June 20th, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
669 
head, -where it bloomed in the autumn of last year 
under the care of Mr. Woolford. 
This Dendrobium Phalaenopsis is partly evergreen. 
The flowers are similar in form to those of D. bigib- 
bum in The Orchid Album (Plate 28). It produces 
numerous flowers in an upright terminal raceme, the 
flowers being bold in character, the sepals of a pale 
magenta, with a whitish centre, the petals of a warm 
magenta-purple, and the lip rich rosy-purple, with 
maroon-crimson veins. It flowers during the spring 
months, and remains some time in beauty. 
The North Australian species, including Dendrobium 
superbiens, D. Goldiei, and D. bigibbum, all approve 
of the same treatment. We find them all to do best 
in a warm house, with all the light possible, very little 
shade to be given excepting during the hottest part of 
the day, when they must be kept free from scorching 
heat. Ample directions as to their growth and 
treatment will be found at the reference above 
given, and also full particulars of the treatment 
of this class of Dendrobes. We are still of the opinion 
there expressed, to the effect, that although some 
growers pronounce them difficult of cultivation, we do 
not find them to be so, as, with us, every small piece 
makes a good plant that will bloom freely under the 
treatment there recommended. 
They are propagated by producing young plants on 
the old growths, which can be taken off when they are 
matured, and put on blocks, or in small pans or 
baskets, where they soon grow on into flowering 
plants.— B. S. Williams, in Orchid Album. 
— a_. — 
FLORICULTURE. 
Hybrid. Aquilegias. —Until Mr. James Douglas 
some few years ago introduced his fine hybrids, 
A. coerulea hybrida, and A. Californica hybrida, 
both of which took the popular fancy at once, 
the best known forms in gardens were the old 
fashioned A. vulgaris, the very beautiful A. coerulea, 
the rich golden A. chrysantha, and the scarlet A. 
Californica; while that finest of all Columbines, 
Aquilegia glandulosa, Gregor’s variety, may be said to 
have been known only to connoisseurs. 
Aquilegias have always been favourites, but a great 
impetus was undoubtedly given to their cultivation 
and improvement by the introduction of the seedlings 
raised at Loxford Hall. Amongst others who have 
taken them in hand may be named the firm of Messrs. 
James Yeitch & Sons, who have raised a number of 
good varieties at their seed farm at Slough, and which 
are remarkable for the number of shades of colour 
which they possess, and the striking contrasts which 
such colours in combination abundantly afford. As 
will be seen in the accompanying illustration, placed 
at our service by Messrs. Yeitch, the flowers are 
elegantly shaped, with long spurs, and borne well 
above the foliage. They are perfectly hardy, will 
grow freely in any good garden soil, and flower at this 
season with a profusion that should make them 
welcome everywhere. 
Balsams.—Time was when the Balsam was a 
much more popular flower than it is in the present 
day, for then it was regarded as a florist’s flower; 
was greatly improved by careful selection ; and the 
flowers gradually became much more double, and 
decidedly more symmetrical in shape; it was also 
largely seen at horticultural shows. Then for a 
time, owing probably to the bedding-out system 
having gained such an ascendancy over the minds 
of gardeners, the Balsam and other kindred subjects 
fell into neglect. There are, however, indications 
that this handsome flower is again rising in popular 
favour: and the systems of culture now adopted are 
much simpler than they were years ago. Then, 
“ disbudding, stopping, and other interferences with 
the natural growth of the plant were resorted to, 
to produce fine specimens and double flowers. But 
there is only one mode of cultivation worthy of 
attention, and that is the natural way ; and it can 
be made to produce fine and handsome specimens. 
The old rules of pinching back the leader to pro¬ 
mote the growth of side shoots, and removing the 
flower-buds in order to increase the size of the plants, 
were vicious observances, because the natural growth 
is more elegant and effective, and the finest flowers 
are produced on the main stem, and, therefore, are 
completely sacrificed by disbudding.” 
Balsams can be easily raised from seed, and it is 
necessary, in order that the flowers shall be satis¬ 
factory to the cultivator, that it be of a good strain. 
It is not necessary to sow the seed in heat, for 
it can be raised in an ordinary greenhouse by 
sowing the seeds thinly in pots or pans of light 
soil, or on an open bed that gardeners sometimes 
find it convenient to make up in a greenhouse; 
and germination is hastened by placing a piece of 
glass over the surface of the pots. Indeed, the seed 
would grow in an ordinary frame if sown in March 
or early in April. As soon as the seedlings are 
large enough to transplant, they should be potted 
singly into small pots, and if possible placed in a 
little warmth to quicken their growth. The Balsam 
is a quick-growing succulent plant, and at all stages 
of its growth rich soil should be employed. Some 
good yellow loam, plenty of leaf-mould, rotten 
manure, and silver sand, well mixed , together, make 
an excellent compost. What the cultivator should 
aim to do is to encourage a dwarf, stout, and vigorous 
habit of growth; and it is a great mistake to leave 
the plants too long in the seed-bed, where they become 
spindly and weak. As soon as the pots are pretty 
well filled with roots another shift should be given, 
and, when shifted, the jilants should be placed as deep 
in the pots as possible. After a shift they should be 
kept close for two or three days, and then fully 
exposed to light and air. From all points where the 
stem comes into contact with the soil fresh roots are 
thrown out, and these assist to increase the develop¬ 
ment of the plant; therefore the advantage of placing 
the plants as deep as possible in the soil is made 
clearly apparent. 
The importance of frequent shiftings in the early 
stages of growth cannot be over-estimated. It is in 
this way that the foundations of fine specimens are 
laid. Any check through being pot-bound or becoming 
too dry at the roots has an injurious effect on the 
plants, and should be carefully guarded against. A 
free growth must be encouraged in every possible 
way. Pots from 8 ins. to 10 ins. in diameter will be 
large enough for the final shift, and in these we have 
seen specimens grown of wonderful size, and carrying 
remarkable heads of flower. It is when the roots 
touch the sides of the pots, and crowd the soil, that 
the plants show flower-buds, and expand into full 
symmetrical blossom. But it is of the utmost 
importance that at this stage the plants be on no 
account allowed to become dry, nor be overcrowded, 
and that they have plenty of air. The more sturdy 
and vigorous the growth, the more satisfactory will 
be the head of bloom. 
The Balsam makes an excellent out-door plant, if 
planted in proper soil. It must be rich, and if it is 
intended to make a bed or a plantation of Balsams, 
the soil should be deeply dug and well manured. An 
open sunny position is necessary: and if the plants 
have been grown on in pots, they can be planted out 
early in June, if the weather is at all favourable. In 
warm, moist, bright weather, Balsams make a very 
free growth in the open air ; and if carefully watered 
in dry weather, they grow into plants of large size and 
fine proportions, and make an excellent return for the 
labour bestowed upon them. 
And it is surprising how long a time a Balsam plant 
will flower in the open air, when it is in good soil and 
moist at the roots. It throws out a number of lateral 
or side shoots, and these become filled with flowers, 
and so the floral succession is carried on. Perhaps 
Balsams are seen to the best advantage in the open 
border when they are planted singly among other 
plants ; but we have seen them very effective in a large 
bed by themselves, with some plants of the Dwarf or 
Tom Thumb section planted as an edging. It is a 
good plan to plant tall Asters and Gladiolus among 
them, as it tends to relieve the formal character or 
outline of the Balsams ; and the added plants, being 
later in flowering, furnish blossom when the Balsams 
are fading. It must not be forgotten that the Balsam 
is a tender annual, and very susceptible of frost, and 
it should not be planted out in the open ground until 
the spring frosts have ceased. 
There is one good strain of Balsams, viz., the Double 
Camellia-flowered, and this comprises several varieties, 
such as the scarlet, purple, rose, cream, white, &c., as 
well as pretty flaked and blotched varieties. It is also 
known as the Bose-flowered. The self-colours are 
generally the most double, and a few of these are 
somewhat extensively grown for Covent Garden 
Market. 
It is surprising what large and finely - flowered 
specimens of Balsam one sees in the London plant 
markets growing in quite small pots. They are grown 
on rapidly in a strong heat, well cared for, and abun¬ 
dantly watered with weak liquid manure. But it is 
only market-growers that can produce such specimens 
in such small pots, and in such an incredibly short 
space of time. As to the course of treatment pur¬ 
sued to obtain such results, the market-grower selects 
a few varieties remarkable for fine double flowers. 
The seeds are then sown in a strong bottom-heat, in 
spring; and as soon as they are large enough to be 
handled, they are placed, singly, in small pots, grown 
on vigorously, and shifted into pots of a larger size, 
until they occupy 48-size, or pots four and a half 
inches in diameter. The plants are grown in low 
span-roofed houses, and kept near the glass, where 
they have plenty of light : and when the pots are 
filled with roots, and they are showing for bloom, 
they are watered two or three times a day, according to 
the weather ; and at least once a day with weak liquid 
manure. Let anyone purchase a market Balsam, and 
turn it out of the pot, and he will find a perfect hard 
ball of roots. But it is the constant watering, and 
the warm, moist heat in which the plants are grown, 
that keep them such perfect specimens, and make 
them the wonder and admiration of all who see the 
plants in the London markets.— Cassell’s Popula 
Gardening. 
- Q_ ■ P - 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Royal Botanic, June llth.— The last summer 
show for the season of this Society, held on Wednes¬ 
day, was certainly, taken all round, the best of the 
year, and unlike several of the preceding shows held 
here in June, was a flower show in reality, and net 
of foliage plants in great part. The very effective 
groups of specimen Boses and Azaleas -were certainly 
missed to some extent, but the display of Orchids 
and cut-flowers of herbaceous plants more than made 
amends. With flowering, stove, and greenhouse plants, 
Mr. Cypher again held his own among nurserymen, 
beating Mr. James and Mr. Tudgey all round ; while 
in the amateurs’ class for six, Mr. D. Donald, 
gardener, Knott’s Green, Leyton, secured the highest 
honours. With fine foliaged plants, Mr. Cypher 
was also first in the trade class; the corresponding 
position among amateurs being held by Mr. C. Eann, 
gardener, Handcross Park, Crawley, who had an 
exceedingly fine lot, as also had the second prize 
winner, Mr. Young, gardener to E. O. Coope, Esq , 
Bochett’s, Brentwood, who, amongst other first-class 
specimens, had one of the finest examples of the old 
Croton angustifolius we have ever seen, a pyramid 
about 5 ft. high, with the branches all growing erect, 
and forming a perfect fountain of golden-yellow. Mi-. 
James had the best half dozen variegated-leaved 
plants, including a good Dieffenbachia Bauseii; and 
Mr. B. Butler, gardener, St. Dunstan’s, Eegent’s Park, 
sent the finest Palms. The honours for specimen 
exotic Ferns went to Mr. Eann and Mr. Douglas ; and 
for twelve Begonias, to Messrs. John Laing & Co. 
Show and Fancy Pelargoniums were fairly repre¬ 
sented, Mr. Turner, as usual, taking the lead amoDg 
nurserymen, while among amateurs, Mr. Wiggins, 
gardener to W. Clay, Esq., was first for Show varie¬ 
ties, and Mr. Hill, gardener to H. Little, Esq., for 
Fancies ; the second prize in both classes going to 
Mr. Phillips, gardener to B. W. Mann, Esq., Lang¬ 
ley Broom, Slough, a new exhibitor, who made an 
excellent start. 
To the miscellaneous section Mr. B. S. Williams 
contributed a large and valuable collection of flowering 
and fine foliaged plants, as also did Messrs. John 
Laing & Co. and Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son, 
indeed for variety, good quality, and attractive arrange¬ 
ment, we have seldom seen three finer groups. 
The cut-flowers were both extensively shown and of 
unusual brightness and excellence. The herbaceous 
plants were indeed grandly represented, large collec¬ 
tions, remarkable alike for their great variety and fine 
quality, being exhibited by Mr. T. S. Ware, Messrs. 
