Jan. 31st, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
343 
any pot being seen above the level of the water, 
unless well hid by its own foliage. Climbing plants 
do not as a rule show any desire to hide their pots, 
but quickly scramble out of the way, and so leave 
the pots exposed to view. Well, a 12-in. or 15-in. 
pot perched on another inverted, with apparently 
nothing to be seen in it but soil, it must be admitted 
is not a very attractive object standing exposed in 
the centre of the house, and this was the objection 
that had to be overcome here. It was accom¬ 
plished by means of a water-tight zinc pot, in which 
the pot containing the climber was placed, and the 
whole immersed to nearly the level of the water. 
As the plant must have -water, means had to be 
provided for getting the drainage water out, and 
an earthenware drain pipe was inserted with the 
bottom end resting on the crocks. The pipe was of 
sufficient diameter to admit of a small syringe being 
used to draw the surplus water out each time after 
the plant had been watered. For some time the 
manner in which the plant grew under these 
conditions gave indications that the arrangement 
proved so far satisfactory. The plant, however, a 
Cissus discolor, came to a standstill long before 
performing the duty expected of it—that of covering 
the column. Last year Mr. Frisby, the gardener, 
discovered on turning the plant out that the roots 
had not penetrated downwards very little more than 
half way into the soil, and many appeared dead. 
The portion of soil destitute of roots was discoloured, 
and had apparently been subject to different influence 
from the other portion. It then occurred] to Mr. 
Frisby that the syringe had only drawn up the water 
when standing a certain distance up the pipe. Had 
the soil been wet at the time the plant was re-potted, 
there would have been an offensive smell, which 
would at once have indicated the cause of the 
mischief. Mr. Frisby, however, resolved to place 
the end of the pipe on the bottom of the pot, and 
the result of that slight alteration has been most 
remarkable. The drainage was also increased so as to 
prevent the water, should there be any left, touching 
the soil, and consequently be conducted upwards, as 
had been the case previously. The plant last season 
reached the top of the column, as well as extending 
15 ft. on both sides, with several shoots from 2 ft 
to 4 ft. long hanging gracefully downwards, a natural 
arrangement which shows the plant off to the best 
advantage.— W. P. I?., Preston. 
■ — a~ - — 
THE ORCHID NURSERY, 
ST. ALBANS. 
The new Orchid establishment belonging to Messrs. 
F. Sander & Co. is certainly one of the greatest under¬ 
takings of the present day. Great favourites as 
Orchids have always been, the growers of them of 
twenty years ago would have laughed at the idea of 
such a gigantic, well-built, and expensively arranged 
establishment devoted entirely to the culture of 
Orchids ; indeed, it is more than probable that if it 
had been told Mr. Sander himself when he first started 
the compact home Orchid nursery in the town that 
one day such a great addition to his dependencies 
would be made, he would have flatly denied the possi¬ 
bility of such a thing. But those who take up Orchids 
either in commerce or for pleasure cannot say where 
they will stop, as the love for the pursuit leads them 
on gradually and pleasantly. Such has been the case 
with Mr. Sander, whose enthusiasm, where Orchids 
are concerned, is as great as that of the most confirmed 
botanist and plant hunter. 
This love for the plants themselves, which prompts 
repeated and heavy outlays in getting' over such risky 
subjects as the wonderful Vanda Sanderiana and such 
like, are often unprofitable, and when the ventures 
are made it is pretty well known that they will be so ; 
but the indomitable spirit of enterprise and research 
for which this firm is noted has often caused them to 
drop on unexpected novelties while searching for other 
things ; and hence the great number of new introduc¬ 
tions, for which both science and floriculture owes 
them a debt which, if not paid in any other way, will 
be recorded in botanical literature for all time ; for in 
addition to the reintroduction in quantity of so many 
fine old things and the flowering of so many new 
hybrid Orchids, the recently introduced Aerides 
Lawrencite, A. Sanderiana, A. Rohaneana, and other 
Aerides, Vanda Sanderiana, Cattleya Gaskelliana, 
C. Percivaliana, C. Sanderiana, Phajus tuberculosus, 
P. Humboldtii, P. Hrubyanus, Maxillaria Sanderiana, 
Oncidium Loxense, 0. cucullatum giganteum, Masde- 
vallia Schlimii, M. racemosa Crossii, M. rosea, and a 
long list of other new Masdevallias and other Orchids, 
have done much for the pleasure, knowledge, and 
popularity of Orchid culture. 
Situate on high ground close to the Midland 
Railway Station, the vast area of glass-houses present 
such an imposing appearance that travellers must 
often speculate on the nature of the contents of such 
well-built structures, and admire the plan and arrange¬ 
ment of the whole. For the contents, words cannot 
convey anything like an adequate idea of their beauty 
and variety. Nothing short of a visit could do so. 
The whole establishment being built according to a 
prearranged plan, does not labour under the diffi¬ 
culties which those which are made at different 
periods do, all the houses arranging well together and 
being easy of access, while the broad spaces outside 
between each house admits of the necessary bottom 
ventilation and free passage of air, which is of great 
consequence in Orchid culture. The houses are built 
of Pitch Pine, and ranged with open spaces between 
each, the whole of the ends on the entrance side being 
connected by a lofty and spacious corridor, which is 
just being arranged for the reception of Mexican 
Orchids. In like manner the extreme ends of the 
houses are fitted with offices, packing-sheds, and 
here sunk so well out of the way that their presence 
cannot be known to the visitor, are the boilers and 
other things connected with the heating; indeed, so 
well and conveniently are all things connected with 
the work of the establishment arranged, that but little 
of it is to be seen unless a visit is paid to the quarter 
in which it is conducted, and the houses bear the same 
neat and orderly appearance as they do in a first-rate 
private place. 
The Phahenopsis-house, 130 ft. long, pending the 
arrival of large consignments of P. Sanderiana and 
other new and fine Phalcenopsids from the collectors 
now at work on them, is at present only partially 
filled with these plants, but the representations of the 
genus present are in remarkably fine order, and many 
of them laden with blooms and buds. P. Stuartiana 
punctatissima, P. Reichenbachiana, P. violacea, P. 
Schroederiana, and many fine P. Schilleriana and P. 
amabilis in flower being particularly good. The rest 
of the house is occupied by thousands of Cypripedium 
Lawrenceanum, C. Roebeleni, Aerides Rohaneanum, 
which is a great beauty when a fine variety is obtained 
and always delightfully fragrant; A. Lawrencife, the 
Queen of Aerides; A. Sanderianum (like an A. Law- 
rencise, with orange lip) ; A. cylindricum, Saccolabium 
illustre, and several other new Saccolabiums and 
Aerides, prominent among the last-named being in 
flower a very pretty clear orange yellow variety, which 
ought to prove a good thing. Many sound specimens 
too of the grand Vanda Sanderiana are here. 
Odontoglossum crispum (Alexandras) by thousands 
in matchless vigour, and grand varieties occupy 
the next house, which is 183 ft. long, 31 ft. wide, and 
fitted with a step stage, in the centre along the top 
of which runs a -walk, over which it is a treat to go 
and view the fat red bulbs and thick hard leaves of 
the plants all around. One never sees even an 
indifferent variety among all these, and the excellence 
of their hybrid produce is noted. Why is this ? The 
answer is readily to be given. The -whole of them 
have been imported from that fine but not easily 
reached district from which Chesterton originally 
obtained that grand lot which have been so much 
talked about. Some of them fell into Mr. Stevens’s 
hands at Trentham, and we all know T that twenty, 
thirty or forty guineas have been common prices for 
them. It appears by this, that the plants have only 
to be got from the right quarter to ensure' their being 
good, and it is a pity that the more easily obtained 
bad varieties should occupy in many gardens so large 
a space which might better be devoted to such grand, 
large-flowered forms as those of which the great St. 
Albans collection is made up. Many thousands of 
strong flower-spikes are appearing in all the Odonto¬ 
glossum crispum-houses, and consequently the present 
is the best time to make a selection. 
The third house is cleared ready for filling with the 
new spring arrivals, and the fourth is the wonderful 
Cattleya-house, 230 ft. long and 30 ft. wide. In front 
of the door a good space is left clear for visitors, and 
seats are placed there, which are very comfortable to 
occupy while discussing the merits of the various 
fine objects in view, not the least noticeable of 
them being the large Vandas with eight or ten 
leads each which were obtained at the sale of 
the Dunlop Collection, and which now form such 
striking objects above the water tank in the St. 
Albans Cattleya-house. The whole of this house is 
occupied by stout, established masses of Cattleya, 
Percivaliana, D. amethystoglossa, C. Gaskelliana, C. 
labiata, C. Trianite, and all the other leading kinds, the 
plants being one and all very stout, clean, and healthy, 
and furnished -well with sheaths. The Cattleya Men- 
delii, which occupy the entire length of the top stage 
on either hand, are in wonderful condition, and the 
C. Trianise, which are just beginning to open, are 
reckoned to have over 3,000 fully-expanded blooms in 
about three weeks’ time. The strain of this plant at 
St. Albans is well known, the last year having produced 
the grand 250-guinea C. T. Leeana and many others 
which fetch very high prices. The giant C. Skinneri, 
and the fine lot of Lselia elegans Turneri, and L. e. 
prasiata varieties in bloom, and the chaste white 
Cattleyas IVagneriana, Arnoldiana, and Reineckiana 
are superb. A giant specimen of a grand variety of 
Cymbidium Lowiana, nearly 6 ft. across, has seven 
very stout flower-spikes coming on. 
The fifth is also a Cattleya-house, filled with C. 
Dowiana, C. aurea, C. Eldorado and its white variety, 
C. Wallisii, C. labiata, C. labiata Ernstii, and other new 
Cattleyas and Laslias, among them being a fine batch 
of C. Mossise Chirguense and a giant upright-growing 
new form of C. Mossite. At the end of this house are 
a large lot of specimen Odontoglossum citrosmum and 
a bank of Ccelogyne cristata, Lemoniana and Chats- 
worth varieties, and also a new form with large, 
wax-like, snow-white flowers, even better than the 
Chatsworth variety. 
The sixth house, 260 ft. long and 24 ft. wide, is 
filled with Odontoglossum crispum of the same stamp 
and strain as the lot previously mentioned. The 
seventh house, which is 260 ft. long and 24 ft. wide, 
is devoted mainly to Dendrobes. D. Dearei, D. 
cruentum, D. Wardianum, D. thyrsiflorum, and all 
the other good and new Dendrobes of the season 
being in fine order, and like all the other plants in 
this establishment without insects, being grown clean, 
which is, where practicable, much better than being 
kept clean. 
The eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth 
houses, each between 260 ft. and 300 ft. in length, 
are filled with Odontoglossums, of O. crispum alone 
over 120,000 being in stock, and all of the same 
famous strain. One long house is filled with O. 
Pescatorei, which are also noted for their good quality. 
O. P. Schroederiana and others, which ran pretty 
closely on O. P. Veitchiana, and some yellow Pesca- 
toreas, one of them, O. stellimicans, being of great 
beauty and value. 
For the benefit of those who want semi-established 
plants, one of the long houses is filled with planted 
out Odontoglossums, which are good and portable 
for long distances. Among other fine batches are 
quantities of the violet Odontoglossum Edwardi, 
some of the spikes of which measure a half-inch in 
diameter, Oncidium macranthum, O. Loxense, O. 
Phahenopsis, Odontoglossum Rossii majus, O. 
maxillare, and countless odd lots of presumably new 
plants. Those who have seen the St. Albans Orchid 
Nursery will readily agree with us that it is altogether 
an extraordinary establishment, and those who have 
not will endorse our statement unhesitatingly after 
they have been there. 
The old establishment in the town is now devoted 
to the vast and increasing general collection, to a 
grand collection of Masdevallias, Cypripediums, and 
to numerous special batches of new things certified 
by the collectors, but which it is thought better to 
prove. Among these are importations of the true 
Odontoglossum ntevium, O. Dormanianum, Lielia 
anceps Dawsoni, and other quite new things. Fine 
houses of Lycaste Skinneri, Odontoglossum vexillarium. 
and of white and noted forms of Ltelia anceps are 
also here in the best possible condition. So long as 
they are kept up to their present standard by pursuing 
the reasonably cool treatment which he gives to all 
plants, Mr. Sander may well be proud of them. 
