November 5, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
153 
cultivation except the flat leaved ones. ''The slender 
stem cannot be described as a pseudo-bulb, but looks 
more like a leaf stalk than anything else, owing to 
the way the leaf surmounts it. The flowers appear 
to spring from the base of the leaf, and are borne in 
short, drooping racemes or clusters, of one to seven 
blooms each. The stem and leaf together vary 
greatly in height, say from 3 in. to 12 in., the leaf 
alone being 2 in. to 6 in. long. The flowers are of a 
deep brownish-purple, tubular, and curved, owing to 
the way in which the segments are connivent or 
drawn together. They are open at the top only. 
The lateral sepals are deeply concave, and the upper 
ones less so, but all are of a brighter and darker 
purple on the inner face. The whole plant is curious 
and pretty, lasting a long time in bloom. 
Cypripedium Pitcherianum, Williams’ van. 
The typical C. Pitcherianum was the result of 
crossing C. Harrisianum superbum with C. Spiceri- 
anum, but in the case of the fine variety under 
notice, C. Spicerianum magnificum was used as the 
other parent, and the progeny, as might be expected, 
is superior to the original hybrid. The upper sepal 
is green at the very base, then blotched, shaded, and 
veined with a rich vinous purple and pure white in 
the upper third. The petals are undulated on the 
upper margin like C. Spicerianum, and fringed with 
black hairs ; the upper longitudinal half is brownish 
purple, while the lower half is greenish yellow, 
shaded with brown upwards, and having dark veins 
as well, spotted at the base. The lip is reddish 
brown, with a yellow edge to the pouch. The stami- 
node is rosy purple, and green in the centre. It is 
of strong growth and vigorous constitution, with 
dark green, slightly tesselated foliage. There is a 
beautiful coloured illustration of it in the Orchid 
Album, pi. 453. 
Cattleya labiata. 
Some flowers of the old Cattleya labiata have been 
sent us by Mr. R. Hinde, Broomfield, Sale, with 
whom it is flowering for the first time. The 
plants have evidently done well with him, judging 
from the size of the flowers sent, one of which 
measured 8 in. across the petals, while another was 
very little smaller. The latter was named C. 1 . 
Broomfield var., the sepals and petals of which were 
of a uniform warm, rosy lilac. The tube of the 
lip externally was similar, but in addition was 
striated with pale or whitish, forking veins. The 
lamina was of large size, roundish, deeply bifid, 
much undulated and crisped at the margin, and of a 
rich, intense purple, shaded with crimson, fading to 
lilac all round the margin; the side lobes on the 
contrary were white shaded with orange yellow 
towards the base and of a delicate lilac at the 
margin. The interior of the tube was striped with 
purple and white lines. The other flower was larger 
and a shade darker in colour all over the sepals, 
petals and the exterior of the tube of the lip ; the 
lamina of the latter was equally rich as the Broom¬ 
field variety, but much less beautifully undulated 
and crisped at the margin. Accompanying the 
above was a beautiful variety of Laelia elegans, with 
white sepals and petals faintly shaded with blush. 
The tube of the lip was even purer white, both 
externally and internally. The anterior edges of 
the lip were deep purple, and the middle lobe rich 
crimson purple, fading somewhat towards the 
margin and running to the base of the tube in the 
form of a band. The throat on each side of the 
purple band was shaded with pale yellow. Taking 
it altogether it comes very close to the variety L. e. 
Schilleriana, under which many growers would 
classify it. 
Odor.toglossum ramosissimum. 
Cultivators generally do not take kindly to this 
species, probably because the flowers are small, a 
defect which is largely compensated for by their 
great number. Imagine a branching spike 3 ft. high 
or more, bearing 80 to 200 flowers, with beautiful 
wavy and crisped segments, blotched with purple or 
violet-purple on a pure white ground, and one gets 
some idea of the beauty of such a plant. Of course 
small specimens cannot be expected to give such 
results, but cultivators should first get the plant into 
a strong and vigorous condition before being properly 
rewarded for their work. We have several times 
seen fine specimens of this species in the nursery of 
Messrs. Charlesworth, Shuttleworth & Co., at Park 
Road, Clapham, and the other week noted several 
plants either in flower or in different stages of 
advancement. 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN. 
Cissus discolor. —Whether grown in pots or 
planted out, this climber should now be allowed to 
go to rest by gradually withholding water. Being of 
the nature of the Vine, it enjoys a rest during the 
winter months, and grows away with more vigour in 
spring when so treated. After the young shoots 
have got fairly well ripened they may be partly cut 
back, and the shoots developed in spring will be 
stronger. When planted out and trained under the 
roof, either upwards or horizontal, it is astonishing 
what length of shoots will be produced in a season, 
and the size of the leaves as well as their rich colour 
is ample remuneration for any trouble that may have 
been incurred. 
Variegated Pineapple. — Occasionally this 
variety produces a fruit, and suckers are often 
thrown off from the crown. These may be taken 
off and rooted, as they make compact and valuable 
little plants for decorative purposes, lasting longer in 
a usable size than suckers taken off from the base of 
the old plants. 
Billbergiaa and Tillandsias. -Watercollectsvery 
readily in the crowns of these during the dull autumn 
and winter months, and to prevent the more tender 
of them from being rotted the plants should be gone 
over occasionally and the water emptied out. Less 
water at the roots is required in winter than in 
summer, but they must not be kept too dry, otherwise 
the evergreen leaves will suffer. 
Azaleas. —For purely decorative purposes the less 
formal the plants of Indian Azaleas are so much the 
better, except when they get to a large size. Plants 
for exhibition purposes are much in the same position. 
They take- up a great amount of space unless kept 
properly tied into shape, and that too as neatly and 
compactly as possible. The present is a suitable 
time to do it, more especially in wet w’eather when 
outdoor work is at a standstill. 
Cytisus. —The common C. racemosus now so 
largely grown for decorative purposes in winter, 
must be kept properly moist at all times to maintain 
the health of the foliage as well as to enable the 
plants to throw up their flower spikes. 
Bouvardias. —The plants that were taken indoors 
early in autumn have now taken freely to the fresh 
soil, whether planted out in a bed or potted up. Pot 
plants must not be neglected in the matter of water¬ 
ing ; and if the plants are occasionally sprinkled 
overhead with the syringe they will be greatly 
benefited. 
Selaginellas. —Several of the dwarf and dense 
growing kinds are very liable to damp off during 
winter if kept in pans or other large masses. S. 
apus is especially liable to this mishap, and some 
pots of it should be made up by pricking small pieces 
into pots of light sandy soil with some peat and leaf 
soil. The better aeration thus insured to the slender 
stems and leaves enables them to pass the winter in 
safety. 
Vineries. —The earliest house may now be closed 
for forcing. No fire-heat will be required in mild 
weather for the first two weeks if the borders are 
covered with fermenting manure mixed with leaves. 
By this means there will be little difficulty in keep¬ 
ing up a night temperature of 50°, with a fair rise by 
day. On frosty nights such as have occurred lately 
a little fire-heat may be necessary to get the desired 
warmth. Look over the bunches of berries still 
hanging on the vines in order to remove any spoiling 
berries that would soon injure others. Keep the 
atmosphere dry and airy by the use of fire-heat. 
Muscats will be all the better if the temperature is 
kept somewhere between 50° and 55°. 
Fruit trees. —Planting is now in full swing, 
whenever the state of the weather will permit of its 
being done. Wherever this is being done, however, 
it will be well to take care that the ground has pre¬ 
viously been well prepared, otherwise the results 
may simply be dwindling and dying trees in the 
course of a few years. It should all be trenched at 
least 2 ft. deep, if the nature of the soil will permit 
of it, and at least loosened up to that, or even a 
greater depth. Unless the soil is unusually poor, no 
manure will be necessary for some years, except as a 
mulching, because young trees grow too rampantly— 
more especially if the soil is manured. The state of 
the ground as to drainage will also have to be taken 
into consideration, because if in any way water¬ 
logged the trees cannot be kept in a thriving con¬ 
dition for many years. 
Dahlias. — The recent frosts have in most localities 
settled the Dahlias for another season, and no time 
should be lost in getting them into safe quarters. 
Fuchsias. — Plants that were used for bedding out 
are of no further service in the flower garden, and 
should be lifted and potted up, so that they may be 
stood away in some pit or greenhouse out of the 
reach of frost. It is the practice in some gardens to 
allow the soil containing the roots to get thoroughly 
dry. This is a mistake, as the roots inevitably get 
killed, and frequently the plants as well. The best 
plan is to stand the pots upright, as close together as 
possible, and to give water when absolutely neces¬ 
sary to keep the roots and stems alive. 
Gladioli and Tigridias. — These may now be 
lifted and the corms stored away in moderately dry 
sand in a cool place, where they will not be excited 
into unseasonable growth. The rough scales should 
previously be removed when dry to render the corms 
less bulky. 
Bulbs. —Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissi, Crocuses, 
and other things of that nature should be got into 
the ground without further delay. The beds can all 
be cleared for that purpose now, as nothing of a 
tender kind is any longer of decorative value in any 
way. A good coating of old or spent hotbed manure 
dug into the soil would be a decided advantage to 
the plants in spring. 
Strawberries in pots. — Those who force 
Starwberries in the autumn will have to be careful 
in the choice of a light and airy position for the 
plants, more especially during the time they are in 
flower. Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury is one of the 
best for autumn work. 
Trees and Shrubs. —Now is the time to carry 
on the work of planting and transplanting of trees 
and shrubs. There is no great stress of work in the 
garden, and the recent rains have made the grounds 
sufficiently moist to render little or no watering 
necessary, except in special cases. It is a mistake to 
defer this kind of work till spring when so much 
other work calls for attention, besides the fact that 
a deal of watering is necessary to keep the trees and 
shrubs alive till they have formed fresh roots and 
got partly established. 
Questions srd ansuieRS. 
*,* Correspondents are requested, in order to avoid delay, 
to address all communications to “The Editor" 
or “ The Publisher,” and not to any person by 
name, unless the correspondence is of a private 
character. Telegrams may be addressed “ Bambusa, 
London." 
Lime in Vine Border.—^ Constant Reader : When 
borders are made, lime in some form or other is 
mixed with the compost, but very seldom if ever in 
the form of quicklime, as that would decompose the 
vegetable matter in the soil at a greater rate than 
would be advisable. Lime rubble is the material 
generally used, and this is obtained from the debris 
of old walls and buildings that have been pulled 
down. This is what you should obtain and use in 
your border, spreading about three barrow-loads on 
the surface and digging it in, well mixing it with the 
soil. 
Names of Fruits.— Cedo Nulli : 1, Reinette de 
Caux ; 2, not recognised. 
Names of Plants.— Learner : 15, Oncidium 
flexuosum; 17, Buddleia globosa. Send the other 
Orchids when in flower, and we will endeavour to 
oblige you. It is quite impossible to identify them 
by scraps of leaves and pseudo-bulbs. 
Royal Horticultural Society. — J. S. R. : 
Residence in the States or anywhere else out of 
Great Britain and Ireland is no bar to your becoming 
a Fellow of this society. The subscription is one, 
two, or four guineas per annum, which you please, 
and you must be recommended for election by two 
present members. This we shall be happy to do for 
you should you wish it. 
Chrysanthemums.— G. A., Tenbury : Etoile de 
Lyon, 14 ins. in diameter, is the largest Chrysanthe¬ 
mum bloom we have any record of, and they often come 
from 12 ins. to 13 ins. under good cultivation. If 
you have this variety, Stanstcad Surprise and others 
of similar dimensions, you are doing them well. 
Arum Lilies in Water.— J. H. : When the 
plants are resting it is advantageous to keep them on 
the dry side ; but when they have fairly started into 
growth again, give them plenty of water. We have 
grown it in the ordinary way on staging and also 
standing in pans of water, and they do very well 
either way. They naturally grow on the margins of 
rivers with their roots in the mud or actually more 
