May 21, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
593 
SEEDLING ORCHIDS. 
The raising of seedlings, watching the young plants 
developing into size and vigour, and finally the 
flowering stage, all constitute a most interesting oc¬ 
cupation to plant growers of any class who are really 
in love with their charge. In no class of hot-house 
plants is the operation slower, more tedious, 
and requires more careful supervision than in the 
case of Orchids. The seeds and embryo are so 
minute and require a considerable time as a rule be¬ 
fore they show any signs of life at all, and a year 
often elapses before they can be said to be within 
measurable distance of getting established. Even 
then the individuals are subject to great mortality, 
damping off through too much wet, too much 
drought, and to be eaten wholesale by miserable and 
mischievous slugs which have not the slightest re¬ 
morse in devouring the precious morsels at a single 
meal. 
The cultivator and hybridist has therefore to be 
unusually vigilant in order to bring even a tithe of 
the seedlings to the flowering stage. Cypripediums, 
Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, Lselias, and a few others 
are favourite subjects with the hybridists, doubtless 
because they are useful and showy subjects in them¬ 
selves, and sooner reach the flowering stage than any 
other of the kinds above mentioned. At Dibdin 
House, Hanger Hill, Ealing, the residence of 
F. G. Tautz, Esq., the greatest amount of attention 
is given to Cypripediums, while a few seedling 
Cattleyas and others may also be seen. Two houses 
are literally filled to overflowering with them, and 
as they continue to increase in size more house room 
must be found for them presently'. We believe some 
new houses are to be built for them in the near 
future. 
The seedlings exist in all stages, from the tiny and 
hardly observable seedlings on the sphagnum cover¬ 
ing the pots of larger plants to those that have 
reached the flowering stage, or close upon it. 
Not many years have elapsed sinceMr. J. C. Cowley, 
the gardener, commence to hybridise, yet he already 
has thousands of seedlings. One of the Cypri¬ 
pediums flowered in the early part of this year, and 
has been named C. Cowleyanum in compliment to 
the raiser. It is the result of a cross between 
C. Curtisii and C. niveum, the former being the seed 
parent. The leaves are intermediate between the 
parents, but show the vigour of the C. Curtisii. 
The upper sepal is white with about fifteen crimson- 
purple lines, and spotted and tinted with purple be¬ 
tween the lines. The petals are ovate-oblong, spotted 
with purple-crimson and tinted with claret at the 
base, which gives them a handsome appearance. 
The lip is rosy-purple. Altogether it is a fine thing, 
and should a tithe of the seedlings now coming on 
approach anywhere near this for quality, the 
hybridist may consider himself exceedingly fortunate. 
A considerable proportion of the Cypripediums are 
already in an advanced state, and fresh surprises 
presumably are at hand, to reward the constant care 
and attention which has been bestowed upon them. 
After the plants reach a size fit to occupy a 6o-size 
pot, or even a considerably smaller one, they may be 
reckoned tolerably safe as far as slugs and vermin of 
that kind are concerned. Thumb pots, which con¬ 
stitute the smallest size for seedlings generally of all 
subjects other than Orchids, are considered large for 
the latter, and it has become necessary to fabricate 
a set specially for seedling Orchids. These are 
termed thimbles, and they are well named, for they 
are scarcely larger than the instrument of that name. 
Now some special treatment is necessary with such 
diminutive utensils, otherwise the compost would get 
dried up in an hour's time during bright sunshine, 
and the seedlings would perish. One plan adopted 
is to stand the thimbles thickly together on a bed of 
ashes or a layer of sphagnum, preferably the latter, 
with the object of preserving the moisture. This in 
itself is a source of danger, because it affords lodg¬ 
ments to slugs, which sally out during the night to 
commit their depredations. Some growers collect 
the thimbles together in boxes, so as to keep them 
together, to facilitate watering by means of a rosed 
watering pot, and to preserve the moisture about 
them. Mr. Cowley arranges or closely packs these 
miniature pots in large pans, packing sphagnum 
about them to retain the moisture. When one plant 
only is grown in a pot the usual plan is to place it in 
the centre, but Mr. Cowley, who has tried that plan, 
believes that the plantlets do better when inserted at 
the side of the pot and in contact with it. In the 
case of cuttings of various subjects, it is well known 
to propagators that they root better round the sides 
of pots than in the centre. 
--f*- 
PLANTS AS FOOD 
PRODUCERS. 
I read with great interest the remarks which fell 
from Mr. A. Moore respecting the sustaining 
capacity of plants as foods for humanity, as well as 
for animals, published at page 582. When lecturing 
on plant products during the past winter, especially 
respecting fruits and vegetables, I did, when 
favourable opportunity offered, refer to their great 
value as sustaining foods, and urged their wide 
consumption. In taking that course, apart from 
certain social or moral aspects, I hold that I was 
acting as a consistent horticulturalist, because it is 
very important, whilst spreading information of a 
cultural kind, we should also do all that we can to 
popularise plant products and make them to be 
widely consumed. 
What use is it to increase fruit culture, or of 
Tomatos, Mushrooms, Salads, Potatos, or anything 
else, unless we also urge their greater consumption, 
so that the wider cultivation might not be a failure. 
There can hardly be stronger evidence of the dietetic 
value of plant products as foods than is found as 
referred to by Mr. Moore, in their capacity to create 
juicy beefsteaks, indeed the bison, elephant, horse, 
and ox, all of the strongest and hardiest of animals, 
are herbiverous, and what it is possible for vegetable 
foods to produce in their case it is equally possible 
to produce in human beings. Of course man is not 
always so placed that he can have ready access to 
vegetables and fruits, and therefore he must adapt 
himself to a more composite diet. All the same, 
what with our canning and preserving of fruits and 
vegetables, it is now found possible to do much in 
dieting humanity the which not so long ago was 
impossible. 
I may be perhaps regarded as singular ; that, 
however, I care nothing about. I do hold that as 
gardeners we should not only do our best to 
popularise culture, but also products, for it is by the 
wider consumption of plant products that we hope to 
see gardening flourish, even though it may be that 
much of the profit should go to our horticultural 
friends in other countries of the world.— A. D. 
-—i-- 
TEA-SCENTED AND 
OTHER ROSES. 
After Flowering. 
It is when plants have furnished the bulk of their 
beauty for a certain term, that they generally receive 
more unkind and neglectful treatment than at any 
other period. This is exceedingly bad policy, and 
one which has- a most disastrous effect upon them. 
In the natural order of things, all life is in its full 
vigour at the time a reproduction of species is in 
active process ; consequently when a Rose has gone 
out of flower—and it is, or would be provided the 
blooms were allowed to remain upon the plant, 
about to perfect its seed—is naturally a most critical 
time of its existence. Although this fact is so self- 
evident to all who will observe and endeavour to 
treat their plants upon nature’s lines as far as 
possible, strange to say, there are very few plants 
which receive proper attention after flowering. 
Among these we may reckon the Rose, especially 
the forced Hybrid Perpetuals and climbing Tea- 
scented and Noisette varieties. As these classes 
only produce one really good crop of flowers during 
the season under glass, they are naturally less 
looked after than those of the more perpetual flower¬ 
ing varieties ; especially by those cultivators (?) who 
do not realise the great importance and bearing a 
judicious treatment of them at this time has upon 
their future well doing and usefulness. Such varieties 
as Marechal Neil, William Allen Richardson, Gloire 
de Dijon, etc., etc., will now be out of flower in a'l 
greenhouses, whether forced or allowed to come on 
naturally, and it is in the hope of securing them a 
more rational treatment that I venture to give these 
few remarks. As soon as these Roses have finished 
their main crop of flowers, they are either actively 
at work producing more long and vigorous shoots 
for next season’s use, or are just upon the point of 
so doing. It is very necessary that these be 
thoroughly and efficiently ripened before winter 
weather sets in, and there is consequently great 
benefit derived from securing as early a growth as 
possible ; besides, such early shoots, providing they 
break from towards the base of the plant, are 
generally the strongest and most prominent of all 
the dormant eyes, and will form better growth in 
every way than those which break later on, and 
which were probably checked somewhat by the 
neglectful treatment I am anxious to warn my 
readers against. 
1 he two chief forms of this neglect are, an 
insufficient and irregular water supply and too early 
and free ventilation. Under these conditions, mildew 
and many other ills are apt to attack the plants with 
far greater severity than when a little care is taken 
of them for a short time longer. Plants that are 
cultivated in pots, are too often removed to another 
house—and sometimes even stood out of doors direct 
—as soon as their present beauty is past. A little 
thought will show how great a check they must 
receive from such complete changes. If they must 
be removed from their position, at least give them 
as nearly the same treatment elsewhere as possibly 
can be ; and above all, continue their water supply 
and the frequent use of the syringe. It is at this time 
when the application of liquid manure is so beneficial, 
and I would also warn against giving this too strong. 
Although Roses like a rich soil, and when in full 
health and growth will take a large amount of liquid 
manure, there is nothing more injurous to them than 
an overdose of the same. This kills the young roots 
at their tips, and affects the whole constitution of 
the plant very quickly. It is also unwise to apply 
liquid manure when the plant is dry at the roots. 
Under such circumstances it will be much better to 
afford them a first watering without any stimulating 
medium, and apply the manurial help in the second 
application. 
Where plants are turned out in a border in the 
greenhouse or conservatory, they will need a most 
thorough watering once or twice a month during the 
growing period, according to the nature of the soil, 
its quantity, and the position in connection with flues 
or hot-water pipes. It is useless, and in fact, harm¬ 
ful, to give such plants little driblets of water that 
will only moisten the surface soil and prove very 
deceiving to the inexperienced as to whether the 
plant be dry or not. Unless sufficient water be 
afforded to reach the main and feeding roots, little 
benefit can accrue from such help. In places where 
liquid manure in a natural form is not easily obtain¬ 
able, I would recommend a very slight sprinkling of 
guano or of Standen’s manure ; the stimulating and 
feeding properties of these will be carried down to 
the roots at each time of watering. Standen’s 
manure is preferable to guano as being slower in 
action and not so likely to prove injurious through 
too free an application ; it also has full and reliable 
directions for use upon each box or tin, and is very 
useful to the amateur. 
Towards the end of the summer, all the light and 
air possible must be given to the plants, as upon this 
depends in a great measure the efficient maturation 
of their growth, and consequent freedom in flowering 
during the following spring. All of these remarks 
apply to all forced Roses, whether in pots or turned 
out into borders; but they are more especially 
intended for the strong growing climbing varieties. 
— Experience. 
-- 
PACKING PLANTS FOR 
SHIPMENT. 
Writing about how to pack plants I find more 
difficult than to do the actual work of packing ; but. 
as I have been called upon to give a paper on this 
subject I will give you what I have found to be the 
most convenient and safest way to pack plants during 
the cold weather. 
In packing Palms, such as Arecas or Kentias, 
always commence on the outside and work towards, 
the centre. By doing this you will have more room 
to work and will not be so liable to break the plant. 
After seeing that the plant is clean and free from 
scale, you may commence by tying the pinnae to the 
centre rib of the leaf, starting at the bottom and 
working upwards until the leaves are all tied up. 
When all the leaves are tied up as described, then tie 
all the leaves together. If the stems are strong it is 
best to tie two or three together, commencing in the 
centre ; by doing this you will equalize the strain, 
which otherwise would damage a leaf if not spoil the 
