December 22, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
265 
Then again, we have great variation of fronds 
running through the different genera of Ferns. For 
instance, in the Scolopendrium vulgare (the common 
Hart’s-tongue) the frond is simple and entire ; in 
Polypodium vulgare (the common Polypody) we have 
the frond cut along both sides, nearly as far as the 
mid-rib, and thus becomes what is termed pinnatifid ; 
in Asplenium Triehomanes (the common Maidenhair 
Spleenwort) the frond becomes pinnate, that is, it is 
cut down to the mid-rib, with a space between each 
pinnee, as each of the! small leaflets branching off from 
the mid-rib is called ; in Asplenium fontanum (the 
smooth Rock Spleenwort) the frond becomes bi-pinnate, 
or twice divided ; and again, in Pteris aquilina (the 
common Brake) it becomes in some cases tri-pinnate, 
or thrice divided. 
Again, in the frond of Ferns we have another 
curious freak of nature. I allude to the different forms 
we find running through nearlj' all our British genera of 
Ferns, such, for example, as the crested and divided 
forms which occur so commonly among the varieties of 
the Lady Fern (Asplenium Filix-fcemina), the soft 
prickly Shield Fern (Polystichum angulare), the hard 
Fern (Blechnum spicant), &c. Nor is this peculiarity 
confined alone to the British Ferns, for we find that 
it is becoming quite common among exotics as well. 
We have now crested forms of Adiantum, Woodwardia, 
Nephrolepis, Pteris, and Nephrodium. Another peculiar 
form is where little more than the mid-ribs of the frond 
and pinnse remain : this form is termed depauperated. 
( To be continued.) 
--S-K-- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
L/elia anceps Morada. 
Amongst Christmas-blooming Orchids, this is one of 
the most conspicuous for its beauty of form and high 
colouring. There are some hundreds of plants in 
flower in the houses of the Liverpool Horticultural Co., 
Garston, and standing as they do in juxtaposition to 
flowering plants of Lfelia albida, L. autumnalis and 
Cypripedium insigne, the contrasting effect is very 
fine. Speaking of Laelia anceps, Mr. Cowan has 
unearthed a fine prize from amongst the species. 
This appears to be a na tural hybrid and is quite unique 
of its kind. It has, I believe, been disposed of by 
private treaty for the sum of 200 guineas ( see p. 232). 
If anything, a still finer variety is now in bloom, and 
this will no doubt command a much higher figure. 
There are some fine forms of Odontoglossum Sanderi- 
anum in bloom, with two and three flowers to the 
spike. What the effect will be when these plants are 
thoroughly established and in full vigour of production, 
can only be left to the imagination. But of all 
charming Orchids at this season of the year, I think 
nothing can supplant, if it approach, to the old Cypri¬ 
pedium insigne. The colouring is not gaudy, but it is 
chaste and beautiful. I think it requires an educated 
taste to thoroughly appreciate it, in the same manner 
as it requires an educated palate to appreciate olives 
or truffles. One might spend hours in gazing on and 
enjoying the beauty of form, colouring, and pencilling 
of this, one of the oldest and commonest of Orchids.— 
Henry Tacy Peck. 
Cypripedium callosum- 
This comparatively new hybrid seems to be remarkably 
free flowering. I have a plant purchased with one 
growth two years ago which shortly afterwards 
flowered ; about nine months afterwards (February of 
this year) it again flowered ; and in August or Sep¬ 
tember it gave another bloom. The flowers are of 
large size, and before the year is out two more will be 
open, thus making three times flowering within the 
year. I have grown it in the hottest house, and it 
surpassesC. Lawrenceanum in freedom of growth, besides 
somewhat resembling it in the flowers, though the 
markings and colour are not so bright or distinct. — E. 
Dumper, Limerick. 
Masdevallia melanoxantha. 
Although rather a singular Orchid, this merits a 
place in a collection of any extent on account of the 
size, conspicuousness, and distinctness of the flowers, 
which are borne singly on scapes about 3 ins. or 4 ins. 
high. The tube of the flower is yellow, and the upper 
sepal is greenish yellow with three purple nerves, 
while the two lower and lateral ones are similarly long, 
and of a deep dull purple. The tails are about 2 ins. 
in length, spreading, yellowish and marbled with 
brownish purple externally. This mixture of colours 
has doubtless suggested the specific name, which means 
blackish yellow. It may be seen in the cool Orchid 
house at Kew. 
Odontoglossum Harryanum. 
As this fine species becomes established among us, it 
continues to increase in strength, and although we 
can hardly expect it to produce racemes of flowers 
rivalling those of 0. luteo-purpureum in length, yet 
there is a marked difference between the first plants 
that flowered, with one or two blooms on a spike, and 
those we occasionally meet with now. A plant in the 
Orchid house at Kew bears large and well-coloured 
flowers. The original objection to this species, namely, 
the incurved petals, still prevails, but that in itself is a 
strongly distinctive character. The curious boat-shaped 
lip with its fringed yellow crest is another peculiarity. 
Cypripedium Argus. 
There is considerable variation in large importations 
of this species from the Philippines, and although few 
have received special varietal names, yet there are 
some forms which have been so distinguished. We 
noticed the other day some very beautiful varieties in 
the extensive collection of Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., 
Clapton, in which the spots which have given rise to 
the specific name are remarkably conspicuous and 
handsome. One plant had the upper sepal striated 
with green on a white ground, and spotted with 
purple at the sides. The petals are heavily spotted 
with blackish purple, especially on the upper half; 
and the lip is deep purple. Another variety had the 
petals tipped with deep purple. The typical form is 
paler in all its parts, with less conspicuous spots. The 
foliage is in all cases very pretty and marbled with 
grevish green on a deep green ground. 
Odontoglossum constrictum castaneum. 
In this new variety there is a great improvement upon 
the typical form, which was originally discovered by 
Mr. J. Linden, during his journey through Venezuela 
in 1842. The sepals and petals of the old and typical 
form are yellow, irregularly blotched with brown, 
while the lip is white blotched with violet. The sepals 
and petals of the variety under notice are of a uniform 
deep chestnut-brown with a narrow yellow margin, 
while the lip has a large violet blotch above the middle. 
The flower-spikes are panicled, and a good figure of 
the plant is given in L'Illustration Horticolc, 1888, 
pi. lxvi. 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE STOVE. 
Plants for Christmas Decoration. —In view of the 
lower temperature to which plants will inevitably be 
subjected which are used for the decoration of 
dwelling-houses during Christmas-tide, it would cer¬ 
tainly be a great advantage to transfer them for a few 
days to a house with a low temperature and a com¬ 
paratively dry atmosphere. The latter condition will 
be all-important, as it will harden the leaves and 
enable them to withstand the dry atmosphere of rooms. 
The plants that naturally come in for this kind of 
work are Palms, Crotons, Aralias, Dracaenas, and other 
subjects of that nature. Poinsettias will also be 
greatly desired by many, and Begonia insignis, B. John 
Heal, B. Adonis, Echeveria metallica, and E. fulgens will 
greatly add to the variety. It will matter less for the 
injury done to the latter subjects, which are generally 
grown on annually for flowering purposes, and may be 
cut back when out of flower or have been too much 
damaged for further use. Ho hard-wooded subjects 
which are in the act of making fresh growth or leaves 
should be used. - 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Salvias for December. —Where a continuous and 
rich display of flowers is required in the show house, 
whether it be a greenhouse or conservatory, a number 
of Salvias might, with great propriety, be introduced, 
including S. rutilans, the foliage of which greatly 
resembles the fragrance of Pine-Apples; alsoS. splendens, 
S. leucantha, with white flowers and a hoary, almost 
white calyx ; S. boliviana, and S. elegans, which also 
blooms in summer or almost at any season of the year, 
according to treatment. 
Dividing Old Stock Plants.— There are several 
useful subjects that might profitably be divided at this 
season, where it is desirable to increase them. Amongst 
these Agapanthus umbellatus might be mentioned. 
This will be a work of some difficulty, owing to the 
matted condition of the roots. In most cases it will be 
necessary to use a knife to sever the pieces, but care 
should be taken to destroy as few roots as possible. 
Those that have become disconnected with the leaves 
should be removed where it is possible to do so without 
injury to the remaining portions. This will allow of 
more room for fresh soil in the pots, which should be 
as small as convenient, according to the size of the 
plants. Aspidistra lurida, A. 1. variegata, Ophiopogon 
Jaburan variegatus, Vallota purpurea, and other plants 
of a similar kind, can also be treated in the same way. 
Bulbs.— The potting up of Lilium auratum should 
no longer be delayed, whether the bulbs are those used 
last year or freshly imported ones. If the former have 
been kept up till now in soil, the danger will be that 
the roots have commenced growing where the soil has 
been kept in any way moist. Likewise pot up the 
bulbs of L. speciosum and its varieties, as well as those 
of L. longiflorum and L. 1. Harrisi as they come to 
hand. 
To supplement the Roman Hyacinths in the con¬ 
servatory the more forward of the first potted batch of 
the large-flowering kinds will soon be in flower, pro¬ 
vided they were put into heat as soon as they had 
formed roots, and had commenced to push their 
flower-spikes. Due Van Thol Tulips in several coloured 
varieties are now in bloom, and may be introduced to 
the conservatory. 
THE FORCING HOUSES. 
Vineries. —The Vines in the earliest house, if started 
in the first week of November, will now be advancing 
rapidly. Be careful to loop down the shoots as soon as 
it can be done without much danger of breaking them, 
because it is more dangerous to allow them to touch 
the glass at nights than it would be later on when 
there is less fear of frosty nights. Raise the night 
temperature to 60°, allowing a rise to 70° during the 
day by sun-heat, provided the weather is not severe. 
Ventilate at the top only, to prevent the temperature 
inside from rising above 70°. Where Grapes are wanted 
at the beginning of June the present is a good time to 
close a vinery for that purpose. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Wheeling Manure. —Now that frosty mornings are 
of frequent occurrence, advantage should be taken to 
have manure wheeled on to the squares and borders 
where a large quantity of it is required. When done 
in frosty weather there is no danger of cutting up the 
walks or of carrying soil on to them from the ground. 
If Box edgings have to be crossed, use a bridge 
consisting of two short boards hinged on to a support¬ 
ing piece sufficiently high to prevent the breaking 
down of the Box edging. 
Old Apple and Pear Trees. —It frequently 
happens when these are grown in narrow borders with 
restricted root-room, that the trees, in searching for 
fresh supplies of food, root strongly into the subsoil, 
more frequently than otherwise producing a lot of gross 
wood, and becoming unfruitful. In cases of this kind 
lift the trees and plant them with their roots nearer 
the surface, using some fresh soil if possible, or else 
well-rotted farmyard or hot-bed manure. 
-*»$<*■- 
HORTICUL TURAL S OCIETIES, 
Notts Horticultural and Botanical. 
The usual monthly meeting was held at the Arboretum, 
Nottingham, on Wednesday evening, December 12th, 
for the purpose of hearing a number of essays read on 
“The Duty of the Employer to his Gardener,” for 
which three money prizes had been offered by Mr. 
Richard Sankey, of Bulwell Potteries, Nottingham. 
Mr. Sankey presided. Seven papers were read by the 
secretary, Mr. Steward, each and all of which were 
highly interesting, and replete with suggestions of an 
eminently practical character. They had evidently 
been written with much care, and in most cases with 
conspicuous ability. The writers were known under 
their respective noins de plume, and the prizes were 
awarded by ballot, the result being that the first (£1, 
with the First Class Certificate of the society) was 
awarded to Mr. J. H. Walker, gardener to John Wesley 
Lewis, Esq., Hardwick House, Nottingham ; the 
second (15s., with the Second Class Certificate) to Mr. 
G. Wilson, gardener to E. W. Field, Esq., Aspley 
Hall, Nottingham ; and the third (10s., with the Third 
Class Certificate) to Mr. G. Camp, Wollaton Hall, 
Nottingham. The chairman, in presenting the prizes 
to the successful competitors, congratulated them upon 
the excellent manner in which they had dealt with such 
an important subject, and hoped the various opinions 
expressed in the essays would be productive of much 
good. Mr. S. Thacker offered a few encouraging 
remarks to the unsuccessful competitors, and on the 
motion of Mr. Walker, seconded by Mr. Wilson, a vote 
of thanks was accorded to the donor of the prizes. 
