April 11, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
515 
in clusters of four to twelve. It flowers in June. 
The white Martagon is very fine. 
There are many varieties of L. speciosum from 
Japan. The best are album, 2 ft.; roseum and 
rubrum, 4 ft. high. 
L. tigrinum (Japan) is the most common garden 
species. On stems 2 ft. high it carries its flowers 
of a beautiful orange-scarlet, heavily spotted with 
black. 
L. umbellatum (garden origin) is an early species, 
flowering in June. It is a very free bloomer and 
very hardy. Colour, orange-red. The flowers are, 
as the name implies, borne in umbels of three to 
five on a stem.— J. J., B. 
- 
SOILS FOR POTATOS. 
"Oh ! any soil is good enough for Potatos," is an 
expression that most of us have heard made use of 
at some time or other—with what truth, only 
experience can decide. It is very true that Potatos 
of a certain quality can be obtained from almost any 
kind of land without very much preparation, but it 
must be borne in mind that there are Potatos and 
Potatos, and while a ready market can usually be 
obtained for good material, a crop of inferior quality 
is scarcely worth the labour bestowed upon it. 
Potatos may be grown with success upon so many 
different kinds of soils that at first sight it would 
really appear as if the character of the same, either as 
to depth or texture, is not a matter of very great 
moment. Some fine crops are obtained each year 
from thin shallow soils overlaying chalk and lime¬ 
stone. Poor sandy soil, newly-broken-up bogs, and 
even clayey soils that have been subjected to a fair 
amount of tillage may also, under^favourable climatic 
conditions, be made to yield excellent results. Still, 
the ideal soil for Potatos is undoubtedly a deep 
friable mellow loam, containing as such soils 
usually do, a fair quantity of sand and calcareous 
matter. A fertile sandy loam is also a first-class 
medium, and those who are fortunate in possessing 
such, may expect heavy crops of sound tubers. 
Most soils of a light character in which there is a 
considerable proportion of gravel, will produce 
tubers of excellent quality. The crops, however, 
are heaviest when the season is rather a damp one ; 
a droughty year is sure to cause a lessening of the 
weight of the crop, especially where the admixture 
of gravel is inclined to be excessive. The peaty 
soils found in the Fen country, and frequently 
spoken of as " Black Land,” will usually yield heavy 
returns, but, if the season is other than a hot dry one, 
the quality is decidedly inferior. A light, but deep 
soil containing a proportion of lime will also prove 
suitable enough in anything like an ordinary year 
All soils of a very heavy or retentive character, such 
as the clays, are unsuitable. In the first place the 
season is well on before planting can be conducted, 
unless the spring is very dry. Subsequently in wet 
weather it is extremely difficult to give the crop the 
requisite attention with regard to cleaning, etc., as it 
becomes so pasty if trodden upon to any extent. In 
the autumn the digging of the tubers is only effected 
with a great deal of trouble, added to which they are 
often scarcely worth the digging, for the water-logged 
character of the soil is especially favourable to the 
rapid spread of the all-dreaded disease. 
No matter what the kind of soil is, it must at 
least possess a certain degree of porosity, for, without 
this,” a full measure of success cannot be looked for, 
It must be remembered that the presence of a large 
quantity of stagnant water in the soil is sure to cause 
it to be infested with all sorts and conditions of 
animal life that are more or less injurious to the crop, 
and the tubers at harvest-time will be hollowed out 
and bored through in all directions by worms and 
insect pests of various kinds. Where the land is 
inclined too much to the wet side of things, it should, 
therefore, be thoroughly drained at the earliest 
opportunity. The improvement of the crops, both 
with regard to weight and quality, resulting from this 
very necessary attention will be such as to more than 
repay the cultivator for any little extra trouble and 
expense that may be occasioned. There are 
hundreds of acres of land throughout the country 
whose yielding powers might be nearly doubled 
simply by attention to the question of adequate 
draining. 
Generally speaking, a soil of a comparatively light 
texture is the best to pin one's faith to ; for although 
during a dry season the yield may be rather scanty, 
the quality is good, and the slightest loss is more than 
brought back in a wet year, when, in addition to the 
crop being heavy, the quality is still good, certainly 
much better than that obtained from heavy soils 
during a similar season. For early work a light soil 
is far and away the best, being much warmer and 
more kindly than a heavy one. It also affords 
greater facilities for working upon early in the season 
when the sets have to be planted in order that the 
young tubers may stand a chance of getting into the 
market before the glut commences.— G. 
--f-- 
THE ORCHID AND LILY NURSERY. 
As indicated by the name, the two leading specialities 
of Mr. H. A. Tracy, Orchid and Lily Nursery, 
Amyand Park Road, Twickenham, are Orchids and 
Lilies. The former are grown in the greater quantity, 
but owing to our visit, being on the 4th inst., we were 
a day or two late to see the best display of bloom ; 
for, owing to the lively state of the matrimonial 
market, cut flowers were in great request and had to 
a great extent been cut. Nevertheless, the knife had 
spared some of the good things. 
Amongst Cattleyas we noted C. Trianaei, a late- 
flowering piece of C. percivaliana, and a batch of 
C. labiata, recently imported, but still persisting in 
throwing up flower spikes. The cinnabar flowers of 
Laelia cinnabarina are beautiful whenever they 
appear. The allied L. flava is also about to open 
its flowers. A pretty variety of Cymbidium lowianum 
was notable for its yellow sepals and petals. The 
splendid and now well-known C. tracyanum first 
flowered here. Dendrobiums were represented 
by D. wardianum, D. lituifolium, with small, white 
fragrant flowers, and D. nobile, a recent importation 
of which is now commencing to flower. Arpophyllum 
giganteum carries a fine spike of its purple flowers. 
The large leathery leaves of Oncidium carthaginense 
serve the purpose of pseudo-bulbs which are here 
absent. The flowers are very pretty, having reddish- 
brown sepals and petals marbled and edged with 
white. The crest of the lip consists of several 
prominent purple knobs adding much to the interest 
of the species. Some Erias are also flowering here. 
Though not an Orchid, Browallia speciosa major is 
noticeable here on account of its large, bright blue 
flowers. Cattleya hardyana and C. Mendelii are in 
sheath and will soon commence to open. The latter 
consist of established pieces that have flowered and 
been selected. They are known, therefore, to 
consist of good varieties, and have been marked 
according to their merits. About a hundred spikes 
of Dendrobium thyrsiflorum are now pushing for 
bloom in this house, and will make a fine display 
presently. 
A lean-to house is occupied with Cypripediums, 
amongst which we noted a fine variety of C. hir- 
sutissimum with a flower measuring 7 in. across the 
petals, the upper half of which is of a rich purple. 
The beautiful C. barb at um crossianum is notable 
for the dark purple ^.-shaped band on the upper 
sepal. Here also are C. villosum, C. v. aureum, C. 
harrisianum, C. claptonense, and C. bellatulum ; the 
latter, grown in boxes, is making very fine growth. 
There ia a fine importation of C. insigne montanum, 
numbering some 500 plants, some of which are 
established but none have yet flowered, so that some¬ 
thing good may be expected, judging from the 
results of previous importations from the same source. 
The well-known C. insigne Sanderae, C. i. Ernesti 
and other renowned varieties came from the same 
district. C. apiculatum is a hybrid of the C. 
Dauthieri type, but quite distinct. From the roof of 
this house the pretty little basket Orchid, Leptotes 
bicolor is suspended. 
Cool Orchids are not neglected, and amongst 
those in bloom we noted a very choice form of O. 
crispum with round flowers and broad, overlapping 
white segments slightly tinted with rose on the back. 
O. nebulosum album is pure white, with the exception 
of a few orange spots in front of the crest of the lip. 
The bright reddish-purple blotches of a form of O. 
crispum guttatum are very attractive. Very 
fragrant is O. gloriosum with its panicle of flowers. 
Oncidium diademum belongs to the microcbilum 
section and has chestnut-brown flowers, edged yellow, 
and beautifully crisped. Angraecum sesquipedale 
in another compartment is still flowering, as is 
Coelogyne cristata alba. Very choice is a variety of 
Lycaste Skinneri with blush sepals and petals, and 
a charming lip heavily overlaid with carmine. One 
pseudo-bulb bore five flowers of large size, 
Mr. Tracy has two nurseries, but we visited only 
the one in the Amyand Park Road, and consequently 
only saw a portion of the Liiits being grown. Lilium 
Harrisi is the most forward, and some batches of 
strong plants stand 3 ft. to 4 ft. high. L. speciosum 
in various forms, L. auratum, L. Henryi, and what 
is being grown as a new species, are in various stages 
of advancement. T he stems and young leaves are 
red and promise to be something distinct. A large 
bed of the Spanish Iris, under glass, is already 
showing for flower. A Pelargonium of the decorative 
type, having been allowed to ramble at freedom, has 
developed into a Targe bush, bearing an enormous 
quantity of flower buds now expanding. 
Mr. Tracy also imports Azalea indica in some 
quantity from the Continent. The plants, being of 
small and useful size, find many admirers for indoor 
decoration in the neighbourhood. A large-flowered 
semi-double variety named Madame Van der 
Cruyssen, has rich rose and very attractive blcoms. 
Those of Madame Degreve are soft pink, with a large 
purple blotch on the upper segment. Madame Cam. 
Van Langenhove has semi-double white flowers. All 
three are very showy on account of the quantity of 
bloom they produce. 
-- 
DELPHINIUMS. 
This bold and attractive class of plants well merits 
the increasing attention it is now receiving at the 
hands of cultivators of hardy flowers, no collection 
of which can be considered complete without a 
representative collection of Delphiniums, which when 
grouped together or intermixed in the back row of 
the herbaceous borders, are objects of great beauty 
throughout the summer months. By cutting the 
spike out as soon as they have done flowering a good 
autumn display will be had from the second growth, 
which still fuither increases their reputation as 
highly-valued decorative subjects. They can also be 
used with much acceptance for house decoration ; if 
gracefully arranged in tall glasses with their own 
foliage they have a most prepossessing appearance. 
As yet blue is the predominant colour, and is 
represented in all its charming shades, from the palest 
to the very brightest and deepest. These again 
are shaded and suffused bronze, lavender, pink, 
purple, rose, violet, etc., the colours of some being so 
blended as to almost baffle description. A good 
white, scarlet, or yellow, would indeed be a pleasant 
break from the preponderating array of blues; these 
colours in the course of time, I feel sure, will be forth¬ 
coming, seeing we have in the dwarf section a good 
white in D. grandiflorum album, a scarlet in D. 
cardinalis, an orange-red in D. nudicaule, and a pale 
sulphur yellow in D. Zalil. It has been often said 
that we never can have a red, white, and blue in one 
family, but anyone who has seen the above growing 
side by side must admit that the Delphinium comes 
pretty near exploding that fallacy ; and should these 
colours beintroducedinto the tall-growing section, the 
result will be to still further popularise this imposing 
race of hardy flowers. 
The Delphinium will thrive in any ordinary 
garden soil, but prefers a rich deep one, as it is a 
gross feeder and very soon exhausts the soil. The 
crowns should be replanted on fresh ground every 
three years or so. Mulching with dung is very 
beneficial, but it is an objection on the flower border. 
I prefer renewing my stock by means of cuttings, 
rather than division of the old clumps. The latter I 
root out as soon as the young plants are established. 
Cuttings of good sorts only may be put in now; 
choose short, sound shoots with a heel if possible, 
and keep them close until rooted ig a frame or hand- 
light. These, if planted when ready to handle, will 
throw some very fine spikes in the autumn. 
I grow a great many varieties, amongst the best of 
which are the following single and double varieties:— 
Bella Donna, sky blue, very pretty ; Condorcet, clear 
blue, semi-double flowers of enormous size; Dr. 
BergmanD, dark blue, with reddish-violet centre; 
Eclaireur, bluish-violet, striped rosy white; Esclar- 
monde, sky blue, with white spots, semi-double; 
Froufrou, lovely sky blue, ranunculus-formed flowers, 
fully double and very dwarf. Another is Jules 
Sandeau, a lovely shade of blue, and double. Le 
XIX. Siecle, blue and bronze, double, is a splendid 
variety. Massenet, sky blue, marbled with rose, is 
fully double. M. Porion is sky-blue, with ranunculus- 
formed flowers and is very striking. Madame H. 
Jacotot, light azure-blue, is a charming varietyi 
