Dec. 20th, 1884. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
247 
the'least labour and gives the best results of any that 
I am acquainted with, is the following, which is 
intended to apply more particularly to Pelargoniums, 
although there are many other bedding-plants that 
might, with advantage, be treated in the same way. 
Assuming, then, that the plants have been rooted in 
boxes and kept in them till the time for potting-off 
arrives, which is generally in February or March, 
procure a quantity of turves cut into pieces about a 
foot square, and three inches in thickness. These can 
again be cut into twelve or sixteen square pieces, 
according to the size of the plants they are required 
for. Then with an old knife cut out a hole in the 
centre of each piece, keeping the grass side downwards, 
and taking care that the hole is not made quite 
through the turf, so that the network of grass (or 
rather roots) will keep the soil to be used from falling 
through. The plant can then be placed in the hole in 
the same way as it would be put into a small pot, and 
should have some fine soil pressed firmly around it to 
keep it in position. The pieces of turf that are made 
to answer the purpose of a pot should then be placed 
closely together in pits or frames, and have about an 
inch of soil placed over the surface of them to fill 
up the interstices and make the whole level. 
If they then receive a good watering through a rose 
and are kept close for a time, they will quickly root 
into the turves, and the labour entailed in keep!ri ,r 
them watered till they are planted out will be very 
slight as compared with what is necessary when they 
are grown in the ordinary -way. When the bedding- 
out season arrives, the turves will be found one 
mass of loots ; and if the plants are well planted and 
are given one good watering, they will grow on with 
scarcely any check. No trouble will be given with 
either pots or crocks at planting-time, which is no mean 
advantage where many thousands of plants are used. 
— E. Burikin. 
±503 
TIGRIDIAS, 
Thebe are few plants that are so novel and attractive 
when well-cultivated as the “Tiger Flowers,” not 
only because of their brilliant colours, but also because 
of their peculiar spottings as well as their quaint 
forms, which seems to convey the idea that they are 
a compound of the Lily, the Orchid, and the Iris. 
Whether grown in pots for conservatory decoration or 
in the bulb border, they are equally beautiful and 
gorgeous. As their nature and cultivation is not 
generally well understood, and as they are frequently 
lost for want of a little timely attention, I will venture 
to describe the method of treatment which I have 
found to be the most successful. 
Their native habitat being comparatively dry and 
warm districts in Mexico, they not only require 
more natural heat and dryness than is afforded in 
the open-air in this country to bring them to perfec¬ 
tion, but if left in the open ground through the winter, 
unless the soil be naturally dry they frequently decay’ 
nor do they ripen their bulbs perfectly in the open- 
air in wet autumns unless planted in a warm position, 
in which they will increase and succeed for years if 
a slight protection from frost and heavy rains be 
afforded during autumn and winter. When otherwise 
situated, the bulbs should be taken up in the autumn 
as soon as the foliage turns yellow, they should be 
cleaned from dirt, then wrapped in a small quantity 
| of dry moss and two or three thicknesses of paper, 
and be stored in a cool dry room, where they should 
remain till April, when they may be replanted, 
choosing a fine day for the operation. 
If a littie peat, leaf-mould and sand be mixed with 
the ordinary soil, they will succeed the better. Should 
rain set in immediately they are planted and before 
growth commences, they should be protected, other¬ 
wise they are very liable to decay. They are most 
effective when grouped in masses of distinct colours 
of which there are five—viz., crimson, yellow, orange, 
white, and violet. Although they do not produce at 
any one time a mass of flowers, they give a long and 
continuous daily succession, every flower being a verit¬ 
able gem of beauty. 
Lor pot culture for the decoration of the conser¬ 
vatory during the summer and autumn seasons 
they are invaluable, as they associate so well either 
wflh the Lilies or Gladiolus. They should be potted 
in April, placing five or six bulbs in a 7-in. or 8-in. 
pot, using rich sandy loam, with the addition of a 
little peat and well-decayed leaf-mould. They should 
be grown in a cold frame till the bloom spikes 
appear, when they may be transferred to the conser¬ 
vatory. They will succeed well for two years without 
being repotted if the pots are laid on their sides in 
a cool dry place through the winter, similar to the 
method adopted with Lilies. During growth they are 
benefited by a liberal supply of water, and when the 
bloom spikes appear an occasional watering with 
liquid manure will produce finer and more brilliant 
flowers. If subjected to much heat or if grown far 
from the glass, they quickly become drawn and 
unhealthy, and in such condition are subject to the 
attacks of red spider, which soon destroys their 
beauty.— Scribo. 
NOTES ON GARDENS. 
Davenham Bank, Malvern. -My summer 
hohday is usually of the same description as that 
of most other gardeners, viz., the visiting 0 f other 
gardens, and this, the seat of J. D. Perrin, Esq., was 
thus visited at the end of August last. Not then 
having the least intention of writing my impressions 
only mental notes can be given ; but they are still so 
vivid that I don’t expect to err greatly in my attempt 
to describe what I saw. Taken as a whole, I very 
much doubt whether another example could be found 
io so well, illustrate what an immense variety of 
gardening it is possible to have within an extremely 
hunted area, for the entire extent of gardens and 
pleasure-grounds (exclusive of park land) does not 
exceed eight acres, and yet every department is so 
arranged that nothing seems lacking or out of 
proportion, except it be Orchids, and it is evident 
at a glance that these are the owner’s hobby, and 
as a matter of course, his gardener’s also. 
i-h.e principal range of houses for the growth of 
Orchids are span-roofed, and have central beds with 
side stages, and plants are also hung in every available 
place on the roof, and without exception all seemed to 
be in excellent condition, the only fault, if such it 
maybe called, being overcrowding; for spacious and 
extensive as are the houses, Mr. Jaques would have 
no difficulty m furnishing, from his present stock 
an equal number of new houses to those already 
devoted to Orchid culture. There was very little in 
flower at the time of my visit, but this was to be 
expected at the end of August; but that there would 
eventually be plenty, the many fine plants of Cattleyas 
and Lffilias were a sure token. 
Cattleya Mossi®, several plants had from 6 to 18 
leads; C. gigas, 4 leads; C. Exoniensis, 4 leads- 
C. Dowiana and C. guttata, 8 leads; Lafiia anceps’ 
several, with from 6 to 12 leads; Vanda suavis 
\ eitchn, a fine plant having about 15 leading 
growths, and with 700 or 800 leaves. In the Indian 
section,. Angriecum sesquipedale was very fine ; as 
also Aerides and Saccolabiums of the leading varieties 
and. Phalanopsis, over 80 plants, all doing well. In 
the Mexican section, Cattleya citrina was doing well, 
potted m peat,, and hanging up close to glass ;’ 
Epidendrum prismatoearpum, in pans 20 ins. across’, 
extra good; Odontoglossum grande and 0. citrosmum 
also looked grand in this house. In the cool section, 
Odontoglossum Andersonianum, 0. crispum 0. 
blandum, 0. Halli, 0. pulchelluin ruajus, in 24 -in 
pans, were very fine. Masdevallia Harryana, M. ignea,' 
M. Lmdenii, and M. Veitchii, in pans 12 ins. to 18 
ms. across, were in superb condition, as in fact was 
the entire stock. 
Stove plants generally were in fine health, and 
Palms, Eucharis, Dracaenas, Crotons, and Marantas 
particularly so. Some huge plants of Dendrobium 
nobilis and D. Wardianum, at the time of my visit 
occupied the best positions in the plant stove, and 
were making grand growth ; greenhouse plants were 
quite on a par with Orchids and stove plants. Ericas 
and Heaths were, of course, out-of-doors, so that the 
greenhouse which I should describe as a conservatory 
was not too crowded, at least not as regards floor space, 
but the roof certainly was so, but such crowding as 
most of us would like to see. The house is 40 ft. by 
18 ft., and the entire roof was covered with Lapagerias, 
red and white, each plant having many hundreds of 
flowers, and such flowers, too, as one rarely sees. They 
are planted out in good wide borders, the compost being 
peat and loam in about equal proportions, and copious 
supplies of clear manure water are given throughout 
the growing season, but at no period are the borders 
allowed to get dry ; and that they do not, the size of 
stems, substance, and fine glaucous green colour of the 
leaves abundantly testify. 
Though there is little of second-rate gardening in 
any department under Mr. Jaques’ charge, this 
Lapageria roof, in my humble opinion, heads the list 
of excellencies at Davenham. The next surprise was 
indeed a.contrast to the gaiety of the Lapageria roof, 
viz., an indoor fernery, planted in the natural style 
with waterfalls, cascades, and ponds. Dicksonias, 
Alsophilas, and other tree ferns are here quite at home, 
and the undergrowth includes the common varieties 
of Adiantum, Salaginellas, and Begonias of the fine 
foliage section ; the latter seemingly enjoy their dark 
quarters immensely, being vigorous and well coloured. 
To attempt to describe the general arrangement of 
rockwork.and planting is impossible, and therefore it 
must suffice to say that it looks as natural as it is 
possible for. any artificial work to look, and the path¬ 
ways twist in and out so naturally as to give one the 
idea of extensiveness whilst in reality it is not so. 
. All the houses and plants mentioned above are 
situate on what I should call the pleasure-ground 
portion of the estate, which, as before observed, is of 
limited extent; but the planting of trees, &c., has been 
so well managed that a stranger might very easily be 
led to believe that instead of being quite in the town 
of Malvern, he was a long way out in the country. 
There are some extremely fine Conifers that make 
excellent screens from neighbouring mansions, Abies 
Douglassi and canadensis, Picea Nobilis and cepha- 
lonica, are amongst the best; and by way of flower-gar¬ 
dening proper, there are good collections of herbaceous 
plants Boses, and a bedded-out garden, the latter being 
treated more particularly in respect of colour en masse 
rather than artistic designs of foliage plants; and 
taking into account the size of the place and surround¬ 
ings, this is doubtless the most appropriate plan of 
arrangement. 
A public roadway intersects the pleasure-grounds 
and kitchen and fruit gardens, and this is the only 
blot, an unavoidable one, of an otherwise unique 
garden. Kitchen-garden crops made one envious, for, 
notwithstanding the long drought, there were magni¬ 
ficent rows of Peas, Ne Plus Ultra, as well filled out 
as if the season had been ever so favourable; 
Celery, Sandringham white and Major Clark’s red 
were simply magnificent, and the same may be said 
of Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflowers, Onions, in fact, all 
kitchen-garden crops showed plainly that in little 
(Cabbages, Ac.) as well as in the greater (Orchids, 
&c.) Mr. Jaques is equally faithful. 
Fruit forcing is done extensively. The vineries 
are three in number and the produce good, Alicante, 
Hamburgh, and Madresfield Court being very good. 
There is what may be described as a glass wall or 
case over 200 ft. long and divided into three compart¬ 
ments, which is wholly devoted to the cultivation of 
Peaches and Nectarines, there being at the time of 
my visit extra fine fruit of Noblesse, Boyal George, and 
Bellegarde Peaches, and Pitmaston Orange, andELnme 
Nectarines. Pits and houses for the cultivation of 
Melons, Cucumbers, the forcing of vegetables and 
Strawberries are on an extensive scale. Strawberry 
foicing, as indicated by the robust rigour and number 
of plants, 1,200, evidently receives the best attention, 
the favourite, varieties being Keen’s Seedling, Presi¬ 
dent, and British Queen. 
As to hardy fruit culture little need be said, other 
than that Davenham Bank is in Worcestershire, a 
county proverbially famous in this branch of horti¬ 
culture, and that this particular spot is no exception 
to the rule of ample supplies of Apples and Pears 
I had oeulai demonstration by witnessing several 
impudent urchins gather and run away with at least 
part of what would otherwise have found its way into 
the Davenham Garden fruit-rooms.—IK. WildsmitJi. 
■—=E- 
Ceeeus En gelmanni. —This is a very beautiful 
member, of the Cactus family from California, whence 
it was introduced by Messrs. Haage and Schmidt. 
It is figured in the Gartenflora for December. The 
stem is erect and cylindrical, with 11 to 13 ribs, and 
numerous tufts of spreading spines, which are unequal 
in length and a little curved. The flowers are of 
a clear bright purple, and 4 ins. in diameter. 
