October 29, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
137 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
Stoking. —To my mind a good stoker is as essential 
in the successful cultivation of Orchids as a good 
heating apparatus, and sufficient piping to keep up 
the required temperatures during winter. A good 
stoker will aways have his fires well under command, 
and will be always on ths alert in case of sudden 
changes in the weather, whilst a bad one generally 
manages to have a large fire at the wrong time. 
This week we have found it necessary to have 
recourse to fire heat during the night for the Odonto- 
glossum houses, as to allow the temperature to go 
below 50° would cause a check to the many growths 
fast making up and pushing spikes, and cause the 
tips of the leaves to turn brown. Especially will 
this be so if they have been grown very shady and 
consequently of a flimsy nature. A low temperature, 
too, sometimes causes the buds to turn yellow and 
drop off. On bright mornings the fires are drawn 
both from the furnaces heating the cool houses and 
the Cattleya house, for to let sun heat and fire heat 
clash would increase the breeding of thrips, aphis, 
red spider, etc., to an alarming extent. They are 
lighted again in the afternoon sufficiently early to 
admit of the water becoming warm enough to keep 
the temperature at a uniform height when the sun 
declines. The old-fashioned way of shutting up and 
syringing early so as to conserve the sun heat, is not 
much practised now by Orchid growers, air being 
kept on both day and night, with the result that we 
have greater solidity of growth and increased flori- 
ferousness, and the flowers last longer. 
Where Orchids are grown largely the expenditure 
in fuel must of necessity be large, and anything that 
can be done or suggested to keep down the fuel bill 
and at the same time keep the temperature at the re¬ 
quired height, will no doubt be acceptable to a large 
number of amateurs. I may say that we use An¬ 
thracite coal and breeze mixed, which is the most 
effectual and at the same time the cheapest fuel we 
have ever used, the breeze fills in the interstices 
between the coal and helps to keep a good body of 
fire for ten to twelve hours if properly banked up. 
Of course the temperature should be got up to the 
required height before banking up for the night. 
The Anthracite requires a good draught, and should 
not be broken too small. 
Shading.— The blinds on the Cattleya house may 
now be removed, but care should be taken not to 
allow the Vandas growing in this house to suffer in 
very bright weather such as we are now getting. 
They are easily shaded by placing a newspaper over 
them during the hottest part of the day. It may be 
necessary to make use of the blinds on the cool house 
while the splendid weather of the last few days lasts, 
also for the warmer section. 
Potting and Watering.— All potting should 
have been finished by now, except in very rare 
cases, as after this date we do not consider it 
advisable to disturb the roots. Although the 
majority of Orchids will not require to be 
watered so frequently during the winter months, 
they must, however, not be allowed to become 
shrivelled, but should be examined at least once a 
week, as to in any way neglect Orchids is to court 
failure ; not that they are more difficult to grow than 
some other plants when their requirements are 
understood, but because they require the proper 
attention at the proper time. We shall discontinue 
giving manure water for the next few months, except 
to strong-growing plants such as Cymbidiums, 
Lycastes, Phajus, strong-growing Cypripediums, etc. 
Temperatures. —East India house, 65° to 68° by 
night, according to the weather, with a rise of io° 
by day. Cattleya house, 55 0 at night if cold and 
frosty, with a rise of io° by day or 15 0 if bright will 
do no harm. Cool house, 50° at night, 6o Q by day. 
— C. 
Miltonia Bluntii Lubbersii. 
The ordinary form of this Miltonia is a showy plant, 
but too seldom seen in collections. The habit of the 
plant may be compared to that of M. Clowesii and 
the form of the flowers likewise, but in M. B. 
Lubbersii the flowers are twice as broad in all their 
parts, and the lip even more. The variety is by 
some considered to be a hybrid between M. Clowesii 
and M. spectabilis, or its variety M. s. Moreliana. 
At all events the subject under notice is very hand¬ 
some. The sepals are lanceolate, acute ; the petals 
oblong, cuspidate, and all are heavily blotched with 
deep purple, almost covering the pale yellow ground, 
and tinted with violet at the base. The lip is 
obovate, reflexed at the sides, white suffused with 
blush, deepening to purple towards the base, which is 
mostly occupied with a large, deep purple blotch. 
The three ridges of the crest are of a deeper purple, 
while there are some crimson stripes in front of 
them. The pseudo-bulbs are lanceolate, compressed, 
tapering to either end, and of the same hue as those 
of M spectabilis, bearing one or two lanceolate 
leaves at the base and two at the top. The flower 
stems attain a height of 12 in. or 18 in., bearing a 
raceme of flowers on the top. We noted this beauti¬ 
ful variety, flowering with Messrs. Charlesworth, 
Shuttleworth & Co., Park Road, Clapham. 
Miltonia spectabilis superba. 
The duration of the flowers of this Orchid is notable, 
for a specimen in the nursery of Messrs. Charles- 
worth, Shuttleworth & Co., Park Road, Clapham, 
has been flowering for the last seven weeks and had 
some fine flowers when we saw it. The size of the 
flowers may be gleaned from the fact that they 
measure 4 in. across the petals, while the lip is 2 in. 
long and 2J in. wide above the middle. The sepals 
and petals are white, faintly suffused with purple 
near the base. The lip is the most conspicuous 
organ of the flower, as it is in the type and all its 
varieties. It is white suffused with lilac, while the 
veins deepen to purple, and terminate in a large 
purple blotch at the base. The column, although 
not very large, is rendered more conspicuous by 
having bold, deep purple wings. The Miltonias 
should be more extensively grown for autumn 
decoration, as their large and pleasantly coloured 
flowers serve to brighten up the Orchid houses 
during the late summer and autumn months. 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN, 
Euphorbia fulgens (jacquiaeflora). —The 
bending down or arching of the main shoots of this 
winter flowering subject induces the lateral buds to 
break low down on the stems, and in this way a 
greater supply of bloom is obtained at an earlier date 
than under ordinary circumstances. When the top 
of the shoots is cut off later on, a number of the 
side shoots is thereby induced to break and give a 
later supply of cut bloom. 
Caladiums. —The silvery-leaved Caladium argy- 
rites can be kept growing all the year round especially 
if a few batches are employed. Where the stock is 
ample, it should not be allowed to go to rest where 
much decorative material is required in winter. Late 
batches of the larger growing sorts will now be 
getting shabby and may be allowed or encouraged 
to go gradually to rest by limiting the supply of 
water, 
Begonias. —The batches of several of the 
Begonias prepared for winter flowering will soon 
commence blooming. B. insignis as a rule does not 
flower much before Christmas, but batches of B. 
ascotensis and its allies will come in useful at the 
present time. Several of the fine and comparatively 
new varieties of B. semperflorens will also be of 
invaluable service, including B. s. carminata gigantea, 
B. s. rubrum, Vernon's var. and some others. 
Centropogon Lucianus. —This useful winter 
flowering subject will succeed best from now 
onwards through the winter in an intermediate 
house. The temperature here is just sufficient to 
keep it growing steadily and strongly, so that the 
stems and foliage are sturdier and the flowers of 
greater substance than when a higher temperature 
is given. If green fly should make its appearance, 
have the plants fumigated directly and lightly, if 
need be, on two successive nights. If allowed to 
become infested, the plants ever after look un¬ 
sightly. 
Young Dracaenas —Much forcing of young 
plants should be avoided if possible until the new 
year is well turned. A high temperature during the 
period of bad light causes the stems to get drawn 
and thin, thereby inducing a lankiness that is undesir¬ 
able. February will be a good enough time to place 
them in heat. 
Aphelandras. —The fine foliage of A. aurantiaca, 
A. fascinator and others should be as much an 
object of the cultivator’s care as the flowers. It is 
sensitive to the evil effects of bad light, which soon 
causes the leaves to drop. Keep them well exposed 
to light, and do not permit of crowding at any 
time. 
Pinks for forcing.—Plants intended for forcing 
should be lifted from the open ground without further 
delay and potted up firmly. They may then be 
placed in cold frames where they can be protected 
from heavy downpours of rain. They may after 
being established, be transferred in batches to warmer 
quarters. 
Geld frames. — Cuttings and plants in pots 
located in the cold frames cannot be kept too freely 
ventilated at this time of the year; in fact the 
sashes may be drawn off during the day except during 
heavy rain. This of course applies to such things 
as Carnations, Pinks, Pentstemons, Phloxes, Pansies 
that are hardy or in all cases nearly so. The object 
in having the lights on is to ward off frost to some 
extent on frosty nights and to keep the soil in the 
pots from getting sodden with rain. If kept close, 
these hardy subjects get urged into growth at an un- 
propitious time and against their natural inclination, 
thus making them more tender than they would 
otherwise be. 
Peaches.—The early house should be got in 
readiness for closing about the beginning or some¬ 
time in the course of next month. The trees should 
be untied from the wires and thoroughly cleansed 
with a stiff half worn painters brush, if at all 
infested with brown scale. Theyshould then be dressed 
with a strong solution of Gishurst Compound. 
--4-- 
Questions add AnsroeRs. 
Names of Plants .—Ellergreen : 1, Echinops 
Ritro ; 2, Veronica virginica : 3, Sedum spectabile : 
4, Erigeron speciosus; 5, Geranium Endressii; 6, 
Buphthalmum salicifolium ; 7, Aster laevigatus ; 8, 
Aster Novi-Belgii var. ; 9, Antennaria margaritacea. 
— IV. Ruphus: 1, Nigella damascena ; 2, Chrysan¬ 
themum lacustre ; 3, Echinops Ritro; 4, Veronica 
spicata; 5, Helianthus decapetalus ; 6, Chrysanthe¬ 
mum uliginosum ; 7, Aster Novi-Balgii var. ; 8. 
Solidago sp.— J. M. K. : A species of Cymbidium 
evidently grown in a cool house, but it would be un¬ 
safe to attempt naming it without flowers. Give the 
plant a warmer house. 
L'lium ckndidjm. — A. R. L : If the bulbs ware 
lifted at the proper time, say towards the end of 
August ori n September, they may be left unplanted 
for some time longer, but no advantage will be gained 
by keeping them out of the soil. Bulbs that have 
not been disturbed till now should be replanted 
immediately, for they will almost certainly have 
produced fresh roots by this time, and possibly also 
leaves, for the latter are developed during autumn 
and winter as far as the root leaves are concerned, 
and where such is the case it is very improvident to 
disturb them if it can be helped. The young roots 
cannot fail to be injured, growth checked, and the 
substance of the bulbs to some extent wasted. The 
true secret of moving, transplanting, or repotting al. 
kinds of Lily bulbs is to do it when they are per 
fectly at rest. Their natural vigour is then not 
wasted by making growth that may afterwards be 
checked or injured. If you are obliged to lift them 
now, do so carefully with a fork so as to bring up the 
roots as entire as possible ; pull away offsets and 
have the flowering bulbs planted by themselves. 
Fresh loamy soil suits this Lily better than rich 
composts of any kind. The young offsets may be 
treated in the same way in a reserve portion of the 
garden. 
Dictionary.— J. Lofthouse : The work to which 
you refer is doubtless Nicholson’s Dictionary of 
Gardening, published in four volumes, price ^3. 
There has been no other published of late years. 
Mountain Ash.— J. Lofthouse : The berries of the 
Mountain Ash are perfectly safe and make a beauti- 
ul jelly. They are not much used in England, but 
largely in Scotland. 
Mesospinidium.— J. M. K. : One or two of the 
species are sometimes classed with Odontoglossum, 
but all the lot of them have been placed in a separate 
genus for some years past, and should be classed by 
themselves as the flowers are perfectly distinct from 
those of Odontoglossum. The lip being adnate to 
the column reminds one of Epidendrum, but the 
pollina are quite different, being similar to Odonto¬ 
glossum. The proper name for all the group is 
Cochlioda, which includes C. sanguinea, C. 
vulcanica, C. rosea, and C. Noetyliana. 
Showboard for Grapes. — Novice: There is no stan¬ 
dard size for showboards for Grapes, each exhibitor 
using boards in proportion to the size of his bunches. 
They are always, however, made rectangular in 
form, and for a pair of ordinary-sized bunches a 
board 14 in. high at the back, 12 in. wide on the 
base line, and 20 in. in length, will be quite large 
enough. The sloping board should be 17 in. wide, 
and fixed 2 in. below the top of the back-board. This 
