May 2, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
561 
One of the best shrubs for town gardens, notwith¬ 
standing the smoky atmosphere, and better than any 
other, is the Aucuba; this, according to Loudon, was 
its original or Japanese name. The female form came 
in 1783. The male had not arrived when Loudon 
wrote, but we know that since then it has done so, and 
we now get the earlier form occasionally furnished with 
beautiful red berries. 
The Japanese Euonymus, introduced in 1804, is a 
shrub that has advanced to a state of importance, when 
we consider the number of its varieties that are annually 
grown and used in the furnishing of villa and 
window gardens. The varieties with variegated 
foliage are very numerous and all come in for a share of 
favour for this purpose. They have, however, suffered 
much during the late sharp weather, doubtless proving 
a great loss to those engaged in the special trade of 
this plant. The green type is more hardy and greatly 
valued for planting in seaside gardens, where it has been 
found to succeed better than most other shrubs. 
At this season of the year Garrya elliptica is usually 
very interesting by reason of its pendent catkins or 
flowers. According to Loudon, only the male plant 
was then in England and I do not see any correction to 
this in Nicholson’s Encyclopcedia. It hailed from 
North America in 1828. 
(To be continued.) 
-- 
FRAME CAULIFLOWERS AND 
CARROTS. 
It is in seasons like the present that the value of every 
bit of glass is made manifest to the gardener* and 
especially where the demand for choice vegetables is 
great. The destruction of the Broccoli crop is a very 
serious matter to many, especially as it seems clear that 
it will now be later in the season than usual before 
there will be any Cauliflowers, Peas, and other vege¬ 
tables ready in the open ground. Taking stock of the 
situation at the end of January, I resolved to make a 
fresh sowing of Cabbage, and am now thankful that I 
did so, having been enabled in the second week in 
April to plant out a good lot of young plants raised 
under some old frame lights. 
In some other frames I planted out some autumn- 
sown Cauliflowers, and made another sowing of such 
quick-growing sorts as Snowball, and I am pleased to 
say we have a nice lot of plants growing on fast from 
both stocks. Another two-light brick pit we filled 
with manure and leaves early in January, and in due 
time, in fine soil filled up to near the glass, made a 
sowing of Yeitch’s Scarlet French Forcing Carrot, 
mixed with which was a small proportion of selected 
Turnip Forcing Radish seeds. At the top of the frame, 
near to the wall, small sowings were made of Hicks’ 
Cos Lettuce and Snowball Cauliflowers. In six weeks 
we were able to draw nice young Radishes, and as soon 
as the Cauliflower plants were large enough, they were 
potted off singly into “thumbs,” and the Lettuces 
pricked out under glass. As the Carrots grew on they 
had all the room, and we had for drawing a most useful 
supply about the 25th of April. The system of 
cropping adopted with this frame we have found most 
useful and paying.— Con. 
-- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
--t-—-—- 
Orchid Culture in the Midland Counties. 
A few years since, anything like a moderate collection 
of Orchids could be found only in a few leading gardens, 
but what with their being seen at the Birmingham and 
other exhibitions, and the frequency of sales by auction 
in Birmingham, Orchids are now being taken in hand 
by so many persons, and a house or houses devoted 
expressly to them. Messrs. Pope & Sons, the horti¬ 
cultural auctioneers, have frequent sales, the last being 
a collection sent by Messrs. Charlesworth, Shuttleworth 
&Co., which realised good prices, and all the plants 
were sold. Plants of Ccelogyne cristata alba met with 
a spirited competition ; and amongst the rarer Orchids 
were Cattleya Schroder®, Oncidium curtum, 0. Marshal- 
lianum, andO. Gardnerianum. A great variety of Odon- 
toglossums, Cattleyas, Masdevallias, Dendrobiums, &c., 
met with a ready sale. The recent superb display of 
Orchids at the Birmingham spring flower show will 
have done much to stimulate interest in Orchid culture 
especially as it is now generally [understood that the 
cultivation of the cool-house Orchids is a comparatively 
easy matter.— D. 
Phal/enopsis Stuartiana. 
A FINE plant of this species, with six healthy leaves, is 
new flowering in a stove at the residence of Z. Walker, 
Esq., Fox Hollies, Birmingham. Altogether on two 
spikes it has borne 121 blooms—one of the spikes 
having ninety expanded flowers. It is a fine variety, 
and grows well in company with P. Schilleriana, 
P. amabilis, &c. Mr. Freeman, the gardener, is to be 
congratulated on his admirable cultural treatment. — R. 
The Pepper-scented Dendrobe. 
The vigour of growth which Dendrobium devonianum 
has attained at Clare Lawn, East Sheen, is something 
remarkable. A basket suspended from the roof of a 
house bore four long stems and several shorter ones, 
all carrying fully expanded flowers. One of the stems 
was 5 ft. long, bearing sixty flowers, arranged over a 
yard of its length. It is more often the case that the 
stems are seen about 18 ins. or 2 ft. long, and as 
slender as a crow quill, but in the case under notice 
the stems resembled those of D. Pierardi more than 
anything else, and like them they were pendulous, as 
might be expected. The odour of the flowers is not 
disagreeable, but it is strongly suggestive of Pepper, 
without its pungency, of course. The beauty of the 
flowers with their fringed lip, is so well known as 
scarcely to require description. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
Several kinds of Orchids, which flower in the autumn 
and are now commencing to grow, demand attention, 
and perhaps one of the best appreciated of these is 
Odontoglossum grande, not rare and costly, but still 
very beautiful when well grown and freely flowered. 
The Odontoglossum house is 5° to 10° too cool for them, 
besides being too humid during the winter months, but 
it suits them admirably from now until after the 
flowering .period. Having had a good rest they are 
breaking away strongly at this time, and should there¬ 
fore be re-potted if it is deemed necessary. They appear 
to thrive equally as well either in baskets or pans, and 
dislike a great mass of compost about their roots ; at 
any rate, I have always succeeded best with plants 
somewhat restricted at the roots, and have had better 
results as regards flowers also. 
The fleshy roots greatly resent being disturbed very 
much, and should be removed from the old pots as 
carefully as possible. One-third of sphagnum and two- 
thirds fibrous peat on the top of efficient drainage is a 
compost they enjoy, and a few pieces of charcoal mixed 
therewith is an advantage. The centres of the plants 
should be kept well up above the potting material, and 
no water allowed to settle and remain down the centre 
of the young growths, or they will be likely to damp 
off. 
The varieties of Lfelia pumila, best known perhaps 
as Lselia pnestans and L. marginata and L. Dayii, are 
also charming plants occupying a small amount of 
room and amply repaying for care bestowed on them. 
Shallow pans hung near the glass in the cool house 
are the best for them, and they should never be allowed 
to get thoroughly dry. During the growing season 
they require plenty of water. They are now pushing 
young growths and should have more root room if they 
require it, though their requirements are not great in 
this respect. Another very useful plant is the Pilumna 
nobilis, which also amply repays for generous treatment 
and will now be ready for re-potting. 
Any plants of Odontoglossum citrosmum which have 
flowered early, or those which are not carrying spikes 
but are pushing growths, may be put into larger 
baskets at this time, as well as plants of Chysis brac- 
tescens and the varieties of Mormodes and Cycnoches, 
which have passed the flowering stage. 
The later-flowering varieties of Calanthes, such as 
C. Turneri, C. Williamsii, and C. Regnieri should now 
be re-potted in the same compost as recommended for 
the earlier sorts. From this time onward for some 
months the interest in the houses is two-fold. There 
are interesting flower buds of various kinds developing 
into perfect and beautiful flowers, and there are also a 
great number of new growths being made by other 
plants, and it these are increasing daily in a satisfactory 
way, it is very interesting to note them also, for from 
good, well-ripened growths come our future crops of 
flowers.— W. P. 
-- >x< -- 
SOCIETIES. 
Royal Aquarium. —April 2§th .—The second spring 
show at the Westminster Aquarium took place on 
Wednesday, and was characterised by a fine display 
of Auriculas, Olivias, Daffodils, and stove and green¬ 
house flowering plants. The first prize for a collection 
of Auriculas was awarded to Mr. J. Douglas, gardener 
to Mrs. Whitbourn, Great Gearies, Ilford, who had a 
large group of show kinds ; Mr. C. Turner, Slough, was 
second with a group consisting largely of Alpines. 
Mr. R. Dean, Ealing, was third, showing many 
double sorts. Mr. T. E. Hen wood, Hamilton Road, 
Reading, had the best twelve show varieties ; Mr. 
J. Douglas being second; and Mr. C. Turner, third. 
Mr. W. L. Walker, Dunollie, Bulmershe Road, 
Reading, had the best six show kinds ; Mr. C. Phillips, 
Hamilton Road, Reading, coming in second ; and Mr. 
R. Dean, third. Mr. Douglas was first with six fancy 
varieties, followed by Mr. R. Dean ; and Mr. C. 
Turner took the first place with twelve Alpine 
Auriculas in fine condition ; Mr. T. E. Henwood being 
second ; and Mr. Douglas third. Mr. W. L. Walker 
had the best six Alpines, followed by Mr. R. Dean. 
The prizes for four show Auriculas were taken by Mr. 
Henwood, Mr. James Douglas, and Mr. W. L. Walker, 
in the order named. For the same number of Alpines 
the prizes went to Mr. C. Turner, Mr. Henwood, and 
Mr. J. Douglas, respectively. The latter had the best 
basket of Primroses, consisting largely of Polyanthuses ; 
Mr. R. Dean was second. This order was reversed in 
the class for twelve hardy Primroses in pots, both 
showing well-flowered plants. These exhibitors also 
held the same relative positions for twelve fancy Poly¬ 
anthus, which were good. 
The first prize for a collection of Olivias was awarded 
to Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, who had 
several varieties of high quality. The same firm also 
had the best group of flowering and foliage plants ; Mr. 
Henry James, Lower Norwood, taking the second 
place ; and Mr. C. Nunn, gardener to J. Soames, Esq., 
Greenwich Park, the third. The first prize for 
Amaryllis went to Mr.’J. Douglas. Messrs. Barr & Son, 
King Street, Covent Garden, had the best thirty-six 
bunches of Narcissi, showing great variety ; Mr. 
Charles May, gardener to H. J. Adams, Esq., 
Roseneath, Enfield, was second with some good varieties, 
and first for eighteen bunches. Mr. W. B. Morle, 
Regent Street, had the best twenty-four Spineas. 
In the miscellaneous class an entire table was occu¬ 
pied by a collection of Daffodils exhibited by Messrs. 
Barr & Son, who showed them mostly in groups of a 
kind. The varieties Emperor, Empress, N. poeticus 
ornatus, and the Sulphur Phrenix, a good substitute 
for the double N. poeticus, were very conspicuous. 
Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, exhibited Roses, 
Amaryllis, Daffodils, and other hardy plants. Messrs. 
Wm. Cutbush & Son, Highgate, showed a small col¬ 
lection of Daffodils in bunches, &c. 
Sevenoaks Gardeners’ and Amateurs’ Mutual 
Improvement,—At a meeting of this flourishing 
society, held at the “Dorset Arms Hotel,” on Tuesday, 
the 21st ult., presided over by Messrs. W. Read and W. 
Searing, Mr. George Gordon gave a lecture on Wall 
Fruit Culture, which was much appreciated by a crowded 
room of members. The lecturer prefaced his remarks 
by quoting from Rappin on Gardening, 1650, and from 
Baton, who in Queen Elizabeth’s time took such 
interest in the culture of Apricots, Peaches, and Fm S . 
The lecturer showed diagrams, illustrating the ideas of 
our forefathers respecting the kind of wall best adapted 
for the successful culture of wall fruit. Also the ways 
of training trees from 1650 up to the present time. At 
the conclusion of his able address, which occupied 
nearly an hour, a very hearty vote of thanks, on the 
proposition of Mr. A. Bolton, and seconded by Mr. 
Hughes, was unanimously passed to the lecturer, who 
briefly responded. The tables presented a very pleasing 
sight, thanks to Messrs. Hughes, Searing, Farmer, 
West, and Bolton, who showed splendid examples of 
Azalea, Cineraria, Begonia nitida, Coleus, and cut 
bloom of Medinella magnifica. A vote of thanks to the 
chairman closed a well-spent evening. 
Battersea Amateur Chrysanthemum. — A well- 
attended meeting of the members of this society was 
held at the Mission Hall, Renshaw Street, on Tuesday, 
21st ult, when the president (Mr. F. J. Coppin) read a 
paper on the Chrysanthemum. Commencing from the 
time the Chrysanthemum was first introduced into 
England, the reader, in a very interesting manner 
traced the progress that had been made in the culti'- 
vation of the same, and dealt exhaustively with the 
routine to be adopted in growing for exhibition. 
Concluding his paper, Mr. Coppin remarked on the 
amount of pleasure and information to be derived from 
horticultural pursuits, and hoped that the society 
would receive such support from the outside public as 
would make it a complete success. A discussion 
followed, in which several of the members joined, after 
which a vote of thanks to the president for his able 
and interesting paper terminated the proceedings. 
The next meeting of the society will be held on 
Tuesday, May 5th, at the usual rendezvous. Persons 
desirous of becoming members are requested to commu¬ 
nicate with the lion, secretary at 167, Elsley Road, who 
will be pleased to furnish full particulars. 
