152 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 3, 1888. 
flowering. Amongst a batch of seedlings we have an 
Albino variety, the flowers quite as large as the type, 
but not a good clear white. We find seedlings grown 
in pots for a few months the best for establishing 
in the borders, plants of this description making better 
specimens than divided ones, as the roots of the latter do 
not take kindly to our heavy loam ; seedling plants on 
the other hand form good stout roots and soon make 
capital flowering plants. Another late species is S. 
succisa, the Devil’s-bit Scabious of this country, a 
plant not uncommon in Middlesex pastures ; the 
flowers are blue-purple with reddish anthers, and no 
spreading ray florets like the Caucasian species. A few 
plants of it are not out of place in the flower border, 
and well repay for what little room they take up, while 
the colour is a welcome one in the early autumn when 
yellows predominate. S. succisa forms a very short 
root-stock, and can therefore be safely transplanted 
from a pasture, if care be taken to preserve as many 
fibres as possible. In this neighbourhood I have 
occasionally found white varieties.— J. TV. 0., Pinner. 
Begonia Froebelii. 
Although the flowers of this species are small com¬ 
pared with the fine hybrids that have been obtained 
from other species, yet it seems to be finding its way 
into cultivation. A pale-leaved form of it has been 
flowering for some time at Tower House, Chiswick. 
Both leaves and flower stems spring directly from the 
root, and the whole plant therefore remains very 
dwarf, rendering it highly desirable that improved 
forms with larger flowers should, be obtained. Until 
recently nothing had been acquired in this direction ; 
but now that seedlings have been obtained, as a result 
of hybridising the species with one of the summer¬ 
flowering types, we may look forward to more satis¬ 
factory results. Although it is classed amongst the 
tuberous Begonias, the tuber in this case is but poorly 
developed, suggesting a rather distant affinity with the 
other and more common kinds, and explaining the 
difficulty that has hitherto been experienced in obtain¬ 
ing a cross. Besides the dwarf habit of this Begonia, 
the rich scarlet colour of the flowers and the fact of 
their being produced in autumn and winter, are 
qualities that should not be overlooked in striving to 
obtain new kinds. 
Bambusa arundinacea gigantea. 
Ho one who has seen the giant Bamboo at Syon House 
can ever forget its noble proportions, as it towers up to 
the height of 50 ft. or 60 ft. Two of the finest or 
stoutest stems have just been completed, making a 
growth of 50 ft. in three months. When in full 
growth it made 12 ins. in twenty-four hours, exhibiting 
a rate seldom or never equalled by other exotic plants 
in this country, except, perhaps, in the case of some 
leaves. There are nineteen of these giant stems and 
four small ones in the conservatory, and the oldest one 
was made in 1877. It becomes necessary to cut down 
some of them occasionally, otherwise the number would 
have been far greater, and many of them much older 
than they are. At one time a large Phcenix in the 
centre occupied part of the dome of the conservatory ; 
but now the latter is completely monopolised with the 
giant Grass under notice, and some of the stems must 
be sacrificed before long. We have evidence of the 
continued vigour of the plant, inasmuch as the young 
stems still break their way through the glass at the 
top. These stems are naked the first season, and 
develop leafy branches during the second and succeed¬ 
ing years. 
Monstera deliciosa. 
A PLANT of this trained against the stem of Corypha 
australis in the conservatory at Syon House has 
attained very striking dimensions, and what is more 
important it bears an increasing number of fruits year 
after year, and matures them. The Palm against which 
it reclines is planted out, and had at one time a bold 
spreading head which had to be cut down owing to the 
want of space. This in itself gave the Monstera a 
much better chance, and it now bears some thirty fruits 
besides some flowers fully expanded when we saw them 
the other day. The flowers themselves resemble a 
large shell, open on one side, and showing the great 
fleshy spadix which ultimately becomes the edible part 
of the fruit. Externally the spathe is pale yellow, and 
much brighter internally ; but cannot be described as 
particularly showy. The spadix is covered with square 
pips, which constitute the true fruits, but these drop 
away more or less when they attain maturity, leaving 
a cylindrical pale-coloured spadix, which is the edible 
part, and has a delicious Pine Apple flavour. 
Celosia pyramidalis for Cut Flowers. 
If allowed to assume its natural habit this plant 
develops a strong central stem, with weakly lateral 
branches, especially if in any way drawn by over- 
shading. Well-grown plants, however, even of this 
type are useful for conservatory decoration; but a 
large amount of cut flowers can be obtained by remov¬ 
ing the central stem and each succeeding one as it 
becomes fit for the cut-flower basket. This is carried 
out by Mr. Taylor, at High Elms, Kent, and by so 
doing the lateral branches are much more strongly 
developed, while the plants continue in robust vigour 
for a much longer time than if allowed to expend their 
energies in the production of seeds. Great variety of 
the richest hues are also obtained by the use of the 
differently coloured forms, such as C. p. .coceinea, C. p. 
aurea, and others of this species now in cultivation. 
-- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
It is now time to see that the many Orchids which 
most growers wisely keep cool until winter—among 
which may be cited Odontoglossum vexillarium, 
0. Boezlii, 0. Phalsenopsis, Bolleas, Pescatoreas, 
Huntleyas, Chimreroid Masdevallias, M. tovarensis and 
a few others, or, indeed, any of the plants which have 
been kept cool until now, but which are known to be 
in danger in the cold house when kept down to the 
lowest limit—are now returned to other and warmer 
quarters until the winter has passed. More of the 
above-mentioned plants, however, as well as Orchids 
generally, are killed or injured by being kept in too 
high a temperature than there are by the most venture¬ 
some cold treatment; nevertheless, it is better to be on 
the safe side. 
All the above-mentioned subjects, and those usually 
associated with them, are best and safest during winter 
in a rather moist and low intermediate-house tem¬ 
perature, an even temperature rather than a high one 
being what they require to keep them in health, for 
they actually become more sickly and irreclaimable in 
too hot and close a house than they do in one too cool. 
Odontoglossum Boezlii and the Masdevallias of the 
Chimsera section are liable to be much troubled with 
yellow thrips in winter ; but if, in the early part of it, 
they and other things liable to be similarly affected are 
persistently sponged over with weak tobacco-water or 
some safe insecticide, the pest may easily be kept in 
check, if not stamped out. 
The Temperatures for the Month of November 
should be :—Warm or East Indian house, 65° to 70° by 
day, 60° at night. Cattleya or intermediate house, 60° 
to 65° by day, 55° at night. Odontoglossum or cool 
house, 55° to 60° by day, 50° at night. Degrees 
Fahrenheit. As much sunlight as possible should be 
let in on the plants, the ventilation being regulated 
according to the brightness of the sun’s rays and con¬ 
sequent effect on the temperature inside the houses.— 
James O'Brien. 
Cypripedium Spicerianum magnificum. 
The ordinary form of this is one of the prettiest and 
most popular of autumn and winter-flowering Cypri- 
pediums, but the above-named variety excels it by a 
long way, by reason of the richer colours that pervade 
the petals and lip. The upper sepal is white, with the 
usual purple band along the centre ; but the petals are 
greenish yellow, and so densely dotted with brown as 
to give them that prevailing colour. These orgaus are 
greatly improved by the characteristic undulations of 
the upper edge. The most marked feature of the 
whole flower, however, is the labellum, which, instead 
of being a dirty brown, is of a rich dark shining brown, 
almost black. The violet and white staminode in the 
centre of the flower catches the eye of the spectator 
above all things, by the contrast it offers to the other 
curious associations of colour in the flower.— F. 
The true form of this, with very large and well-formed 
flowers, whose dorsal sepals have a broad purple 
band, and are richly suffused with purple, bears 
several flowers in Mr. Reginald Young’s collection, 
where also among many other good Cypripediums a 
fine specimen of the beautiful C. barbatum pulcher- 
rimum, whose delicate flowers in tint exactly resemble 
C. callosum, but are of the true C. barbatum form, 
is in great beauty. 
Vanda Sanderiana. 
As I am not able to send you a photograph of a fine 
specimen of Vanda Sanderiana, which we now have 
with five beautiful spikes of bloom, all open at 
the same time, I have enclosed one spike bearing ten 
flowers. I think few people have any idea of what this 
noble Orchid is like, unless they have had an op¬ 
portunity of seeing it in flower. But its price puts it 
beyond the reach of many growers as yet. — C. Exell , 
The Gardens , Misarden Park , Cirencester. [The spike 
arrived in perfect condition, and we cannot but admit 
that the plant itself must present a noble and telling 
appearance. "We can hardly either be too eulogistic of 
the spike sent us, and which alone or without the aid 
of the other four would do credit to any grower. The 
lower flowers, and, indeed, the greater number of them 
measured close upon 4 ins. across the petals, and 5 ins. 
across the sepals, dimensions taken from the tip of the 
dorsal one to the tip of the lateral ones. The sepals 
are by far the broadest organs of the flower, and the 
lateral ones the most gorgeously or richly coloured. 
They are broadly oval, and very blunt, deep yellow, 
traversed longitudinally with strong reddish purple 
nerves, which seem to support the singular and beau¬ 
tiful reticulations of the same colour, so characteristic 
of this Vanda. With the exception of their bases the 
petals and the dorsal sepal are of a soft pink colgur. 
The small three-lobed jointed lip is brown, and has 
three longitudinal ridges along the centre. The whole 
of the flowers taken together presented a massive and 
grand appearance.—E d.] 
A Phenomenal Cattleya gigas. 
A fine plant of an extraordinary variety of this species 
now bears eleven flowers in the neat little collection of 
Reginald Young, Esq., at Fringilla, Linnet Lane, 
Sefton Park, Liverpool. When it flowered last a 
bloom of it was sent to us that measured 9| ins., but 
those now on the plant come just under those dimen¬ 
sions. In colour it is good, yet nothing extraordinary ; 
but in size it is remarkable, and what is more, constant, 
for its great proportions have been noted for some 
years. An immense plant of Maxillaria venusta is also 
a remarkable feature here. 
Stanhopea Wardii venusta. 
The typical form of S. Wardii is a boldly-spotted 
flower, bearing some resemblance to S. tigrina, inasmuch 
as the ground-colour is golden yellow, and the markings 
plentiful and striking. Taken altogether, it is a very 
variable species, and although others of its congeners 
are by no means constant, yet so numerous and distinct 
are several of the forms of S. Wardii that some of them 
have received distinct specific names, including that 
under notice, which has been named S. venusta. The 
sepals, petals, and lip are of a uniform golden yellow, 
with the exception of the pouch of the hypochil, which 
is darker, or even orange-coloured, but without the 
black spots characteristic of the type or of S. W. aurea. 
A large plant in a basket has been flowering con¬ 
tinuously for a month past at Homefield, Ealing, the 
residence of C. Daw, Esq. Four spikes have been pro¬ 
duced in succession, bearing each five to ten, and in 
the aggregate thirty flowers. On some of the spikes, 
however, the sepals and petals are faintly spotted. Mr. 
J. Baird, the gardener, manages the Stanhopeas very 
well, some having flowered recently, while others are 
now showing for bloom. 
Cattleya Bowringiana. 
We learn from Captain Maxwell, Terregles, Dumfries, 
that he has this handsome autumn-flowering and com¬ 
paratively new Orchid in flower, with sixteen blooms on 
a spike. This is the largest number we have yet heard 
of. 
--SE&C-'- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Plants in Flower. —Several species of Salvia will 
now be gay, including S. splendens and its variety 
S. s. Bruanti, S. angustifolia and its dark variety S. a. 
Pitcheri, S. involucrata, S. i. Betheli and others. The 
early summer-flowering and Pompon Chrysanthemums 
are still gay, while many of the larger kinds are ready 
to add to the display. Many new kinds for flowering 
during last month are now being put into commerce, and 
will soon be brought to the front. Erica hyemalis, E. 
gracilis, E. Lambertiana, E. caffra, and other less 
common kinds are now plentiful. Richardia africana 
(R. sethiopica) is rapidly coming on, and of Cyclamens 
and Chinese Primulas there is no lack where growers 
have exercised a little forethought. 
Solomon’s Seal, Lily of the Valley, &c. —To 
enable these to start properly when required for forcing 
later on, no time should now be lost in having them 
potted up, so that the soil may get settled about them 
and roots formed, or at least in active progress. The 
