88 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 7, 1898. 
ceding one, which answered very well. To show the 
scope of the work and the wide variety of subjects 
treated, a list of them was given, and the report pro¬ 
ceeded to state that the subjects were of a practical 
and interesting character to the members. The 
most valuable feature was that in all cases the 
essayists were specialists in the particular subject 
in hand. This naturally added considerable weight 
to their opinions and the conclusions arrived at. 
The discussions which followed were eminently 
practical. As was reported at a meeting of the 
association, the County Council did not accede to 
the application of this association for a grant 
towards technical instruction in gardening, but the 
fact that a sum has been granted in some other 
districts for a similar purpose leads the committee 
to hope that the association—one of the most 
important of its kind in the county—may in the 
near future be recognised as a proper medium 
through which to further the benefits of technical 
education in horticulture in this neighbourhood, 
especially in the direction of hardy fruit growing. 
Since the last report the association had become 
possessed of a large number of books on gardening, 
thus forming the nucleus of a good library. They 
were indebted to the Library Committee of the Albert 
Memorial Museum, through Mr. Dallas, for many of 
these. Thanks were also due to Miss Crocker, of 
Bovey Tracey, for her handsome gift of books. 
These are lent free of charge to the members. 
Both as regards the numbers on the roll of member¬ 
ship (over loo), and the balance in hand (upwards of 
£20), the position of the association is a satisfactory 
one, and it now enters on its third year of existence 
with every prospect of success. On the motion of 
the chairman the report and accounts were adopted. 
The election of office-bearers for the year was 
then proceeded with. Mr. Hope moved that the 
thanks of the association be tendered to William 
Lethbridge, Esq., Sheriff of Devon, for his services 
as president during the past year, and that Sir 
Dudley Duckworth-King, Bart., of Weir House, be 
elected president for the ensuing year. Mr. 
Lansdale seconded, and it was carried unanimously. 
The name of Mr. James Dallas, honorary curator cf 
the Albert ilemorial Museum, was added to the 
list of vice-presidents, and the present honorary 
secretaries (A. Hope and T. E. Bartlett), and hon. 
treasurer (W. Mackay) were re-elected and thanked 
for their services. The following members of com¬ 
mittee were elected by ballot :—W. Andrews, G. C. 
Crabbe, J. Franklin, G. B. Lansdale, J. Lu.xton, J. 
McCormick, S. Radley, W. Rowland, E. Sparkes, T. 
Stoneman, J. Weeks, and W. Street. A vote of 
thanks to the IMayor and Town Council for the use 
of the Council Chamber, and to Major Tracey for 
presiding, brought the meeting to a close. 
Ealing.—The fifth annual general meeting of 
the members of the Ealing District Gardeners’ 
Mutual Improvement Society was held on Tuesday, 
the 26th ult., Mr. G. F. Rixon being in the chair. 
The annual report of the committee was read. In 
it the committee announced with much pleasure that 
the session had heen a very successful one, much 
steady work having been accomplished. The papers 
and lectures read and delivered at the weekly meet¬ 
ings (in all twenty-five) were as varied and interest¬ 
ing as they were instructive, and were thoroughly 
appreciated and intelligently discussed. The aim 
and object of the society—the dissemination of 
knowledge, interchange of opinion, and mutual 
improvement—had been steadily kept in view 
throughout. The exhibits—an interesting feature of 
the weekly meetings—although not so numerous as in 
former sessions, were of a meritorious character, 
showing evidence of skilful culture on the part of the 
exhibitors. A marked improvement had been seen 
in the attendance of members at the meetings. The 
essays, written in competition for prizes offered, 
were well and thoughtfully written, and showed 
careful preparation and evidence of keen observation 
and practical ability on the part of the writers. The 
number of competitiors for those prizes was eleven, 
five competing for Mr. R. Dawes' prizes, three for 
Mr. C. Jones’ prize, and a like number for prizes 
offered by Mr. Richard Dean. A generous gift of 
seventeen volumes of Loudon’s Gardeners’ Magazine 
had been received by the society from Mr. Wheeler, 
of Barn Elms, Barnes, and nearly all these hooks 
were on loan to the members during -the remainder 
of the session. The committee tendered their 
sincere thanks to the President, Mr. E. M. Nelson, 
for the kind sympathy and support he had extended 
to the society; and to the Vice-Presidents and to 
other ladies and gentlemen who had contributed to¬ 
wards the maintenance of the society. They further 
acknowledged indebtedness to the Chairman, Mr. G. 
F. Nixon, to whose stimulating influence and un¬ 
flagging interest shown in the institution, the report 
observed, much of the succes attending the society 
was due. To the donors of prizes, Messrs. R. 
Dawes, C. Jones, and Richard Dean, the committee 
further tendered thanks, and also to Mr. R. Willey, 
who presided at the annual dinner. The judges of 
essays, Messrs. A. F. Barron, B. Wynne, J. Kelway, 
Fountain, and G. Cannon, were accorded recognition 
of their services in that capacity ; and the committee 
also professed themselves grateful to those members 
of the society and friends who, as lecturers and 
readers of papers, willingly contributed towards the 
entertainment and instruction of the members. The 
Vice-Chairman, iMr. G. Cannon, was accorded the 
thanks of the committee for his services during the 
winter months, for his indefatigable efforts to make 
the annual excursion a success, and for his generosity 
and hospitality in connection with the outing. Mr. 
C. B. Green, who throughout the session contributed 
largely towards the succes attending the efforts of the 
society, also received the cordial thanks of the com¬ 
mittee. Mr. Fountain was thanked for assistance 
rendered by him, and for lending his room for the 
purpose of the holding of committee meetings 
throughout the summer months. In conclusion, the 
committee expressed their regret at their inability to 
assist the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund, as they 
had done in former years, and their hope that they 
would be able to render su’ostantial aid to that ex¬ 
cellent institution before the close of the coming 
session. The existing officers were re-elected. The 
names of Mr. Simpson, Mr. Roberts, and Mr. E. 
Slade being added to the existing committee, in place 
of those of Messrs. Gates, Jones, and Denison, 
resigned. 
ORCHID NOTEHiMLEANlNGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
East India House.— The spraying overhead of all 
plants in this division now should be discon¬ 
tinued. Phalaenopsis generally, have done well this 
season, and if the leaves are not quite so large, they 
make up for it in thickness. This sort of leaves is 
preferable to thelarge flimsy ones, and certain!}' are nc t 
so liable to be affected by the dreaded spot. Happily, 
however, we do not hear so much about this disease 
as the plants become better understood. The chief 
cause of it is too much moisture at the roots during 
winter, with a low temperature. Considering that 
they have no pseudo-bulbs wherein to store up mois¬ 
ture, it is really surprising how long they will go 
without water during severe frosty weather without 
any ill effects ; so long as the foliage does not begin 
to shrink, they are safe. Sponging the leaves will 
tend to keep them plump, besides freeing them from 
thrips and dirt. 
Shading in this division, from now onwards, must 
be done with caution, only running the blinds down 
during the hottest part of the day. Owing to the 
very bright summer, most things are better able to 
stand bright sunshine at this period, the exceptions, 
perhaps, being the Phalaenopsis, on account of their 
succulent growths ; but to overshade these is a mis¬ 
take. One thickness of tiffany after the regular 
blinds are rolled up should be ample. 
Cattleya House. —There will be no necessity to 
shade this house after the middle of the month, tbe 
Cattleyas and Laelias requiring all the light possible, 
but should the Vandas be growing with them (as 
ours are) they may be shaded during the hottest 
part of the day by placing sheets of paper over them. 
The glass too should be washed down inside and out, 
also the pots and stages where they have become 
green by the constant use of the syringe. 
The Oak leaves that were put in the beds under 
the middle stages last autumn we shall now remove 
and replace with fresh ones, which are getting plenti¬ 
ful about here. I believe this is one of the finest 
things for the plants, the ammonia that arises from 
them when they are heating being most beneficial to 
plant life. 
Laelia anceps.— The white forms have made 
very fine growths, but the flower spikes are very 
scarce. Those not pushing spikes are rooting freely 
from the newly made-up growths; these we shall 
repot at once, believing this to be the best time to 
do it. Those treated in this way last autumn have 
certainly distanced those left until spring in length 
of bulbs and size of the leaves, not that they have 
flowered any better, but, by making larger growths 
every year, they must, in time, reward us for our 
patience. 
Good fibrous peat we find best for them if potted 
now, as sphagnum would require too much water to 
keep it in a living state during winter than would be 
good for the plants, for they will make roots and 
keep plump during winter with but very little mois¬ 
ture other than what they get when damping down, 
and unless the moss can be kept alive it is hurtful to 
all Orchids.— C. 
Vanda Sanderiana alba. 
Hitherto there Has been little or no variation in 
this species, but a well-marked variety has turned 
up in a batch introduced by Dr. Gorton, of the 
London Nursery, 4, Maida Vale, about twelve 
months ago. The upper sepal and the two petals 
are pure ivory-white. The two lateral sepals are 
highly coloured, and the lip is typical. The 
ordinary V. Sanderiana has the upper sepal of a 
delicate rose colour, suffused with white. The 
petals are similar, but have in addition a tawny 
blotch spotted with red on the side next the lower 
sepals. V. Sanderiana alba under notice is of 
robust constitution, and is furnished to the very 
base with leaves. Along with the batch of V. San¬ 
deriana are some fine pieces of V. caerulea, which 
were specially selected for their size. One piece has 
eleven growths, which says much for a plant usually 
seen in small bits. 
The Orchids described hereunder were exhibited 
and received certificates according to merit, at the 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on the 
26th ult. 
Cypripedlum Charlesworlhii. 
This is a new, very distinct, and highly meritorious 
species introduced from the East Indies by Messrs. 
Charlesworth, Shuttleworth & Co., Heaton, Brad¬ 
ford. The leaves are ligulate, channelled, keeled, 
deep green above, and spotted with purple beneath. 
The scape is one-flowered and stands about 4 in. to 
6 in. high. The dorsal sepal is of large size, nearly 
round, and slightly inclined to be concave, a cha-. 
racter however which shows itself best, or only when 
the flower is getting old. The inner face is of a 
beautiful rosy purple, veined with a deeper tint; and 
there is a complete absence of green or brown, 
which are so commonly a characteristic of the 
greater number of East Indian species. The petals 
are moderate in size and of a pale shining brown, 
and the lip is similar. The staminode is ivory-white 
with a conical elevation of the same hue in the 
centre. The habit of the plant and the size of the 
flower recall C, Exul or C. Spicerianum, but the 
dorsal sepal and the staminode are widely distinct. 
A First-class Certificate was awarded it. 
Cattleya blesensis. 
In this we have a hybrid between Cattleya 
Loddigesii and Laelia pumila. The pseudo-bulbs 
are fusiform, slender, and about 10 in. high, bearing 
two oblong, bright green leaves of moderate size. It 
bears two to four flowers on a raceme. The oblong 
petals are twice as broad as the sepals, and all are of 
a soft lilac-purple. The tube of the lip is similar in 
colour and slightly darker towards the edge. The 
orbicular lamina is emarginate, undulate, crisped, 
crenate, and of a deep purple with a paler band of 
that colour striped with yellow extending to the 
base ; the rest of the tube is white and tinted with 
yellow on each side of the throat only. An Award 
of Merit was accorded it when exhibited by Messrs. 
B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway. 
Laelia elegans Tunneri Ingram’s van. 
The sepals and petals of this variety are unusually 
pale, and of a soft purplish pink. The tube of the 
lip is similar in hue, but the terminal lobe is a con¬ 
spicuous and showy organ. It is of great size, 
wedge-shape, almost truncate at the apex and of a 
rich maroon purple. L. elegans Turner! itself has 
the sepals and petals of an amethyst purple toned 
with rose. An Award of Merit was accorded it 
when exhibited by Chas. Ingram, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. T. W. Bond), Elstead House, Godaiming. 
Brownleea caerulea. 
Only three species of Brownleea are known to 
science, and they all come from South Africa. They 
