294 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 5, 1895. 
And among works of art the Japanese garden is fully 
entitled to a place. Here is a picture thrown upon 
the screen of a Japanese lady surveying a garden. 
Slowly and daintily she takes her way along, 
stopping every other step to notice the arrangements, 
the course of the paths, the forms of the trees, 
the position of the little stream and lake, the size 
and shape of the little hills, even the form of the 
stones. 
The idea which guides the Jap in planning out a 
garden is not, Mr. Fordham said, the mere copying 
of Nature, but the reproduction of her fancies in a 
conventional form. Coolness being the great 
desideratum in gardens, lakes, and little streamlets 
are introduced, and, where water is not to be had, 
the Japs go the length of getting stones from the 
rivers and making artificial watercourses to suggest 
the absent stream. Quaint and, if possible, ancient 
stones are more essential to a Japanese garden than 
even flowers themselves. First is the “ guardian " 
stone, which is a sort of tutelary saint of the garden ; 
there are also water and stepping stones and pebbles 
and boulders of as many as 138 orders. Some simple 
gardens indeed contain stones and nothing else. 
Stepping stones, Mr. Fordham mentioned, are used 
away from water, so that the smooth gravel path¬ 
ways may not be disturbed. This device makes the 
visitor walk slowly and prompts him to survey the 
scene at each step, so that every change of aspect 
is forced upon him. One of the most conspicuous 
beauties of Japanese gardens is, however, the bridges. 
Their prime object is rather to reveal the scene in 
its greatest loveliness than to afford means of cross¬ 
ing the stream or lake they may be built over. 
Consequently, they are built in the most fantastic 
shapes, the aim of the builder being evidently to 
make the wayfarer pause as frequently as possible. 
One zigzag bridge, of which a view was shown, 
would serve this purpose admirably, for it involved 
a stoppage at every angle. Pictures were also shown 
of the little arbours, sacred to flirtation, which the 
Japanese—who are nothing if not a social people— 
put up in their gardens. A photo of the Mikado’s 
garden at Tokio likewise aroused great admiration. 
Describing the Japanese flower festivals, and the 
flora of the country, Mr. Fordham acknowledged 
his indebtedness to Mr. Conder, the eminent British 
specialist on the subject. The first flower festival of 
the Japanese year, he said, is the festival of the Plum 
tree, which, with the Pine and the Bamboo, is one 
of the three “ friends of winter.’’ In the midst of 
frost and snow the Plum tree blossoms, and the 
Japs go out in parties to admire it. Up to a thou¬ 
sand years ago the blossom of the Plum tree was 
the Japanese national flower, but royal caprice 
substituted the Cherry blossom. So, indeed, Sir 
Edwin Arnold has sung. The cultus of the Cherry 
blossom commences in April, and people take tea 
under the laden boughs. For a week or so all Japan 
goes mad with enthusiasm, for they say the Cherry 
is the first among flowers, as the warrior is the first 
amongst men. And in some sense the flower is like 
the people, for, though charming in the extreme, it 
quickly changes. Next come rejoicings in honour of 
the Wistaria and Iris, which attains to wonderful 
beauty in Japan. To the Iris are attributed 
wonderful powers, for it is supposed to dispel evil 
spirits ; consequently, the cottage roofs are all aglow 
with it. A curious point in Japanese gardening is 
that they consider flowers of an unusual colour as 
abnormal and to be avoided. The symbolism of 
flowers the Japs have carried to great refinement. 
The Lotus which is a pink flower growing in the 
mud, has given rise to a whole philosophy. It is 
compared to a woman living pure and holy in a 
hotbed of vice. The Lily grows in great profusion 
in Japan, as does also the Chrysanthemum, which 
is known as the "Imperial” flower. The aims of 
Japanese florists are, Mr. Fordham stated, to pro¬ 
duce many blossoms, or to graft flowers of various 
colours on one stem. 
Flower arrangement was the last point to which 
the lecturer drew attention, and he outlined the 
complex system which the Japanese follow in this 
matter. The Japs do not content themselves, he 
said, as we do in England wiih allowing the plants 
to assume their native wild grace, but force them 
to follow certain well-defined curves. Any inter¬ 
section of the stems they regard as a blot on the 
general effect and scrupulously avoid. A few words 
on the social usages served by flowers concluded 
the lecture. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
By John Fraser, F.L.S., Kew. 
Laelia Arnoldiana delicata, Nov. var .—The 
dominating feature of this beautiful variety is its 
delicacy of colour, which is almost uniformly of a 
pale or soft pink. The sepals, petals, and terminal 
lobe of the lip are of this hue, but the side lobes of 
the latter are several shades paler, in fact, almost 
white. The stripes and markings, so conspicuous a 
feature of the side lobes of the variety I described on 
p. 246, are here reduced to the smallest dimensions, 
in fact, they are almost obliterated. The two ridges 
of the lip with the smaller one between are yellow 
and well developed. The column is nearly white, 
with a purple apex, and some purple spots at the 
base of the face. The flower then may be described 
as pale pink with a paler centre, it is also strongly 
scented at certain stages of its development. It has 
just flowered for the first time amongst a batch of 
plants in the collection of J. McMeekin, Esq., Falk¬ 
land Park, South Norwood Hill. The sepals, petals, 
and lip are all revolute at the tips, precisely as in 
the case of L. autumnalis, from which it seems to 
differ chiefly in the smaller size of the flowers. In 
taking a broad view of L. autumnalis, L. furfuracea, 
L. Arnoldiana and their various forms and varieties, 
it is very difficult to conceive that they are anything 
but forms of one and the same species, although for 
garden purposes they may be regarded as distinct. 
Cypripedium in sign e Lady Clementine Welsh, 
Nov. var .—Over forty varieties of C. insigne have 
already been named, so that there is difficulty in 
finding anything markedly distinct on which to 
bestow a new varietal name. That under notice is a 
beautiful variety characterised by the darkness of its 
hues and the apricot-yellow ground colour of the 
different segments. The upper sepal is of a rich 
apricot studded with brown spots, and the margin 
all round to the base is pure white. The petals are 
brown with an apricot margin, and the apricot lip is 
heavily shaded with chocolate-brown. It is appro¬ 
priately dedicated to the lady whose name it bears. 
The plant here described flowered recently in the 
nursery of Mr. P. McArthur, 4, Maida Vale, W. 
Like most varieties cf this species it is easily culti¬ 
vated, and with appropriate attention will doubtless 
flower very freely. 
- 
The Stove. 
In order that the plants in this department may pass 
through the winter with the minimum amount of 
injury, due care must be exercised that they receive 
all the light that it is possible to give them, or the 
leaves will lose their colour, and the plants will 
sustain proportionate harm. The glass should there¬ 
fore be frequently cleansed from the filth that 
becomes deposited on it, more especially in the 
immediate vicinity of large towns during foggy 
periods, Any coverings that are placed over the 
house at night with the idea of obviating the neces¬ 
sity for too vigorous firing during frosty weather, 
should be removed as soon as possible in the morning 
and not put on again at night until absolutely 
required. 
Although it will not be possible to use the syringe 
regularly upon the plants as yet, an occasional 
sponging of the leaves will be greatly conducive to 
their cleanliness, and consequently their health. 
Nothing, however, should be done to unduly excite 
them, for a little rest or partial rest now will be of 
the greatest service, giving the plants time as it were to 
collect their energies in readiness for the coming 
season. A sharp eye must be kept upon the healing 
apparatus. It often happens when a sharp frost is 
experienced at night, and a bright day follows, that 
the temperature of the house runs up considerably 
higher than is advisable, The fires should, therefore, 
be checked soon enough in the morning in bright 
weather so as to allow the fiery heat of the pipes to 
abate somewhat. It will be readily understood that 
with so many drying influences at work, a consider¬ 
able amount of caution must be exercised to prevent 
the atmosphere getting too dry. On the other 
hand, it should by no meins be charged too heavily 
with moisture, or in the event of a fall in tempera¬ 
ture this will be deposited upon the plants to their 
no small detriment. A minimum night temperature 
of 6o° Fah. in the warm, and 570 in the intermediate 
stove will be sufficiently high for the present. 
Greenhouse and Cool Conservatory. 
At this period of the year this department is usually 
by far the most attractive of any, always supposing 
that pits and frames have been used to full advan¬ 
tage, and that a fair proportion of success has 
attended the forcing of suitable subjects. A consider¬ 
able amount of work is always necessary to keep up a 
tidy appearance in houses of this character. All 
old blooms ought, therefore, to be cut off the plants, 
and the petals of those that have fallen must also be 
removed, together with all yellow and dirty leaves. 
Arrangement. —This is an operation that is in far 
too many instances only accorded scant attention, or 
else it is carried out in a stiff and formal manner that 
detracts considerably from the natural beauty of the 
plants, whereas if a little taste and skill were devoted 
to the grouping of the plants in a pretty and effec¬ 
tive manner, their beauty would be enhanced to a 
very large extent. Each plant should be allowed 
space to display itself to the full, but must not be 
suffered to partially eclipse or crowd upon its 
neighbour. 
Staking. —This again ought on no account to be 
neglected, for it must be borne in mind that plants 
which have been forced into bloom are always 
weaker in habit than those which are developed 
naturally. Support of some kind is therefore an 
absolute necessity, but it should not be given in such 
a way that the stake forms a more conspicuous object 
than the flower itself. Neat wooden stakes painted 
green are the most suitable for the purpose, and 
these may easily be made during wet or snowy 
weather by an ordinary garden labourer. 
Anything like a stuffy atmosphere should be 
studiously avoided, and air must therefore be given 
whenever it is possible to do so. In doing this, 
however, only the ventilators upon the sunny side of 
the house must be opened, or many of the tenderer 
subjects will suffer from contact with the rush of 
cold air that is sure to result in a greater or less 
degree. 
Lachenalias. —These should by this time be 
growing away freely. Place the pots upon a shelf as 
near the glass as possible to assist in the production 
of sturdy growth. The application of fire heat is not 
to be recommended, and draughts should, as far as 
possible, be avoided, although an ordinary green¬ 
house temperature is sufficient for all purposes. 
Stimulants ought not to be given until the flower 
spikes begin to make their appearance, when occa¬ 
sional applications of Clay's Fertilizer will give most 
satisfactory results. 
Chrysanthemums. —A sharp eye must be kept 
upon cuttings of these, for they often evince a 
decided tendency to damp off unless attention is paid 
to ventilation. More cuttings than are needed 
should always be put in so as to allow of a selection 
of the sturdiest and strongest plants for growing on, 
weaklings being ruthlessly consigned to the rubbish 
heap. 
Pits and Frames. 
In the forcing pits the syringe may be kept pretty 
well at work upon hard wooded plants which are 
being brought on for the furnishing of the green¬ 
house and conservatory. Azaleas particularly profit 
to a very large extent by frequent and liberal 
syringings. As soon as the flower buds commence 
to show colour this treatment must be discontinued, 
or injury to the flowers will result. The same 
remark will apply to Roses which were started fairly 
early. These latter should now receive a minimum 
night temperature of from 50° to 52 0 Fahr., rising 
to 65° by day with sun heat, to assist in the expan¬ 
sion of the flower buds as soon as these have 
attained to a pretty forward condition, a good test 
being the showing colour of the bud. 
Herbaceous Calceolarias. —These must be kept 
close to the glass to encourage a dwarf and sturdy 
growth, and attention should be paid to the thinning 
out of the plants as growth proceeds, for over¬ 
crowding is a fruitful cause of the drawn and sickly 
appearance so often seen in many plants. The 
giving of sufficient air is also a point to which too 
much importance can scarcely be attached, nothing 
