280 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 31, 1892. 
disadvantage about proceeding in this way, that it 
throws the work on to a season which is always a 
busy one in the garden, and to that many object. 
Those who prune early adopt the practice of 
making a kind of paint which they lay upon the 
branches of the trees. They take lime and soot, 
double the quantity of the latter to the former, mix 
them together with water, and then add sufficient 
clay to make a fairly thick paint, and with this they 
paint over the branches of their Gooseberry trees, 
doing this two or three times at least, and the birds 
rarely attack the trees so painted. There is probably 
a bitterness about the taste of buds so treated which 
is objectionable to the bullfinches. Some who do 
not dress their trees in this way or take any 
precautions to guard against the destruction of buds 
by birds simply defer pruning until March, trusting 
to good fortune to give them a crop of Gooseberries. 
Many Gooseberry trees are left far too much 
crowded with wood, and especially is this true of 
cottage and farmhouse gardens. It is a great mistake 
to have the trees too much crowded, as the fruit is 
generally small upon neglected trees, and when they 
are crowded with branches it is very difficult to 
gather the berries. The London market gardeners 
prune somewhat severely, as if cognisant of the 
value of light and air circulating among the branches. 
They thin out the old wood, and of the young 
growths they leave the leading ones that will be 
fruitful, shortening back all side growths to one 
or two eyes. 
We are to a large extent wedded to the type of 
bush tree; but the trellis method of growing Goose¬ 
berries is one so highly spoken of by those who 
adopt it that one wonders it is not more generally 
followed. I was on one occasion in a garden near Not¬ 
tingham,where all the Gooseberries were grown in this 
way, and being there just as the fruit was ripening, 
I was struck with the remarkable crops of fine fruit. 
All parts of the trees were in full bearing, and no part 
appeared to be hidden from the effects of sunshine 
and air, and the gardener said that for some reason 
the trellis trees were not nearly so much robbed of 
their buds by birds as the bush trees next the walks. 
The branches were trained horizontally and the line 
of trellis presented a remarkable sight to view while 
the trees were laden with fruit.— R. D. 
THE vegetable: garden. 
Early Vegetables. 
The new year is now close upon us, and during the 
next month a good few vegetables must be sown in 
heat for the early supply. A few Cucumber seeds 
can be sown at once in some light soil, one seed in 
the centre of thumb-pots. Allow the seeds to just 
start into growth, and then care must be taken to 
keep the young plants near the glass, orHhey will 
become drawn. One or two of the earliest varieties 
of Lettuce should be sown thinly in pans or boxes, 
and placed near the glass in a newly-started vinery 
or Peach house. A sowing of one of the early 
forcing Cauliflowers should also be made as advised 
for Lettuce. These may be potted, when large 
enough, in small pots, and then potted on into 48’s 
or 32's, and put out of these into the open ground at 
the end of March, or early in April. Some hotbeds 
should be built up with a good proportion of leaves, 
oak leaves if possible, for the early Potatos, Carrots, 
and Radishes. The seed Potatos for early frames 
may be placed in boxes in the early vinery in a little 
leaf-soil ; they will then be ready for planting when 
the hotbeds are fit to receive them.— G. H. S. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS, 
Cypripedium Cardinale. 
The contrast between the dark lip and the rest of 
the flower makes this hybrid a favourite with 
growers. Its parentage is rather complicated from 
the fact that it was raised from C. Sedenii, itself a 
hybrid, crossed with C. Shlimii albiflorum. The 
dark colour of the lip is the more surprising con¬ 
sidering that the white variety was used as the pollen 
parent. The parentage of C. Sedenii is also some¬ 
what complicated, inasmuch as the reciprocal cross 
between two species was made. In like manner we 
find variations in C. cardinale, and although none 
of them are really bad flowers, yet some of them 
are so good as to make the others appear bad by 
comparison. We noted a very fine one in the nursery 
of Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton. The upper 
sepal was white or faintly tinted with blush. The 
petals had a rosy edge and similarly coloured hairs 
at the base. The lip was of an intense rosy-carmine 
and somewhat paler inside of the pouch, and its 
high-class quality could be best seen by comparison 
with another variety alongside of it. 
Cypripedium Chamberlainianum. 
There are good and bad varieties of this recently 
introduced species, and although some of them are 
rather dull in colour, they are all interesting from 
their peculiar quaintness, and are certainly distinct 
from those of any other species in cultivation. There 
are some beautiful varieties in the large collection of 
Messrs. H. Low & Co., Clapton, where the importa¬ 
tions of it are extensive. The upper lip of the finer 
ones has a two-lobed black blotch, with three to four 
black lines radiating from each. The horizontal, 
tvusted petals are conspicuously ciliated on the 
margins, greenish yellow and spotted with crimson. 
The lip is bright purple from the number of spots 
on it, and pale yellow round the mouth of the pouch. 
The darker varieties are considered the best of this 
species. 
Laelia anceps Morada. 
This fine variety has been named after the locality 
from whence it was obtained, and has large, richly- 
coloured flowers. The sepals and petals are bright 
purple. The lip is of an intense purple especially 
the terminal lobe, with a bright yellow ridge along 
the centre. The segments, but more especially the 
sepals and petals, are unusually long, although 
neither are remarkable for breadth. A large piece of 
it was flowering recently in the establishment of 
Messrs. H. Low & Co., Clapton. 
Cattleya labiata alba. 
In reference to the paragraph on p. 264 of our last 
issue we now learn from M. Lucien Linden, 
Brussels, that there already exist several plants of 
this beautiful white Cattleya under the name of C. 
Warocqueana alba. We are informed that the first. 
white variety flowered with M. Warocque, at Marie- 
mont, in January, 1891, as recorded in the Journal 
des Orchidees for March 1st of that year. It was 
pure white without any admixture of rose, and was 
the admiration of all amateurs who saw it. In the 
same journal for the 1st of March, 1892, we learn 
that two specimens of the white Cattleya flowered in 
England in the course of 1891—one of them with J. 
Connell, Esq , of Bushy Down, Tooting, and the 
other with C. Ingram, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Bond), of 
Godaiming. The first plant was bought directly 
from L’Horticulture Internationale, Brussels, and 
the second was bought at a sale from the same estab¬ 
lishment at Stevens’ Rooms, Covent Garden. The 
last-named piece was obtained by the division of a 
piece which flowered in 1891 in the noted establish¬ 
ment at Brussels. 
Dendrobium Treacherianum. 
The flowers of this species are very different from 
those of any we have seen in cultivation, and are 
borne in racemes. The sepals are lanceolate, long- 
pointed, the petals linear, and all are pale rose with 
a slightly darker mid-rib. The lip is three-lobed, 
the side lobes and the basal portion being of an 
intense crimson ; the terminal lobe is relatively large, 
flat, ovate, acutely pointed, and rose, with a deeper 
band in the centre. It received a Botanical Certifi¬ 
cate at the last meeting of the Orchid Committee 
when shown by W. E. Brymer, Esq. (gardener, Mr. 
J. Powell), Puddletown, Dorchester. 
Pleurothallis punctulata. 
The leaves of this curious and interesting species 
are oblong-lanceolate, leathery, and of a deep green, 
but hoary and powdery on the under-surface. While 
still quite young, the upper surface is also covered 
with this hoary powder, which disappears as the 
leaves get old. The stems are very slender, about 
6 in. long, and bear a solitary leaf each. The dorsal 
sepal is oblong, straw-yellow, and punctated with 
crimson ; the lower sepals are much broader and 
oval, but similarly coloured. The petals are linear, 
very small, and heavily spotted with crimson. The 
lip is concave, three-lobed, the side lobes being very 
small, and the whole is of a deep crimson, or almost 
black. A Botanical Certificate was awarded it when 
shown at the last meeting of the Orchid Committee, 
by R. J. Measures, Esq. (gardener, Mr. H. Simpkins), 
Camberwell. 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN, 
Eupatoriums.—Even when kept under moderately 
cool conditions, the flowers of E. riparium will now 
be fit to supply the place of E. odoratum, now 
mostly out of season. E. Weinmannianum will not 
flower for some time, but should be kept close to 
the glass to prevent it becoming drawn. Both 
species are thirst)' plants, and require large supplies 
of water to keep their foliage in a healthy condition. 
Tney would also be benefited by weak liquid manure 
till the flowers expand. 
Nerines.—Late potted bulbs of this genus, and 
which are now pushing up their flower spikes, should 
be kept as near the glass as possible, and not hurried 
on too rapidly by hard forcing, otherwise the flowers 
will be small and of short duration. 
Gladioli.—If a batch is potted now, the plants 
can be brought into bloom very early compared with 
those in the open ground. Single corms when of 
large size should be potted singly in 48-size pots, 
and placed on the shelves of a greenhouse or other 
structure in which forcing is not being carried on. 
The beautiful varieties of G. Colvillei may be potted 
at the same time, putting three corms in the pot, or 
five in a 32-size pot. 
Auriculas.—The weather having been so mild 
hitherto, all that requires to be done is to keep the 
frames well ventilated, so as to render the plants as 
sturdy as possible. Remove decayed leaves from 
the crown at frequent intervals Should the weather 
continue as open as it has been, the plants will soon 
commence growing if they have not done so already. 
This is undesirable at this early period, so that on 
all favourable occasions the sashes may be removed 
during the day. 
Pansies and Violas.—Whether the stock is 
grown in pots or planted out in the frames, they will 
be more or less liable to attacks from slugs. In the 
case of valuable and rare sorts it will be worth 
while to go round at nights with a lantern and look 
for the depredators. A large slug will do a con¬ 
siderable amount of mischief in a single night, by 
merely cutting through the slender young shoots. 
Chrysanthemums.—Embrace the first oppor¬ 
tunity of getting some soil under cover, so that it 
may be dry for the potting of the early struck 
cuttings. Other materials should also be got 
together and the whole thoroughly mixed, provided 
it is in a sufficiently dry condition, otherwise it 
should be allowed to lie in a dry place till it becomes 
more workable. The present is an opportune time 
to give some attention to the planting of Chrysan¬ 
themums in the open air. Those who have taken 
the trouble to plant some for that purpose will be 
gratified at the success of the experiment. The past 
three months, however, have been exceptionally 
mild. Still by making a judicious selection of old 
stools of certain suitable varieties, a large quantity 
of useful flowers for cutting may be obtained next 
year. If any spare wall space can be afforded them, 
their success will be rendered more certain. 
Vines.—Grapes that are intended to be kept till 
April or May should be cut from the Vines early in 
January. Previous to this the Grape room should 
receive a thorough overhauling to make it thoroughly 
clean and free from dust. The heating apparatus 
should also be set to work to clear away any damp¬ 
ness that may be in the atmosphere. Then fill the 
bottles with soft rain water, putting a few small 
pieces of charcoal in it. When the Grapes are cut, 
prune the Vines and keep the latter perfectly at rest 
for the next two or three months, by ventilating 
freely and keeping the temperature low. 
Raspberries.—The plantations of this fruit 
should have been made in October or November, 
but it may still be done where necessary. 
Plantations should be made on well trenched and 
highly manured ground. Old plantations should 
also be put in order by cutting away the old stems 
w'here they still remain, thinning out the w'eak and 
useless canes and tying the rest up. Some prefer to 
shorten the canes at once, but other gardeners think 
that when cut at this season of the year they are 
liable to be injured by frost. Give the ground a good 
mulching of well decayed manure or decayed 
vegetable mould. 
Red and Black Currants.—Both Red and 
White Currants should be spur pruned, cutting 
back all the young growths to within half an inch 
of the base, with exception of the terminal shoots 
