422 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 7th, 1885. 
SEEDLING DENDROBIUMS. 
Pebmit me to call your attention to a paragraph at 
p. 407, which I venture to think is not only misleading, 
but inaccurate in one or two vital points. The state¬ 
ment runs thus :—“ Dendrobium splendidissimum 
comes of the same parentage as D. Ainsworthii, but 
from a cross made at Chelsea, and very closely 
resembles the hybrid D. Leechianum, which came out 
of the same hatch. In D. Ainsworthii the sepals and 
petals are pure white, but in D. splendidissimum they 
are suffused with a rich shade of rosy purple.” Now, 
in The Gardeners' Chronicle of February 21st, 1874, 
p. 254, it is stated that “a First-Class Certificate was 
awarded to Mr. G. Mitchell, gardener to Dr. Ainsworth, 
Lower Broughton, Manchester, for X Dendrobium 
Ainsworthii, a hybrid between D. heterocarpum 
(Lindley’s D. aureum) and D. nobile, and strongly 
partaking of the character of both parents. The 
petals and sepals are pure white, the lip broader and 
■"flatter than in D. nobile, and the blotch on the lip of 
a rich amaranth colour.” In the same volume, p. 443, 
there are two woodcuts of this novelty, when again the 
ground colour is described as white, with a large blotch 
of rich amaranth, feathered at the edge, occupying a 
conspicuous position on the lip. The same journal, 
on March 8th, 1879, contains this statement:—“D. 
splendidissimum, raised in 1870, sepals cream-coloured, 
with some light purple around the margin of the tip. 
Petals quite alike as to colour but much broader.” 
The lip is described as regards form, &c., and then it 
is stated “this organ has a tint more'of yellow than the 
sepals and petals, while the disk is dark Indian purple 
(viz., blackish-purple) at the base, and has many 
radiating lines running out from the great blotch of 
the disk. The mother is Dendrobium aureum 
(heteorcarpum) there is no doubt, but a doubt has 
been entertained whether it was impregnated with D. 
nobile, or D. macrophylium (Hutton’s). It was, how¬ 
ever, thought to be macrophylium, because of the 
size of the bloom, so much larger than either D. 
heterocarpum or D. nobile. Flowers of splendidissimum 
being compared with D. Ainsworthii, the latter were 
found to be smaller, have a distinct shape of lip, far 
more hastate, very acute petals and sepals. Whatever 
it may be in its origin, it is distinct from D. 
Ainsworthii, though just as profuse in its flowering.— 
H. G. Bchb., /.” 
In The Gardener's Chronicle, November 19th, 1881, 
in a list of hybrids raised at Chelsea it is again stated 
that D. splendidissimum is a cross between D. 
heterocarpum, the seed parent, and D. macrophylium, 
the pollen parent. In the same periodical, March 
12th, 1881, the late Mr. Spyers writes thus of D. 
splendidissimum and D. Ainsworthii:—“Whatever 
botanical distinction there may be between these 
two hybrid Dendrobes, it is now certain that, from 
a gardener’s point of view, they are one and the 
same thing. Up to this year D. splendidissimum 
was certainly a much finer thing than D. Ainsworthii; 
but the latter having now got over the weakening 
process of rapid propagation, is getting much stronger 
every year, and has this year bloomed in every respect 
up to the splendidissimum standard.” The Chronicle 
of March 5th, 1881, contains a letter of mine accom¬ 
panying some flowers of my seedling Dendrobium, 
then unnamed, and at the close a note from the 
editor is inserted, which runs as follows :—“ The 
seedling is a great advance on D. Ainsworthii, the 
flowers being larger, the petals conspicuously un¬ 
dulated, and the lip larger and more prominent, 
not recurved at the tip. The colours are almost 
identical.” The same journal, on February 25th, 
1882, for the first time chronicles Dendrobium 
Leechianum, a hybrid between D. aureum, Lindl. 
and D. nobile Lindl., the last being the seed parent:— 
“It is well compared with D. splendidissimum, but 
it deserves a name of its own. The petals are 
narrower, more acute, very wavy; the lip is lobed, 
and this reminds me of D. aureum, Lindl.; the 
flowers bear the finest white of the best varieties 
of D. nobile, Lindl. ; the tips of the sepals, petals, 
and lip are of a rich rose-purple, and this appeared 
to me most striking when I opened the box, though 
it contained but a single flower of this novelty. 
Both sepals and petals are nearly totally rose- 
coloured outside. The anterior disk of the lip is 
occupied by a very large toothed dark purple blotch. 
Towards the base runs a broad callous line, with 
fine purple stripes, and there are on each side 
radiating purple lines running outside. The column 
is quite green, with purple longitudinal stripes, not 
with an ochre foot as is seen in Dendrobium splen¬ 
didissimum.— II. G. Eclih.,f." 
During the spring of 1882 I sent flowers of D. 
Leechianum to many of the principal growers in the 
United Kingdom. I am not permitted to use their 
names, but a line or two will convey the opinion of 
several of them as to the merits of the last of the 
three: 1. “ Your flower is larger than our D. 
Ainsworthii, which is identical with splendidissimum. 
Also I think it has more colour and broader across the 
lip.” 2. “Very fine; much better than any I have 
seen before.” 3. “ It is decidedly better than D. 
Ainsworthii.” 4. “Much admired. I think it a beau¬ 
tiful thing; similar to D. Ainsworthii, but larger.” 
5. “ Much pleased with your seedling Dendrobe. I 
consider it superior in every respect to its relative 
D. Ainsworthii.” 6. “ I consider it a beautiful thing; 
much finer in substance and richer in colour than 
D. Ainsworthii.” 
I think I have shown that as the seed-bearing parent 
of D. Ainsworthii was D. nobile, and of D. splendidis¬ 
simum the seed parent was heterocarpum, that there 
is here just a reason for thinking these forms may vary 
somewhat; but be that as it may, I feel sure I have 
conclusively shown that D. Ainsworthii and D. Leech¬ 
ianum could not have come out of the same batch (of 
seedlings, I suppose). And I think it will be readily 
admitted that, since there are forms of nobile that 
are much finer than others, and the same remarks 
apply to D. aureum, if a hybridist uses the best 
varieties he can secure, he is warranted in anticipating 
a hyprid of equally superior excellence. I think, too, I 
have shown that in D. Leechianum I have succeeded 
in obtaining a hybrid that will not only be permitted 
to stand amongst the other two, but that in a very 
short time will be readily admitted to occupy the 
premier position. 
I am sorry the writer of the paragraph should have 
made the mistake of supposing that D. Ainsworthii 
and D. Leechianum could have come out of the same 
batch.— W. Swan, Fallowfield, March 3. [The writer 
was in error in using the words “ out of the same 
batch,” what he meant to say was “which came of the 
same parentage.” He regrets the error, and is much 
obliged to Mr. Swan for the correction.— Ed.] 
——- 
PERPETUAL CARNATIONS. 
These are among the most useful winter-blooming 
plants we have, commencing to flower as they do in 
early autumn, immediately after the summer-border 
kinds are over, and continuing uninterruptedly until 
the border flowers are again obtainable, they are 
indeed “perpetual” in every sense of the word. To 
have these plants in the best possible condition, they 
should be struck from cuttings early in the year, 
small side shoots should be taken off the flowering 
stems during January, February or March, and be 
inserted around the edge of small pots and placed 
either on a bed of fermenting material which has 
been previously well prepared, by allowing it to heat 
and frequently turning it. In such a position I have 
found them to succeed best, placing a little saw-dust 
or cocoa-fibre refuse over the bed to set the pots on. 
If any steam is likely to accumulate, a little air should 
be left on the frame night and day. Attend carefully 
to the watering as required, and the cuttings will 
root in two or three w r eeks when more air may be 
given. They may also be successfully propagated 
under bell glasses in a warm structure, and also in a 
propagating frame, if a little bottom-heat may be 
insured. 
Another plan of inserting the cuttings I have 
adopted with great success. It is to use 5-in, pots, in 
which I put one good crock and a few small ones, and 
then stand a 2-in. pot in the centre, filling the outside 
space only with compost. The cuttings are inserted in 
this, and when the soil has settled down the small pot 
is easily removed by inserting three fingers and giving 
it a slight twist upwards. This enables us to see 
when the cuttings have made roots without in the 
least disturbing them. The other advantages of this 
plan may be said to be, (1) the small amount of compost 
required; (2) the increased depth of soil for the cut¬ 
tings to root in; and (3) the prevention of over¬ 
crowding. 
When rooted and moderately hardened by allowing 
them more air and light, they may be potted off 
singly into small pots and assigned a light position 
near the glass, keeping them a little close at first to 
give them a start, after which, cold-pit treatment will 
suit them. About May or June, if early struck, the 
plants will be ready for a shift into 5-in. pots, using 
a compost of loam, leaf-mould and a small quantity 
of dry-powdered cow manure and a good portion of 
sharp grit or coarse sand. The plants should have 
the protection of glass until they have taken to the 
new soil, after which, if the weather is not too wet, 
they may be stood on a bed of ashes out-of-doors. 
One more shift into 7-in. pots must be given when 
they have filled their pots with roots and again be 
stood out, but if the weather is very wet, they should 
have protection from the rain for a time. At inter¬ 
vals, from the time the cuttings commence to grow, 
they will require their points removed to keep them 
dwarf and bushy, and to be supported with stakes, as 
they are very liable to be broken at the collar, and 
neat plants cannot be grown of the tree section 
without them. 
Some of the plants at least should be allowed to 
grow on without stopping their points after about 
August, to afford early blooms. If housed in a light 
house and afforded a temperature of between 50 degs. 
and 55 degs., they will continue in flower the whole 
winter. The following are useful varieties :—Scarlets : 
Alegatierre, Lucifer, Vulcan ; Pinks : Annie Williams, 
Magnificent; pale Pink : Miss Joliffe ; Yellow: Anda¬ 
lusia ; Whites: Glorie de Nancy, Catherine Paul, 
White Swan, L’Hermine, Louise Ashburton; Bose : 
Empress of Germany, King of the Belgians; Crimson: 
Valencia. 
Perpetual flowering Carnations may also be raised 
from seeds, good strains of which, producing seventy- 
five per cent, of double flowers, may be obtained of 
our leading nurserymen. The seeds should be sown 
in March in sandy soil in a little warmth, and be 
dibbled into pans and potted up when large enough. 
These will make useful plants either for pots or for 
planting out, but when the best results are looked 
for, procure plants of the best-named kinds and grow 
them from cuttings as above described,— C. Warden. 
•- _- <0» CT - - 
CHINESE PgEONIES. 
These now form a very numerous group, many new 
varieties having been raised of late years, notably by 
Messrs. Kelway & Son, of Langport. Beally they 
are noble plants : it has been said that they compare 
favourably with the finest hybrid Bhododendrons, and 
there is much truth in the remark, for the flowers are 
handsome, they show" great diversity of colour, varia¬ 
tions in tint, and perfection and duration of bloom. 
With these qualities there is in combination a 
massive foliage, and an accommodating habit. 
Furthermore, as an additional reason for recom¬ 
mending them to the notice of lovers of flowers, 
they are of easy culture. They are found to do well 
in ordinary garden soil; but they may be said to 
especially delight in a good, deep, fertile loam. They 
are objects of great and conspicuous beauty in the 
open border, and we have seen them employed with 
great effect mingled with the dwarf subjects in the 
foreground of a line of shrubbery. 
The first blooms of the Paeony are always very 
massive, of great size and perfect in outline. These 
are succeeded by secondary flowers which are smaller, 
but both neat and beautiful. It has a decided value 
for cutting purposes, it lasts well, it travels admirably; 
and if a general collection is grown, many shades 
are supplied—from snow-white to the most intense 
crimson. 
But few cultural hints are necessary. It is essential 
that the ground be deeply trenched before planting, 
and at the time of doing this, adding a lot of well- 
rotted manure. It is the custom with some to mulch 
the surface with manure after planting. Peonies are 
strong feeders, and if any one has at their command 
a supply of liquid manure, several doses during the 
summer will be found of great advantage. This 
encourages growth at the proper time, and it is 
scarcely necessary to remark that the larger a plant 
is the greater is likely to be its decorative value. In 
planting the Pieony it must not be forgotten that it is 
a subject that flowers early, and the best position to 
