204 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
^November 30, 1889. 
“ The Migratory Spirit.” 
Being a young gardener, and having what your cor¬ 
respondent, “ Stirling” (p. 183), calls a migratory spirit, 
I should like to ask him why he thinks it has a 
retarding influence on the prospects of young men ? 1 
cannot see how a young man is to improve himself by 
staying in one place so long, unless it happens to be 
such an one as Syon ; on the contrary, I think it is this 
moving from place to place that gives one an insight 
into what your correspondent calls the “details” of 
gardening. If I had remained till now in the first 
situation I went to, I am afraid I should not have had 
much instruction in the handling of tools, &e. As a 
rule, I think, employers generally look at the length 
of time one has served in one place when requiring a 
head-gardener ; but they are not so particular in this 
respect as to foremen or journeymen.— Foreman. 
A New Copper Label. 
I cannot help thinking there must be some mistake in 
ascribing the introduction of this label (p. 180), to a 
Philadelphia firm, as an invention of an exactly similar 
character was patented some time ago by Mr. Chandler, 
of the Devon Rosery, Torquay. Having tested them, 
and considered their recommendations well, I am of 
opinion that they will prove a great toon to plant 
growers.— J. Muir, Margam Park, South JFales. [We 
had never heard of Mr. Chandler’s invention until we 
received the above note. Since that came to hand Mr. 
Chandler has also written, enclosing samples, which 
bear out Mr. Muir’s observations. The Philadelphia 
firm are Mr. Chandler’s agents.— Ed.] 
Croton Laingii. 
Amongst the many useful Crotons we think this 
should hold a prominent place ; with us it is in fine 
colour the year round, and when used in pairs for room 
and front-hall decoration during summer and autumn, 
finds many admirers. Although known to us in 1882, 
our partiality for it was intensified by seeing a fine 
little plant with much twisted, golden, spotted with 
crimson, and bronzy green leaves, exhibited at the 
Peckham Public Hall, on November 11th, by Mr. 
Dickens, gardener, The Platenes, Champion Hill.— 
Random. 
Solatium albidum Poortmanii. 
Under this name a small bed of plants of what would 
prove a grand subject for sub-tropical gardening was to 
be seen in the ground of the Paris Exhibition during 
the past summer and autumn. The tallest of the 
plants stood about 4 ft. high, and had stout prickly 
stems. The huge heart-shaped and lobed leaves also 
bore prickles along their midribs just as several of the 
smaller-leaved kinds already grown for ornamental 
purposes do. They were of a deep rich green colour, 
and the finer of them measured 2 ft. in length by 
18 ins. wide, bearing a resemblance to some of the 
Wigandias, such as W. macrophylla, better known in 
gardens under the name of W. caracasana. Such fine¬ 
leaved subjects give a very sub-tropical appearance to a 
garden, and are at the same time very ditferent from 
the usual array of plants grown for that purpose. 
Northern Beauty Tomato. 
Some very fine fruits of this Tomato have reached us 
from Messrs. Dickson, Brown & Tait, of Manchester. 
The variety was sent out for the first time last spring, 
and the fruits before us show that they belong to the 
Perfection type, but are proportionately deeper and 
darker in colour. Even now the skin is of an intense 
crimson-scarlet hue, notwithstanding the time of year 
and the unfavourable nature of the weather and 
light for the operation of fruit ripening. With 
the exception of three or four very shallow grooves, 
the fruits are perfectly smooth from the apex to the 
insertion of the calyx. The plants from which the 
fruits were gathered were grown by Mr. Gray, gardener 
at Bodorgan, North Wales, and raised from seeds sown 
on the 1st June last. They are still heavily laden 
with fruit, of which the specimens sent were average 
samples, and large enough for all ordinary and 
economical purposes. Earlier in the year they attain 
wonderful dimensions, a dozen fruits weighing over 
13 lbs. The variety is also very prolific, of good 
flavour, with few seeds, and has been well reported 
upon by several other growers. 
Crocus laevigatus. 
Many of the species of Crocus bloom at a season when 
they would be most acceptable, namely, in autumn and 
winter; but unfortunately our wet climate is very 
unsuited to their welfare, and their tender blooms 
get destroyed by wind, rain, and other adverse accom¬ 
paniments of the season. C. lievigatus, when planted 
in the open air in this country, keeps flowering inter¬ 
mittently, according as the nature of the weather will 
permit, from October till spring. With the aid of the 
hardy plant house, however, the difficulty can be got 
over, and not only the species under notice, but a con¬ 
siderable number of others can be had in perfection 
during the dull winter months. Crocuses do not force 
well, or in other words, if hard forced, they are very 
short lived ; whereas, if the winter-flowering species 
were more largely grown, they could be kept in a 
cool house all the time. The perianth of C. lrevigatus 
varies from white to lilac, and externally the three 
outer ones are buff-coloured, or variously and some¬ 
times beautifully feathered with rich purple. Distin¬ 
guishing names are often given to the more distinct of 
them. 
-- 
FLORAL DECORATIONS. 
(Continued from p. 182.) 
Coming more particularly to the arrangement of cut 
flowers, we will treat first on stands and vases such as 
are seen at flower shows. In many instances any close 
observer will discern a failing on the part of exhibitors 
on the side of overcrowding, as previously alluded to. 
In fact, this is the prevailing error that is made. It 
is easier to make this mistake than might be imagined, 
and therefore perhaps to some extent excusable. Of 
shapes, colours and sizes we have an endless variety 
provided by the dealers in glass and china, so much so 
as to be perplexing to those not acquainted somewhat 
with their appearance when dressed. The more simple 
the shape of any vase is, provided it is not of heavy 
make, so much the better. What is the use of an 
elaborate vase, when the first thing to be thought 
of is the flowers with which it is to be dressed ? The 
vase itself should be of secondary importance, pro¬ 
vided it be of reasonable shape and colour. In fact, 
the less the glass is seen when the arrangement 
is complete, the better, in our opinion, will be the 
effect. 
In colours we now have an abundant choice, but still, 
for our own part, we prefer the clear glass to any other; 
the next to it, in our opinion, is that of a smoky white 
colour. Reds in various tints, greens also, should only 
be used in the direst extremity. Respecting sizes, it is 
different, for various sizes are most essential where any 
considerable amount of decoration has to be done. We 
prefer all stands of the larger size to rest upon the 
table-cloth— i.e., to be dressed with flowers at the base. 
The width of these stands should be proportionate to 
their height ; a wide base with a short cornucopia 
springing from the same does not look well, as it imparts 
a heavy appearance to the stand as a whole. Where a 
slender glass stem is employed, with an intervening 
convenience between it and the top, that, too, should 
be of sufficient length to be clear of the bottom 
arrangement. Where the stems are rather short, this 
may sometimes be overcome by keeping the base as 
low as possible. Supposing three stands have to be 
filled, we, for our own part, always prefer to have the 
central one of slightly different shape, and, as a matter 
of course, rather larger than the side ones, which should 
match each other. The central stand should, in fact, 
look rather more imposing than those on each side of 
it. Having proceeded thus far, the next thing will be 
To Prepare the Stands 
For the reception of the flowers. In order to keep the 
blooms in position, it is needful to use either sand or 
moss as well as water to keep them fresh ; for our parr 
wo prefer sand well moistened. This should be covered 
with fresh green moss, or Selaginella denticulata ; we 
prefer the latter. If a few tiny plants of Pandanus 
Veitchii, Cocos Weddelliana, Fittonias, or other subjects 
well developed, yet in thumb pots, are at hand, these 
may be dotted around : three of either kind will be 
sufficient. These should be kept as low as possible. 
The next operation had better be to secure a climber up 
the stem, starting from the bottom and twining it 
upwards to the top. When this is done, I prefer to 
fringe the base with suitable Fern, for which purpose 
Adiantum euneatum is still one of the best. A. 
Farleyense, not too large, and with that roseate hue 
often seen upon the fronds, might be sparingly used. 
Some of the smaller-growing Davallias are also very 
useful, such as D. bullata, D. elegans, and D. tenuifolia 
stricta. 
If Davallia Mooreana is used, portions only of the 
fronds should be taken. Asparagus plumosus nana can 
be used also for this purpose, but should not be relied 
upon entirely for the reason of its being too deep a 
green. Pale green fronds are always to be preferred, 
especially of the common Maidenhair. If the arrange¬ 
ment in any case is to consist of rather large flowers, a 
few small leaves of the variegated Begonias, of Cissus 
discolor, or any other similar foliage plant, might be 
added with proportionate advantage—such, for instance, 
as when the flowers consist of the common white Water 
Lily, amongst others. After this arrangement of the 
base thus far, the common practice is to insert the 
flowers at once, and here it is where many fail, from the 
simple reason of not being able to see in the mind’s eye 
what the appearance will be when completed. When 
the work is done in this way, any close observer can 
notice flowers which are almost hidden, and, so to 
speak, of but little use, other flowers standing above 
them, in some instances with fronds of Fern intervening. 
I have seen stands dressed in this way where almost 
every flower touched its neighbour. This occurs, no 
doubt, from a desire to make a good display ; but the 
object to be attained is marred before a finish has been 
made, let alone when it is completed. Others have a 
practice of inserting flowers in a methodical manner— 
I might almost say with mathematical precision and 
exactitude. This mistake is easily made if one is not 
careful to be careless in the matter. I remember one 
case in which an equal number of each kind of flower 
was chosen; the effect was a “show,” but nothing 
more! The plan we advise, and which we prac¬ 
tise, is to continue to insert fronds of Maidenhair 
Fern until, in one’s own opinion, no more (or but 
little) will be needed ; then take the flowers selected 
for the stand, and it will be astonishing what a few 
will be required to produce a good effect. Those used, 
too, will each be seen to the best advantage. In the 
former case, the Fern is added to tone down the colours 
of the flowers ; in the latter, sufficient flowers are only 
added to give the required effect.— J. Hudson. 
(To be continued.) 
-- 
ORCHID ROT ES AND GLEANINGS. 
Masdevallia Shuttleworthii. 
So well known is this pretty Masdevallia in all good 
collections that it has been quite familiar to growers 
under this name for a long time, and if it be finally 
resolved to alter the name for an older one, to which it 
is supposed to belong, the difficulty will be to get 
cultivators to follow suit, on account of their well- 
known conservatism in matters relating to nomen¬ 
clature. As long ago, at least, as 18-31, Dr. Lindley 
received a dried specimen of a Masdevallia, which he 
described under the name of M. caudata, the type of a 
large, well-known, and popular group of species. No 
more was heard or seen of it till re-introduced in 1874. 
The question still remains an open one, whether the 
dried specimen above mentioned and M. Shuttleworthii 
are identical, or whether the latter is sufficiently 
distinct to be classed as a variety of the former. Should 
they be the same, then M. Shuttleworthii, only under 
another name, was one of the first Masdevallias to come 
under the notice of the scientist, although it was un¬ 
known in British gardens until forty-three years 
afterwards. So long, however, as Masdevallias continue 
to be cultivated, that under notice will receive a due 
amount of attention on account of its neatness and 
beauty. 
Dendrobium Linawianum. 
This species is best known in gardens under the name 
of D. moniliforme, under which Lindley placed it in 
the belief that it was the plant described under that 
name by Swartz. The flowers of D. moniliforme are, 
however, described as solitary, alternate, and placed 
along erect spikes at some distance from one another, 
whereas those of D. Linawianum are produced in twos 
or threes from the nodes of the stem. The leaves last 
in good condition for two years, so that the flowers 
appear on leafy stems, and are very much improved in 
decorative effect thereby. They are nearly as large as 
those of D. nobile, and, with the exception of the lip, 
are equally effective. The upper half of the sepals and 
petals is of a bright rose, fading almost to a pure white 
at the base. The lip is incurved at the sides, and 
white with a deep rose tip, two purple spots on the 
sides of the throat, and striped with purple on the 
sides near the base. It is a native of China and Japan, 
and was first introduced to this country in 1824, but 
has always remained a scarce plant in cultivation. 
Specimens were sent us the other day by Mr. J. 
Friend, The Riok’s Nest Gardens, Godstone, Surrey. 
