204 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Nov. 29th, 1884. 
THE 
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Treatment of Newly Imported Orchids.— 
Such large quantities of these are now constantly 
coming in, that buyers of all classes find the sales of 
imported Orchids very good sources from which to 
draw supplies, for keeping up and adding to their 
collections; indeed, some of the amateurs succeed so 
well with plants of this kind that they do not care to 
buy established plants, and certain it is that a healthy 
well-selected imported plant is a much better subject 
to work upon, than an old plant which has been 
subjected to you know not what treatment at the 
hands of different owners. All the year round, 
scarcely a week goes by, without one or other of our 
large importers receiving important consignments, 
summer and winter alike, nor does it appear that the 
season at which the plants arrive is of any consequence 
so long as they were gathered at the right time, and 
have not been touched by cold. If these two conditions 
have been favourably observed, I am convinced that 
winter is as good a time as spring or summer, in which 
to buy your plants. 
It has been observed of late autumn and winter 
importations, that they are objectionable because of 
the length of time which must necessarily elapse 
before bright weather comes in. This is a valid 
objection, but inasmuch as an objection may also be 
raised to importations at any other season, it loses 
weight. For example, importations received here in 
spring, often have to pass through extreme cold, and 
those in summer may have been exposed to extreme 
heat in them close cases, which would injure them as 
much as cold. Putting, therefore, the one thing 
against the other, it does not matter at what season 
the buyer purchases, so long as he uses good judgment, 
and treats his plants properly after he gets them. 
Heat is the most ruthless slayer of the fresh 
importations, all of which get more or less shrivelled 
and thrown out of their proper state on the journey. 
To plants in such a condition, suddenly being placed 
in a high temperature, cannot fail to be fatal or very 
injurious, even although they may be natives of hot 
countries, and capable of growing in and even liking 
a hot-house when well established, growing and 
rooting. The reason is not difficult to find—the 
emaciated cells and tissues, on being suddenly exposed 
to heat, burst and decay, and the worse condition the 
plants are in when imported, the more certain is their 
rapid decline if placed in a high temperature. 
It is best to make it a rule never to place any fresh 
imported Orchid, no matter how hot the country it 
comes from may be, in a higher temperature than 
60 degs. to 65 degs. Fahrenheit, for a fortnight or so, 
except in summer, when so low a temperature cannot 
be had. and to place the Odontoglossums, Masdevallias, 
and all other Orchids which reason may suggest, in 
the coldest house available, carefully guarding the 
importations in all cases from sun, as it is very hurtful 
to them, and also taking care to place them where the 
direct heat from the hot-water pipes does not reach 
them, as on their first arrival they are very impatient 
of the too evident presence of artificial heat. 
The chief reason why summer importations often 
thrive better than winter ones, I believe may be 
attributed to their being placed in houses hi which 
there is no artificial heat. 
On receiving fresh imported plants the best way is 
to go over them, cutting out only actually dead or 
decaying portions, and lightly brushing oS any dirt 
which may have got on them, then at once carefully 
place each piece into the smallest pot it can be got, 
using broken crocks only, instead of peat, and, if 
necessary, firmly fasten the plant with a stick, which, 
if it is known to be wanted, should be “crocked up” 
with the plant. When ready they should be arranged 
in the cold or intermediate house, as near to the glass 
as convenient, there to remain until the plants plump 
up and show signs of rooting and growing, when they 
can be removed to the quarters known to be best for 
them to settle in. It is better to err in placing the 
fresh arrivals in too cool than in too hot a place, for the 
cooler they are kept in reason, the better, as less water 
will be required and in a cool house not a drop of water 
need be given to the top of the plant, but only frequent 
waterings with a spouted pot of the crocks in which 
it is placed, and water so applied cannot be too 
freely given after the first few days. 
Crocking up, as described, either into pots, baskets, 
or pans, is the best plan, as it works well at all 
seasons and on all subjects, and every plant worthy of 
it should have a separate receptacle, but small pieces, 
such as are bought in bundles, may be crocked up 
hah a dozen or so together until they break and root. 
Blocking, too, is a very good way of treating Cattleyas 
and other fresh imported Orchids, as they can thus be 
brought w T ell up to the light, but care must be taken in 
fastening the plants on the blocks that the fastenings 
be not so placed that they will cut into the plant when 
it plumps up. The wires can generally be managed 
to pass over parts not likely to be so affected if care is 
taken. Some have notions of laying the fresh impor¬ 
tations about under stages for a time before dealing with 
them, and very rough treatment they are often subjected 
to in this way. To all such growers I would say that the 
plants have had quite enough knocking about before 
getting here, and the sooner they get a little careful 
nursing the better for them and for then 1 owner. 
With Vandas, Aerides, and other plants of a similar 
habit of growth, where a position cannot be made sure of 
for them out of the reach of drips, if they were crocked 
up at once, it is a good plan to suspend them head 
downwards for a fortnight until they get acclimatized 
before putting them into pots ; indeed, such treatment 
is not bad for most Orchids, though as a rule, however, 
it is not to be recommended, as the plants are often 
left too long upside down when the practice is resorted 
to, and the consequence is that the growths so made, 
drawing towards the light, go the w r rong way, and, 
when taken down for potting, they are found among 
the roots. 
In all cases and for all reasons crocking into pots 
is the best, and if for nothing else it is desirable as 
giving the whole plant an opportunity of acclimatizing 
fairly and passing off the sour sweat which always 
comes over them when first put under glass, and 
which generally turns to fungus and causes decay of 
the parts excluded from the air when the fresh 
imported plants are potted up immediately, particu¬ 
larly when they are received a long time before the 
season for starting into growth .—James O'Brien. 
Wire injurious to Orchids. —In the fifth line of 
the last paragraph of the note on this subject, at 
p. 188, for “or pieces of cork” read “a piece of 
work,” a slip that may puzzle an unpractised hand, 
but no one else. 
FLORICULTURE. 
A Selection of fine Incurved and Japanese 
Chrysanthemums. — Taking advantage of the 
Chrysanthemum Exhibitions lately held, I am able 
to make a selection of the following varieties, which 
is worthy attention by any one desirous of forming 
a collection :—- 
Incurved Varieties. —Alfred Salter, bright pink, 
large and very fine; Angelina, amber and orange, a 
flower of fine shape when well grown; Baron Beust, 
reddish chestnut, tipped with gold; Cherub, golden 
amber, fine shape; Emily Dale, a pale golden sport 
from Queen of England ; Empress of India, large pure 
white, extra fine ; Empress Eugenie, a charming pale 
lilac variety; George Glenny, pale primrose, golden ; 
Empress of India and Empress Imperial, it is difficult 
to separate these two, as they appear to come very close 
together, but I have seen them shown in the same 
stand; Hero of Stoke Newington, rosy-pink, very 
handsome, and of the finest form, a sport from Princess 
Teck; Jardin des Plants, rich deep golden yellow; 
John Salter, orange-red, very fine ; Lady Hardinge, 
delicate rose, good shape; Lady Slade, clear pink ; 
Mr. Bunn, rich gold, extra fine ; Mr. Corbay, a distinct 
purple-maroon sport from Prince of Wales; Mrs. 
George Bundle, pure white ; Mrs. Dixon, rich golden 
yellow ; Mrs. Heale, a beautiful wdiite or very delicate 
blush sport from Princess of Wales; Nil Desperanduui, 
orange red; Prince Alfred, rosy-carmine, perhaps the 
very finest of all the deep coloured varieties; Prince 
of Wales, wine-purple; Princess of Wales, delicate 
flesh, a lovely flower; Princess Teck, pure white; 
Princess Beatrice, rosy-lilac, extra fine; Queen of 
England, blush, a good and useful old flower; Reful¬ 
gence, bright purple-maroon, a variety that requires 
high cultivation, but when really good not to be 
surpassed; Venus, peach, very pretty; and White 
Venus, the most delicate blush colour, bleaching to 
pure white. This lot includes all the very finest exhi¬ 
bition varieties. 
Japanese Varieties. —And in reference to exhibi¬ 
tion varieties of the Japanese section, two types of 
flower come prominently to the front. One is the 
large, full, incurved varieties, like Comte de Germiny 
and Tliunberg ; the other is the full, finely-developed 
reflexed varieties, like Comtesse d’Audiguier, La 
Purete, and Simon Delaux. Some of the very best 
will be found in Baronne du Prailly, rosy-blush, very 
large and fine ; Bend d'Or, bright sulphur-yellow, extra 
fine ; Bouquet Fait, bright rosy-pink ; Comte de Ger¬ 
miny, an immense incurved form, bright nankeen- 
yellow ; Comtesse de Beauregard, dark rose, very fine ; 
Criterion, amber, large and fine; Dr. Macary, rose, 
tinted with white; Duchess of Albany, delicate pale 
lilac, extra fine ; Elaine, pure white, a very early and 
fine variety; Fair Maid of Guernsey, pure white; 
Fanny Boucharlat, white, tinted with rose, a charming 
variety; Francois Delaux, velvety-crimson and brown, 
the reverse gold, very fine ; Garnet, blood-red, rich in 
colour; Hiver Fleur, cream, striped with pale rose; 
Japon Fleuri, very dark, shining black-crimson, extra 
fine ; La Purete, pure white, very large and fine; 
Madame Clemence Audiguier, beautiful pale mauve, 
large and very fine, as this variety grows very tall it 
is recommended that the plants be cut back almost to 
the bottom in May; Mons. Ardene, rich rosy-lilac, 
large and fine ; Mons. Delaux, reddish-crimson with 
yellowish centre, fine and showy; Mons. Desbrieux, 
deep chestnut-red, very large and fine ; Mons. Tarin, 
silvery violet-rose, very fine; Perle Delaux, deep, 
bright velvety-crimson, very striking; Peter the 
Great, a large yellow, incurved variety; Boseum 
pictum, deep plum colour, large and full; Soleil 
Levant, pale yellow; Simon Delaux, deep crimson, 
dashed with yellow; Sultan, large rosy-purple ; Thun- 
berg, clear pale yellow, finely incurved ; and Triomphe 
du Nord, fine crimson-maroon. 
Cultivation.— Most exhibitors take cuttings in 
autumn as soon as they can, in order to get a good 
start with then- plants; the earlier this can be done 
the better, so as to ensure then- being rooted before 
Christmas. Some do not bother about this until the 
end of February or early in March; they are then 
placed singly in small pots, in a cold frame, kept 
close until they have rooted, and then they have 
plenty of air, so as to encourage a robust healthy 
growth. I can scarcely do better than refer to the 
simple manner in which Mr. E. Sanderson treats his 
plants as set forth in your columns at p. 169 
Successful culture is so much a question of attention. 
Any one contemplating growing for exhibition cannot 
do better than seek instruction from an old exhibitor. 
Of Mr. Sanderson I may say that he seems to perfectly 
understand every variety he grows; and as he says 
with much truth, it isimpossible to reduce these matters 
to writing. Experience is an excellent preceptor, and 
the teaching thereby gained is of a most valuable 
character. A successful florist must first graduate in 
the science of cultivation, then go on to take honours, 
and finally attain to distinction.— B. D. 
-—- i — 
CONSERVATORY CLIMBERS. 
Nothing adds so much to the embellishment of 
greenhouses and conservatories as suitable Climbers, 
for, however well either structure may be furnished 
below, there must be a bareness in the roof without 
such plants as are adapted for training there, of which 
there are many, especially for lofty houses, as there 
the Passifloras and Tacsonias come in, and, if allowed 
to suspend in their own natural way, produce a 
most pleasing effect. One of the best of the Tacso¬ 
nias is T. Van Yolxemii, which is a most floriferous 
variety, having rich scarlet blooms, that hang from 
the end of long string-like stems and last a long 
time in perfection. T. mollissima is an old favourite, 
and a very strong grower, producing delicate pink- 
coloured blooms that have long green tubes and short 
