462 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March. 21, 1891. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
SEASONABLE WORK in the GARDEN. 
Stove Moisture.—As the days lengthen and the 
sun gets stronger, the night temperature may be allowed 
to rise in the stove, and likewise during the day with 
sun heat. More moisture must, however, be dis¬ 
tributed about the house, in order to keep the plants 
healthy and prevent the spread of insect pests. 
Crotons, Dracaenas.—When shading becomes 
necessary on account of the greater strength of the sun, 
there are several fine foliaged subjects, such as Crotons, 
Dracrenas and others with variegated foliage that 
always colour best when fully exposed to the sun, and 
these should be separated by themselves into some 
portion of the house where they can be left unshaded. 
Tacsonias and Passifloras.—Plants of this class 
are very liable to become infested with scale and mealy¬ 
bug. It is therefore necessary to go over the plants 
before they start into growth, and give them a thorough 
cleaning. These pests should be rubbed out with a 
small, hard brush, kept moist with Fir Tree Oil, Nico¬ 
tine Soap, or some of the numerous insecticides now in 
use. If thus checked in spring, it takes the enemy a 
long time to recover lost ground. 
Cobaaa scandens.—In cool conservatories that 
receive plenty of ventilation during the summer, this 
plant, but more especially the variegated form (C. s. 
variegata) is a very suitable subject to plant, as it will 
climb to the highest point, and there festoon the roof 
in a very charmiDg way. The shoots merely require to 
be regulated, and the superfluous ones cut away. 
Camellias.—Tall plants, whether in pots or planted 
out, should receive what necessary pruning they require 
as soon as they have done flowpring, because they soon 
start into fresh growth again, and it is desirable that 
all the shoots should have an equal chance of starting 
equally, so as to complete their growth in a given time. 
Christmas Roses.—Plants that have been lifted 
and slightly forced indoors in order to get a supply of 
clean flowers, will require to be planted out again as 
soon as the weather becomes anything like settled. If 
it is necessary to divide them in order to increase the 
stock, the soil should be washed clean away from the 
roots, so that tbe different crowns may be planted 
with as little loss of roots as possible. 
Peaches.—The fruits in the earliest house will now 
have reached the stoning period, and the trees will 
derive much advantage and assistance if they are 
mulched with half-rotted manure, and a good watering 
given to the roots. The temperature should be kept up 
to 60° at night, with a rise of 70° during the day ; but 
with sunshine it may be allowed to reach 75° or 80°. 
Syringe and close early in the afternoon, so that the 
foliage may get dry before night. 
Melons.—With the aid of more sunshine, better 
growth will now be the result ; but along with a greater 
amount of heat and moisture, there must also be more 
ventilation, or the shoots will increase in length at the 
expense of their firmness and sturdiness. Syringing 
and damping down will have to be employed in pro¬ 
portion to the amount of direct sunshine we receive. 
Asparagus Beds.—The coarser portion of the 
manure which covered the beds in winter should now 
be removed, and the finer material lightly forked in so 
as not to injure the crowns, which will soon be com¬ 
mencing to grow. A few inches of the soil from the 
alleys should be thrown on the beds, and raked fine on 
the surface. If an addition of light material, such as 
old potting soil from under the benches, and some leaf- 
soil can be added to the top, so much the better. 
Sea Kale.—Fresh plantations can now be made 
from the old thongs or fleshy roots cut from the plants 
that were to be forced during the winter. They should 
be cut into lengths of 2 ins. to 4 ins., and planted 
about 1 in. below the soil, and at 12 ins. apart in the 
row and 18 ins. between the rows if intended to be 
lifted for forcing next winter. If the plants are to be 
covered with Seakale pots where they stand, then allow 
18 ins. between each set, and 2 ft. from row to row. 
Kitchen Garden Seeds. — When the soil is in 
suitable condition, sow Radishes, Turnips, Cabbage 
and Cos Lettuce, Chervil, Peas and Beans for a succes¬ 
sion to those sown some time ago. Also plant early 
Potatos when bad weather has hitherto prevented it 
from beiDg done. 
Blower Seeds.—Sow under glass, in houses or 
frames, such things as Stocks,' Asters, Everlastings 
such as Helichrysum, Rhodanthe, and Acroclinium, also 
Zinnias, Lobelias, and such things, if the operation 
has not already been effected. 
BISTERNE. 
Thk residence of John Mills, Esq., i3 pleasantly situated 
in a lovely country some three miles from Ringwood, 
on the London and South Western Railway. The 
grounds at this early period do not attract much 
attention in such a season as the present, consequently 
one naturally gravitates towards the houses, full of an¬ 
ticipations soon to be gratified. Structure number one 
is a fine span-roofed house of enormous proportions, 
used formerly wholly as-a Pine stove, but latterly with 
the centre only devoted to the king of fruits. The 
side stages and the roof above the pathway are now 
devoted to Orchids. The arrangement is open to 
criticism, but in the hands of a skilful and enthusiastic 
gardener like Mr. J. Smythe, everything succeeds 
admirably. In passing through, I could not help 
making a few notes : V anda tricolor planilabris was 
beginning to expand numerous fine flowers, and in 
close proximity were several exceptionally fine forms 
of Cattleya Triatfe, with broad sepals and petals 
and labellums of brilliant purple. C. amethystoglossa, 
a fine form, was an attractive object, and so also were 
Dendrobium nobile, D. n. nobilius, 17. Dalhousieanum, 
D. Falconeri, D. chrysotoxum, Oncidium phyma- 
tochilum, with grand spike ; Cymbidium giganteum, 
C. Lowii, and Cypripedium villosum. 
Before passing from this house, special mention 
should be made of Cattleya lobata. Never in my ex¬ 
perience have I seen this Cattle 3 T a so well handled ; the 
leaves are emerald-green and studded with flower- 
sheaths. This is no rare occasion of it doing so well. 
Mr. Smythe informed me that they were equally good 
in previous years—grand examples of high culture. 
Being conducted to the next house, which receives 
the appellation of show house, I must say that this is 
no misnomer. It is more like fairy-land than aught 
else; measuring 50 ft. by 12 ft., and everything seen 
to the best advantage. A rranged in front, on each 
side, are 250 spikes of Calanthes, making a total of 500; 
many of the spikes are 5 ft. long, and carrying between 
forty and fifty individual flowers. Interspersed were 
100 plants of Dendrobium Wardianum, including many 
fine forms ; likewise some grand pieces of D. nobile, in 
nearly all its varieties. The lovely D. Cambridgeanum 
was showy amidst this bewilderment of bloom, so also 
were Lycaste Skinneri alba, Odontoglossum Alexandra?, 
O. cirrhosum, O. citrosmum, Oncidium splendidum, 
Ltelia harpophylla, L. cinnabarina, Sophronitis grandi- 
flora, Coelogyne cristata, &c., making up a display 
creditable alike to employer and employed. There is 
also here a fine collection of Cypripediums, too numerous 
to mention individually, and it must suffice to say that 
they are equally well done. 
Fruits and vegetables of every description receive 
their due share of attention from the indefatigable 
gardener, Mr. Smythe. —J. MclSab. 
-- 
NOTES FROM NORTH EASTON, 
MASS., U.S.A. 
During a recent visit to the greenhouses of F. L. 
Ames, Esq., whose gardener, Mr. William Robinson, is 
well known to many of your readers, I found it im¬ 
possible to do more than note a few of the many rare 
and beautiful Orchids in bloom there. The cool 
Orchid houses were particularly gay, even thus early in 
the season, and the evidence of a great feast later was 
apparent everywhere by the presence of spikes and 
panicles in all stages of development. 
There are some very fine varieties of Lselia anceps, 
and L. a. virginalis alba is pure white, with the excep¬ 
tion of a faint and hardly noticeable yellow blotch in 
the throat. L. a. Williamsii has large flowers, white, 
with a yellow blotch in the throat, and violet-coloured 
lines radiating therefrom. L. a. Sanderiana is some¬ 
times confounded with the latter, but has smaller 
flowers. The interior and tip of the labellum are 
shaded with violet, with an intermediate bar of white. 
The whole flower of L. a. Winniana is of a deep 
violet colour- the lip being a shade darker than the 
sepals and petals. L. a. Percivaliana is just the 
opposite of the preceding, the whole flower being of a 
light mauve, and of very fine form. 
This is somewhat in advance of the season for 
Dendrobium?, but I found a few very rare and beautiful 
specimens in bloom. On comparison with the type 
the flowers of D. nobile elegans are more regular, and 
larger ; the sepals and petals are a lovely creamy white, 
which is in striking contrast with the deep wine colour 
of the interior of the labellum. D. n. nobilius is the 
handsomest and most striking variety ; a deep maroon- 
purple covers the whole of the flowers excepting only 
a small part of the lip. D. infundibulum Jamesianum 
is noticeable for the purity of its white sepals and petals 
and the deep yellow, tubular throat. D. Schneiderianum 
(D. aureurn X D. Findlayanum), a handsome hybrid, 
is the most beautiful of the many in bloom here. The 
lobes of the labellum reflex gracefully, with orange and 
chocolate markings in the throat. The sepals and 
petals are pale pink, the latter wavy. In the size and 
colour of its flowers, and slight fragrance, it takes after 
the seed parent; but in length of pedicels, adding grace 
to its beauty, it resembles the pollen parent. This well- 
flowered specimen had forty-five blooms on two stems. 
D. micans (D. Wardianum x D. lituiflorum) is another 
beautiful hybrid, the habit of which is intermediate 
between the parents ; the flowers, however, are more 
after D. Wardianum, the peculiar trumpet-shaped 
labellum, characteristic of D. lituiflorum, being very 
slightly developed. With regard to D. Wardianum 
Schroderi I cannot do better than repeat Mr. Robinson’s 
apt comparison : “It is to D. Wardianum what D. 
nobile nobilius is to D. nobile.” 
There is here a specimen of Yanda coerulea remark¬ 
able for the size (over 4 ins. in diameter), of its flowers 
and beauty of colouring. The petals and labellum are 
a very deep blue with lighter sepals, and a still lighter 
marbling pervades the whole flower. The rare and 
lovely Cattleya (Leelia) exoniensis was in fine form. 
This is supposed to be a hybrid between Cattleya 
Mossiie and Leelia purpurata, and is somewhat inter¬ 
mediate in character. Cattleya Trianee Leeana is a 
part of the original plant. As regards size it is a 
monster, the flowers being 8 ins. across the petals, 
with a proportionately large labellum ; petals lilac- 
mauve, lip deep mauve, edges shading lighter, throat 
with yellow markings. 
Amongst the large and select collection of specimen 
C 3 T pripediums was C. Morganiie (C. superbiens x C. 
Stonei). Conspicuous are the sulphur-green petals, 
with bronze-purple markings, aDd ciliated margins. 
The general habit is of C. Stonei ; pouch as in C. 
superbiens. This fine specimen now bears three 
scapes with ten flowers, and as recently as last August 
bore three scapes with twelve flowers, and so can be 
rated as a pretty free bloomer. C. Mastersii is a new 
species ; the scape is erect, 16 ins. long, hairy ; dorsal 
sepal orange and green ; petals dark bronze, veined 
with violet-purple ; pouch bronzy purple. C. insigne 
Chantini (Philbrick’s var.) is the true Chantini, and 
without doubt the handsomest of the insigne varieties ; 
it is characterised by deep arching dorsal sepals, with 
reflexed margins ; the white nearly covers the whole 
with delicate violet punctation. C. i. Maulei and C. i. 
punctatum violaceum, often confounded with the 
preceding, have flat dorsal sepals. C. Godseffianum 
(C. hirsutissimum x C. Boxallii), new and rare, has 
the centre of the dorsal sepal black-bronze on a 
yellowish green ground ; the petals are large, wavy at 
the base, the upper part being reddish purple, and the 
lower sulphur-yellow with dark spots. C. Leeanum 
superbum (C. insigne x C. Spicerianum), a unique 
specimen, does not look unlike C. i. Chantini at a 
glance, but has a larger (2J ins. deep, 2A ins. broad) 
dorsal sepal ; it is almost wholly white. The violet 
punctation extends across the lower half and up the 
median line to the tip ; the flowers are of most elegant 
form, and like its seed parent, this variety occasionally 
bears twin flowers as in the specimen I saw. C. 
cardinale (C. Sedeni X C. Schlimii) is a lovely and 
almost continuous-blooming hybrid in the way of C. 
Sedeni ; the pouch is rounder and the petals un¬ 
twisted, and the whole flower is brighter. 
I had the pleasure of seeiDgone of the finest varieties 
of Odontoglossum Harryanum, which is by far the 
most handsome of all the bronze-flowered species, and 
in the hands of careful hybridisers this must become 
important in the production of some splendid hybrids. 
The sepals and petals are shining bronze, with clear 
yellow tips ; labellum yellow and purple at the base, 
with white lines, and a white tip. 
The quaint and often beautiful forms of many of the 
Chimiera section of Masdevallia have a strange fascina¬ 
tion for many people, amongst whom I must count 
myself. M. Chimsera Roezli, is almost black ; M. C. 
Winniana, purple ; M. C. aurea, chrome-yellow ; M. 
macrura and M. Gargantua, not forgetting the lovely 
M. Yeitchiana, with its lustrous purple hairs suffusing 
an orange-scarlet ground, are all beautiful. There are 
besides the M. ignea varieties, with crimson shades, M. 
Lindeni and M. Harryana, with shades of purple. I 
must not forget to mention Oncidium splendidum, 
effectively placed throughout the houses. Many others 
have been left unnoted.— T. D. Hatfield. 
