454 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 16,1895. 
In the Greek mythology a crown of these flowers 
was made in honour of the gods and placed upon 
the heads of the dead. Hence Milton's connection 
of this flower and the " laureat hearse” of Lycidas. 
It was the symbol of death, for it was said to be one 
of the flowers which Proserpine was gathering when 
she was seized and carried off by Pluto. On account 
of its narcotic properties, the Daffodil has been 
called the flower of deceit. Although we are de¬ 
lighted with its colour, its grace, its beauty, and 
odour, yet Homer says it produces stupor, madness, 
and even death, yet the Augustinian monks, who 
loved to plant it by their cloistered walks, by the 
side of still, deep pools and gurgling backwaters, in 
secluded copses round their old monasteries, de¬ 
clared that “ the flower of the Daffodil is a cure for 
madness.” 
To turn from sad to gay, from the ancients to the 
moderns, the poet of the “Language of Flowers” 
and the “ Lover’s Treasury of Signs and Tokens” 
has written some choice and withal seasonable 
rhymes on this flower. Usually his muse is engag¬ 
ing in its sweet erotic simplicity, but here it would 
seem that the “ storm that sings i’ the wind,” and 
maybe the fiend influenza, has rather soured his in¬ 
spiration and obscured his knowledge of the Queen’s 
English in order to find a rhyme for his second line. 
We give the poetic effusion in full 
"Deceived by thee, oh golden Daffodil, 
Often with hearts elate and full of hope, 
We dream of settled spring; when blasts blow chill 
And gloomy storm-clouds hide the azure cope.” 
No doubt our new school of poets will readily 
welcome this lyrical attempt of the rhymsters of 
some fifty years ago .—Daily News. 
spongioles' and their 
FUNCTIONS. 
It appears that the theory, or rather what has been 
universally regarded as an established fact, that 
these Darts cf the roots are the chief agents in 
abstracting moisture from the soil for the plant’s 
support, is discountenanced by modern vegetable 
physiologists, and we are told that the root hairs are 
the real active agents in absorbing moisture from 
the soil. I am not aware who was the first to dis¬ 
cover that root hairs and not spongioles did the work, 
but it now appears to be the prevailing opinion 
amongst scientists that what we have been taught to 
believe of spongioles is all wrong. It has not been 
denied by botanists of the past that root hairs and 
the surface of all young roots possessed absorbent 
powers, but spongioles were credited with doing 
most of the work, but now the latter are denied any 
such function. 
Upon this point Mr Thos. Hicks, B.A., B.Sc., 
A L S., Assistant Lecturer on Botany at Owen's 
College, Manchester, was most emphatic in a lecture 
delivered before the members of the Preston and 
Fulwood Horticultural Society a few weeks ago. 
He said that root hairs were not met with at the 
extreme tip of the root; as a matter of fact the tip 
was the growing point of the root, and when a 
structure was growing it could not be performing 
the function of an adult. Root hairs which had an 
important influence in the absorption of food were not 
on every part of the root, not in young parts because 
they had not been developed, and not in old parts 
because they had died off, and those portions no 
longer took any part in the functions of absorption. 
Looking upon the soil from a botanical standpoint, 
he said, in the first instance, it was made up of sand 
which had very minute capillary pores, and these 
particles of sand were therefore saturated with 
water ; not only so, but each particle of sand carried 
likewise a film of water on the outside. Beside sand 
there would be particles of earth of some sort, which 
would also contain a certain amount of moisture in 
the interior, and externally a film of water. Between 
the particles of sand and earth they would also have 
a quantity of water filling up the capillary spaces, 
just as water filled the capillary spaces of a sponge. 
After pointing out the importance of porosity in 
the soil and the nutritious substances it contained 
which the plant could absorb, the lecturer said that 
these root hairs as they grew necessarily came in 
contact with the particles of stone and sand When¬ 
ever a root hair came in contact with a particle of 
stone its walls deliquesced and became a kind of 
gum, which subsequently siiffened and attached 
those particles of stone to the root hair. That 
would go on all the length of the root hair, except, 
as he had stated, when the root hair might be grow¬ 
ing, and so, as a matter of fact, if they took the root 
out of the soil, they found that the part covered 
with root hairs had quite a number of those particles 
of sand or stone gummed to it. After further 
reference to soil, and showing the importance of it 
promoting decomposition, and that certain salts were 
not in a proper condition until decomposed, and 
commenting on the organic salts necessary to build 
up the plant, 
Mr. Hicks further showed that whatever elements 
the plant received from the soil were absorbed by 
the root hairs, and absorption only went in on those 
parts. It used to be taught that the spongioles at 
the tips of those roots absorbed, but that was not 
so. That which was in an embryonic condition was 
not in a position to perform the functions of the 
adult, and that little tip which they called a 
spongiole was simply that part where all the cells 
were in an embryonic condition, multiplying and 
getting ready to do the work when old enough. 
Having got into the root hairs which, as he had 
shown, performed the function of absorption, the 
water, with whatever salts it contained, would pass 
on to the cells, and he showed how the liquid 
ascended through the stem and branches and reached 
the cells of the leaves. This was the process of 
absorption by ordinary roots. There were a few 
abnormal cases where there was a different structure. 
Aquatic plants, for instance, had no root hairs, and 
some Orchids had aerial roots. 
The above is, I believe, the substance of Mr. 
Hicks' remarks on roots, but the lecture covered a 
wide range, the heading of which was “ The Food 
of Plants: Mode of Absorption, Chemical Con¬ 
stituents, Functions of each, Transformation within 
the Plant, Elaborated Food Stuffs, the Building up 
of the Plant Body.”— IV. P. R., The Gardens, Cuerdon 
Hall. Preston. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
By John Fraser, F.L.S., Kew. 
Catasetum imperiale.—The structure of this 
magnificent Catasetum shows that it is closely 
allied to C. Bungerothi, notwithstanding the remark¬ 
able difference in colour. The botanical differences 
lie chiefly in the sepals, petals, and lip. The sepals 
are more rigid, and the petals narrowly obovate, but 
the shape, substance, and wart-like protuberances 
upon the lip are even more characteristic and dis¬ 
tinctive. A plant flowered in the establishment of 
L’Horticulture Internationale during the latter half of 
December last, and bore twelve large flowers of 
remarkable aspect. The petals are white, spotted 
with crimson, intense purple on the lower half, and 
so densely that the blotches often run together in a 
mass. The lip is very fleshy, and almost wholly of 
an intense crimson, deepening to a blackish shade on 
each side at the base. There is some hesitation in 
pronouncing it a species, a natural hybrid, or a 
remarkably distinct form of C. Bungerothi, but in 
the meantime it is honoured with a specific name. 
It was introduced from Tropical America and from 
the same locality as the numerous othe'r remarkable 
forms that have come to light recently, and flowered 
during last autumn and the early part of winter. The 
plate in the Lindenia PI. 460 will give a good idea of 
its bold and striking appearance. 
Catasetum Bungerothi aurantiacum—The 
type was introduced from the equatorial regions of 
America about eight years ago, and although com¬ 
paratively little variation was observed in it for some 
years, yet two of the varieties were sufficiently 
distinct to merit names. These were C. B. aureum, 
with yellow flowers, and C. B. Pottsianum. white, 
with the upper petals spotted with carmine. The 
variety under notice is a recent introduction from 
the same locality as the type, and flowered for the 
first time in the establishment of L’Horticulture 
Internationale in November last, and when exhibited 
in London on the 13th of that month an Award of 
Merit was accorded it. The sepals and petals are 
white, lightly shaded with yellow on the outer face, 
and sometimes almost striped. The lip is of 
unusual size, obscurely triangular, emarginate, and 
toothed all round the margin. It is wholly of a pale 
orange-yellow, becoming much more lively towards 
the centre, but particularly round the mouth of the 
spur and in the latter itself. The column is also 
shaded with yellow. There is a coloured illustration 
of it in the Lindenia PI. 439. 
Cypnipedium Schlimii.—This small-flowered 
but very pretty slipper, with its white and rose 
coloured flowers, is well worthy a place in all 
collections, not only on account of its distinctness, 
but because it is the only Cypripedium that I am 
acquainted with that is scented. In passing a plant 
of it in flower the other day, I was struck with the 
sweet perfume of something in the way of Violets, 
and was rather surprised in tracing it to this plant. 
In the early part of the day the perfume is generally 
the most powerful, then the scent is almost as that 
of Violets, and about as strong. Has any of your 
readers noticed any other Cypripediums that are 
scented ? Here is one of the most interesting group 
of Orchids in cultivation, on account of the variety 
and colouring to be found amongst them, and could 
perfume be added it would make the genus even 
more interesting.— A. IF. 
» _ 
TIE FLINT HOUSES. 
The Stove. 
With the advent of more genial and spring-like 
weather, the plants in the stove ought now to be 
making up for lost time. It is invariably the 
case that when a winter like the one we have 
just passed through necessitates the use of a great 
deal of fire-beat to maintain the needful temperature, 
that many of the foliage plants lose a deal of colour 
and thus present a sickly and unhappy appearance. 
But as the genial rays of the sun increase in strength 
with the ever-moving season, under proper treatment 
this etiolated appearance should disappear. 
In dealing with a general collection of stove 
plants more air will now be necessary, and the top 
ventilators will need to be called into play during the 
middle of bright days. In many places it is the 
custom to pack the grooves in which the lights work 
with tow or other material of a like nature, sc as to 
render the house less draughty, as well as to 
economise fire-heat. Where this has been done, steps 
should now be taken to remove this packing, so that 
the lights may be in a workable condition when 
required. Any top air that may be given must be 
taken off early in the afternoon, a thoroughly good 
syringing and damping being given at the same time. 
Shade will, however, not be necessary for a week or 
two yet, and, therefore, no fear of the plants being 
scorched need trouble the cultivator just yet. 
Watering.— Although it is the generally accepted 
rule that the majority of stove plants need an abun¬ 
dance of water, this must not be taken to mean 
carelessness with regard to the application of water. 
At this season of the year particular care is 
necessary, for many of the plants have but little 
root, and the greater proportion will, of course, 
have been accorded a change of quarters. Subjects 
of this kind should be kept rather inclined to the dry 
side, for if too much water is given, the soil will 
inevitably become sour and waterlogged, and then 
good-bye to the hopes of obtaining healthy plants. 
Aroids. —This family contains a greater number 
of showy decorative plants than perhaps any other, 
and amongst the genera, Anthurium, Alocasia, 
Philodendron, Dieffenbachia, etc., may be found 
many gems amoDg fine foliage plants. It often 
happens that a long cold winter is fraught with great 
danger to the plants of this class, and a little codd¬ 
ling up is often necessary in the spring to help them 
to get into condition before a great part of the year 
has passed. Where practicable, therefore, much 
more satisfactory results would be obtained if such 
subjects could be removed to a special house or pit 
where a close moist atmosphere and a high tempera¬ 
ture can be easily maintained, for in conditions like 
these the plants love to revel. The syringe may be 
kept vigorously at work among them and air very 
sparingly admitted, regulating the temperature 
rather by msansof partial shading than by venti ation. 
Edging Plants. —To add a finishing touch to the 
plant stages it is necessary to have a stock of dwarf¬ 
growing or pendant plants suitable for placing along 
the front of the stage, where they will help to hide 
the pots of the plants behind them. For this purpose 
nothing is better than pots of the pretty little 
Panicum variegatum and some of the varieties of 
Tradescantia. Cuttings of these strike readily at all 
times, and when grown in pots and allowed to droop 
over the edges of the shelves look very ornamental 
and effective. They give but little trouble moreover 
and will grow away quite contentedly so long as a 
sufficiency of water is allowed them. 
