296 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 6, 1894. 
‘ TH£ TREE OF HEAVEN. 
Nearl'Y every writer, particularly Continental ones, 
who speaks of the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus glan- 
dulosa) refers to the disagreeable odour of the 
flowers when recommending the tree for town 
planting. Many even urge that the odour is a valid 
reason why it should not be planted in towns nor 
even in the vicinity of dwelling-houses. Even in 
this country writers that are evidently unacquainted 
with the tree, state that it is unsuitable for the 
interior of London. For what reason it is difiicult 
to imagine. The tree when allowed to attain a 
large size, flowers only occasionally in very fine sea¬ 
sons in this country, and is certainly a beautiful 
object when it ripens its fruit. The odour cannot as 
a rule, even at its worst, cause any inconvenience, 
for it is harmless and fugacious, while it is 
sufficiently counteracted by smells of various kinds 
emanating from all sources, and of which no com¬ 
plaint is made. Then, on the other hand, it cannot 
be said that the tree is impatient of pruning, con¬ 
sidering the mutilation to which it is subjected in 
the parks and gardens about London, to make it 
subserve the purposes of sub-tropical gardening. It 
is cut back with the object of making it develop 
strong shoots bearing large leaves ; and this it does 
very readily, for the leaves vary from i ft. to 3 ft. in 
length. Of course, under these conditions it cannot 
be expected to attain any great age, but that is of no 
consequence in the case in question. There are 
large trees in various parts of London and thickly 
populated suburbs, a fact which should demonstrate 
that the tree is well adapted for town planting. 
One of the largest and best flowered trees we have 
seen in Britain grows in a London suburb, and is 
still in robust health, showing that it is quite at 
home. 
-- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS, 
Cypripedium insigne maximum. 
Variatio.n’s still continue to appear amongst impor¬ 
tations of this useful and exceedingly popular 
species. The spotting of the petals is a feature that 
has come out more prominently of late, and this 
fact was well illustrated by the variety which we 
described on p. 227 under the name of C. insigne 
illustre. The variety under notice has turned up in 
the collection of J. McMeekin, Esq., Falkland Park, 
South Norwood Hill, and while similar to C. insigne 
illustre in many respects, it differs from it in others. 
The upper sepal is heavily blotched with purplish- 
brown on a pale green ground, and is white all 
round the top and edge ; on the white portion are a 
few large purple blotches, not merely at the top but 
round the sides. Blotches in this last position are 
very rare in the species; at all events we do not 
recollect seeing them. The pale green lower sepal 
is more or less blotched with brown. The petals 
are pale brown, netted with much deeper veins, and 
spotted on the lower half. The lip is of a shining 
brown with a yellow edge, and the staminode is 
bright yellow. C. insigne illustre differs from the 
above chiefly by having a few small purple blotches 
only at the base of the white portion at the top, and 
close to the midrib; there are none round the sides. 
The brown blotches on the petals are also more 
numerous and in lines on the upper portion where 
they run almost to the apex of the same. 
Odontoglossum Rossii aspersum. 
By several Orchid cultivators this is assumed to be 
a natural hybrid between O. Rossii and O. macula- 
turn. The unwonted colours for O. Rossii have 
given rise to this idea. The flowers are pale or 
primrose-yellow, and the sepals are heavily spotted 
with brown. The petals, on the contrary, are 
spotted at the base only with brown, as is the case 
in both of the above-named species, its supposed 
parents. The lip is white with a lemon crest, in 
some cases orange, and always striped with red. A 
noticeable fact is the number of flowers it bears on 
a scape, at least when well grown. We noticed five 
flowers on a scape in the nursery of Messrs. B. S. 
Williams & Son, Upper Holloway. The typical O. 
Rossii usually bears only two or three flowers when 
well grown, although we have seen the abnormal 
number of eleven on one occasion. O. R. aspersum 
is a plant of strong constitution, and as easily grown 
as the type, and, seeing that it flowers some time 
during the winter months, is highly appreciable at 
that period. The colours are in all cases pleasing, 
and the contrast between the lip and the other parts 
of the flower are well marked. 
Comparettia macpoplectron. 
The various species of Comparettia are elegant and 
pretty as they are rare in collections. That under 
notice is a native of New Grenada and requires 
stove temperature, but as it comes into bloom during 
the winter months it is very acceptable at that dull 
period. As far as we have seen it, November, 
December, and possibly January are the months 
during which it may be expected to bloom, and the 
individual flowers last a considerable time in per¬ 
fection. They are borne in arching racemes ; both 
sepals, petals, and lip are white and spotted all over 
with rosy-purple, but in a somewhat varying degree 
in different individual plants. The spur to which 
the specific name applies is nearly white, and varies 
between in. and 2 in. in length. The plant is 
epiphytic, but curiously enough like several others 
which subsist under the same natural conditions, it 
has no pseudo-bulbs, or they are very small. For 
this reason it must not be allowed to suffer for want 
of water during the winter months, or resting period, 
although its requirements are much smaller then 
than in summer when growth is being made. The 
plants should either be grown in small baskets or on 
blocks with fresh sphagnum, so that they may be 
suspended near the glass. They enjoy the sunshine, 
a fact that should be borne in mind more particu¬ 
larly when the plant is making its growth. Nor do 
they occupy much space, another recommendation 
where house-room is limited. A number of plants 
have been flowering for some time in the nursery of 
Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway. 
Cypripedium Lathamianum. 
A BATCH of seedlings was raised by Mr. W. B. 
Latham, Curator of the Botanic Garden, Birming¬ 
ham, between C. Spicerianum and C. villosum. 
The progeny was named C. Lathamianum, in com¬ 
pliment to the raiser. Numerous specimens of the 
seedlings came into different hands, and several of 
them turned up at one of the meetings of the Royal 
Horticultural Society. All differed from one another, 
some being better than others. One of them has at 
length found its way into the collection of J. 
McMeekin, Esq., Falkland Park, South Norwood 
Hill. It is one of the finest forms too. The upper 
sepal is white, faintly suffused with pink, and having 
a dark purple midrib. The petals are of a dark 
shining brown on the upper longitudinal half, the 
edge of which is wavy as in C. Spicerianum ; the 
midrib is of a much darker brown, and the lower 
longitudinal half is greenish-yellow. These cha¬ 
racters point most strongly to C. Spicerianum the 
seed parent, but the lip is that of C. villosum, 
perhaps rather paler and yellow on the edge. The 
influence of the latter is best seen in the handsome 
size of the flowers, a fact that can best be seen by 
comparison with C. Spicerianum, whose flowers are 
always small. A good recommendation of the 
hybrid under notice is its strong and healthy 
constitution and the ease with which it may be 
grown. 
Calanthe Veitchi alba. 
Calanthe Veitchi was originally obtained by 
crossing C. rosea, better known as Limatodes rosea, 
with C. vestita. The white variety originated 
in the same way, and turned up in a batch of 
seedlings raised by Dominy in the nursery of 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, while at Exeter. It was 
sold unwittingly, however, before it flowered, under 
the impression that it was merely the typical form. 
The white variety has since been raised by Mr. J. T. 
Barber, Mr. Norman C. Cookson, and by Sir 
Charles Strickland, Bart. Mr. Cookson’s plant was 
named C. Cooksoni, and somebody else, whether he 
raised it or not, gave it the name of C. Mylesii, and 
under that name we noted it in the nursery of 
Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway. 
The sepals and petals are recurved or directed up¬ 
ward, and all the segments are white with the ex¬ 
ception of a small, pale yellow blotch in the throat. 
Notwithstanding the length of time this beautiful 
Calanthe has been in cultivation it is b}^ no means 
half so common as the type itself, a fact that can 
easily be accounted for. The rich rose colour of the 
type is certainly the most effective, and we cannot 
be surprised that it should be grown in the largest 
number, but the white form is choice, either to be 
grown by itself or by way of contrast to the type. 
It seems as easy to manage as the latter. 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN. 
Gardenias.—A batch of plants may be put into 
heat to bring them on for taking the place of those 
which were introduced earlier. Select those with 
the plumpest buds. They like plenty of heat and 
moisture, and may be plunged in a bottom heat of 
85°. Before doing so, see that they are perfectly 
free from mealy bug, otherwise the pest will increase 
rapidly with the rise of temperature. The buds and 
thickly clustered leaves around them are the most 
likely hiding places. Syringe them with a wine- 
glassful of paraffin in four gallons of water, keeping 
the mixture well stirred all the time. 
Richardia africana (aethiopica).—Should the 
plants progress more tardily than is desirable, they 
may be put into a house with a temperature of 60° 
to 65°, and they will not only come on more quickly 
but flower more freely in a given time. 
Rivinas. —When the plants get so far past their 
best as to be unserviceable for decorative purposes, 
a sufficient quantity of the berries may be saved and 
the plants thrown away. Young plants raised from 
seed will generally give more satisfaction than those 
grown from cuttings, or by cutting back and growing 
on the old plants agaiu. Where the red and yellow 
berried kinds are grown, a due proportion of each 
can best be depended upon, by raising them from 
seeds. Some cultivators, however, consider that 
plants raised from cuttings give the most satis¬ 
faction. 
Stephanotis floribunda.—Tie in any young 
growths that may be made and keep a close watch on 
the spread of mealy bug. A mixture of paraffin and 
water in the same proportions given for Gardenias 
would be a safe cure. Old foliage will stand a much 
stronger mixture, but it is always best to err on the 
safe side. 
Eucharis.—Where the bulbs have got crowded 
in the pots, the present is a favourable time to repot 
them. Assort the bulbs into sizes so that they may 
throw up their flower spikes as nearly as possible 
about the same time. Single bulbs may be potted in 
48 or 32 size pots so that they may be employed 
amongst other pot plants for decorative purposes. 
The flowering season should be past before potting 
is commenced. 
Epiphyllums.—Those plants which have done 
flowering may be stood away in a house with a 
genial temperature and a dry atmosphere, so as to 
keep them resting till the season is more advanced. 
Very little water will be required at the root till 
growth recommences. 
Peaches.—The mild nature of the weather and 
the generally clear atmosphere is bringing on forced 
subjects rather rapidly. A night temperature of 
50“’ or very slightly above it will be sufficient till 
flowering is over. A rise of 10° by day from sun 
heat will be advantageous, and early closing should 
be strictly attended to, in order to economise fuel. 
This will also be more advantageous to the trees 
than artificial heat. Syringe the trees and damp 
down the pathways for the last time when closing 
the ventilators. 
Strawberries.—Maintain a night temperature of 
50° to 558 in houses where Strawberries are being 
forced into growth. Close early in the afternoon so 
as to take advantage of sun heat. Syringe and damp 
down the house till the plants are in bloom, when 
overhead syringing may be suspended for a lime 
until the blossoms are set. 
Cauliflower.—Those who have not an adequate 
supply of autumn sown plants, should make a sowing 
in heat of Early Erfurt or Veitch’s Early Forcing 
and Autumn Giant. After the seedlings make their 
appearance, expose them to a maximum of light to 
prevent their getting drawn, but as soon as large 
enough, have them pricked off in boxes to be rele¬ 
gated to much cooler quarters when established. If 
properly managed the early varieties should come 
into use about the end of May or the beginning of 
June. 
Seakalein March.—There is no better flavoured 
Seakale than that obtained from the open ground. 
The modern conveniences of forcing houses induces 
the cultivator to overlook or ignore the fact, but it 
exists all the same. To get Seakale in March, 
place some pots or boxes over the crowns, and cover 
them with long littery dung from the stables, or the 
material may be mixed with leaves. No further 
