February 24, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
407 
PHALAENOPSIS AT 
CLAPTON. 
The span roofed house near the office in the nursery 
of Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton, is again very 
gay with the species and natural hybrids of Phalae- 
nopsis so extensively grown there for many years 
past. It is but right to say that they have been in 
bloom for some weeks, and would have flowered 
earlier had it not been for the dense and highly 
deleterious fog which occurred immediately after 
Christmas destroying the flowers of P. Aphrodite 
(amabilis) just as they had commenced to expand. 
The same happened to P. amabilis (grandiflora), and 
the spikes were cut off immediately above the third 
joint with the object of causing them to throw out a 
strong branch to take the place of the principal spike 
later on. The consequence is that the plants treated 
in that way will not flower for some time. A few of 
the less forward plants were not cut back at Christ¬ 
mas so that they are now in full bloom. 
The bulk of the plants flowering now consist of P. 
Schilleriana with smaller quantities of others. 
There is a considerable range of variation in P. 
Schilleriana, both with respect to the colour of the 
flowers, the breadth of the segments, and the com¬ 
pactness of the bloom as a whole. In some cases 
all the segments are very broad and imbricate, while 
in others they are lined with rose. The best type at 
present in bloom is a brightly coloured one. The 
sepals and petals are rich rosy-purple, as is the lip, 
but there is a white blotch at the base of the lateral 
lobes of the latter with crimson stripes upon the 
white. Even the column is as richly coloured as 
any part of the plant. It seems that all or most of the 
species and forms of Phalaenopsis can have the 
flower stem cut back within two or three joints of 
the base, and be expected to throw out a branch 
which will bear flowers later on, with exception of P. 
Schilleriana, which will not respond to this treat¬ 
ment. 
P. Aphrodite (amabilis) shows some variation in 
the colour of the lip. In certain cases the three 
basal lobes exhibit a considerable amount of yellow. 
A better display of this species may be expected 
when the cut back spikes come into bloom again. A 
peculiarity of this species is that if the flowers are 
removed singly as they expand for the purpose of 
wiring or otherwise the flower stems continue to 
elongate for a long time and develop fresh blooms, 
which they would not otherwise have done. Distinct 
and interesting are the flowers of P. Stuartiana, also 
characterised by the beauty of its marbled foliage. 
The contiguous sides of the lateral sepals are spotted 
with purple, as are the base of the middle lobe and 
nearly the whole of the lateral lobes of the lip. 
An interesting plant is P. leucorhoda. because 
believed to be a natural hybrid between P. Aphrodite 
and P. Schilleriana. The leaves are sometimes 
wholly green, as in the case of the former, and in 
other cases more or less marbled like the latter, but 
less extensively. The flower stems may be cut back 
if they come at an unfavourable season in smoky 
and foggy localities, in expectation of their develop¬ 
ing a side branch. The sepals and peta's are faintly 
flushed with rose, and the lateral sepals spotted on 
their contiguous sides as in P. Schilleriana. The 
lobes of the lip are suffused with yellow and spotted 
with purple or crimson in the case of the lateral 
lobes. The tails of the lip are very much shortened, 
forming as it were a compromise between those of 
the two parents. Another natural hybrid of more 
recent origin is P. Schilleriano-gloriosa, whose 
supposed origin is expressed in the name. The 
leaves resemble those of P. Schilleriana, but they 
are less robust and more lightly marbled. The 
lip is that of P. gloriosa, brightly spotted with purple, 
with the spots running half way down the terminal 
lobe, and the lateral lobes are also spotted. It per¬ 
mits of being cut back if an unfavourable season 
requires that proceeding. 
By means of a few plants of the leading types of 
the Moth Orchids a display can be kept up for 
weeks or months together during winter, spring, 
and early summer. No class of Orchids make them¬ 
selves more conspicuous or showy when in bloom. 
The flattened flowers display themselves to the best 
advantage by their graceful arrangement on droop¬ 
ing sprays. Their durability is not the least 
important of their characteristics, and if they require 
a little more care to maintain and develop their well¬ 
being the grower and all concerned are amply com¬ 
pensated by the results. They are best grown in 
the ordinary Orchid basket or on cylindrical 
baskets. The former are most convenient because 
they can be suspended from the roof of the house, 
often thereby heightening the effect when in bloom. 
->4-- 
VEGETABLES FOR AMATEURS AND 
COTTAGERS. 
{Concluded from p. 390.) 
Cabbage. 
There is scarcely a garden in the kingdom but what 
we find the Cabbage grown, and being almost the 
first vegetable of the season is eagerly sought for, 
and the grower contrives to have them as early as 
possible. A well-grown spring Cabbage is not de¬ 
spised by the richest in the land, and generally 
speaking, no vegetable is so much appreciated as the 
Cabbage. Like all other vegetables, the question of 
varieties is an important one, and each one and all 
of us have our favourites. Convenience in a garden 
has much to do with the selection, and where 
autumn sowing is adopted, Sutton’s Imperial, and 
Ellam's Early Dwarf are two good varieties, the 
former being of immense size and the latter smaller. 
Where spring sowing is adopted, Sutton’s Earliest 
has proved the best, and I know of no other variety 
that can beat it for quick growth. Other varieties 
there may be of equal merit as regards size and 
quality. 
Savoy Cabbage. 
This winter vegetable is indispensable in a garden, 
and is valuable in filling up gaps in vegetables during 
the winter months, when the weather prevents others 
from making growth, or renders it impossible to get 
at them on account of frosts and snows. I attach 
great importance to size in this vegetable ; the larger 
the size the greater its value. Earliness is a secondary 
consideration with me, and if they are ready to cut 
in October is quite soon enough. What is really 
wanted is a good old fashioned drumhead Savoy, of 
the cut and come again type. These varieties can 
be had of every seedsman. The green curled and 
Early Ulm varieties are two of the best Savoys for 
general purposes, and these two with a good breadth 
of the drumhead variety should keep every garden 
supplied throughout the winter with a reasonable 
amount of green vegetables. 
Carrots. 
Carrots will not grow satisfactorily in every 
garden. This fact is admitted by all who know the 
peculiarities of this vegetable, and it has more than 
once been very disappointing to me. Special care 
seems to be necessary in order to obtain a creditable 
crop. On heavy land it can be said to be an utter 
failure, and growers in such localities find it to their 
advantage to prepare a piece of ground specially for 
them and grow them there year after year. Growers 
in light and sandy soils are the most successful in 
growing Carrots, and market growers make a good 
harvest where the soil is adapted to their culture. 
The early Shorthorn is perhaps the best early variety 
we have, and either the Intermediate or Long Red 
Surrey for keeping through the winter. Sutton’s 
New Intermediate is worthy of the name it bears, and 
cannot be equalled for general purposes. For 
shallow soils James’s Scarlet Intermediate is the 
best.— Kentishman. 
- ^ - 
PEACHES AND BUD 
DROPPING. 
It is almost too soon to be sure of what the general 
reports as to bud-dropping will be this season, but I 
certainly never had Peaches set more freely during 
the month of January than they have done this year. 
After running a finger along the back of each shoot, 
clearing off all the buds on the underside and lightly 
thinning out those next the sun, I looked, as a matter 
of course, for a good set, and have not been dis¬ 
appointed. The roots are all firmly bedded in the 
soil near the surface, and had good soakings of water 
several times during the autumn when resting. The 
usual cleansing with soapy water was gone through 
—after the trees were pruned—the old surface was 
removed from the soil and replaced with good loam 
and some “ Vine and Plant manure” mixed in the 
dressing. A good soaking of water at about 75° 
was given when the house was closed, which will be 
repeated about once a month till the fruit is well 
swelled. Half watering the soil when the roots are 
well down in it is very conducive to bud-dropping. 
These trees have set fruit and ripened crops 
abundantly each season since they were planted ten 
years ago, and often the roots were partly lifted as 
soon as the crop was cleared off.— Stirling. 
WINTER FLOWERING 
BEGONIAS. 
A large number of Begonias, chiefly hybrids, are 
being called into requisition for decorative purposes 
during the winter months. Their neat and often 
beautiful foliage renders them well adapted for this 
purpose, independently of their flowers. At the 
same time both foliage and flowers are highly orna¬ 
mental in some kinds ; and the continuity with which 
the flowers are produced over a long period, as well as 
the facility with which the plants may be grown, ren¬ 
ders them popular with a large number of gardeners. 
The collection of this class of plants has been greatly 
augmented recently in the nursery of Messrs. J. 
Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, who seem resolved to 
keep up a display with Begonias at all seasons of the 
year. 
One of the most attractive of all is Gloire de Sceaux, 
whose foliage alone renders it highly ornamental. 
The leaves are large, suborbicular, and of a deep 
bronzy-green. The flowers are rose-coloured in bud, 
pink when fully expanded, and produced in hand¬ 
some trusses above the foliage. A feature of the 
intermediate house could be made with this hybrid 
alone; and by arranging for a succession with a few 
different batches, a house may be kept gay with the. 
variety for the greater part of the winter. Side by 
side with it is a variety named La France, the 
flowers of which constitute its chief merit. The 
obliquely heart-shaped leaves remind one of those 
of B. sempervirens, but do not altogether correspond. 
The plant is dwarf, compact and bushy, bearing a 
large quantity of flowers, which are pink or rose in 
bud, but much paler when they expand. Equally 
meritorious is Rosea floribunda, and somewhat similar 
in general aspect, except that the foliage points to an 
affinity with Bruanti. The abundant flowers are 
rosy-pink. The above three kinds in our opinion are 
the most attractive in the collection, but several 
others are sufficiently meritorious to leave room for 
differences of opinion and taste. 
The habit of Bruanti is graceful, branching, 
bushy and drooping ; and the arching branches give 
the plant a spreading rather than an upright appear¬ 
ance. The flowers are small and white or faintly 
blush, the males being somewhat the larger. Their 
profusion compensates in a great measure for their 
lack of size. Quite different is Davisii, a plant with 
foliage similar to that of Ascotensis, but differing 
in having a drooping instead of an erect habit. The 
flowers are rosy red. Of the same type but more 
upright is Corbeille de Feu with salmon-red flowers. 
Quite of another type is Afterglow, reminding one 
of the old Knowsleyana, which used to be largely 
grown for the decoration of greenhouses in winter. 
The leaves are rough and hairy and the flowers pink 
or blush when expanded. 
The B. semperflorens type has given rise to a 
number of varieties differing in the size and colour 
of the flowers. One of the best of them, and 
probably the best of the dark types, is B. s. 
carminata gigantea, the large shining green leaves 
of which serve to show off the crimson-red flowers. 
A much paler variety of the same type, is B. s. 
elegantissima, whose flowers are of a deep pink in 
bud and pale pink when expanded. A form with 
rich rosy flowers and named Sieberiana seems 
closely allied to this type. B. odorata is a useful 
old type with shining green leaves and white flowers. 
Princess Beatrice is one of the garden hybrids with 
blush flowers, while in habit and foliage it is allied 
to Bruanti above mentioned. B. foliosa may be 
included here on account of its beautiful habit, and 
myriads of small leaves arranged on drooping stems. 
The flowers are white, but the foliage is the best of 
it; as a basket plant to suspend, it is most graceful 
and attractive. Beargentea guttata is chiefly 
ornamental for the sake of the foliage, which is deep 
green and richly blotched with silvery grey spots. 
All of the above are of dwarf habit and suitable 
for ordinary decorative purposes, but President 
Carnot; although more important in several respects 
than any of them, it cannot be used in the same way. 
It is a variety of B. corallina, and equally if not more 
handsome. The stems attain a considerable height 
and therefore require to be trained to something, 
such as the pillars or rafters of a house. The 
sepals are of a beautiful rosy-pink, but as they are 
only of moderate size, they are inferior in decorative 
value to the ovary or seed vessel. In this case the 
latter is of great size with three broad wings of a 
