THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 17, 1892. 
•A4.& 
Crotons set up with Maidenhair Ferns. The Crotons 
in all the best varieties were richly coloured and 
leafy to the pots. A collection of Cyclamens in 
several colours and well flowered was shown by 
Messrs. H. Canned & Sons, Swanley, as well as a 
Chrysanthemum named Mademoiselle Marie 
Recoura. A Bronze Banksian Medal was awarded 
to Mr. W. Wells, Earlswood Station, and Redhill, 
Surrey, for a collection of Chrysanthemums includ¬ 
ing many singles and Pompons. A Silver Banksian 
Medal was awarded to Mr. P. Blair, Trentham 
Gardens, for two stands each of incurved and Jap¬ 
anese Chrysanthemums, many of which were of large 
size and in good condition. A Silver Flora Medal 
was awarded to Mr. Robert Owen, Castle Hill, Maid¬ 
enhead, for a collection of Chrysanthemums repre¬ 
senting several classes. Several of the Japanese 
varieties were very fine, including Waban, Robert 
Owen, Peter Blair, Mrs. Bruce Findlay, Elmer 
D. Smith, H. M. Pollett, Mrs. £. D. Adams, and 
others. A large-flowered Chrysanthemum named R. 
C. Kingston was shown by T. B. Haywood, Esq. 
(grower, Mr. C. J. Salter), Woodhatch Lodge, 
Reigate. A Silver Flora Medal was awarded to 
Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, for a group of Per- 
nettyas, Ivies, Holly branches in fruit, &c. Two 
pots of Iris Histrio and two of Narcissus mono- 
phyllus, all flowering finely, were shown by Mr. T. 
S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. A 
double white and a single red variety of Camellia 
Sasanqua, both stated to be hardy, were shown by 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, who also had a pan of 
Begonia Winter Gem. A group of a White Chry¬ 
santhemum named Duchess of Northumberland, 
was shown by Mr. G. Wythes. He also had a First 
Prize for a basket of Christmas Roses. A small 
group of Chrysanthemums was shown by Messrs. J. 
R. Pearson & Sons, Chilwell, Notts. 
At a meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee 
a large collection of Beet was brought up from the 
gardens of the society at Chiswick, as well as some 
Apples. Small lots of Apples were also shown by 
Mr. G. W. Cummins, gardener to A. H. Smee, Esq., 
The Grange, Wallington ; by Mr. Edward Corkey, 
Frome ; by Mr. Toogood, Alwalton Hall, Peterboro ; 
by Mr. G. W. Piper, Uckfield ; by Mr. H. C.Prinsep, 
Buxted Park, Uckfield; by Mr. Jas. Hudson, 
Gunnersbury House, Acton ; by Mr. B. Wells, 
Crawley; and by Mr. D. Keen, Stock Gardens, Ald- 
bury. 
--4--- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
Saccolabium bigibbum 
At first sight this very much resembles our old 
friend 5 . bellinum, but it is quite distinct. It belongs 
to the same section however, characterised by having 
an open-mouthed spur or sac to the lip,'and which 
is very large in proportion to the latter. The flowers 
are produced in a close corymb on a short peduncle 
as in the case of S. bellinum. The sepals and petals 
are oblong and nearly covered with crimson blotches 
on a golden yellow ground. The blotches unite 
with one another in such a way as to give the seg¬ 
ments a marbled appearance. The lip is three-lobed 
but all the lobes are very small, especially the side 
ones, which are edged with purple. The terminal 
lobe is yellow in the centre spotted with purple, and 
curiously fringed, although not to the same extent 
as that of S. bellinum. The cup-like sac is yellow 
at the base both internally and externally. The 
column is purple with a yellow cap. The stems are 
about in. to 2 in. high, bearing oblong leaves in 
two ranks. Some plants may be seen flowering in 
the nursery of Messrs Hugh Low & Co., Clapton, 
alongside or close by S. bellinum, so that the two 
may readily be compared. 
Phalasnopsis Portei. 
This is considered a natural hybrid closely allied to 
the better known P. intermedia. Leading authorities 
therefore consider it to be a variety of the latter, 
and accordingly name it P. intermedia Portei. It 
was long believed that P. intermedia was a hybrid 
between P. Aphrodite, erroneously called P. amabilis, 
and P. rosea. This fact has more recently been 
proved by the artificial raising of P. intermedia from 
the parents named. The plant under notice there¬ 
fore comes under the last named. It has white 
sepals and petals, slightly tinted with rose at the 
base. The lip is more highly coloured, especially 
the terminal lobe, which is amethyst-purple; the 
central area and the base of the side lobes are 
striped with red. The antennae of the terminal 
lobe are short and incurved, as in the case of P. 
intermedia. Altogether the variety is pretty, in¬ 
teresting, and by no means common. We noted it 
in the nursery of Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton. 
Cypripedium insigne Wallacei. 
The nearest ally of this variety is C. insigne viola- 
ceum punctatum, otherwise known as C. i. Chantini. 
Both agree in the prominent markings or blotches 
of the upper sepal, the broad white margin extend¬ 
ing downwards to the base, and the large white area 
at the top blotched with clear purple. The dark 
brown blotches on the pale green ground, occupying 
about two-thirds of the lower portion of the dorsal 
sepal of C. i. Wallacei, are much richer or darker, 
and likewise the ground colour, than those of C. i. 
violaceum punctatum. The petals are pale brown 
and netted with darker lines. The lip is light brown, 
large, and shining. If a good stock of such things 
as this could be got up, the ordinary form of C. 
insigne would have little chance with it, either in 
the cut state or for ordinary decorative purposes. 
The two varieties above mentioned we compared 
in the nursery of Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton. 
Dendrobium Cassiope 
This very pretty hybrid, the result of a cross 
between D. nobile and D. japonicum, is just now in 
bloom here, and its pretty white blossoms are par¬ 
ticularly welcome at this dull season. It appears to 
be a free bloomer, and its nobile parent has im¬ 
parted its vigorous constitution to it, as it has invari¬ 
ably done when it has been used .—James Brown, 
Arddarroch. 
Cattleya Warocqueana Majestica. 
The autumn flowering Cattleyas have made a fine 
display at Gunnersbury Park, Acton, the seat of 
Messrs, de Rothschild, under the care of Mr. George 
Reynolds. Amongst them was one of particular merit 
and appears to agree pretty closely with the variety 
of the above name, figured some time ago in the 
Lindenia. At all events the stock was obtained from 
the same source, and the variety under notice turned 
up amongst the others, and proves to be a variety of 
particular merit. The sepals and petals are rose- 
coloured, of good substance and the latter are very 
wide. The lip is the most distinct feature of the 
flower and is of a rich crimson purple, the colour 
being carried well down into the throat. It is also 
of handsome proportions, being long, vide, and 
beautifully undulated and crisped at the margins. 
Only one plant in a large batch showed such well 
marked characters, although the others generally are 
showy and satisfactory. 
Cypripedium Leeanum Lowii. 
The varieties of the hybrid C. Leeanum are now 
getting pretty numerous in cultivation, and several 
of them are very fine. That here noted is considered 
one of the best varieties in cultivation when in good 
condition. It may be seen in the nursery of Messrs. 
H. Low & Co., Clapton. The upper sepal is nearly 
orbicular and white with a very small patch of green 
at the base spotted with brown, while the white 
portion is dotted with purple for nearly half way up. 
There is also a deep purple band on the midrib. 
The petals are short, wavy on the edges, and of a 
much deeper shining brown than in the case of 
other varieties. The lip also is of a deep purple- 
brown with a yellow edge running round the mouth 
of the pouch. The petals but more especially the lip 
mark out the variety as something worthy of being 
added to a collection. 
Cypripedium T. B. Haywood 
The flowers of this hybrid are large and light in 
colour, but very pleasing and choice from the fact 
that it shows little of the green colour so charac¬ 
teristic of many of the garden forms of Cypripedium. 
The seed parent was C. superbiens, from which it 
derives its size and general contour, while C. Druryi 
was the pollen parent. The upper sepal is suffused 
with pink on a white ground, and has a deep purple 
midrib like C. Druryi. The petals are spathulate 
and suffused with purple on white, and spotted with 
purple at the base. The lip is also suffused with 
purple on a white ground. It flowers freely and 
lasts a long time in perfection, and is conspicuous in 
a collection of the more common and better known 
kinds. The hybrid originated with Messrs. J. Veitch 
& Sons, Chelsea, with whom we noted it recently. 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN. 
Amaryllis. —Those who possess a good stock of 
bulbs and wish to prolong the season might now 
start a batch of bulbs for early flowering. Select a 
number of the best ripened ones which have been at 
rest for some time, reduce the balls, and repot them 
in good material, consisting chiefly of fibrous loam 
enriched with some well-decayed manure. Press 
the soil very firmly about the roots, and after the 
work is completed place the pots in a warm position 
in the stove or forcing pit. 
Dracaenas. —When Dracaenas are kept in a dry 
atmosphere for lengthened periods of time, the leaves 
are very liable to become infested with thrip. The 
smaller plants can readily be dipped into a pail 
containing some insecticide, and the larger ones 
should be laid on their sides so that a good syringing 
may be given to the underside of the leaves with 
some good and reliable insecticide. 
Plants for Christmas Decorations. —Plants 
intended to be taken into dwelling houses during 
the Christmas season should previously undergo 
some preparation, more especially if the condition of 
the plants after they have been brought back to the 
garden is a matter of consequence. It will consider¬ 
ably assist them by hardening the tissues, if they are 
removed from the stove and placed in a lower 
temperature for a few days prior to their being taken 
to the dwelling houses. This would apply to such 
things as Palms, Dracaenas, Crotons, Pandanus, 
Dieffenbachia, Aralias, Ferns, and other classes of 
plants of a similar nature. 
Show and Fancy Pelargoniums —Trained 
plants of these should now be gone over in order to 
thin out weakly and badly placed shoots. Regulate 
and tie down the remainder. Little water will yet 
be required, but careful attention must be given the 
plants all the same to see that the soil does not get 
too dry, otherwise the roots will suffer. Should 
green fly make its appearance, have the house or 
only the affected plants (if they are few) fumigated 
to check the evil. 
Lilies. —Bulbs of such things as Lilium auratum, 
L. longiflorum, and its variety Harrisii, as well as 
L. speciosum and its varieties should be potted up 
when received. Use a compost of loam and peat in 
about equal proportions, with plenty of silver sand to 
ensure its porosity. Stand the pots in a cool place 
secure from frost, and withhold water until growth 
has fairly commenced. 
Aspidistra lurida— -Plants of this as well as 
its variegated variety that are getting too large to be 
convenient for decorative purposes, may be broken 
up into desirable sized pieces and put into pots that 
will conveniently hold the roots without over¬ 
crowding. 
Vines. —If the Vines in the earliest house are 
now shooting into growth, which they should be if 
they have been properly treated during the mild 
weather of the past six weeks, the temperature 
should be gradually increased, so that by the time 
the bunches are showing the minimum night tem¬ 
perature should be kept at 65°. The amount of rise 
that may be given during the day will depend on the 
nature of the weather and the clearness of the sky or 
otherwise. In dull and cloudy weather it would be 
unadvisable to maintain a high temperature. Con¬ 
tinue to syringe the Vines lightly until the bunches 
are getting well advanced. 
Oranges. —Trees on which fruit is still hanging 
may be placed in a Vinery where fruit is hang¬ 
ing. The conditions will be favourable till such 
times as the Oranges are wanted for use. Provided 
they are not all used up at Christmas they can be 
kept in a juicy state for several weeks longer under 
the same conditions. 
Strawberries. —Those who have Strawberries in 
fruit intended for Christmas will do well to treat 
them with great judgment and care, otherwise the 
crop at this season of the year is uncertain and pre¬ 
carious. Maintain a minimum temperature of 55 0 , 
not allowing it to rise much higher, for by that 
means the fruit will keep better. Great fluctuations 
often cause the fruit to decay when it should be in 
its prime. Maintain a dry atmosphere and ventilate 
judiciously. 
Fruit trees and rabbits. —Should we receive a 
visitation presently of severe weather with snow, in 
rabbit-infested localities much damage may be done 
to fruit trees in orchards by the barking of the trees 
