424 
March 4, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Orchids at 8elwood. 
The principal feature in Mr. G. D. Owen’s fine 
collection at the present time is the display of rare 
and beautiful Dendrobiums, namely, D Owenianum 
(Linnawianum majus x Wardianum). The flowers, 
which are borne in bunches, are nearly 4 in. across, 
the sepals and petals white heavily tipped with rosy 
crimson. It is a very charming novelty and sweetly 
scented. Close by are well-flowered plants of D. 
Ainsworthi, Leechianum, Dominianum, a curious 
and pale form of D. nobile flowering from imported 
bulbs. D. Wardianum and nobile have made fine 
growths and beautify the house with their profusion 
of flowers. The well-flowered Lycaste Skinnerialba 
with twenty flowers deserve special mention ; indeed, 
the plant is a masterpiece of culture. Other note¬ 
worthy plants in flower were several fine forms of 
Cattleya Trianse, Oncidium ampliatum majus, the 
charming Sophronitis grandiflora with their bright 
sparkling flowers, Cypripedium Calypso, C. 
GodsefAanum, C. Lathamianum, and other sterling 
hybrids. Cool house Orchids are not quite so 
largely represented ; still, I noted several good forms 
of O. triumphans, O. Pescatorei, the rare and 
beautiful Oncidium lamelligerum, Odontoglossum 
Rossi majus, several exceedingly pretty forms. The 
collection of Orchids at Selwood is only of recent 
formation, and is improving under the careful 
management of Mr. Watts, the gardener.— E. 
Dendrobium Wardianum album 
Calling at Mr. R. Lee’s, Audenshaw, near Man¬ 
chester, the other day I noticed an unusually well 
grown plant of Dendrobium Wardianum album in 
flower. Mr. Lee is well-known to be an ardent 
collector of choice Dendrobiums, and his collection 
contains many gems of great value. The plants are 
remarkably well grown and well set with buds.— E. 
Maxillaria Sanderiana. 
A fine batch of this grand Orchid is now in flower 
at Messrs. Charlesworth, Shuttleworth & Co.’s 
Nursery, Heaton, Bradford. It appears the plants 
have to grow strong and become well-established 
before they will flower ; and they seem to thrive 
best in teakwood baskets in a compost of fibrous 
peat and sphagnum Moss. During the summer 
months they delight in a copious supply of clean 
soft-water; during the winter months, however, they 
require less moisture. 
NEW ORCHIDS CERTIFICATED. 
Cymbidium grandiflorum. 
The leaves of this grand Cymbidium measure 2 ft. to 
2J ft. in length and are linear, deep green, and 
marked with greenish-yellow veins. The scape bears 
four to six huge flowers. The sepals and petals are lan¬ 
ceolate-oblong, acute, and vary from pale to a deep 
green. The most conspicuous feature ©f the flower 
is the large lip, which is well expanded, three-lobed t 
and creamy-white, deepening to yellow round the 
margin, which is also marked with a line of brownish- 
purple spots ; there are a few crimson spots over the 
central area The margins are boldly undulated and 
the side lobes are ovate, acute, ciliated, and creamy- 
white, spotted with crimson. The column is pale 
yellow, thinly marked with brownish-crimson on the 
back, and densely spotted all over the face. All who 
see it acknowledge the boldness and beauty of this 
rare Orchid, which was exhibited by Messrs. F. Ross 
& Co., Merstham Nurseries, Surrey, and received a 
First-class Certificate. 
Phaius amabilis. 
In this we have a new and distinct type of hybrid 
raised from Phaius grandifolius crossed with the 
pollen of P. tuberculosus. The leaves are lanceolate, 
plicate, 12 in. to 18 in. long, but as a rule falling 
short of the latter figure, and therefore comparable 
to those of the pollen parent. The sepals and petals 
are lanceolate, white externally and flesh-coloured 
internally. The lip is relatively short, emarginate, 
with a rosy lamina more or less marbled with purple ; 
the side lobes on the other hand are brownish-purple, 
shaded with crimson and pubescent. The dwarf 
habit of the plant, the shortness of the lip and the 
rosy and purple shades of the latter show the 
influence of the pollen parent rather forcibly. It 
may be described as neat, novel, and pretty, and was 
awarded a First class Certificate. Exhibited by 
Mes&rs. James Veitch & Sons. 
Dendrobium Owenianum. ( See page 417). 
The stems of this Dendrobium vary from 12 in. to 
16 in. in height and consist of numerous rather com¬ 
pressed internodes, swollen or dilated towards the 
top of each. The younger stems bear leaves in 
greater or less quantity as in D. nobile. with flowers 
in clusters of one or two. The plant itself is a 
hybrid obtained between D. Linawianum majus and 
a fine variety of D. Wardianum, and was raised by 
Norman C. Cookson, Esq., Oakwood, Wylam-on- 
Tyne. The sepals are oblong, white and purple for 
half their length from the apex downwards ; the petals 
are oblong-ovate, white with purple tips. The lip 
recalls that of D. Wardianum, but smaller, and the 
maroon blotch is smaller merging into yellow, beyond 
which is a broad white band and the apex purple. A 
large and well flowered plant of it was shown, and a 
First-class Certificate was accorded it. 
Dendrobium nobile Amesiae 
Numerous varieties of D. nobile have been brought 
forward from time to time for recognition, but it is 
some time since a prettier or more distinct one has 
been brought before the public for the first time. 
The sepals are oblong, the petals much broader, and 
all are pure white. The lip is also white with excep¬ 
tion of a clear and rich purple blotch in the throat, 
which with the purple anther cap, shows off the 
purity of the rest of the flower to advantage. An 
Award of Merit was accorded it. 
Lselia hybrida Maynardii. 
The seed parent of this hybrid Laelia was L. pumila 
Dayana, and the pollen parent Cattleya Walkeriana 
dolosa. The progeny as might be expected is dw'arf, 
the pseudo-bulbs being clavate, slender, and only 2 
in. to 3 in. high, bearing at the apex, one or two, 
short, oblong, leathery, dark green leaves. The 
spreading sepals, are oblong-lanceolate and pale 
purple with deeper veins. The spathulate petals 
are several shades darker with a corresponding 
venation. The lip is three lobed with an orbicular, 
bifid lamina, that is of an intense purple with 
crimson veins towards the base; the side lobes are 
also of a dark purple, rounded, and there are purple 
veins on a paler ground in the throat. An Award 
of Merit was granted it. Both the Laelia and the 
two Dendrobiums above described were exhibited by 
Messrs. F. Sander and Co., St. Albans. 
Diuris maculata. 
Like all the rest of the genus, this singular looking 
species belongs to Australia. A short way off it re¬ 
sembles a species of Cuphea owing to the prominence 
of the petals wh ; ch are larger than the sepals, and 
yellow with long black claw's. The upper sepal is 
roundish and yellow with two black spots at the 
base. The lateral sepals on the contrary are linear, 
and brownish black with greenish tips constituting 
the tails, indicated by the specific name. The small 
three lobed lip is yellow with black spots on the 
middle lobe, with a single spot on the tip of the 
longer lateral lobes. It is very rare in this country 
in a living state. A Botanical Certificate was 
awarded this as well as to Eria barbata. Both were 
sent over from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasne- 
vin, by the Curator, F. W. Moore, Esq. 
_ , _ 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN. 
Rondeletia speciosa.— As a rule this plant is 
treated by gardeners in a half-hearted way. In¬ 
stead of cutting back the straggling shoots, or, in 
fact, pruning the plant into shape at the proper sea¬ 
son, they simply allow the plant to grow much as it 
likes, and then adopt the unnatural method of tying 
the plant into orthodox form. More satisfactory re¬ 
sults are obtained by a free use of the knife ; this 
should be done at once, and the young shoots that 
arise pinched in the course of eight or ten weeks to 
make them break freely. 
Ixoras.—If not already done, lose no time in 
having all the last year’s shoots cut back to the hard 
wood. Young plants are more desirable than old 
ones, so that by raising a few young ones every year 
a few of the old ones may be discarded, retaining 
only the best-conditioned for the supply of cut 
bloom. Young plants that will produce six to nine 
trusses of bloom, will be most serviceable for decor¬ 
ative purposes. 
Medinilla magnifica.—As the flower buds com¬ 
mence to swell up and show the colour bracts, assist 
the plants with liberal supplies of water and fre¬ 
quent doses of weak liquid manure. Mealy bug is a 
most troublesome pest to this plant, secreting itself 
amongst the bracts and young unexpanded flowers. 
Therefore look sharply after it and prevent its in¬ 
crease by frequently syringing the buds forcibly in 
such a way as to dislodge the bug. 
Erantherruims.—Several of the species of Eran- 
themum are pretty and interesting for autumn 
flowering, including E. pulchellum, E. Andersoni, E. 
albifiorum, and others. Cuttings taken and rooted 
now will make useful and vigorous plants for decor¬ 
ative purposes next autumn and winter. 
Winter-flowerng Heaths, &c.— All the Heaths 
and Epacris that have finished flowering should be 
cut hard back, if not already done, and placed in heat 
to encourage them to make a good and early start. 
Keep them moderately dry at the roots till their 
buds commence to swell up again. Frequent syring¬ 
ing will encourage the process considerably. The 
object is to get them to ripen their wood early, and 
plump up their buds before autumn. 
Gladioli. —Take the first opportunity when the 
soil is in a suitably dry condition to plant out all the 
small corms that are usually considered worthless 
for flowering. By thus giving them a long season 
for growth, some of the very smaller ones will pro¬ 
duce strong-flowering spikes by August or September, 
according to the part of the country in which they 
are grown. A batch of full-sized corms may be put 
in boxes in a compost consisting largely of decayed 
manure and leaf soil, and started in a moderate 
temperature. Harden off and plant out in May. 
Melons.—It would be unwise to stimulate the 
plants into rapid growth unless we get more 
favourable weather. A temperature of 65° to 70° 
from fire heat will be quite sufficient until the out¬ 
side air is sufficiently genial to admit of free venti¬ 
lation, otherwise the plants will get drawn and 
spindly. Syringing should be discontinued, except 
on fine days, till the young plants are thoroughly 
established in the soil. 
Cucumbers.—The increasing light and longer 
days are telling upon old plants where they have 
been carefully managed. Continue to remove all 
supernumerary fruits, so as not to overtax the plants. 
Give a plentiful supply of moisture and ventilation 
when the sky is bright overhead. A night tempera¬ 
ture of 70° with io° or 15 0 of a rise during the day 
will be sufficient for the present. Young plants 
should not, however, be urged on too rapidly. 
Rhubarb. — Take advantage of an early oppor¬ 
tunity to make any fresh plantations of Rhubarb 
that may be required. Trench deeply, using a 
liberal quantity of manure, and plant the divisions 
in lines about 3J ft. apart, and 3 ft. from plant to 
plant. A little loose manure may be thrown over 
the crowns to shelter the young growth. 
Asparagus.—Do not miss an opportunity of 
getting ready the ground for the planting of Aspara¬ 
gus in April. Trench 3 ft. deep if the soil will per¬ 
mit of it and work in a liberal amount of manure. 
Where the natural soil is heavy and inclined to clay 
it should be taken out or at least the lower portion 
of it, and the remainder improved by incorporating 
with it old soil from under the benches, leaf soil and 
any light, rich material that may be at command. 
Quesnons add snsoieRs. 
*.* 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." 
Black Currants not fruiting.— G. L. S. : 
From the descriptions which you give of certain of 
your Black Currants not fruiting we have little 
doubt but that they are attacked by the Currant-bud 
mite (Phytoptus Ribis), and if so the sooner you 
root them up and burn them the better. Examine 
the bushes to see whether the buds are now swollen 
up and globular, resembling Peas. If so, the mite 
is there, and you will never get any fruit. See p. 407 
of last week's issue. 
Rain water from roof. — G. L. S. : When it 
commences to rain there will no doubt be a flush of 
sooty water until the roof gets partly cleansed. 
If you could run this off down a drain pipe for five 
or ten minutes when it commences to rain, the dirty 
water would mostly be carried away. A little soot 
in the water would not hurt your plants in any way, 
and we believe the soot would settle sufficiently to 
enable you to take out what would be necessary for 
syringing purposes. Surely the chimney of your 
furnace would not throw out so much soot as to 
make the water collected from the roof detrimental 
for syringing. By running off the sooty water in the 
way above-mentioned, and occasionally cleaning out 
the tank itself, you can keep the water relatively 
clean. 
