December 25, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
263 
and keep them moderately dry, this will generally 
have the desired effect. When they have started 
give them water to help them to develop. Some 
grow this variety or species very well in the Cattleya 
house, but I think, where possible, it should have a 
few more degrees of heat when growing freely. 
Suspended in pans in the warmest division it 
seems to produce the best results. The usual com¬ 
post, peat and moss, grows it well. 
Work in the Houses. —Fay particular attention 
to the giving of air, regulating the temperatures, 
damping down, &c. Always remember that an 
excess of either is most harmful ; at the same time 
avoid low temperatures. Anything below the figures 
given in a previous calendar would be dangerous.— 
C. 
THE FLOWER GARSEN. 
December has greeted us in rather stormy fashion, 
and work out of doors has, as a consequence, been 
very greatly hindered, for with the soil wet and 
sodden it is impossible to move about upon it much. 
Leaves and portions of branches, dead or otherwise, 
strew the ground in all directions, and the broom 
will have to be plied busily if the lawns and terraces 
are to be kept in order. 
The work of collecting and removing the fallen 
leaves from outlying portions of the grounds should 
be prosecuted vigorously, for it is of very little use 
sweeping and cleaning in the more highly kept 
portions of the grounds, while the remoter parts are 
covered with leaves, which every rough wind will 
carry over the whole place. 
Roses. —On very wet and cold soils it will be 
advisable to defer any further planting until spring, 
for the soil will not only work better then, but it will 
be safer for the plants themselves. Meanwhile, all 
necessary precautions should be taken to insure the 
safety of the plants that have been put in already. A 
good mulching of short, well-decayed stable litter is 
the first consideration. This may be given to all the 
Roses with advantage, as well as to the newly planted 
ones. Standards will need to be properly staked and 
secured if they are to pass safely through the ordeal 
of rough winds. A small, neatly twisted band of hay 
should be so placed as to come between the stake 
and the stem of the plant, in order to prevent abrasion 
of the latter. 
Covering Tea Roses.— Although we have not as 
yet had enough of winter to do harm to the Teas, it 
will be necessary in the midland and northern coun¬ 
ties to give them protection against cold, and this 
should be seen to as soon as occasion offers. Dry 
bracken, and heather are both very suitable covering 
materials, and as one or the other can be obtained by 
many gardeners for the trouble of cutting and carry¬ 
ing, the cost is very low. 
Helleborus niger.— In order to prevent the 
flowers from becoming splashed by mud during 
heavy rainfalls, it will be well to cover the Christmas 
Roses with large bell-glasses or handlights. The 
square Cauliflower lights come in very handy for this 
purpose, and if they are not otherwise engaged, may 
well be thus utilised. Where the plants are growing 
in the wild garden, beneath the partial shade of trees, 
they may generally be left to take care of themselves, 
for the fallen leaves protect them from the washing 
up of the soil. 
The Herbaceous Border should now be finally 
put to rights for the winter. All remains of last 
summer’s growth should be cleared away and burned, 
stakes removed, tied up in bundles and placed in 
safety, and labels properly inserted opposite their 
respective plants. After all rubbish is cleared, the 
border should be forked neatly over. 
Moutan Paeonies.— TheTreeor Moutan Paeonies 
when grown in beds by themselves in sheltered parts 
of the garden are very effective. They require some 
protection during the winter, and this may be best 
given in the form of a heavy mulching. Dead snags 
or portions of branches may be cut off at the same 
time 
Christmas is now upon us, and quantities of ever¬ 
greens of all sorts are required for decorating. A look 
round the shrubberies should be given so as to deter¬ 
mine from whence the required material may best be 
taken. In many cases shrubberies may be improved ty 
a little thinning out or regulation ol growth. Where 
nicely coloured sprays and foliage of Mahonia Aqui- 
folium is in request, it will be as well to take a few 
plants and cut them close to the ground, for they will 
throw up again from the stools next year. 
Border Carnations, which were transferred to 
their flowering quarters about the middle of October, 
should be closely watched. Rabbits and sparrows 
will often mutilate the foliage and practically cripple 
the plants. Where the plants are in a part of the 
garden open to the encroachments of rabbits, it may 
be worth while to enclose the beds with inch mesh 
wire, whilst an occasional shot will tend to keep off 
the sparrows. After periods of frost, the plants 
should be looked over, and any that have been 
partially lifted out of the ground, pressed back again. 
A changeful winter, with variations of frost, snow, 
rain, fog, and cold winds is exceedingly perilous 
experience for border Carnations.— A. S. G. 
- •*« - 
(gleanings JDurlfo 
of ©tiencq, 
Cyclamen with leafy flower stems.—Some 
flowers picked from a batch of Cyclamens were sent 
us by Mr. A. Pentney, The gardens, Worton Hall, 
Isleworth. The scapes were rather stouter than 
usual, and surmounted by a solitary bud or open 
flower, below which two or three leaves seemed to 
be given off at short intervals from the scape. 
Examination of the same showed that the petioles of 
the leaves were amalgamated with the flower scapes. 
This state of matters had arisen at a very early 
stage of growth, the leaves and scapes, owing appar¬ 
ently to vigour of growth, being unable to separate 
in the usual way at the point of origin on the crown 
of the corm. Whether a strain of plantshaving this 
characteristic would possess any decorative value 
would depend upon the size and quality of the 
flowers, as well as their numbers on a plant. Seem¬ 
ingly, the flower scapes would be stronger, but it 
must be remembered that they have the additional 
weight of the leaves to support, though the latter are 
considerably smaller than the radical ones. 
--- 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The awards mentioned below were made by the 
Royal Horticultural Society on the 14th inst. 
Orchid Committee. 
Calanthe Harrisii.— The flowers of this hybrid 
are of great size and substance. At a short distance 
off they appear pure white, but there is a pink tint on 
the back of the segments. The plant shown by J. 
T. Bennett Pee, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Downes),Holme- 
wood, Cheshunt, was of small size and flowering for 
the first time, so that when more fully developed it 
will produce large spikes of magnificent flowers. 
First-class Certificate. 
Cypripedium Aeson giganteum. Nov. hyb. var .— 
The upper sepal of this splendid variety is of great 
size, orbicular, apple-green on the lower portion and 
richly blotched with brown, while the upper area is 
pure white. The petals are light brown, and the lip, 
which has a wide open mouth, is dark brown. The 
parents of this striking hybrid were C. insigne and C. 
Drurii, the latter being the pollen bearer. It is half 
as big again as C. Aeson, if not more. Award of 
Merit. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Chelsea. 
Laelia anceps Mrs. de B. Crawshay. Nov. vav. 
—The sepals and petals of this beautiful variety are 
rich purple with deeper tips. The lip and the side 
lobes are rich crimsoD, while the throat is lined with 
crimson. Award of Merit. De B. Crawshay, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. S. Cooke), Rosefield, Sevenoaks. 
Laelia Briseis. Nov. hyb.— This choice and 
beautifully distinct thing was obtained from L. cinna- 
barina harpophylla crossed with L. purpurata. The 
lanceolate sepals and petals are of a deep apricot, 
fading almost white with age along the centre. The 
lip is similar in size and form to that of L. harpo¬ 
phylla, but is nearly white, with two or three purple 
splashes on the lamina. Award of Merit. Mr. James 
Douglas, Edenside, Great Bockham, Surrey. 
TrichopiliA brevis. —The sepals and petals of this 
distinct species are revolute at the edges, and deep 
chestnut, with yellow tips and fainter bars across 
them. The lip is suddenly very much expanded 
above the short tube, and is white with a lemon tube, 
Aw’ard of Merit. Sir. F. Wigan (grower, Mr. W. H. 
Young), Clare Lawn, East Sheen. 
Laelia pumila praestans. —The sepals and broad, 
elliptic petals of this variety are lilac-rose. The tube 
is nearly white externally and yellow internally. The 
lamina and the side lobes are of an intense crimson- 
purple. Award of Merit. R. W. Richards, Esq., 
The Priory, Usk. 
Laelia rubescens. —This dainty little species has 
suborbicular and compressed pseudo-bulbs from 
which the flower scapes rise to a height of 1 ft. bear¬ 
ing six or eight lilac flowers, having a crimson blotch 
in the throat of the lip. The species is also known 
as L. peduncularis, both names being given by Dr. 
Lindley. Award of Merit. Walter C. Walker, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. Geo. Cragg), Percy Lodge, Winch- 
more Hill; and Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (grower 
Mr. W. H. White), Burford Lodge, Dorking. 
Calanthe Sanguinaria. —The flowers of this fine 
hybrid are blood red, with paler tips to the sepals, 
and a darker crimson blotch in the throat. Award of 
Merit. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. 
Calanthe burfordiense. —In this case the sepals 
are of an intense rose, while the petals are carmine. 
The lip possesses a mixture of bo'.h these colours, 
intensified at the base. Award of Merit. Sir Trevor 
Lawrence, Bart. 
C. Veitchi splendens. —A large batch of this 
variety was shown by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart , 
bearing long, arching spikes of rich carmine-rose 
flowers. Award of Merit. 
Laelia lindleyano elegans. Nov. hyb. —The 
parentage of the hybrid is rather complicated, and 
might be described as having originated from Brassio- 
laelia lindleyana, crossed with the pollen of Laelio- 
cattleya elegans. The sepals and lanceolate petals 
are acuminate and creamy-white. The tube of the 
lip is blush, with a lemon blotch on the side lobes ; 
while the lamina is crimson-purple. The broad claw 
of the lip is unfolded at the sides and recalls the 
influence of Brassia. The clavate stems are 3 in. to 
8 in. in length. Award of Merit. Sir Trevor 
Lawrence, Bart. 
Masdevallia corniculata.— The flowers of this 
species have a tube similar in style to M. Reichen- 
bachii, and are orange-red externally, but more 
inclined to yellow internally. The tails are yellow. 
Botanical Certificate. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. 
Cirrhopetalum Medusae. —The flowers of this 
singular looking Orchid are small individually, but 
they are produced in dense clusters or heads. They 
are white, marked with purple spots and furnished 
with tails about 35 in. in length. A Botanical Certifi¬ 
cate and a Cultural Commendation were awarded to 
a piece carrying twelve heads, and shown by Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bart. 
Floral Committee. 
Begonia Winter Cheer. —This is one of the new 
winter-flowering race of Begonias, and a very fine 
thing it is with large and often semi-double flowers. 
It was raised from a tuberous variety crossed with 
the pollen of B. socotrana, between which it is 
perfectly intermediate. The leaves are cordate- 
orbicular, with overlapping auricles, but three or 
more times as large as those of B. sccotrana. The 
plant has the habit of the well-known \donis, and 
bears rosy-carmine flowers in large cymes at the top 
of the stems which are only about 12 in. high. They 
often have a rosette of small petals in the centre, and 
are both showy and durable. Award of Merit. Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd. 
Fruit and Vegetable Committee. 
Celery Solid White.— This has been on trial at 
Chiswick, and was brought up to the Drill Hall for 
inspection. The leaf stalks are white and of good 
flavour. The crown of the rootstock, that is, the 
only real portion of stem is much more largely 
developed than in ordinary varieties of Celery and 
being white, solid, of nutty and excellent flavour, it 
makes good eating ; hence the name above given. 
Award of Merit. Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading. 
Pear President Barabe.— The flesh of this late 
keeping variety is white, very tender, juicy, melting, 
and of excellent flavour; for it took the first prize 
for flavour in the usual competition. The fruit is 
pyriform, and the skin russetty-yellow. It may be 
classed, therefore, as a good variety for December 
and Christmas. Award of Merit. Lord Suffield 
(gardener, Mr. W. Allan), Gunton Park, Norwich. 
