776 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 3, 1889. 
Spiraea kamtschatica gigantea. 
Several forms of S. kamtschatica have been introduced 
at different times, but do not seem to have got 'widely- 
distributed in British gardens. The form under notice 
when strongly grown by being planted in good soil, 
and within reach of plenty of moisture, attains bold 
and striking dimensions, and would therefore prove an 
acquisition for the wild garden or pleasure grounds, 
but especially in the vicinity of water. Most of the 
herbaceous species in general cultivation are semi- 
aquatic in their nature, so that when planted in gardens 
where the soil is naturally dry and a warm summer 
intervenes, the plants not only become poor and stunted- 
looking, with short-lived flowers, but they lay them¬ 
selves liable to mildew. The terminal leaflet acquires 
great prominence from its size, and because it assumes 
a horizontal position, thus hiding the small lateral 
leaflets. The flowers are moderately large for a Spiraea, 
and produced in terminal cymose panicles, similar to 
those of our native Meadow Sweet, and likewise in 
colour. The stems vary according to vigour from 5 ft. 
to 8 ft. in height. 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Repairs. —Before the summer is over every plant 
house should be inspected, with a view to determine 
what repairs or painting are needed. The present is 
the most convenient time to do it, because the plants 
can readily be moved from one house to another, 
whereas this would be more difficult in winter on 
account of the low temperature to which stove plants, 
for instance, would be subjected. Then, again, if new 
boilers are required, or other parts of the heating 
apparatus want renewal, the winter time would be 
extremely inconvenient. Before painting is commenced 
it is necessary that the woodwork should be thoroughly 
cleaned and dried, otherwise the paint will afterwards 
become blistered and come off in scales. The best way 
to proceed is to turn out the plants into another house, 
then wash the woodwork, and throw all the ventilators 
open to create a good draught. When watering and 
damping down is left off every part of the house will 
soon get into the proper condition. All moveable 
sashes had better be removed and placed in some shed 
where they can be painted during showery weather. 
Lachenalias. —Before the bulbs show any signs of 
fresh growth they should be shaken out of the old 
soil, and re-potted in a compost of two-parts light 
fibrous loam, one of leaf-soil and well-rotted cow- 
manure in about equal proportions, and plenty of clean 
silver-sand. Drain well, and pot rather firmly, covering 
the bulbs with about J in. of soil. When finished, 
stand the pots on a bed of ashes in a cold frame, and 
should the soil be rather dry, as it frequently is at this 
period of the year, give a watering in order to settle the 
soil about the bulbs, after which, unless exposed to 
drying sunshine and wind, no more will be required 
until they have made some growth. A cold frame will 
be sufficient, but as winter approaches the bulbs must 
be placed beyond the reach of frost, and at the same 
time receive plenty of light and ventilation. 
Mignonette. —In order to get a batch of good plants 
for early winter use, a sowing should be made in pots 
now. The compost should consist of good rich fibrous 
loam, to which some old mortar, well broken up, and 
a little well-decayed manure has been added. A 
sprinkling of soot with the manure will add greatly to 
the rich dark green of the foliage—always a desirable 
quality. The size of pots to be used will very much 
depend upon the convenience and requirements of the 
grower. That good Mignonette can be grown in 5-in. 
pots is amply demonstrated by the market growers and 
the admirable stuff which they turn out; but 6-in. or 
7-in. ones may also be used at discretion, sowing the 
seeds thinly and directly into the flowering pots. A 
small quantity of pigeons’ dung put into the bottom of 
the pots will stimulate the plants greatly to make good 
growth. 
Calceolarias. —If not already done, a sowing of 
these should now be made, in order to get the plants 
moderately strong before the advent of winter and dull 
dark weather. Sow the seeds in pans of light rich soil, 
which should have been well watered a short time pre¬ 
viously. A light sprinkling of the same compost should 
be given to fix the small seeds in position without 
covering them. Cover with a pane of glass, and stand 
in a frame or house kept warm, but in a shady position. 
THE FRUIT HOUSES. 
Peaches in Pots. —Now is the best time to re-pot 
such trees as are required for early work. Good sub¬ 
stantial and fibrous loam is indispensable, and this 
may be further enriched by a liberal use of wood ashes, 
which may always be obtained where the prunings of 
trees and other rubbish are occasionally burnt in heaps. 
Trees in the open border, if wanted for forcing purposes, 
may also be lifted without delay, and after being firmly 
potted, they should be stood in a house kept close, 
moist, and shaded for some days till the roots take to 
their new quarters, after which they may be grown and 
ripened naturally. 
Melons. —The stormy weather that has prevailed 
more or less during the latter part of July has been 
very unfavourable for Melons, especially those in un¬ 
heated structures, and unless there is a material 
change presently, fire-heat must of necessity be 
applied wherever there is the means to do so. The 
nights are getting longer and much colder, so that 
fires will at least have to be lighted at night. Attend 
regularly to tying, stopping, and watering. Very 
much depends upon the state of the weather as to the 
amount of damping down required. Close early in the 
afternoon to economise the solar rays in cases where 
the crops have to be pushed on vigorously. Houses 
containing ripe and ripening fruit must be kept drier 
and more freely ventilated. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Seed-sowing. —Cabbages, Cauliflower,Brussels Sprouts, 
Onions, and other subjects for spring and early summer 
use must be sown at once in the northern and colder 
districts, while a week or ten days later will be early 
enough for the southern and warmer districts. Cabbages 
may be planted in their permanent quarters as soon as 
ready, but Cauliflower must be transferred to a cold 
frame or covered with hand-lights to stand the winter. 
Onions must not be influenced in any way by the shade 
of trees, otherwise they will be so weakly that most of 
them will perish during the winter. Sow Lettuces 
during the second and third week of the month. 
-->I<-- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
Among the great number of cultivators of Orchids, 
there are comparatively few who can devote a house to 
Dendrobiums entirely, although such a house is a 
decided advantage where this section of plants are 
grown extensively; but, in smaller collections, it 
generally happens that the most convenient place in 
which to grow them is the East Indian house, and 
where this is the case, the varieties of D. nobile, D. 
Ainsworthii, D. heterocarpum, D. splendidissimum, 
and others, which began to grow early in the season, 
will now have nearly finished growing, and will be 
benefited by being removed into a lighter and some¬ 
what drier atmosphere, so that the bulbs may become 
well ripened and induced to flower freely later on. 
Generally speaking, one good growth, well ripened, 
is better than allowing the plants to stay in the 
growing-house and start again into growth at this 
season of the year ; and perhaps no better position 
could be found for those plants that have finished 
growing than a vinery where the fruit is ripe, which 
will afford sufficient shade at first and will admit more 
sun and air as the Grapes are cut and the foliage is 
reduced. It will be necessary to attend to the sponging 
of the plants before they are transferred to the vinery, 
especially if there is any mealy-bug on them, for it is 
an easier matter to get it on Vines than to get rid of it. 
Dendrobium densiflorum, D. thyrsiflorum, D. 
Farmeri, and others of that section which are now 
making active growth, should he allowed an abundance 
of water and a light position in the warmest house, as 
they make their season’s growth in a very short time, 
and then take a long rest before flowering, while D. 
rhodostoma keeps on growing and flowering all the 
year round. "Where Dendrobes are grown in a 
structure by themselves, they can be allowed more 
light and heat than when in a mixed house, the 
shading being of a lighter description, and as the 
growths lengthen, and the sun gets less powerful, very 
little shade is necessary. 
Any plants of Cattleya gigas, or C. Sanderiana, 
which have flowered, and require re-potting, may be 
attended to during the present month, which is the 
best time for re-potting this section. — JV. P. 
Mormodes pardinum unicolor. 
Neither this nor the typical form are often seen in 
cultivation, although there is no reason why they 
should not receive the attention that is now being 
rightly accorded to Stanhopeas. Acinetas, Catasetums, 
and others of that group of exceedingly curious, interest¬ 
ing, and often showy Orchids. The typical form has 
yellow sepals and petals heavily spotted with rich 
brown, as implied by the scientific name signifying 
panther-spotted. The whole-coloured variety under 
notice at a casual inspection would appear something 
distinct, but the curious structure of the lip at once 
establishes its identity. This organ is wedge-shaped, 
three-lobed, and the lobes are all acute and similar 
except that the lateral ones are smaller. The column 
is curiously twisted to one side as in the case of the 
species of Mormodes generally; and what seems peculiar 
in this species, or at least in the specimen we examined 
the other day at Devonhurst, Chiswick, the pollinia 
are all thrown out apparently by the agency of the lip 
on the expansion of that organ. The whole flower is 
of a uniform deep lemon-yellow, and strongly fragrant, 
possessing a peculiar and pungent odour when ap¬ 
proached too closely, but by no means disagreeable at 
a short distance off. It scents a whole house when at 
its best, and lasts some considerable time in good 
condition. 
A Perpetual-flowering Lycaste. 
Mr. W. Stevens, De Montfort House, Streatham, 
sends us what appears to be a small-flowered variety of 
Lycaste Skinneri, which has the wonderful quality of 
blooming all the year round. The ordinary form of that 
species is in flower from November to March, and blooms 
from the old pseudo-bulbs ; but the plant in the pos¬ 
session of Mr. Stevens, he informs us, flowers both from 
the old and the young pseudo-bulbs, and is hardly ever 
without a bloom. Coming as it does in the fourth week 
of July is rather an unusual phenomenon, if it indeed 
occurs regularly in any other variety. The flowers, it 
may be stated, are rather below the average size, and 
have pure white sepals, while the petals are closely 
mottled all over the inner face with soft rose on a white 
ground. The lip is similar but darker, and the crest 
yellow. Although smaller than L. Skinneri, it is pretty 
and interesting, but we very much doubt its identity 
with that species at all. 
-- 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
-- 
Woodford Horticultural.— July 24 th. 
The seventeenth annual exhibition of this society was 
held in the picturesque grounds of the president, 
H. F. Barclay, Esq., Monkhams, Woodford, and the 
exhibits, both as regards quantity and quality, were 
equal to what had been shown before. Mr. Nicholson, 
gardener to W. Melles, Esq., Chingford, took the chief 
honours with plants, his six flowering specimens com¬ 
prising Plumbago capensis, Clerodendron Balfourianum, 
Bougainvillea glabra, Anthurium Scherzerianum, and 
Brassia verrucosa. For six distinct foliage and six 
miscellaneous plants, and also for six Achimenes, the 
same exhibitor was again first, while for the single 
specimen flowering plant Bougainvillea glabra gained 
him the coveted position. Mr. J. Williams, gardener 
to H. F. Barclay, Esq., was awarded first prizes for six 
Ferns (stove and greenhouse), which included Cyathea 
medullaris (9 ft. in diameter), Phlebodium aureurn, 
Platycerium alcicorne, Adiantum gracillimum, Dicksonia 
squarrosa, Neottopteris australasica ; for six Fuchsias, 
small well-flowered plants ; for four Ericas ; for single 
foliage plant, staging Croton Queen Victoria ; and for 
Caladiums, &c. Mr. Cade, gardener to B. Warner, Esq., 
Wanstead, was successful with four stove and green¬ 
house Ferns, which included a fine Lomaria gibba, and 
for six fine-foliaged Begonias. 
Mr. Farmer, gardener to B. B. Fatt, Esq., was 
accorded the premier position for six Gloxinias, which 
were superbly flowered and in splendid condition. 
Mr. Daniels, gardener to P. Lloyd, Esq., Loughton, 
took the special prize for six Orchids, given by 
T. R. Roberts, Esq., and Mr. Willingale gained a 
similar award for three Orchids. 
Groups call for no special comment. Mr. Nicholson 
took the lead out of six lots ; but the committee would 
do well to consider the advisability of naming the area 
rather than the number of plants, so that the un¬ 
sightliness of the pots may be obviated. The same 
exhibitor was first for a basket of plants. 
Vegetables were shown in quantity, and of fair 
quality. Mr. Jezeph, gardener to C. Warner, Esq., 
Highams, Woodford, had the best six varieties. Mr. 
Langlands had the finest eight varieties, which were 
excellent throughout, whilst Mr. Farmer staged six 
varieties of high merit. 
