum crispum, of which No. 3 is the best; 
4 and 5, varieties of Dendrobium nobile, of which No. 4 is much 
the be.it. 
Salt for Asparagus Beds. — Omega : Asparagus permits of a 
heavier application of salt than subjects which do not grow 
naturally near the sea. As much as 10 ozs. to the square yard 
have been applied to Asparagus beds without injury. Therefore 
you may apply 5 to 10 ozs. to the square yard without any danger 
of evil results. Supposing you make it 8 ozs., that is, half a 
pound to the square yard, as the heaviest application, you will 
be within safo limits. 
United Horticultural Provident and Benefit Society. — 
G. Collins: Ths secretary is Mr. J. Collins, 9, Martiudale Road, 
Balham, S.W. 
Vienna Gardening Paper. — T. G. A., Graz. : We have not 
the slightest objection to your translating any articles that 
appear in our columns provided you favour us with the usual 
acknowledgement. 
Communications Received — A. J. B. — D. & Co. — W. F. — 
G. I.—A. V.—T. G. B.—N. N. S.—W. N.—W. A. A.—G. B. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
M. Campbell, Blantyre, N.B.—New and Select Florists 
Flowers. 
Vilmoein-Andrieux & Co., 4, Quai de la Megisserie, Paris. - 
Spring Catalogue of Seeds, Bulbs, &c. 
R. B. Davis, Yeovil.—Tuberous-rooted Begonias. 
Rozain-Boucharlat, S8, Grande Rue de Cuire, Lyons, 
France.—Novelties in Florists’ Flowers. 
John Watkins, Wilhington, near Hereford.—Seed Potatos. 
Pitcher & Manda, Hextable, Swanley, Kent.—Chrysanthe¬ 
mums. 
-- 
THE WEATHER. 
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean 
reading of the barometer during the week endin? Jan. 
31st was 29 84 ins.; the lowest reading was 29 53 ins. 
at the beginning of the week, and the highest 29'97 
ins. on Sunday and Friday evenings. The mean tem¬ 
perature of the air was 44'2°, and 4'1° above the 
average in the corresponding weeks of the 20 years 
ending 1868. The mean was below the average on 
Sunday, but showed an excess on every other day of 
the week. The general direction of the wind was 
south-westerly, and the horizontal movement of the air 
averaged 17'1 miles per hour, which was 3T miles 
above the average in the corresponding weeks of 16 
years. Rain fell on four days of the week, to the 
aggregate amount of 0 68 of an inch. The duration of 
registered bright sunshine in the week was 18 0 hours, 
atGlreenwich, while it was 17’2 hours at Giynde Place, 
Lewes. 
-- 
LONDON SEED TRADE 
February 2nd. 
Messrs. Hurst k Son, 152, Houndsditch, and 39, 
Seed Market, Mark Line, E. C., report an increasing 
trade for Agricultural seeds. Trefoil sells freely at 
full prices. Alsike, White Clover, and Foreign Red 
Clover steady. Supplies of English Red Clover are 
falling off. Ryegrasses unchanged. 
- —>$*-. - 
OOVENT GARDEN MARKET. 
February Atli. 
Vegetables.—Average Retail Prices. 
s . d . s . d . s . d . s . d . 
Artichokes, Globe,doz. 3 0 r. 0 Herbs -per bunch 0 2 0 4 
Beans, French, per lb. 16 2 0 Horse Radish, bundle 3 0 5 0 
Beet .per dozen 2 0 3 0 Lettuces ..per dozen 16 2 0 
Brussels Sprouts Mushrooms, p. basket 13 2 0 
per half sieve 3 0 4 0 Onions.... per bushel 3 6 5 0 
Cabbages_perdoz. 1 6 2 0 Parsley-per bunch 0 6 
Carrots_per bunch 0 6 Radishes ..per dozen 1 6 
Cauliflowers, English, Sea Kale.per lb. 2 6 3 0 
per dozen 3 0 GO Small salading, punnet 0 4 
Celery_per bundle 2 6 Spiuach, per strike ..36 
Cucumbers _each OS 13 Toiuatos -per lb. 1 0 14 
Endive, French, dnz 2 6 3 0 Turnips -per him. 0 6 
Potatos. — iicut Regents, 80s. Co 100s. per ton; Kent Kidneys, 
803. to 100s. per ton : Champions, 70s. per ton. 
Cjt Flowers.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
s.d. 
Arum Lilies. 12 bims.. 2 0 
Azalea .. 12sprays0 6 
Bouvardias, per bun. 1 0 
Carnations, 12 blooms 1 0 
Chrysanthemum, 
12 behs. 3 0 
Eucharis ..perdozen 3 0 
Gardenias .each 2 0 
Heliotropes, 12 sprays 0 6 
Hyacinth, Roman, 
doz. sprays 0 9 
Lapageria, 12 blooms 2 0 
Lily of the Valley, 
12 sprays 0 6 
MaidenhairFern,12bns 6 0 
Marguerites, 12 bun. 3 0 
Mignonette ..12 bun. 3 0 
s.d. s.d. s d. 
4 0 Pelargoniums t 12spys. 10 2 0 
10 — scarlet .. 12 sprays 0 9 16 
1 6 Narciss, Paper white 
2 0 (French) doz. bchs. 9 0 12 0 
-(English), bun. 10 16 
6 0 Poinsettias, per doz. 2 0 6 0 
5 0 Primula, double, bun. 0 6 1 o 
3 0 Pyrethrum, doz. behs. 2 0 4 0 
1 0 Roses, yellow, perdoz. 2 6 15 0 
— Tea_per dozen 10 3 0 
1 0 — Red.perdoz. 2 0 4 0 
4 0 — Saffrano .. per doz. 2 6 3 0 
Tuberoses, per dozen. 2 6 3 6 
1 3 Violets (Fuch.), Parme 
9 0 per bunch 4 0 5 0 
6 0-dark . 30 36 
6 0 — English, .doz. bun. 2 0 3 0 
