108 
THE GARDENING- WORLD 
Oct. 18th, 1884. 
THE 
(fexainm Calendar* 
Arrangement of Plants in the Orchid- 
houses. —Go where I will I see in the Orchid-houses 
plants placed where they are not likely to thrive, 
while there are in the same houses many situations 
available in which they would do well. Even in the 
best collections instances of this kind take place, and 
that, too, with the knowledge of those who have 
charge of the plants, the necessity for occupying 
every part of the house often causing them to place 
things where they would not, but for that circum¬ 
stance. Misplaced plants will, therefore, be found 
even in the care of the most clever and thoughtful, 
but that is no reason why we should not endeavour to 
get them to reduce the evil to the lowest possible 
degree. In many small amateur collections the errors 
in arranging the plants and the evil consequences 
therefrom, often run throughout the whole collec¬ 
tion, the plants being in poor condition on that 
account, notwithstanding that they have good houses 
to occupy and a fair amount of care bestowed on 
them, and wanting nothing but a practised hand 
to give the weakest growing a good situation in the 
full light, the lovers of shade the side of the house 
suitable for them, to block or basket and suspend 
those which seldom do well in pots, and so forth. 
For the guidance of such amateurs, therefore, we 
want to lay down a few good rules, which, if kept in 
mind, although they may contain a few points 
impracticable in some cases, will not fail to work 
well wherever they are adhered to as closely as 
possible. First, then, let me say that the smaller a 
plant is the nearer it should be placed to the glass. 
Commencing with small things, like Sophronitis 
grandiflora and others of a like habit, which are 
usually grown in shallow pans or on blocks and 
suspended, they should be brought within 1 ft. or 
1 ft. 6 ins. of the glass of the roof, for in winter it 
is hardly safe to bring them nearer. So situated 
Lfelia pumila, Cattleya Aclandise, C. Regnelli, all the 
Trichocentrums, and, indeed, everything else of dwarf 
growth are safe, and will thrive without giving much 
trouble, even in houses not well adapted for the culture 
of Orchids. It may be said that these things do well 
here or there under other conditions than those I have 
named. I am aware that they do under special treat¬ 
ment, but what I desire is to mention the safest plan of 
growing them, either by practised or unpractised 
hands. 
Considering, then, that 1 ft. from the glass is 
allowed as the safety line, a good rough rule may be 
laid down that every small or medium-sized plant 
will do best if brought to within its own height of 
that line, thus, if a plant is 1 ft. in height it should 
be brought within 2 ft. of the glass of the roof, if 
1 ft. 6 ins., within 2 ft. 6 ins., and so on, the larger 
and stronger-growing the plants are the further from 
the glass would they then be placed. The rule 
should be strictly adhered to with small things, but 
with very large ones the nearer to 3 ft. from the glass 
their heads are the better. When so arranged the 
weaker get the places most suitable to them and the 
stronger are not inconvenienced. I have tried the 
plan I recommend over a number of years, and I have 
always found that the nearer it was adhered to the 
better for the plants, and that where it was strictly 
adhered to with the smaller kinds, the fullest benefit 
to be obtained by the plants from their general 
culture was secured, in many cases almost dead 
pieces purchased at sales being quickly brought 
round by it. Of course it is impossible in practice 
to so arrange the plants throughout a whole collection 
that they come within my limit as to distance from 
the glass, but, in however many eases it has to be 
departed from, it should be borne in mind that the 
strong-growing things should be made to give way to 
the weak ones. 
I am constrained to make these remarks, because I 
see in so many amateurs’ collections where the side 
upper stages are arranged in steps, the back ones 
being nearest the glass and the front the farthest from 
it, a fashion generally prevails of putting the large 
strong plants in the back where they are often if 
anything too near the glass, the medium-sized ones 
lower down and generally too far off the glass, and 
the small and weak ones on the front at such a 
distance from it, that they stand no chance of ever 
regaining their health. Let me advise those to whom 
these remarks may apply by the light of the rough rule 
I have laid down, to endeavour to reverse the order 
in which their plants are arranged, and place the 
small ones on the back-shelf if it is likely to suit them 
or otherwise, and perhaps better still, to take them 
out of their pots and block, pan, or basket and suspend 
them, so as to get them near to light and pure air, 
and consequently nearer to health. At the same time 
there is a difficulty about having too many plants 
suspended from the roof, for the Orchids on the stages 
seldom thrive so well with other plants hanging over 
them. Where practicable, therefore, the hanging 
plants should be arranged to hang over the sides of 
the walks, and where it is absolutely necessary to hang 
them over the other plants, care should be taken to 
take every one down to water it, and to leave it long 
enough to allow of the water draining away before 
returning it, so that drips may not fall from it on to 
the plants below. 
Cypripediums and all the other terrestrial Orchids 
which like shade, need not be regarded as being 
touched by the above remarks so long as suitable 
places can be found for them, which can always be 
done in parts of the houses where many Epiphytes 
would not do well. Masdevallias of the Harryana, 
Veitchiana, Davisii, and ignea sections, and others 
which are well known to be shade-loving Orchids, it 
is not of so much consequence to bring close to 
the glass; they therefore, if need be, should give 
place to Brazilian and other Orchids which thrive 
only in a clear light. The Masdevallias of the 
Chimsera section in most cases thrive only when 
brought up to the glass of the roof, and so grown their 
flowers last much longer than they do if grown at a 
distance from it .—James O'Brien. 
ORCHID NOTES. 
Cypripedium calurum. —This charming hybrid 
Lady’s Slipper is beautifully illustrated in the 
current number of The Florist and Pomologist. The 
plant forms a thick tuft of green leaves, from amongst 
which spring up tall, branched, brownish-red stems, 
each bearing several flowers in succession. The 
flowers are large, measuring 5 ins. in their lateral and 
34 ins. in their vertical expansion. The dorsal sepal 
is oblong-ovate, pale green, with longitudinal purplish 
ribs, and slightly flushed on the outside with red; the 
united lower sepals are broadly-ovate and much 
smaller. The petals are 24 ins. long, curled, pale 
green in the centre, at the base with an edging of 
rosy-red on each side J in. broad, which meets towards 
the apex, where it is wholly bright rosy-red. The lip 
is bold and conspicuous, nearly 2 ins. long, of a deep 
rosy-red, flushed with brown in front, paler behind, 
and the inside of the pouch creamy-white, distinctly 
spotted with rosy-purple. It is a vigorous-growing 
plant, obtained in Messrs. Veitch’s nursery by crossing 
C. longifolium with C. Sedeni, itself a hybrid raised in 
the same establishment. 
-—-<> 5 ^= 5 — 
FLORICULTURE. 
Tree Carnations. —The hot summer has brought 
the tree Carnatiohs prepared for winter flowering, 
somewhat earlier into bloom than usual, but not too 
early for those who have to meet a demand for-these 
much appreciated sweet-scented flowers. Messrs. 
Veitch & Sons grow many varieties in quantity at 
their Chelsea nursery, and the plants have been 
housed long enough for a fine lot of fresh clean 
flowers to be opened under glass. Looking them over 
the other day, we noted the following varieties as 
being specially worthy of recommendation to any one 
looking out for good things :— 
Valencia, a very fine crimson flower with fringed 
petals, and a bold sturdy habit of growth. 
Laura, satiny-pink, with fringed petals ; a very neat 
flower. 
Lady Mary Turner, a yellow-ground flower, mottled 
and flushed with crimson. 
Caxton, a variety with fine large flowers, bright 
peach, shaded with rose. 
Mrs. G. Hawtry, clear canary-yellow, and of excel¬ 
lent shape. 
Pride of Pen-shurst, similar in colour to the latter, 
but a better habited plant, being a strong robust 
grower. 
Ariadne, a pretty shade of rose. 
Sir Evelyn Wood, one of the best of the dark 
coloured section, being of a rich claret colour ; a nice 
compact bloom, and very free. 
Princess Stephanie, a hybrid between a Pink and a 
Carnation, having the “ grass ” of the former with 
the tree-flowering habit of the latter; pure white,very 
sweet, good in shape, and a free bloomer. 
La Belle, an old variety, but still one of the best, 
pure white, sweet-scented and a wondrously free 
bloomer. 
Mrs. Keen, rich velvety-maroon, a very full flower 
which has the merit of not often splitting its calyx. 
It is rather a tall grower, but in other respects is a 
grand flower. 
Faust, a pretty rose and crimson bizarre; very free. 
Lady Macbeth, an improvement on Miss Joliffe, the 
rich flesh-colour being pure in tint, the petals stiff 
and broad, and the habit all that can be deshed. 
Hamlet in the way of King of the Yellows, but tree¬ 
flowering instead of a summer-bloomer. 
Lucifer, the finest of all the scarlets, being of a 
brilliant shade, and perfect in shape. 
Andalusia, a very fine yellow. 
Thomas Wallis, a new variety sent out this year; 
an extra strong grower, and bright scarlet in colour, 
with a dark crimson stripe on the broad stiff petals. 
Le Favori, a fine rosy carmine. 
Sir Georye, a very good scarlet, of a stiff, robust 
habit. 
Empress of Germany, a grand old white not much 
known ; a large bold flower, with a fine free-branching 
habit. 
Ruby, a beautiful flower of a rich deep-wine colour, 
tinted with blue. 
L'Hermine, a good white, and very sweet-scented. 
Irma, pink, flaked with a dark-flesh tint; very 
pretty. 
Illuminator, a very good scarlet. 
Touchstone, a peculiar shade of scarlet, feathered 
with crimson; and 
Florifere, pure white, of good shape, and very dwarf. 
Plants like these, struck in early spring and potted 
on in good loam in 32-sized pots, well tended as to 
watering and staking during the summer and autumn, 
put in a cool greenhouse early in October, and well 
fumigated to rid them of green-fly, will, if kept in a 
temperature ranging from 55 degs. to 60 degs., and in 
a tolerably dry atmosphere, give a supply of flowers 
of which ladies never tire, from the present time to 
well into the summer months of 1885. 
TheW. F. Bennett Bose. —A correspondent of the 
American Gardeners’ Monthly stated in the July number 
of that periodical that few Roses will pay as well as 
The Duke of Connaught, and asked the pertinent ques¬ 
tion, Will the William Francis Bennett pay as well? 
To this the raiser, Mr. Henry Bennett, of Sliepperton, 
replies in the current number :—“ Having raised both 
of these roses, I think I can speak with some authority. 
Of course I cannot tell how these individual roses do 
in the States, but here the latter pays ten times as 
well as the former. ‘ William Francis Bennett ’ is the 
earliest and most persistent bloomer. I generally 
house them on the 1st of December, and have always 
had the first cutting not later than the 15th of 
January ; it has never failed to flower in six weeks 
after being started, even in our dull, smoky atmos¬ 
phere. In 1883 we began cutting in the first week in 
January, and took cuttings daily (Sundays excepted) 
till the 1st of July; the plants were then turned out a 
perfect blaze of bloom. The price for blooms was 
from 10s. per dozen to 2s. 6 d. per dozen (the lowest 
price). The plants were grown in pots 6 ins. in 
diameter, were not shifted all the time, and had only a 
very little manure-water. I have never met with any 
rose that would produce half the quantity of blooms 
under glass. There is an error in stating this rose to 
be a seedling from Baroness Rothschild ; it was 
