480 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 30, 1889 
But then, Orchids are living subjects, and 
not inanimate works of art. They need a 
heavy outlay, are indeed a costly burthen to 
maintain, and if maintained at all must be 
done well and with a generous hand if they 
are to be increased in value. Very often, 
however, it does happen that the owner, who 
loves these plants for the interest and beauty 
they afford him, becomes disgusted with them 
because he cannot get them properly grown for 
him, and in such a case it is not unwise to 
get rid of the burthen, and devote the houses 
to subjects requiring less ability to cultivate 
respectably. In some other cases it may 
happen that collectors get really tired of 
Orchids, and eventually disperse their stocks 
from a sheer sense of satiety. In any case, 
there always seems to be plenty of new pur¬ 
chasers, and thus for one falling out of the 
ranks, another is found willing to step in and 
fill his place. Beautiful and fascinating plants 
are Orchids, and all that is wanted to make 
them even more fashionable than they are at 
present is an increase in the number of men 
who can really grow them ; and given greater 
skill in cultivating, with a reasonable limita¬ 
tion of the quantity imported, there is no 
reason either why they should not again rise 
in value. 
Mold-laced Polyanthuses. — In the admir- 
^ able note from Mr. Bolton concerning 
these spring flowers, which we published last 
week, there was much justification for some 
recent criticism on existing stocks, and the 
lack of success in extending the list of 
varieties that really come up to the 
florists’ ideal. Mr. Bolton, who has caught 
the spirit of our recent observations more 
clearly than has our friend Mr. Thurstan, 
declares that even Cheshire Favourite rarely 
shows perfect lacing, and he writes with the 
knowledge of an experienced florist; and yet 
there are many lovers of Polyanthuses who 
have thought a fair pip of that variety gave 
perfection in form and marking. It is obvious 
that even in reference to the best of the existing 
kinds, there is much room for improvement, 
whilst as to variety, the need for variation in 
the ground colour is undeniably great. That 
sameness which characterises all existing gold- 
laced forms, however good, militates against 
the popularity of the section, whilst the 
undoubted lack of success that has followed 
raisers in their efforts to obtain high-class 
flowers, shows that better can hardly be 
hoped for. 
Mr. Bolton refers to an assumed purple 
ground variety. AVhat a charming addition 
to the section would be both mauve and purple 
grounds ! But Avhy not take bolder sweeps, 
and strive to create edged or laced flowers 
from out of some of the beautiful and very 
perfect seifs found in the garden or fancy 
strains 1 Pure whites, edged with yellow or 
red ; yellow, edged with white ; crimsons and 
reds, edged with white or gold — what a 
lovely strain would not these prove, and how 
much variety, as well as of beauty, Avould 
they not add to the laced section ! 
"Will not raisers and groAvers of these gold- 
laced floAvers noAV admit that Ave have been, in 
relation to them, Avorking in a groove that 
is too narrow, and that the mine of beauty 
once found in it is exhausted 1 ? We believe 
that with careful selection, cross-breeding, and 
loving oversight, the stout, robust border 
varieties are capable of producing some remark¬ 
ably striking florists’ floAvers. 
C M ruit Tree Stocks. — An erroneous idea 
-H prevails Avith reference to seedlings raised 
from the miscellaneous pips of good or 
indifferent Apples, that all are crab stocks, but 
that is altogether Avrong, as true crab stocks, 
and on the whole the safest for the production 
of stout enduring trees, are raised from bond 
fide crabs only, and invariably come true to 
character. Stocks raised from Apple pips may 
be free stocks, more or less, but they will 
be found to x-ary as much in character as the 
sorts from Avhich the seed pips Avere obtained. 
Some very good gardeners have run into this 
error, and have Avritten about crab stocks Avith 
comparative ignorance of the fact that not one 
of the stocks have the true crab character. 
Stocks so produced need a lot of sorting ; 
the Aveakly ones should be destroyed, and those 
of fairly moderate growth should be reserved 
for Avorking kinds of moderate habit, such as 
Lord Suffield, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Margil, 
&c., Avhilst the strong-groAving Apples should 
be apportioned to the strong-groAving stocks. 
Were that the case, avc should see feAver 
abortions in grafting Apples than noAv results. 
The Paradise and Doucin stocks usually propa¬ 
gated by layers or suckers are always true, 
assuming that at the outset the stocks are 
selected true to character. In the case of 
Pears, the Quince produces its progeny true 
to character, as also does the common Avild 
Pyrus; but, still, numerous stocks are raised 
from ordinary fruit pips, Avith the inevitable 
result that no tAvo carry heads exactly 
alike. 
Did not our nurserymen take ample pains 
in the selection of stocks our fruits avouIcI soon 
become demoralised. Wherever Ave find breadths 
of young trees in nurseries of clean, even and 
kindly groAvth, there Ave may be assured that 
special care has been taken to ensure stocks 
of true and uniform character. If our fore¬ 
fathers had not been careful in that matter, 
Ave should hardly have had so many fine old 
fruit trees in the kingdom as may still be seen. 
‘^Tacks in the Green. — These quaint forms 
Avith their huge Elizabethan collars of 
green, are developing some Avonderfully pretty 
things, Avith fine pips of striking colours and 
excellent form. Perhaps the very finest is 
Crimson Beauty, the floAvers of which are of 
fine form, and of a deep self hue of colour. 
Seedlings from that are coming exceedingly 
good also, and by-and-bye we may hope to 
obtain some A-aried colours — Ax-hite, mauve, 
purple, &c., as good as Crimson Beauty, Ax-fiicli 
it may be Avorthy of mention has been hon¬ 
oured with a First Class Certificate. These 
forms, OAving to the length of the tube, do not 
seed freely ; but they come pretty true as 
seedlings. What many people simply term 
spring floAvers constitute after all a consider¬ 
able family Avith numerous branches, all very 
interesting and beautiful. 
TDotato Planting. -— There is considerable 
«r anxiety being shown to take advantage 
of the open Aveather for the planting of early 
Potatos. That may be safely done in March in 
Avarm soils, and on Availed or otherAvise 
sheltered garden borders, but in cold soils it is 
decidedly unAvise to commit early-shooting 
varieties too prematurely to the cold soil. It 
is far wiser to have the sets well sprouted, 
thus gaining fully three Aveeks, and to plant 
about the middle of April, after the sun has 
become a real poAver for heat production. The 
tubers may endure the cold soil Avell enough, 
but the young growths from them suffer so 
much, coming so xveak and spindly. The late 
strong growers, Avhere, as in market gardens, 
planting must be forAvarded, should be planted 
first, as these Avill lie dormant in the soil for 
nearly six Aveeks. Early Potatos never crop 
better than Avhere they make quick robust 
groAvth from the time of planting until the 
digging. __ 
T^istinguished Visitors.— More than once in 
gy the past the Council of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society have been urged in the press to 
proffer some special courtesy to Avell-knowh 
horticulturists whenever they visit the 
society’s meetings, and are not ordinary mem¬ 
bers of the committee. As for example, that 
A'ery distinguished horticulturist, Mr. Bruce 
Findlay, of Manchester, a man who stands 
second to none in his profession, xx-as on 
Tuesday last a x’isitor to the Westminster 
Drill Hall; but although the leading light of 
northern horticulture, Ave regret to state that 
officially no more attention was shoAvn to Mr. 
Findlay than Avas offered to any other person. 
Here we think the Royal Horticultural Society¬ 
loses appreciably 7 , as xvliilst professedly so 
anxious to secure the goodwill and support of 
the provinces, yet the best men of the pro¬ 
vinces find themselves at the Drill Hall treated 
Avith almost studied neglect. Why does not 
the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society- 
give to its secretary or superintendent, or 
both conjointly, porver to inA-ite distinguished 
horticulturists to a seat on one or other of the 
committees, and thus exhibit that descrip¬ 
tion of Avelcome and courtesy AA-hich Avould be 
freely- accorded to them elsewhere 1 We hope 
the matter will soon—and especially- before the 
Temple Shoiv—receive proper attention. 
-—>X-«~- 
Gardening' Engagement.—Hr. Heims, gardener to 
F. A. Philbrick, Esq., Q.C., as gardener to Gerard 
Norman, Esq., Oakley, Bromley Common, Kent. 
Watford Chrysanthemum Society.—At the annual 
meeting of this society, recently held, it was decided to 
hold the next exhibition on November 19th and 20th. 
The Study of Geology.—The many friends, among 
our readers, of Mr. W. E. Badger, of Birmingham, will 
be pleased to hear that is son, Mr. Alfred Bernard 
Badger, B.A , New College, Oxford, was on the 20th 
inst. awarded a Burdett-Coutts Scholarship, of the 
value of about £115 per annum, tenable for two years. 
The Burdett-Coutts Scholarships are given by the 
University of Oxford, “for the promotion of the study 
of Geology and of Natural Science as bearing on 
Geology.” 
The CoA-ent Garden Floral Fete, in aid of the 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, has been definitely fixed to 
take place on Wednesday, May 22nd, and in order to 
avoid the dreadful crush which took place on the last 
occasion, the committee have decided that 5s. each 
shall be charged for the admission tickets, the number 
of which will be limited to 2,000. H.R.H. Princess 
Marie Adelaide Duchess of Teck, the Duchess of 
Bedford, Lady Goldsmid, and Lady George Hamilton 
have consented to become lady patronesses of the fete ; 
the stand holders are again entering heartily into the 
spirit of the affair, and it is confidently anticipated 
that a handsome sum will be raised for the fund. 
Ccelogyne cristata alba.—In vegetative growth the 
white variety seems quite different from any other form 
in cultivation. We see something of the same thing 
in the variety C. c. maxima, where some of the 
distinguishing features are said to be the elongated 
rhizome and the long, instead of round or oval, pseudo¬ 
bulb. The elongation of the rhizome in the albino 
form under notice seems to be carried to an extreme. 
It is about the thickness of a goose quill, often several 
inches in length, and furnished here and there with a 
pseudo-bulb. Some cultivators support them with 
stakes, especially when in flower, and when tied to 
upright stakes as we occasionally see them, the plants 
have a peculiar sub-arborescent appearance. The 
orange or yellow colour of the fringes has wholly 
disappeared, so that this variety is fully entitled to the 
varietal name C. c. alba. 
Grevillea Preissi.—The genus Grevillea contains 
the largest number of species of any belonging to the 
order, and shows an immense amount of variation and 
modification, from G. robusta, which forms a stately 
tree attaining 100 ft. in height, to dAvarf or pigmy 
bushes or procumbent shrubs. The species under 
notice is a diminutive but very pretty bush, suitable 
for a greenhouse or cool conservatory when the temper¬ 
ature does not fall below 40° to 45° at night in winter. 
It forms an erect but exceedingly graceful bush, all 
parts of which are well furnished with finely-divided 
foliage. The flowers are of a beautiful carmine or 
Poppy-red, and are borne in gracefully drooping heads 
at the ends of the branches much in the same way as 
in the better-known G. Thelemanniana. 
The Tuberous Stachys.—According to Lc Jardin, 
the tuberous Stachys, concerning which so much has 
been said recently, is Stachys affinis of Bunge, and 
described by that botanist in his enumeration of the 
plants of Northern China. It is also the S. Sieboldii 
of Miquel, and in this country the provisional name of 
S. tuberosa has been given it until such time as it 
flowers here and has its affinities determined. A figure 
