December 31, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
276 
Passing through the central house I specially noted 
some very fine specimens of Kentia Fosteriana 20 ft. 
high, splendidly furnished; a beautiful piece of 
Latania borbonica variegata ; a noble lot of tree 
ferns, Dicksonia antarctica. and others with stems 
from 20 ft. to 30 ft. high; some twenty or more 
species of Cycads, in fine plants, and a new and rare 
form of Araucaria Rulei named trifraska. The 
other houses are filled as follows :—One is filled with 
Araucarias, a splendid lot, and a most pleasing sight. 
A. excelsa compacta is the favourite. No. 2 is 
mainly filled with Zamias, and Mr. Manda is 
specially proud of a big stock of Zamia Lindeni, a 
re-discovery. No. 3 contains Ficuses in variety; 
and No. 4 Areca lutescens; No. 5 and 7 Kentia 
Belmoreana from 3 ft. to 5 ft. high; No. 6 K. 
Fosteriana in various sizes; No. 8 is the Cocos 
house ; and 9 contains Palms in some 230 species 
and varieties, and many of them rare. I noticed 
Phoenix Robeleni, Areca grandis, Bismarckia nobilis, 
Kentia Drummondi, Calamus Nicholi, and others 
too numerous to mention. No. 10 contains Brome- 
lias and hybrid Anthuriums; and No. 11 is the 
propagating house. No. 12 is devoted to Alocasias 
and Dieffenbachias; and No. 13 to Anthuriums 
exclusively. In No. 14 there is a beautiful collec¬ 
tion of stove plants, including a new Maranta named 
Laggerii after their collector—a very striking plant 
of the form of Zebrina, and darker than Metallica ; 
15 contains Dracaenas; 16, Adiantum Farleyense, 
very fine; and 17 Adiantums in variety. Here I 
came upon the stock of a decided novelty, the 
variegated form of Adiantum cuneatum, in which 
the variegation takes the form of silvery streaks on 
every pinnule; it is very pretty. No. 18 contains 
Pandanads in some dozen ports ; and 19 is devoted 
to Ferns. Here I must mention the rare Pteris 
Wallichiana, a plant that will prove of the greatest 
value to exhibitors, owing to its rapid growth and 
handsome proportions. I saw one specimen which 
was 6 ft. through, with triangular fronds measuring 
30 in. each way—a noble plant. Aspidium virides- 
cens is very striking with its blue sori. I was also 
shown a new Datura named “ Cornucopia,” which 
is similar in habit to the old Datura Knightii with 
double flowers 8-10 in. in length and 5-7 in. across 
the mouth of the corolla, and in colour a beautifu 
French grey, beautifully marbled on the outside with 
regal purple. The flowers are produced at every 
joint, and as many as 300 on a plant. 
Our next visit was to the seed and store rooms, a 
three-storey building 200 ft. by 30 ft , and then 
followed seven large show houses 200 ft. long and 
30 ft. wide, which were recently filled with 35,000 
seedling Chrysanthemums, and which were visited 
in the first week in November by 12,000 persons. 
The ” Mums ” have all now been cleared out and the 
houses filled with Palms, Genistas, Azaleas, and other 
greenhouse plants, and half-hardy subjects that have 
to be given some shelter in winter. Another house 
near at hand is devoted to Latania borbonica only. 
The Orchids. 
A trip “over the hill” brings us to the famed collection 
of Orchids, which is housed in a block of twenty-one 
houses. At this season Orchids are not to be seen 
in all their glory, but an enormous collection like 
this is always interesting. The first houses contain 
mixed collections of Dendrobes, Oncidiums, etc., 
and these having been inspected we enter the famous 
Cypripedium house, which is ion ft. long and 40 ft. 
wide. Messrs. Pitcher & Manda claim to have the 
largest and best collection of Cypripediums in the 
world, which includes some 400 species and varieties, 
and four houses are devoted to their cultivation. 
The centre stage of the large house on November 
29th was a mass of bloom—a sight to be remembered. 
The principal sorts in bloom were C. Harrisianum, 
C. insigne, and C. Spicerianum, and some of the 
pieces of the latter carried from fifty to seventy 
blooms. Many of the firm’s new hybrids were also 
coming into bloom, and there are some most promis¬ 
ing novelties among them. Much time and atten¬ 
tion is devoted to seedling raising, and in one house 
were some 5,000 established seedlings. Other houses 
are devoted to Cattleya Mossise, C. Percivaliana, 
Odontoglossums, Oncidiums, Dendrobes, etc. 
A house is also devoted to Sarracenias, and 
various species cf Nepenthes are also in evidence. 
The firm are hybridising and cross-breeding Nepen¬ 
thes with a view to obtaining varieties with self- 
coloured pitchers, and have already met with some 
success. I saw one of a beautiful rose colour, and 
another yellowish green. Seedling Anthuriums are 
also raised in thousands, and spathes are seen of 
almost every colour and shade. A very pretty form 
had salmon-coloured spathes with a white spadix. 
Anthurium Brownii has very dark spathes, almost 
maroon colour. 
The collection of Orchids is under the charge of 
Mr. Joseph Manda, Jun., and the condition of the 
plants proves his skill as a cultivator. Mr. Manda 
has also achieved great things as a hybridist, and is 
now devoting much attention to the seeding of Den¬ 
drobes, Cattleyas, Phaius, and other Orchids, and 
has nice batches of seedlings coming on. The firm 
employs their own collectors and are consequently in 
receipt of new plants, and Orchids in particular, in 
large quantities. One consignment recently con¬ 
sisted of 115 cases ; and a fine lot of Cattleya choco- 
ensis arrived on the day of my visit.— Am. C <r. 
-— 4 -- 
SCOTTISH NOTES. 
Decorations at Cargilfield, Edinburgh.— 
The large dining hall at the above place was 
decorated on an extensive scale for a concert a week 
ago. To meet the great demand for Chrysanthemum 
blooms, Mr. Cameron turned his inventive ingenuity 
to manufacture flowers from what is known as wood 
wool or shavings, a substance used extensively for 
packing the finer class of confectionery goods, etc. 
His success was so remarkable that the spurious 
flowers could not be distinguished among the 
evergreen leaves from real ones. The pure white 
nature of the material, as well as its fine feathery 
texture, in a special degree fitted it for the purpose, 
and when placed only at a few feet away few indeed 
but specialists could detect their counterfeit char¬ 
acter. On this account, as well as the fact that we 
live in an age of imitation, we doubt not that in some 
measure this material will take the place of the 
Chrysanthemum in similar decorative work when 
Chrysanthemum blooms are scarce. In many 
respects it has a preference, particularly inasmuch 
as it stands with impunity the deleterious fumes of 
. gas and petroleum. 
The interior of the hall is entirely of pitch pine, 
and massive arched couples support the roof. From 
these lamps were suspended among festoons which 
gracefully swept across the arches. On the pine 
cornice round the hall were placed various designs 
and wreaths embellished with the spurious flower. 
Attached to these was a light wreath, which hung 
down between each design in semicircle form. Real 
flowers were occasionally mixed, to make the decep¬ 
tion more perfect, but this was found to be entirely 
unnecessary. Lower down on the wainscotting, 
stars and other designs of real blooms, some of 
which were entirely composed of yellow Pompones, 
showed in splendid effect as they sparkled out from 
among the other evergreens. The windows were 
tastefully decorated ; the higher ones with wheel¬ 
shaped designs, studded with the spurious blooms, 
the lower with triangular designs of leaves only. 
The platform was covered with scarlet cloth, upon 
which fine foliage plants were arranged. The long 
corridor which leads to the hall was also tastefully 
decorated with pot plants. The avenue down to the 
entrance gate was beautifully illuminated with 
numerous lamps suspended from every available 
branch of the trees, which on either side line the 
way. The entire scene throughout presented a 
most pleasing effect, and might well be. designated 
one of those fairy scenes which we so often read of, 
but seldom see realised. 
It is quite unnecessary to say that Mr. Cameron’s 
decorative style and taste not only met with Mr. and 
Mrs. Darnel’s' warmest appreciation, but by the 
entire party they there entertained, and all others 
who had the pleasure of seeing them.— W. C. 
[Our correspondent obligingly sends us a photo¬ 
graph of a wreath in which the ” flowers ” are so 
deceptive as to mislead even good Chrysanthemum 
growers at first sight, and we regret that we cannot 
reproduce it in our columns.— Ed.] 
-- 
Royal Horticultural Society.— We are informed that 
the following dates have been definitely fixed for 
next year’s meetings :—January 17, February 14, 
March 14 and 28, April 11 and 25, May 9 and 25, 26 
(Temple Show), June 6 and 20, July 11 (Chiswick 
Show), July 25, August 8, August 29, 30, and 31, 
September 1 (Agricultural Hall Show), September 
12 and 26, October 10 and 24, November 14 and 28, 
December 12. 
(Meaning# flimit IDmiltr 
uf SrietuT. 
Primula Cockburniana. — New species of Primula 
continue to arrive from China, showing that the 
latter country is really a metropolis for the genus. 
It would be difficult to separate the Chinese and 
Japanese forms into a distinct type separate from 
that of the Himalayan ones, as there are evidently 
similar types in both countries. That under notice 
is similar to P. Poissoni already in this country, but 
differs in the leaves being more slender and almost 
without teeth on the margins in the more slender 
flower stalks and smaller flowers. They all agree 
in having the flowers arranged in tier above tier upon 
the stem in the same way as in the case of P. 
japonica, which is the most familar instance in 
gardens. Now this particular type is represented in 
Japan, China, the Himalayas, and Java. The 
species under notice is perennial, about 4 in. to 12 in. 
high, with two or three superposed whorls of three 
to six flowers each. As recorded in the Journal of 
the Linnean Society , vol.XXlX.,p. 313,the specific name 
x s meant to commemorate H. Cockburn, Esq., and 
the Rev. G. Cockburn, both on service in China, but 
n no way related to one another. Systematic 
botanists may remember that Bauhina was in a 
similar manner named after two gentlemen of the 
iname of Bauhin, both botanists and brothers. 
Forked Stem of Dendrobium Pierardi —It is 
quite a common occurrence for the stems of many 
species of Dendrobium to become branched, but 
that is quite different from forking. While making 
its growth last summer in the gardens at Falkland 
Park, South Norwood Hill, Dendrobium Pierardi 
produced a shoot which forked a short way above 
the base. Each of the forks attained a length of 
5 in., and were about equal in strength and all 
other respects. One of them was slightly twisted at 
the base, but whether the twisting was caused by 
the forking or the latter caused by the twisting was 
not very evident. As there was no evident obstruc¬ 
tion to necessitate twisting, it might be assumed that 
the latter was caused by the forking. 
Sleeplessness in plants. —It is now pretty well 
known that many plants belonging to the Legumi- 
nosae and Oxalidm exhibit the phenomenon termed 
sleep under certain conditions. When the light 
wanes in the evening or at sundown, the leaflets of 
which the leaves are composed fold upwards or 
downwards as the case may be, and close up gene¬ 
rally face to face. When a number of these plants 
are examined on a bright day, it will be seen that (as 
a rule) the leaflets place themselves at such an 
angle that the sun will shine fully upon them. As 
the sun sinks so do the leaflets, until they are per¬ 
fectly closed, exhibiting the phenomenon termed 
sleep. Now should the same plants be examined 
during daylight on a dull day, the leaflets will be 
seen to be fully expanded ; but should the day be 
cloudy throughout, the leaflets in the evening will 
be found either fully expanded or imperfectly closed 
and sleepless so to speak. The cause of this would 
be the result of the feeble light during the day, and 
which had rendered the leaves so dormant, or their 
functions so inactive, that they are less sensitive to 
the waning light, and consequently do not exhibit 
the phenomenon of sleep. Fancifully this might be 
compared to sleeplessness in animals which have not 
had proper exercise during the day, and consequently 
cannot sleep. The actual causes are different in the 
two cases; but the results are very similar, considered 
in the light that they cannot, or do not, go to rest 
properly.— J. F. 
Saline air and Orchids. —It has sometimes 
been considered that a saline air must be suitable 
for many Orchids, particularly those which naturally 
grow upon islands and the sea-board of continents 
coming under the influence of the sea breezes. To 
test this a well-known amateur of Ghent, M. A. Van 
Imschoot, as recorded in Le Journal des Orchidces, 
made some experiments in his Orchid houses. He 
made use of salt water to damp the pathways, as 
well as for damping the ribs of tobacco placed over 
the hot-water pipes. The results obtained' were 
stated to be excellent. It may be within the 
remembrance of Orchid growers in this country 
that many of the continental growers place Tobacco 
leaves or their ribs upon the hot-water pipes and 
wet them, so that the vapour arising therefrom may 
be charged with the odour of Tobacco for tha 
purpose of keeping greenfly in check. 
