150 
November 3, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
accommodating in the matter of situation. There 
are yet some very fine types which will only succeed 
under conditions more or less fixed. Such condi¬ 
tions have to be created, and sometimes they cannot 
be created ; so, on the whole, it is best to deal at 
present only with those known to be generally 
accommodating. In a garden having a dry soil—that 
is, a soil through which the water passes quickly, 
and which dries rapidly—any moisture-loving plants 
should be planted in the shady and moist parts. On 
the other hand, when the garden soil is moist and 
holding, those liking a dry position should be planted 
in the more open and sunny spots. Sand, coco-nut 
fibre refuse, burnt earth, leaf mould, &C., can be 
added with advantage. 
One great help to lightening a heavy and moist 
soil is the addition of the fine siftings of old mortar 
rubbish. I know a pretty and successful piece of 
rockery filling an odd corner, the soil of which is 
composed largely of old mortar rubbish and clay, in 
which quite a collection of plants have established 
themselves, and are doing well; and they include 
such things as Saxifrages, Hepaticas, species of 
Primulas, &c. 
As this is the season of the year when perennials 
are planted, the soil to be planted should be deeply 
dug ; and if it is at all worn out. then it is well to add 
some refuse potting mould, well decomposed manure, 
leaf soil, decayed vegetable refuse that is quite 
decomposed, &c. Sometimes planting has to be 
done in hot, drying weather, and when that is the 
case, a good authority recommends that a hole 
should be made in the ground, water poured into it 
until the hole is full, then draw up the dry soil about 
it, press it fairly firmly together, and shade it for a 
few days. Better still, to plant in a prepared bed in a 
shady place, or in a cold frame in a light soil, and 
here the plants will put forth roots freely, and then 
later on, when the weather is cool and moist, they 
may be planted in the spots they are to permanently 
occupy. It is better to plant rather deeply than 
shallow, so that the roots may be well covered ; the 
holes should also be wide enough to admit of the 
roots being spread cut when necessary, and taking 
care always, to shade from the sun if the planting is 
done early enough in the autumn to need it. 
What shall I plant ? is a question often put. I 
venture to give a list from which a selection can be 
made. I commence with Anemones, apennina, fulgens, 
sylvestris, and some good varieties, double and 
single, of A. coronaria ; and then for autumn flower¬ 
ing, A. japonica and its varieties, Anthericum, 
Liliastrum major, Aquilegias chrysantha and 
caerulea, Aster, Amellus bessarabicus, andT. Smith, 
Aubrietias Violacea and Leichtlini, Campanulas, 
coronata alba and turbinata, Chionodoxa Lucillae, 
Coreopsis grandiflora, Doronicum Harpur Crewe, 
Galanthus (Snowdrop) in variety, Gentiana acaulis, 
Heiianthus multiflorus, Bouquet d’Or, double white 
Rocket, Iberis correaefolia, Lupinus polyphyllus 
and its white variety, Montbretias crocosmaeflora 
and aurea ; Narcissus poeticus ornatus and some of 
the fine varieties of bicolor, Omphalodes verna, 
Papavers orientale and nudicaule, both in variety, 
a few Pentstemons, herbaceous Phloxes, and double 
and single Pyrethrums, Polemonium Richardsoni, 
Primulas nivalis, rosea and varieties of Sieboldi, 
the double white and lilac Primroses, Saxifragas 
Burseriana, granulata flore pleno, and some of the 
large leaved varieties, because they flower so finely 
in spring. Tigridias pavonia and conchiflora, 
Trollius europaeus, and Crocus speciosus to bloom 
in autumn. This list could be much enlarged, but 
I have contented myself with a selection of good 
things which will ensure something in bloom almost 
all the year round.— R. D. 
--*«- 
Lanky Chrysanthemums. —Where, owing to lack 
of under-glass space, the later flowering Chry¬ 
santhemums have to be housed in Peach houses 
or vineries, there is often a complaint that 
the flower stalk lengthens considerably, while 
for a time the bud it carries seems to stand almost 
still. A lanky straggling appearance is thus imparted 
to the plant, and as a natural result the flower stalk 
itself becomes too weak to support the weight of the 
bloom. The lack of light is in a great measure 
accountable for this; but still something may be 
done to remedy this evil by paying strict attention 
to free and abundant ventilation, also by a very 
careful and discriminating use of stimulants. Too 
liberal use of these is often a fruitful cause of the 
drawn appearance of Chrysanthemums so much 
deplored by all who have anything to do with them, 
as detracting considerably from their appearance 
wLen in bloom.— G. 
THE CULTIVATION OF DENDROBES.* 
(■Concluded from p. 139.) 
We will now turn to that section including some of 
the species of latest introduction as Phalaenopsis, 
P. Statterianum, P. Schroderianum, etc. Amongst 
them are found some splendid varieties, which for the 
most part are free flowering. But coming from 
some of the hottest regions of the globe they require 
when grown under glass the warmest parts of the 
house. They, moreover, need constant care, particu¬ 
larly when growing. The flowers are produced in 
sprays rather than racemes, and are of various 
colours. Though the climate whence they are 
derived is very hot, yet the nights are long, so that a 
large amount of moisture falls in the form of dew. 
It is therefore necessary to keep them well supplied 
with water during their growing season. But when 
dormant, considerably less will suffice. At no time 
should they be subjected to a low temperature or the 
result will be fatal. 
One more group remains to be described, and to 
this we will assign such species as Nobile and its 
varieties, Ainsworthii, etc. These, as is well known, 
occupy a prominent place among Dendrobes, for of 
the former there are many splendid varieties which 
when well grown are by no means to be despised, 
even by those connoisseurs who do not look upon 
Orchids as we poor “ amateurs ’’ do, but study them 
fronts pecuniary point of view. The beauty that is 
revealed to them is hidden from us ordinary mortals, 
nevertheless we can admire their charms though in 
a different manner. What we regard as beautiful 
might be considered by them only common, and 
what they most prize might be little esteemed by us. 
But for a moment or two more let us attend to our 
subject and see how this group is to be treated. 
The plants will grow either in pots or baskets, peat 
and crocks being the only material necessary to put 
them in, and the less of these the better provided 
there is sufficient to keep the roots moist. The 
plants are best increased from the offsets that are 
produced from the nodes which did not flower the 
preceding year. To increase their number the plants 
should not be allowed to rest, but should be kept in 
a warm moist atmosphere through the winter. 
If this plan be adopted the growths will send out 
offsets in the spring instead of ripening up for flower¬ 
ing. These should be taken off when 3 or 4 in. long 
with all the roots attached and put into pots or 
baskets of convenient size, allowing a distance of 
about 3 in. between them each way. Care must be 
taken to keep the base of each growth a trifle above 
the level of the soil, as from these the young shoots 
will start to furnish the plants with flowering growths 
for the ensuing season. If these were covered they 
would in all probability rot off instead of growing. 
A small stick should be put to each to keep it in 
position till established. As the young growths 
progress they should also have supports, but they 
must not be tied too tightly, for they swell so rapidly 
that they would soon be cut in two. When growth 
is completed and become firm the plants may be 
removed to a cooler and drier place where air can be 
admitted more freely. While here they should only 
have sufficient water to keep them fresh, but no 
drying off should be attempted or they will suffer. 
When the nodes have swollen so that the flower 
buds in them are perfect the plants may be intro¬ 
duced into heat in batches. They may be had in 
flower from Christmas till June, and they may be 
cut with the growths attached or otherwise as may 
be required. 
It must, however, be borne in mind that when the 
growths are taken with the flowers on them, it 
should be only those that bloom to the points, for if 
others are taken many flowers will be sacrificed. 
This is one of the things which must be left to the 
cultivator to decide; but for my part, I find it a 
great advantage to have the flowers attached to the 
growths, as they can then be used in a variety of 
ways. To induce robust growth weak stimulants 
should be given, such as that obtained from sheep’s 
droppings. The houses may also be damped down 
with water in which these have been soaked, and the 
plants may even be syringed with it beneficially. It 
is not all houses, however, in which this can be 
done, on account of the unpleasant smell arising 
therefrom. 
Having thus given a brief account of the various 
* A paper read by Mr. H. C. Prinsep, Busted Park, at 
the last meeting of the Brighton Gardeners' Improvement 
Society. 
species, we will now turn to consider them generally, 
and in the first place start with the house in which 
they are to be grown. Many people think that if 
they have a glass structure they ought to be able to 
grow everything and anything therein: no greater 
mistake could possibly be made. Houses ought to 
be built to grow plants in, not plants made to 
accommodate themselves to the houses. We will 
briefly describe the kind of structure best adapted to 
the growth of this peculiar section of the world’s 
flora, and in doing so, hope that we may not be 
infringing on the right of those whose business it 
is to erect them. The aspect, then, should be first 
considered, and if a range be desired.it should run 
from N. to S., be of equal span, not lofty, for the 
flatter the roof the more equable will be the tem¬ 
perature, but there must be sufficient slope to carry 
the water off freely. 
A water tank should run the whole length of the 
house, and if a pipe pass through this to heat the 
water, so much the better. This tank should not be 
enclosed, and if sunk in the ground so that the level 
of the water is no higher than the path, this will be 
an advantage, for then the vapour ascending therefrom 
will be more evenly distributed. The stages should be 
of slate covered with some kind of loose material to 
hold moisture, which can be removed in winter when 
the plants are at rest. Side ventilation is not 
necessary, as the hot air is sure to ascend, but a 
means of opening the sashes at the apex should be 
provided. Piping should have due consideration ; 
it is better to err on the side of having too much 
than too little, for the greater the heating surface 
the less will be the degree to which the pipes must 
be raised. 
For a Dendrobe house light iron rods should run 
close to the rafters, from which baskets or pots con¬ 
taining those species which require more light, may 
be suspended. Creepers of all kinds should be ex¬ 
cluded. Blinds will also be needed, for though the 
plants in their native habitat will stand the full rays 
of the sun without the least injury, yet there is a 
considerable difference between the two tempera¬ 
tures when the plants are grown under glass. The 
blinds, moreover, prevent evaporation, so that less 
water is needed. 
Having then prepared our houses, we will next 
consider their inmates. It will be observed on 
inspection that the young growth on Dendrobes is 
covered with a kind of film of a glutinous nature, 
which renders them impervious to moisture. This is 
one of Nature’sprotections against the heavy torrents 
of rain which fall in their native land. If it were 
not for this covering the plants would, doubtless, rot 
off ere they had made a start. It was thought by 
some at one time that the foliage of Dendrobes should 
not be wetted, but our system of watering is to do it 
with a rough rosed waterpot over the foliage, so that 
every particle of the plant may be moistened as in 
their native home. Water, too, is given in such 
quantities that during the growing season the soil is 
thoroughly saturated, but as growth becomes 
matured, water is gradually lessened till the plants 
are at rest. At no time, however, should the soil get 
perfectly dry, or the roots suffer. The flowers, 
consequently, are neither so large nor of such sub¬ 
stance. Herein, then, lies the whole secret of 
success. Induce the plants to make their growth 
during the longest and hottest days, gradually ripen 
them, by exposure to more light and air ; keep them 
free from all insect pests, then there will be little 
doubt of their growing satisfactorily and flowering 
freely, giving both pleasure and profit to the culti¬ 
vator. If not pecuniarily, they will so expand his 
mind and develop his understanding, that they will 
cause him to aim at higher things and nobler. 

ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
By John Fraser, F.L.S., Kew. 
Dendrobium Coelogyne, supra p. 134 .—By an 
oversight, during the hurry of preparation for the 
press last week this was recorded as a new species ; 
but although quite new to me, it was described by 
Reichenbach in the Gardeners' Chronicle so long ago as 
1871. It is a native of Burma, where it was origin¬ 
ally collected by the Rev. Mr. Parish, of Moulmein. 
Reichenbach described it as being closely allied to 
Dendrobium fuscescens of Griffith, but named by 
Lindley Sarcopodium fuscescens. 
