438 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Mareh 9,1895. 
FAULTY BULBS. 
From more than one gardener has the complaint 
been heard this year that the bulbs grown in pots 
and forced for decorative purposes have not yielded 
such good results as might have been expected, and 
that altogether the quality of the flower obtained 
from them has, with very few exceptions, not been 
up to the standard reached during preceding years. 
This is said to be especially the case with Hyacinths 
and Tulips, the flowers being weak and of but poor 
quality. In selecting bulbs for pot work, size does 
not necessarily mean excellence. In fact, the largest 
bulbs are often sadly disappointing in the returns 
they give. A wise gardener will pin his faith to a 
sound, firm bulb of medium size, and good shape and 
depth, and rarely indeed is it that such bulbs do not 
produce good flowers. Another point worth noticing 
is not to use ashes which have come from gas-fires, 
for if these are allowed to come in direct contact 
with the tender leaves of the young plant harm will 
be sure to come of it. Negligence in this respect 
has much to answer for in the matter of alleged 
comparative failures to obtain a fair amount of good 
bloom from forced bulbs. 
- •*> - 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS, 
By John Fraser, F.L.S., Kew. 
Dendrobium Cybele Admiral Fairfax's var. 
Nov. ftyb .—The seed parents of this beautiful hybrid 
Dendrobe were D. Findlayanum and D. nobile 
Wallichianum, the latter beiDg the pollen bearer. 
The stems are intermediate in form between the 
parents, being compressed and constricted at the 
nodes in the same way, though to a less extent than 
D. Findlayanum, but are stronger, and have the 
green colour of D. nobile. The leaves are oblong, 
and some of them remain till the flowers are pro¬ 
duced. The latter are of large size and developed in 
clusters of two as a iule on peduncles springing from 
near the top of the stems. The pedicels are shining 
pink, and about 2 in. long. The oblong sepals are 
are deep, rich purple for more than half their length, 
and white shaded with purple towards the base. The 
broad, ovate petals are richly and similarly coloured, 
the dark hue extending half way down them. The 
lip is similar in form and colouring to that of the 
pollen parent, and has a large, maroon-crimson 
blotch in the throat, a dark purple tip, and the rest 
of the widely-expanded lamina creamy-white. D. 
Schniderianum, raised from D. Findlayanum crossed 
with D. aureum has the shining yellow stems of 
the former. D. Cybele, raised from D. Findlayanum 
crossed with the pollen of D. nobile, has the habit 
and stems of the latter, showing the potency of the 
pollen parent. The hybrid under notice retains more 
of the character of D. Findlayanum in the stems but 
the colour of the pollen parent, while the flowers 
partake of the rich colours of D. nobile Wallichi¬ 
anum, and are as showy as many of the best forms 
of D. nobile, though so different in several respects. 
The hybrid was raised by Mr. William Yea, gar¬ 
dener to Admiral Fairfax, C.B., Ravenswood, 
Melrose, and has grown into a neat little specimen 
with sixteen fine stems. The flowers are scented 
much in the same way as those of D. Findlayanum. 
Both owner and raiser may well be proud of such 
a handsome and showy Dendrobe. I have made 
it a variety of D. Cybele for the sake of its affinity, 
though the colour of the flowers and the stems are 
decidedly distinct. 
Lycaste Skinneri Ravenswood var., Nov. var. 
—The sepals of this beautiful variety are white, 
lightly washed with rose on the lower half. The 
petals on the contrary are dark carmine-purple on 
the inner face, but considerably paler on the outer 
face except towards the margins where the colour is 
intense. The lip is pale in colour tending to white 
in the lower portion, washed and shaded with rose 
on both faces of the lateral lobes ; the terminal lobe 
is creamy-yellow overlaid with rose, and intensified 
to dark purple round the margins. The large crest 
is pale sulphur-yellow. The variety turned up in 
the collection of Admiral Fairfax, C.B. (gardener, 
Mr. William Yea), Ravenswood, Melrose. The 
flowers were large, and in one case two of them, 
equally well developed, arose from the top of one 
peduncle. Twin flowers in this species are evidence 
of good cultivation. The specimen from which the 
flowers were taken is very compact in habit and 
tdooms freely, for there were seventeen flowers on it 
though only grown in a 7-in. pot. 
Catasetum mirabile —In this we have one of 
the numerous and remarkable forms of Catasetum, 
which bear the impress of being natural hybrids 
between some of the forms of C.Bungerothi and any 
of the innumerable variations of C. macrocarpum, 
several of which have in bygone years been imported 
to this country under different names. The flowers 
are of medium size with oblong-ligulate, mem¬ 
branous, greenish-yellow sepals. The petals are 
much broader and greenish-yellow, spotted all over 
with purple, but densely so on the lower half, where 
the spots are aggregated and almost cover the whole 
surface. The lip is almost semi-orbicular, very 
slightly toothed, or almost entire at the margin, and 
golden-yellow, with a dark crimson blotch at the 
base on either side of the column. The face of the 
latter is crimson below the stigma. The supposed 
natural hybrid flowered about the end of November 
last in the establishment of Messrs. Linden, L’Horti- 
culture Internationale, Brussels, and was imported 
from the same locality, as others of the same affinity. 
There is a coloured plate of it in the Lindenia, 
PI. 458. 
Cattleya labiata Percivaliana —Since this 
variety was introduced in 1882 it has never attained 
any great degree of popularity owing to various 
reasons. In speaking of its want of popularity, it 
must not be supposed that there is any intention in 
this place to describe it as uncommon, but that the 
bulk of cultivators do not attach that value and 
estimation to it which the greater number of the 
forms of the species enjoy, each in its season. The 
small size of the flowers was the first object Of 
attack, soon after the importation of the variety in 
1882. Colour is also variable, and sometimes very 
pale ; but in the neighbourhood of smoky towns, and 
in dull and sunless winters more especially, C. 1 . 
Percivaliana often lasts but a short time in bloom, 
and may even open very badly during foggy times. 
In rural districts, however, where the atmosphere 
during winter is clearer, the variety is exceedingly 
valuable, because it helps to fill in the space between 
the flowering of C. labiata and C. 1 . Trianaei. Some 
of the more recent importations have furnished 
varieties with rather larger flowers than usual, with 
the colouring so intensified as to render such varieties 
worthy of the best attention, and the highest estima¬ 
tion of cultivators in general. We may also hope 
that in the near future C. 1 . Percivaliana, in its finer 
forms at least, will attain a pre-eminence commen¬ 
surate with its beauty. 
Orchids at Chardwar, Bourton-on-the-Water. 
—When calling at Chardwar to-day I was pleased to 
find a beautiful display of Orchids in bloom, and 
among others I noted a splendid variety of the 
primrose-coloured Dendrobium luteolum with two 
dozen blooms ; also D. Ainsworthii with fifty 
fine large blooms; D. Peirardii with 200 blooms 
and a good variety; D. rubens with several fine 
blooms ; D. Cassiope, a perfect little gem covered 
with bloom ; D. nobile, several very fine forms and 
some good D. Wardianum. In the cool house I 
noticed several splendid forms of Lycaste Skinneri, 
also a fine variety of Odontoglossum Andersonianum 
with two good spikes, many forms of O. crispum, and 
the pretty O. Cervantesii, and agood variety of O. luteo- 
purpureum. I also noted a splendid variety of Cypri- 
pedium Exul,and a good CattleyaAcklandiae. Cattleya 
Trianaei still makes agood show and one very distinct 
variety was noted having the labellum marked in a 
peculiar way reminding one of Laelia Boothiana 
There are also some lovely pale forms in bloom.— J.C. 
* 
Now that the frost has abated somewhat of its rigour 
and intensity, the swiftly-advancing season will bring 
with it a rush of work that must be attended to. 
Consequently, in this department the gardener must 
be up and doing so as to make up as far as possible 
for the long,period of enforced inactivity. 
Walks and Paths. —As soon as it is possible to 
use the roller, steps must be taken to render them as 
firm as possible. Well kept walks in the flower 
garden are an important consideration, and it is 
therefore necessary to pay them a little attention 
now. The grass edges must also be seen to without 
delay, and should they be uneven in outline and 
trodden down, the edging iron must be called info 
requisition to put things straight. It is very much 
easier to use the shears upon well kept up edges 
than upon neglected ones, as every gardener knows, 
and the saving in time and labour throughout the 
summer is necessarily very considerable. 
Lawns. —These will also need a little care and 
attention, as in most places worm-casts are more or 
less of a nuisance. Repeated sweepings and rollings 
will be necessary to reduce them into good condition. 
Any Plantains or Daisies that may be noticed should 
be rooted up at once and the holes filled up with 
soil. The laying of fresh turf where necessary may 
be proceeded with as soon as the state of the ground 
permits. This will give it time to get established 
before the dry weather sets in. 
Roses.— It is almost certain that the long con¬ 
tinued severe weather will have caused some gaps in 
the ranks of these old favourites, particularly those 
of the Tea section. As soon as practicable therefore 
these deficiencies should be made good. The prun¬ 
ing of any plants that have not as yet been attended 
to should be seen to without delay, as they will soon 
be fairly well advanced in growth. 
Pansies and Violas. —Those cuttings which have 
been passing the winter outside under the shelter of 
walls or hedges will also have suffered considerably. 
Any covering that has been afforded them with a 
view to the partial exclusion of the frost should be 
removed at every favourable opportunity. It is 
often astonishing how quickly the plants will recover 
under the beneficent influences of sun and air. 
Where the precaution has been taken to afford some 
of the more tender varieties the shelter of cold frames 
during the winter months, results will be more satis¬ 
factory. If the ground upon which Pansies and 
Violas are to be planted has not already undergone 
preparation during the past autumn it will need 
looking after at once. A good dressing of well 
rotted stable manure will be found very beneficial, 
and this should be well incorporated with the soil. 
The plants may be put out about the middle of the 
month, weather of course permitting. 
Hardy Fernery.— Where such a corner is one of 
the features of the flower garden a little time may be 
spent here with advantage. Old and unsightly fronds 
should be removed and a good dressing of old leaf 
soil given, forking it in about the roots of the plants 
as far as it is possible to do so without unduly 
disturbing them. It is not wise to delay this opera¬ 
tion for too long, as advancing growth will soon 
render it a matter of difficulty to work among the 
plants withou t danger of injury to the young fronds. 
Herbaceous Border. —The present is a good 
time for re-arranging the plants it contains, where 
the lapse of several years has caused some of the 
stronger growing subjects to exceed their allotted 
bounds. A liberal application of manure should 
afterwards be given, and the border forked through 
from beginning to end. Special care will have to be 
taken that any bulbs the border may contain are not 
injured. It is always advisable to mark the places 
where bulbous subjects lie, to serve as a guide to the 
workman, although curiously enough this is a pre¬ 
caution which in far too many cases is neglected, the 
result being the destruction of a considerable number 
that might otherwise be saved. 
Vines. —This is a most trying time of the year for 
vines, and the closest attention and the greatest care 
is necessary to ensure success in their cultivation. 
Ventilation, particularly, must be conducted with 
exceeding caution, for the sun has now acquired a 
deal of strength, and scon causes the temperature of 
the house to run up if air is not given in time. At 
the same time the cold winds, which are so closely 
associated with the month of March, render it very 
difficult to give sufficient ventilation without causing 
draughts. Shut the houses up early in the afternoon, 
as soon as the heat commences to decline, thoroughly 
damping walls, stages, and paths at the same time. 
Tie up the shoulders^of such bunches as are suffi¬ 
ciently advanced, as this not Only allows the berries 
more room to swell, but also imparts a better shape 
