122 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 26, 1895. 
manure, can be added as the work proceeds, according 
to the requirements of each crop. Here an argument 
might be put forth on the rotation of crops; but 
this is a matter that troubles me but little, and in 
fact in medium or small gardens it is almost out of 
the question. The main point of guidance is to 
return to the soil in the form of suitable manures the 
different elements which the previous crop has 
robbed the soil of, and also to add that which is 
likely to be required for the next one. The soil in 
itself is simply a store for plant food, and the quality 
of each crop will entirely depend on the amount 
that is stored, and that suitable for the intended 
crop .—James Gibson, Devonhurst, Chiswick. 
Til (Mill HOUSES. 
Cypripediums. —It is impossible in these notes to 
treat fully with this vast and most interesting genus. 
All are curious in their formation, and a great quan¬ 
tity certainly amongst them are the most beautiful of 
Orchids. Especially so is this the case with some of 
the garden hybrids, which are becoming both 
numerous and cheap ; thanks to the ease with which 
they may be raised and grown, and the short time 
they take under favourable circumstances to make 
good plants. Mostly all of them require plenty of 
warmth, moisture, and shade, and are therefore with 
few exceptions best grown in the warm division. 
The compost best suited to the majority of them 
consists of peat without much of the fine particles 
shaken out, fresh moss, bits of crocks and silver sand 
well mixed together. All the C. barbatum section 
we find does best in such a compost, whilst C. 
niveum, C. concolor, and C. bellatulum do best 
when grown almost entirely in loam. 
Of hybrids that flower at this season are C cardi- 
nale, C. Schroderae, and C. Sedenii: one of the 
parents of these two beautiful hybrids, C. Sedenii, 
is perhaps the most accommodating of all the 
Cypripediums, being always in flower. Another 
dwarf-growing Cypripedium that blooms at this 
time of year is the recent introduction, C. Charles- 
worthii. C. spicerianum too (now in flower), will 
always remain a favouiite amongst amateurs on 
account of its free-flowering habits, its adaptability 
for buttonhole work, and the little room it takes up. 
It will grow fairly well with the Cattleyas, but 
should, where possible, be afforded a shady corner in 
the East India house. 
Epidendrum vitellinum mapis. —Plants that 
have been grown during the summer months with 
the Odontoglossums should now be transferred to the 
Mexican or the Cattleya house as the case may be, 
as if left much longer in the cool house they will not 
flower nearly so well, as they require more light and 
air to ripen up the bulbs than they would be likely 
to get if kept with O. crispum. The extra warmth 
too will be to their advantage. 
Cymbidium lowianum.— This beautiful species, 
after a short season of rest, is just pushing up strong 
flower spikes, and must be encouraged by weak 
doses of manure water or the flowers will be small 
and poor in colour. A pinch of guano dissolved in 
the can about once a week, is about the best stimulant 
we have used. 
Temperatures. —These will be gradually allowed 
to drop as the weather becomes colder. We have 
found that the best result in plant culture is when 
the inside temperature to a certain extent har¬ 
monises with the outside. -C. 
■--s-- 
FRUIT UNDER GLASS. 
Vines. —In establishments where very early Grapes 
are required the necessities of forcing will soon be 
making things lively. Even now it is quite time that 
preparations were set on foot, that is to say, suppos¬ 
ing vines are to be started early in November. No 
matter how carefully the thermometer in the forcing 
houses is studied things move very slowly at this 
season of the year, and thus it behoves the wary 
gardener to start betimes. The first crop of Grapes 
is usually obtained from pot vines, which will either 
have been grown on at home or ordered from the 
nurserymen who make a speciality of vines for forcing 
in pots. A rather low, well-heated house possessing 
a brick bed is a most handy erection for this kind fo 
work. The house itself must be washed thoroughly 
from top to bottom and. if a lean-to, the back wall 
lime-washed. The bed may then be filled with 
fermenting material, which should largely consist of 
leaves, as these afford a more lasting and less violent 
heat. In this the pots containing the vines may be 
plunged to the rims. It is not likely that much fire- 
heat will be needed at first, as the warmth thrown 
out by the fermenting of the leaves will keep the 
house up to the requisite temperature, which should 
start from 45 to 50 Eahr. by night, rising to 55 by 
day. Syringing morning and afternoon with tepid 
water will materially assist the swelling buds. 
The earliest permanent vinery will soon be ready 
or pruning now, as nearly all the leaves will by this 
time have dropped. Any that remain must not be 
forced off, however, for as long as they naturally 
cling to the canes they have work to do which their 
removal will hinder. The canes in the mid-season 
vinery may have their growths shortened back half 
way. This will encourage the plumping of the buds 
at the base, and will let in more of the necessary but 
ever-waning light. Should the canes in the latest 
houses not show signs of ripening their wood nicely 
fire-heat must be employed to accelerate the process 
of maturation. A deal of care is, however, necessary 
when performing this. 
Peach houses at this season of the year are more 
Chrysanthemum houses than anything else, as they 
are pretty generally utilised for the sheltering of this 
popular autumn flower to an extent that makes the 
Peaches themselves appear of secondary importance. 
An occasional shake may be given the trees, in order 
to dislodge the leaves, syringing of course being out 
of the question now. Although it is exceedingly 
difficult to preserve a resemblance of tidiness under 
such obviously trying conditions, strenuous efforts 
should be made to keep things straight. Later 
houses that are not encumbered with plants should 
be ventilated pretty freely, letting the lights down as 
far as they will go, whilst the weather continues 
mild and open. Unheated cases should also be 
treated in the same manner, and if the upright 
lights in front are moveable they may be allowed to 
remain open at intervals, as nothing benefits trees of 
this kind more than thorough exposure to autumn 
weather.— A. S. G. 
--- 
The fruit harvest in all parts of the country has now 
come to a conclusion, and even the latest sorts of 
Apples, which benefit by a long exposure, will have 
been removed from the trees bearing them and taken 
to the storeroom. The fruit here will need to be 
looked over occasionally, and any that has com 
menced to decay removed, as one bad fruit soon 
affects those that are lying next it,and so the infection 
spreads. Pears especially will need careful watching, 
as once they are past their best they soon go wrong, 
and give off unwholesome and unpleasant odours. 
For this reason therefore ventilation must be 
promptly and carefully attended to. 
Raspberries. —This is the best time of the year to 
set about making fresh plantations of this most useful 
fruit; naturally the Raspberry prefers a deep rich 
rather moist soil, which, however, must not be too 
clayey in character. As a matter of fact it can 
scarcely be made too rich, as the plants are heavy 
feeders, and during a dry summer will severely test 
the resources of the soil in which they are growing. 
A light open position, unshaded by trees, is un¬ 
doubtedly the best, and in selecting the site for the 
new plantation the gardener must bear this in mind. 
First of all the soil must be thoroughly prepared by 
means of a liberal dressing of short, well-decomposed 
stable manure, and then by double digging to the 
depth of at least 2 ft. We prefer this system to 
trenching. Instead of bringing the poor subsoil to 
the surface for the roots of the young plants to come 
in contact with, the strata of richer soil which lie near 
the top are kept there for the purpose. A goodly 
quantity of manure should be worked into the lower 
strata to serve as a store of nourishment when the 
plants have taken good hold. 
In planting, the amount of space usually accorded 
varies somewhat. A distance of at least 4 ft. between 
the rows is, however, necessary. If the plants are 
intended to be trained to espaliers, a plan that has 
much to recommend it, about 2 ft. between the 
plants will suffice. The space may be even further 
curtailed when the soil is naturally very poor and 
shallow. When the plants are to be trained in the 
ordinary way— i.c., the shoots of each stool fastened 
to a single upright stake driven firmly into the 
ground—5 ft. to 6 ft. between the rows, and 4 ft. 
between the plants should be given, as this admits of 
the fruit being gathered easily when ripe. As to 
varieties, there is no doubt that Superlative is one of 
the best Raspberries grown. The fruit is of large 
size, fine appearance, and very juicy and full 
flavoured, whilst the plant is a most prolific bearer. 
Falstolf or Filby is also a very useful sort, and well 
worthy of cultivation. One of the yellow-fruited 
varieties should also be grown, for although they do 
not bear so well as the red ones they come in very 
handy for the dessert table.— A. S. G. 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The subjects mentioned hereunder received certifi¬ 
cates from the Royal Horticultural Society on the 
15th inst. 
FLORAL COMMITTEE. 
Physalis Franchetii. —The old Winter Cherry, 
ornamental as it is, has been surpassed in size and 
effectiveness by the Japanese species under notice. 
The dark orange calyx is strongly five-angled, with 
smaller ribs between the angles, slightly umbilicate 
at the base, and measuring 2§ in. to 3j in. in length. 
This coloured calyx encloses a large scarlet berry. 
The calyx of the common Winter Cherry (Physalis 
Alkekengi) only measures in. long, and is insignifi¬ 
cant by comparison with that of the noble, gigantic 
and handsome P. Franchetti. First-class Certificate. 
Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Begonia Mrs. Heal —This hybrid upon which 
we commented in our special Begonia number has 
been flowering for several weeks past in the nursery 
of Messrs. James Veitch & Sons. The bright car¬ 
mine flowers measure 2J in. to 3J in across, and are 
produced in great abundance. A striking peculiarity 
of the flowers is the small cluster of stamens with 
short filaments ; another is that out of a large 
number of blooms there was only one female on the 
plant exhibited. It was raised from a rose-coloured 
tuberous variety crossed with the pollen of B. socc- 
trana, and the roundly cordate, oblique leaves partake 
largely of the latter though strictly intermediate 
between the parents. It is a charming addition to 
the winter-flowering race. Award of Merit. 
Carnation J. Gardiner Muir.— Clove-scented 
Carnations are none too numerous, and this one will 
be welcomed by all those who can appreciate a 
beautiful and sweet-smelling flower even if it does 
not come up to the paragon of the florist in form. 
The flowers are perfectly full without being packed, 
and white with a pink centre and beautifully fringed 
petals. The plants shown by Messrs. James Veitch 
& Sons were very dwarf and short-jointed, yet robust 
and floriferous. Award of Merit. 
Violet Princess of Wales. —From what we 
can see of it, the Violet is still capable of improve¬ 
ment in the way of robustness of growth and longer 
stalks to the flowers. This latter quality is of 
great importance when the flowers come to be 
gathered and made up into bouquets for which 
Princess of Wales is admirably adapted. The blooms 
are large, dark violet and deliciously fragrant. 
Award of Merit. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, 
Swanley. 
Chrysanthemum Lago Maggiore — This 
Japanese variety maybe described as a glorified Sun¬ 
flower. The outer petals are drooping, slightly 
twisted and revolute as they get old. The whole 
bloom is of a glossy golden-yellow, and truly grand 
from an exhibitor’s point of view, and the variety, if 
easily grown, will prove useful for decorative 
purposes in many ways. Award of Merit. H. 
Briscoe-Ironside, Cedar Lodge, Burgess Hill, 
Sussex. 
Chrysanthemum Phoebus and Boule d'Or.— 
For description of these two varieties see p. 106. 
Award of Merit. Both were shown by Mr. H. J. 
Jones, Hither Green, Lewisham. Phoebus was also 
shown by Mr. H Shoesmith, Claremont Nursery, 
Woking ; and Boule d’Or by Mr. W. Wells, Earls- 
Wood, Red Hill, Surrey. 
Chrysanthemum Lady Esther Smith and 
Yellow Gem. —For description see p. 106. Award 
of Merit. Mr. Robert Owen, Castle Hill, Maiden¬ 
head. 
Chrysanthemum Pride of Madford. —The 
blooms of this Japanese variety measure 6 in. to 
