582 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 16th, 1885. 
railroad, brought me to the comfortable farmhouse of 
the Irish family who now own the Araucaria forests, 
which could be seen from the windows fringing the 
tops of the hills some five miles off with delicate, 
long stilted umbrellas. Nothing could exceed the 
hospitality of Mrs. Smythe and her brother Mr. Nixon, 
and no more perfect quarters could be found than 
those they gave me. The house was very roomy, 
built as usual in one storey, with a verandah all 
round, on a bare little knoll rising from green 
meadows, and surrounded by hills covered with trees 
resembling Oak and Beech, growing separately and in 
groups, so that the sun could peep through and sweeten 
the grass under them, which gives the best of food to 
some two thousand cattle, which are straying over the 
property, and to about a hundred cows, which at that 
time were giving quantities of milk and cream, and 
the butter was already famous. In the winter the 
cows are divided and given over in charge to the 
different cottagers on the estate, who take care of 
them, and make cheeses, giving back half the profits 
and keeping half for their trouble. The house might 
have been more picturesquely situated, but it was 
built at a time when the Indians were troublesome, 
and it was necessary to keep a good look-out, and 
have no bushes for them to hide in near at hand. 
“ It was a lovely ride from Angole and its terrible 
dust. First we mounted over rocks and more dust for 
some 2,000 ft., among Pusas and succulent and prickly 
plants (which prepare themselves for the long dry 
season by hoarding moisture and growing weapons of 
defence to prevent other thirsty creatures benefiting 
by it), and then leaving a glorious view of snowy 
volcanoes behind us we entered the mixture of forest 
and pastoral scenery I have just described, passing 
stream after stream of clear running water and more 
lovely flowers than I had seen in all Chili before. The 
Embothrium, or Burning Bush, was in full beauty, 
growing in long sprays 6 ft. or 8 ft. high, quite covered 
with the purest vermilion flowers formed something 
like Honeysuckle. But I saw none grow into such a 
tree as I saw in my cousin’s garden in Cornwall last 
year; perhaps it may enjoy a new soil and climate, 
and treat England as our common weeds do Chili; 
they have quite driven the natives out on the great 
plain or valley of Santiago, and show unbroken 
masses of Camomiles, Thistles, and Cornflowers far 
stronger than those of Europe. Near the streams 
were masses of huge Gunnera leaves (whose stalks are 
eaten like Bhubarb), lovely Ferns with pink furry 
stalks and young leaves, and a most exquisite scarlet 
flower, something like a Mimulus, which dipped its 
roots in the running water and grew nowhere else. 
“A small Bamboo and many other graceful plants 
grew over these things, and overhead hung from the 
branches of the Oaks a most beautiful Lauranthus, 
with bright green leaves and pale green buds, 
changing as they opened to yellow, then turning 
orange, and becoming deep red before they dropped. 
The flowers were often half-smothered in the grey 
Lichen, commonly called ‘ Old Man’s Beard,’ which 
waved in every wind and grew in masses on all the 
Oaks. The Beech had its own pet parasite—a tiny 
Mistletoe, forming perfect balls of every shade of 
green and gold, and over the bushes climbed many 
species of Pea, Lapageria, and lovely pink star flowers, 
which hooked themselves up by the long tendrils at 
the end of their leaves, while some yellow stars seemed 
to have no leaves, only tendrils. Tall Fuchsia trees 
were there too, and Buddlea, with its golden balls, 
sweet as honey, and whose leaves, when toasted and 
pounded, form the popular cure for all wounds and 
sores. Another bush called the Pinche, looks like a 
lilac and white Heath, and is said to be a cure for 
all diseases. The grass was in flower, quite red and 
lilac, and sprinkled over with exquisite scarlet Lilies 
Alstrcemerias of many tints, Tropteolum, and four 
species of Orchids so handsome that I persuaded my 
host to send roots to Messrs. Yeitch. It seemed a 
shame that the Chilians (who do not appreciate native 
flowers) should alone possess such treasures. 
“ Soon after reaching the first Araucarias we found 
ourselves surrounded by them, and all other trees gave 
way to them, though the ground was still gay with 
purple Peas and orange Orchids, and many tiny 
flowers whose names I did not know, and which I had 
not time to paint then—such flowers when picked die 
almost directly. Many hills and the valleys between 
were covered with old trees, covering some miles of 
space, and there are few specimens to be found out¬ 
side this forest. I saw none over 100 ft. high or 
20 ft. in circumference, and, strange to say, they 
seemed all very old or very young. I saw none of 
those noble specimens of middle age we have in some 
English parks with their lower branches resting on 
the ground. They did not become flat-topped like 
those in Brazil, but were slightly domed like those 
of Queensland, and their shiny leaves glittered in the 
sunshine, while their trunks and branches were hung 
with white Lichen, and the latter weighed down with 
cones as large as one’s head. The smaller cones 
of the male trees were shaking off clouds of golden 
pollen, and were full of small grubs, which, I suppose, 
attracted the flights of parroquets I saw so busily 
employed about them. These birds are said to be so 
clever that they can find a soft place in the great shells 
of the cone when ripe, into which they get the point 
of their sharp beaks, and fidget it until the whole 
cracks and the nuts fall to the ground. It is a food 
they delight in, and men too, when properly cooked, 
like Chestnuts. The most remarkable thing about 
the trees was the bark, which was a perfect child’s 
puzzle of knobby slabs of different sizes, with five 
or six decided sides to each, and all fitted together 
with the neatness of a honeycomb. I tried in vain 
to find some system on -which it was arranged.” 
-— - ^ i _ -<> CU ■ -__a — 
THE VICAR’S GARDEN. 
Since our last visit the various varieties of Nar¬ 
cissus have been coming along, and they are yet the 
most conspicuous adornments of the garden, fighting 
it up in all directions. There are grand clumps of 
N. Horsfieldii, which is one of the most showy, and 
which, from its great beauty, must hold a leading 
position for a long time to come. Of the varieties of 
N. Poeticus in flower, there are ornatus andPoetarum, 
the latter a real gem, with very pure white perianth, 
broad cup, and orange-scarlet ring. Every Daffodil- 
grower should try to possess it. Empiress and 
Emperor are both very good sorts, so are Burbidge’s 
Model, Maxima, Leedsii expansus, Bicolor, J. B. M. 
Camm, Macleaii, Grand Monarque, Incomparabilis 
Leedsii, Cobularia conspicuus, and last, but not least 
in merit, N. Capax plenus, Queen Anne’s Double 
Jonquil, which is singularly distinct and beautiful. 
There are in this list a few rather high-priced ones, 
but they will get cheaper in time.' 
Two fine beds of Tulips, from own-grown bulbs, 
prove beyond all manner of doubt that these can be 
successfully grown at home where the soil is suitable, 
and they are not very particular about that. The 
stock here has been worked up from fifty bulbs forced 
in pots in 1880, and now numbers over 3,000. Could 
not some of our country gentlemen or clergymen, 
where the soil is likely to suit, and the cottagers have 
ground to spare, set them up with one or two varieties, 
and induce them to grow these for sale ? One rod of 
ground would contain, at about 4 ins. apart, 2,500 
bulbs; and if these when sold realized only Is. per 
hundred, they would bring 25s., a result with which 
many a country labourer would be highly delighted, 
and it would be a very pleasant diversion from the 
ordinary routine of his daily toil. I fear, however, 
that while John Bull fondly imagines he will always 
have plenty of money to buy what he wants from 
abroad cheaper than he can do it at home, this idea 
stands a very poor chance of being put into practice. 
A fine lot of Anemones, of the St. Bridget’s strain, 
claim at least a passing notice ; but so much has been 
said respecting these in The Gardening World that I 
will only endorse all your correspondents have said in 
their favour; they cannot be too highly recommended. 
Among other good things at present in flower are 
Gentiana acaufis and verna. Where among the 
occupants of our stoves and greenhouses can we match 
the beautiful shades of blue we see in these flowers ? 
The first forms a fine edging plant, and should be 
seldom disturbed ; the Gentiana verna is a veritable 
gem, and will in most places do best if planted over 
some stones and slightly elevated. We come across 
patches of Fritillaria Meleagris, and its white variety. 
Many strangers to this plant marvel at its gracefulness 
of form and beauty of colour, and are very much sur¬ 
prised to hear that it is a native plant and quite hardy; 
Fritillaria pyrenaica is quite distinct and equal in 
merit. These are a strange contrast to the Crown 
Imperial, Fritillaria imperialis, one of the most hand¬ 
some of all hardy-flowering plants; its great drawback 
however, is its offensive odour, and on this account 
it ought not to be planted very near the dwelling. 
There are in flower also Banunculus aconitifolius 
Anemone stellata speciosa, A. stellata Archemede 
Iberis coriacea, Primula Sieboldi in variety, Alpine 
Auriculas, Leucojum aestivum, a fine clump of which 
is very telling and one of the best things in the place- 
Ornithogalum nutans, Pulmonaria Virginiea, Doroni- 
cum austriacum, a plant that should please all 
esthetics, and which may 'fairly be styled a small 
early summer Sunflower ; an old inhabitant of our 
gardens, but seldom seen except where hardy flowers 
are made a speciality, it ought to be grown by every¬ 
one. Of Prunus triloba, the pink double-flowered 
Plum, a dwarf bush grown from a cutting is a pretty 
object. I would especially call the attention of your 
readers to the double-flowered Cherries, of which there 
are two distinct varieties, the best of the two bein" 
what I have known as the French variety. This is 
much stronger in growth and altogether a finer thin" 
than the ordinary one. The flowers -are more pure 
larger, more double, and more abundantly produced. 
No other tree flowering at the same time can vie 
with it. 
Our Vicar’s garden being on a dry soil, he makes 
use of the short grass from the lawn to mulch the 
Bose beds ; this by preventing evaporation keeps the 
soil moist and cool during the hottest sunshine, and 
unless copiously watered or mulched, many things in 
hot seasons would be parched up. The experience of 
the past two summers has forced the conviction home 
to my mind that this practice of mulching is generally 
put off till too late; if done earlier than it usually is 
more satisfactory results would be obtained. I hope 
later on in the season to chronicle results from a 
somewhat extensive application of this plan in the 
kitchen garden.—IF. B. G. 
THE CULTIVATION OF ORCHIDS. 
(Paper read at the Orchid Conference on May 13 th 
by Mr. James O'Brien.) 
The subject of Orchid culture being almost in¬ 
exhaustible, I shall only be able to touch briefly 
upon some of its phases, and in doing so, whilst 
endeavouring to make some remarks acceptable to 
all Orchid-growers, I shall direct them principally 
towards the amateur. A glance at what has been 
written on the subject many years ago, proves that 
there may be rules laid down for the culture of any 
or all of the Orchids, and that a good result once 
attained may always be secured by following the same 
fine of treatment. Whenever I read a detailed 
account of the treatment given to an exceptionally 
fine plant by some grower pf forty or fifty years ago, 
I find that in our practice of to-day we need not 
depart from it in the least to ensure the same good 
results, which ought, however, to be attained by us 
with much less trouble than by those of olden time, 
by reason of the much better accommodation we 
have. 
Orchids, from the time of the earliest arrivals, have 
always been appreciated, and as early as the year 1800, 
when the lovely Aerides odoratum and many other 
showy things were introduced, their habits and culture 
seem to have been understood fairly well, but the bad 
construction of the houses and their defective heating 
by means of flues and other contrivances militated 
sadly against the culture of the small growers and 
the varieties requiring cool treatment; and hence, 
while many continued the culture of the more robust 
kinds, and attracted visitors from distant parts to see 
them when in bloom, no general progress was made 
until the period between 1835 and 1850, which was 
perhaps the richest in importations of fine handsome 
Orchids. 
During that period the fine discoveries of Messrs. 
Veitch’s collector (Lobb) with Aerides, Saccolabiums, 
and Vandas; Griffiths with his Cymbidiums and 
Dendrobes ; Skinner, Barker, and Hartweg, in Mexico, 
Guatemela, and along the Andes ; and other collectors, 
made quite a revival among the Orchid-growers, and the 
result of new energy being put into the matter was that 
with some of the showier Orchids such perfection was 
attained that I fear we could not even now match 
some of the specimens mentioned as being exhibited 
