November 16, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
175 
ing immense spikes, and one, an extra deep coloured 
variety. Other plants in bloom are Aganisia 
czanea with six blooms; several Catasetums; 
Zygopetalum Mackayi, very fine. Calanthes and 
Laelia anceps promise to make a splendid display in 
a short time. The Dendrobes have made up good 
bulbs, and the collection generally reflects credit on 
the grower, and is a source of great pleasure to the 
owner, and to the numerous visitors to Bourton,— 
J.C. 
--fr- 
PLAIT 
The Stove. 
We have now got well into the duil season, long 
nights, short days and moisture-laden atmospheres. 
Fogs, too, more injurious than all, may be expected, 
and it will be very curious if we do not get a taste 
of their quality. Accordingly in this department 
things inside must be modified to suit the changed 
conditions that obtain out of doors. The tempera¬ 
ture in the warmest stove may now stand at about 
65° Fahr. by night, and at 6o° in the intermediate 
house. Usually we do not get much sun during the 
day, and the temperatures 'will not rise much. 
Watering now will require the utmost care and dis¬ 
cretion, for although the majority of stove plants are 
growing more or less during the whole of the year, 
at this part of it they are comparatively inactive, 
and this must be taken into account when using the 
watering-can. For the same reason feeding with 
artificial manures must be discontinued—at least, in 
dealing with the ordinary subjects. Of course, such 
things as Poinsettias that are developing their 
bracts, or Gardenias that are commencing to swell 
their flower buds will need a little stimulant, but 
even these must be carefully treated. 
The general aspect of the stove will now have 
undergone a change ; for Caladiums and Gloxinias 
will all have been removed to their resting quarters, 
thereby giving more room to the permanent foliage 
plants. Avoid overcrowding as far as possible for 
the natural supply of light is now quite short 
enough without making matters worse. It usually 
happens that the stove is in close proximity to the 
stoke-hole, the smoke from which settles on the 
glass in the form of a thick coating that effectually 
excludes a great deal of the necessary light. Aoy 
deposits of this kind should, therefore, be removed 
with all speed by means of washing. 
Ferns.— These also must be kept a good deal drier 
at the root than they have been during the summer 
months. It is a great mistake to allow them 
to become sodden with moisture during the winter, 
for, although they like plenty of water when in 
full growth, they have a period of partial rest 
just the same as most other plants have, and to let 
them get too wet at such a time is fraught with a 
deal of danger to the delicate roots. Adiantums, 
which have become shabby, should have the dirty 
fronds removed by degrees. To cut them all off 
wholesale, as we have more than once seen done, is 
a practice that cannot be too strongly condemned. 
The Conservatory. 
At the present time there is no lack of flower in the 
conservatory, neither should there be for some 
weeks to come ; for the Chrysanthemum in all its 
glory is now arrayed in its best, and cultivators are 
reaping the reward of their labours. It must not be 
thought, however, that the fact of the plants, or 
at least a great part of them, being in flower 
is evidence that there is nothing more to be done, 
and that no further attentions are required. Every 
experienced gardener knows that this is far from 
being the case. In the first place every aid should 
be given them so that the highest excellences of 
their flowers may be developed ; secondly, having, 
once got a houseful of thoroughly good blooms the 
next thing to do is to try and make them appear to the 
best advantage ; and thirdly, having seen to both 
these points it is of considerable moment that they 
should be induced to keep in condition for as long as 
possible. True, it may be said that when the 
flowers have lived a certain time, and fulfilled their 
allotted space, it is only natural that they should go 
off. Aye! this is right enough, no doubt, but how 
many blooms are allowed through careless manage¬ 
ment, or rather mismanagement, to spoil ? Not a few 
without doubt. 
First of all the development of the blooms :—As 
soon as the flower has arrived at a certain stage 
feeding with artificial manures must be very care¬ 
fully performed, giving weaker doses than formerly 
and less frequently. A vigilant eye must be kept on 
laterals and superfluous buds in dealing with plants 
which are rather later than the others. Of course, it 
stands to reason that less water will be required 
now than formerly; but on no account must the 
balls be allowed to get too dry. In watering give 
just enough water to soak the ball, as to give it in 
small dribbles is worse than useless. 
Next, the question of arrangement presents itself; 
for if this is properly looked after some excellent 
effects can be obtained even with plants of slightly 
inferior quality, and, conversely, unless some amount 
of taste is displayed even the best of flowers are 
sadly handicapped. Of course the exact style must 
depend upon the character of the show house or 
houses, and thus it would be of no use to lay down a 
lot of rules now that would need to be considerably 
modified in practice. In a general way, however, 
formal bank-like arrangements must be avoided as 
far as possible, for the plants look very much better 
when staged in groups with Palms and other foliage 
plants intermixed, and a few dwarfer subjects worked 
in in the front to form a suitable edging, and to hide 
the pots of the larger plants. 
With regard to the preservation of the blooms for 
as long as possible, damp is without doubt the 
greatest enemy with which the gardener has to con¬ 
tend here, and steps must therefore be taken to 
maintain a fairly dry and buoyant atmosphere. To 
do this it will be necessary to have recourse to fire- 
heat, although this will need very careful usage. Air 
must be given whenever it is possible to do so, and 
the watering should always be seen to in the morn¬ 
ings. If any of the flowers show signs of damping 
off the affected florets should be pulled out at once 
before the mischief spreads It is often possible to 
preserve blooms for very much longer when this 
simple attention is given than when they are allowed 
to take care of themselves. 
Pits and Frames 
In the frameyard things are pretty well at a stand¬ 
still, or, at least, growth is so slow as to be almost 
imperceptible. Cold frames must be ventilated as 
freely as the state of the weather will permit, whilst 
watering may be reduced to a minimum. The mild 
open weather that we have been having of late after 
the sudden advent of sharp frosts is helping the 
winter along nicely, and should be taken every advan¬ 
tage of to get things well in hand. 
Hyacinths, Narcissi, Tulips, &c , ‘of which late 
batches were potted up, may be taken out of the 
ashes in which they were placed and removed to cold 
frames until they are wanted for forcing purposes. 
Roman Hyacinths must be placed in a gentle heat in 
batches as they are needed ; for ordinary purposes 
from ten days to a fortnight between each will keep 
up a regular succession. 
Freesias. —As growth progresses, weak liquid 
manure will be needed if large flower trusses are 
expected. As the pots of the earliest batch should 
now be well filled with roots a little stimulant of this 
kind may be given them with safety. Cow manure, 
perhaps, is as good as anything, as it is not so strong 
as chemical specifics. This may be varied with 
occasional doses of soot wat r, which will keep the 
foliage green and healthy. 
Dkutzias, L’lacs, and Staphyleas that will 
have to remain out of doors until they are brought 
in to be forced must be plunged in ashes deeply 
enough to cover the pots entirely, otherwise very 
severe frost will be almost sure to cause damage by 
cracking the pots, and some trouble may be ex¬ 
perienced in fitting the plants with new ones. 
Chrysanthemums. —To obtain large plants for 
producing show blooms, it is necessary to take the 
cuttings pretty early. A start should therefore be 
made about the middle of November, and cuttings 
put in as fast as they can be procured. Even if this 
plan is followed the season is often well on before a 
sufficient stock of favourite varieties has been 
secured, as good cuttings, whether from sheer per¬ 
verseness or otherwise, are often sadly tardy in 
making an appearance The cuttings should be 
inserted singly in small thumb pots, light sandy soil 
being used. They should then be stood as near the 
glass as possible in a cool frame. We have 
struck cuttings very successfully by standing them in 
small handlights placed inside an ordinary cold frame. 
Coddling must on no account be tolerated ; for if 
sufficient air is not given they will be very likely to 
damp, and to a certainty will become drawn and 
weakly specimens instead of robust and healthy as 
desired. 
koRciNG Pit. —It is high time that a forcing pit of 
some kind should be got in readiness. For the 
purpose nothing is better than a Melon house. The 
beds should be cleared out and refilled with fresh 
leaves, which will make a capital plunging material 
to receive the pots of such plants as are undergoing 
treatment. 
Roses. —Where it is required for these to be in 
bloom early in the spring, a batch must now be intro¬ 
duced into a gentle heat. They must first be pruned 
and top-dressed with a mixtureof good loam, two parts, 
and well-decayed manure, one part, with a slight 
sprinkling of sharp river sand. In top-dressing as 
much of the old soil should be removed as is 
possible without injuring the roots. The drainage 
if it is at all clogged, must also be put to rights. 
After all the preliminary attentions have been given 
the plants may be plunged in the bed of leaves 
previously referred to. Here the syringe may be 
plied amongst them, about once a day sufficing for 
the present. The temperature should not be suffered 
to decline below 45 0 Fahr. by night, and may be 
allowed to rise to 50 s or 55° by by day. It will be 
gathered from this that but little fire-heat will be 
needed as long as the weather remains as mild as it 
is at present.— A. S. G. 
Cattleya House.— As the days shorten so must 
the atmospheric conditions of the house be allowed 
to become much drier, to induce plants that have 
made up their growths to take a rest. 
Odontoglossum citrosmum. — This beautiful 
Odontoglot has made up splendid bulbs this season 
with us, but unless a good rest is afforded them they 
will not produce large spikes, neither will the flowers 
be very good. We grow ours in baskets and pans 
suspended close to the glass, the compost being 
peat and moss in equal parts, with good drainage. 
Given plenty of moisture at the roots during the 
summer months, and a good position near the glass 
on the south side of the house during the winter 
months, with just enough moisture to keep the bulbs 
from shrivelling, they will rarely fail to produce a 
good crop ol bloom in their proper season The 
chief cause of so many dwindling away is that 
people expect too much. What I mean is, they 
think that being an Orchid they can live wholly and 
solely cn clear water year after year in the same 
worn-out compost. We give ours fresh material 
every season alter flowering, and if this was done 
with all Orchids we should not see so many sickly- 
looking plants about I feel certain. Let well alone 
is no doubt a good maxim, but it does not apply to 
plants in pots, for the constant watering that is 
necessary soon washes all the goodness out of the 
soil, and when it is too late you find out that what 
should have been done a year ago must be done at 
once if the plants are to be kept alive at all. Thus 
a season or two is lost. 
Masdevallia tovarensis.— The genus Masde- 
vallia is rather out of favour with the majority of 
growers just now, but some day I suppose it will be 
boomed again. In any case tfcie one under notice 
will always be popular on account of its beautiful, 
chaste flowers, and the fact of its flowering during 
the autumn and winter months. 
We find it one of the easiest to grow, but it 
requires a somewhat higher temperature during the 
winter months to flower it freely than do the other 
varieties. The plants do best when grown in small 
pots, but are not so imposing as when seen in large 
masses. This is readily remedied by putting them 
together when coming into flower. If done care¬ 
fully no harm will result, and as they may be 
re-potted early in the following year into small pots 
again there will be little or no check to them. 
Odontoglossum Rossii majus.— This pretty 
Orchid grows splendidly with O. crispum during 
the summer months, suspended close to the glass, 
but must during winter be given a place on the 
stage at the warmest end, or the points of the 
leaves will turn brown. 
Temperatures. —East India house, 68 ° ; Cattleya 
house, 58°; and cool house, 50° at night, with a risk 
of 8° or io v during the day — C. 
