January 15, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
311 
spotted, while the variety is heavily spotted with 
brown. Rather a distinct thing is C. J. Bartels, 
which is the offspring of C. callosum illustre crossed 
with the pollen of C. villosum Boxallii superbum. 
C. Mrs. Botterill was raised at Falkland Park, and 
is a beautiful hybrid between C. lathamianum and 
C. savageanum superbum, both parents being them¬ 
selves hybrids. The dorsal sepal is white, marked 
with purple along the centre, and very pretty. The 
black cilia on both edges of the petals of C. Smithii 
are very noticeable ; the hybrid resulted from C. 
lawrenceanum crossed with C. ciliolare, and is inter¬ 
mediate in character. The handsome C. oenanthum 
superbum, with its glittering flowers, is well known. 
The above are only some of the Cypripediums in 
bloom at present, the collection being widely repre¬ 
sentative of this popular section of the family. 
A specimen of the elegant Saccolabium bellinum 
i ft. high carries four spikes of flowers on the stem. 
The species is seldom seen of this height. Calanthe 
Veitchii has been flowering in quantity for some time 
past. It is yet rather early for Dendrobiums, yet a 
number may be seen in bloom, including D. wardi- 
anum, D. Ainsworthii, D formosum giganteum, D. 
Dearei, with the green throat, and the beautiful D. 
findlayanum. Mr. A. Wright gives attention to 
both warm and cool house Orchids, Cattleyas, Den¬ 
drobiums, and Cypripediums being particular 
favourites. 
PHYSALIS FRANCHETTI. 
This, Red Winter Cherry, as it is commonly called, 
is, as the introducers, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons,claim, 
a novelty of sterling merit, and worth a place in 
every gardeD. For winter decoration of vases, or for 
church work, it is invaluable. Some ladies, who 
were interested in church decoration, seeing it for 
the first time last autumn were quite charmed with 
it, and I think when better known and more abun¬ 
dant it will be largely used. Its large bright-red 
calyces, or leafy capsules, show very conspicuously in 
dark corners and out-of-the-way places, and when 
interspersed with the silvery Honesty and ornamental 
dried grasses may be used for a variety of purposes, 
and in various ways. According to a contemporary, 
several cultivators have failed to obtain satisfactory 
results, and complain that no fruit or capsules were 
obtained, and this is easy to understand. It is 
strictly a perennial and requires two seasons to 
reach the flowering stage. 
From Messrs. Veitch's catalogue one is apt to infer 
that seed sown in spring will give plants strong 
enough to flower and fruit in the following autumn, 
and here is where the disappointment comes in. I 
purchased a packet of seed in the spring of ’96, which 
I sowed and planted out in due course, and allowed 
the plants to remain. Large roots formed under¬ 
ground, and last spring these threw up stout growths 
that bloomed freely, producing an abundance of fine 
fruit and husks which were much admired. I am 
sure those who felt disappointment this autumn, if 
they allow their plants to remain, will be amply 
rewarded next year .—Arthur Pentney. 
- 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Cool Conservatory. 
If the supply houses have been worked to advantage 
the conservatory should now be gay and bright with 
forced flowers. There will consequently be a good 
deal of shifting in of new plants and moving out of 
shabby ones if the house is to be kept in trim. As 
long as we are favoured with the mild weather we 
are at present enjoyiDg, the process of shifting has 
no special terrors. It is only during frosty weather, 
and when the supply houses are situated at some 
distance from the conservatory that the removal of 
plants gives such a lot of trouble. 
Lilies of the Valley. — Small 48-sized pots 
fitted with selected Berlin crowns render good 
service. Every one of these crowns can be relied on 
to throw a good bloom, and they may be forced very 
easily indeed. Moreover, the blooms last a long 
time in condition. The clumps, although rather 
cheaper as far as first cost goes, are not really so in 
the end, for they do not produce so many or such 
fine flowers as the selected crowns. 
Chinese Primulas are a host in themselves, for 
there is a good deal of diversity in the habit and 
fol age of the plants as well as in the colours of the 
flowers, which now range from a respectable blue, 
red, and crimson, to pure white That splendid 
form, Sutton’s Star, is one of the finest things for 
conservatory decoration that can possibly be grown. 
The flowers are not so large as those on the dwarf 
plants, and they are rather looser in build, but they 
are produced in imposing pyramidal masses that 
rise to a height of fully 2 ft. upon well grown plants. 
This gives the section a wonderfully distinct appear¬ 
ance. The fern-leaved varieties, too, are exceed¬ 
ingly handsome, both flowers and foliage being very 
ornamental. Sutton’s Giant Strain exemplifies 
varieties with flowers of huge size, and great sub¬ 
stance that stand the drying influence of fire-heat 
remarkably well. White and crimson, and several 
shades of pink are available. The double and semi- 
double varieties, too, are exceedingly useful, for not 
only are they capital decorative material as pot 
plants, but the flowers can be turned to excellent 
account for cutting. A representative collection of 
Chinese Primulas is almost a necessity for every 
establishment where a good deal of conservatory 
furnishing has to be done. Not infrequently, how¬ 
ever, we see the plants arranged in a stiff and formal 
fashion in rows—a proceeding that much detracts 
from their effectiveness. Very pretty groups maybe 
devised by staging the plants in batches with Ferns, 
Grevilleas, and other foliage plants, and individual 
taste will suggest effective modifications of these. 
Cyclamen bulk quite as largely as the Primulas, 
and although there is not quite so much diversity of 
habit amongst them as in the latter they are most 
useful subjects. The crested varieties, such as Bush 
Hill Pioneer, are handsome and distinct. In gather¬ 
ing the flowers for cutting it will be well to draw the 
stems clean out, for if they are cut off, the ends 
which remain damp off and spread the decay all 
round. 
Other forced flowers that are now available will 
include Roman Hyacinths, Narcissi, Lilacs, Deut- 
zias, Staphylea colchica, and Azaleas, of which a 
constant supply must be kept up by the forcing 
houses. 
Ericas and Epacrises. —Such Ericas as hyema- 
lis, E. h. alba, and E. gracilis have been rendering a 
good account of themselves cf late, and now they are 
further reinforced by the pretty and distinct habited 
E. melanthera, which is just coming in. Seeing how 
liable Eric3s are to take harm from draught it will 
be well to give the plants a warm corner of the 
house. Many of the Epacrises are commencing to 
open their flowers, and the plants will soon be a 
blaze of beauty. In the meantime a little weak 
liquid manure should be afforded them —cow manure, 
if the position of the conservatory warrants its use. 
Richardias. —The Arum Lilies are deservedly 
great favourites, and seeing that they are compara¬ 
tively easy to grow it is always advisable to have a 
good batch of them. R. africana stands first in point 
of usefulness, for there is no more noble subject than 
a good plant, with one or two flowers open. That 
very dwarf aud sturdy form, the Godfrey Calla, 
should find a place in every establishment, for it 
flowers with great freedom, and the blooms come in 
very handily for catting. The fine yellow species, 
R. Pentlandi, and R. elliottiana can scarcely be too 
highly praised—both of them should be grown. 
Daphne indica rubra.— Considering the sweet 
scent exhaled by the flowers of this pretty Daphne it 
is curious that it is not grown in greater quantity, for 
it is, in fact, an ideal plant for a conservatory, 
where fragrance is only second in importance to 
colour and size of flower. For button-hole work, 
too, there is nothing finer. Through the winter 
months the watering can will have to be used very 
carefully upon these plants or the leaves will go 
sickly and yellow, and the flower buds will drop 
before they have a chance to expand. 
Viburnum Tinus.— All gardeners know this plant 
in connection with the outdoor garden, but to some 
of them no doubt its behaviour as a pot plant under 
glass is an unknown quantity. To those who have 
not seen it tried in this capacity we can only say that 
it is a distinct success. The plants readily assume a 
symmetrical bush-like habit, and, providing they are 
not exposed to too much heat, they flower as well as 
they do in the open-air. Very ornamental plants 
may be grown in six and seven inch pots. 
Pits and Frames. 
In the supply department the introduction, to heat 
at suitable intervals of the various subjects needed 
for the furnishing of the conservatory, is now a most 
important item in the routine of work. The houses 
in which forcing of this class of material is being 
carried on should be given a temperature ranging 
between 55° and 6o° Fahr. The plunging beds will 
need to be occasionally refreshed by means of 
linings of fresh fermenting material, unless they are 
well-fitted with hot water pipes. Keep the syringe 
at work morning and afternoon, using for syringing, 
water at the same temperature as the house. 
Light. — So all important is light to the welfare of 
plants generally, and so serious are the effects that 
are produced by its partial absence or diminution by 
the fogs that have been so prevalent of late that 
active steps must be taken to insure as much of it as 
possible. The damage directly done to plant life by 
the fogs in the metropolitan area is incalculable, but 
even after the fogs themselves have lifted they leave 
behind them a disagreeable reminder in the shape of 
a thick grimy deposit upon the glass that effectually 
excludes the light. This undesirable shading must 
be removed at once. A few hours spent using mops 
or long haired brushes, dipped in water, will much 
improve matters, even although the time can be ill- 
spared on account of the shortness of the days. 
Propagating Bedding Plants.— Where a large 
stock of bedding plants has to be worked up it is im¬ 
perative that a start should be made early in the 
year. The tops may be taken off last autumn’s 
Pelargonium cuttings, and put in without delay. As 
soon as the growths are long enough batches of 
cuttings of Lobelias, Althernantheras, Heliotropes 
and Verbenas should likewise be inserted. 
Dahlias. — The old rootstocks of rare or special 
varieties should be introduced to heat at an early 
date. They may be laid close together on a bench 
or temporary stage near the glass, on which has 
been placed a few inches of soil, and covered lightly 
with soil. An occasional syringing will assist them 
in breaking into growth. It is necessary to make an 
early start with those sorts that it is intended to pro¬ 
pagate extensively, but the beginning of February 
will be early enough for the main stock. 
Bouvardias.— Some of the strongest old plants 
which were allowed to go absolutely to rest in the 
latter part of the autumn, and have been hiber¬ 
nating under the stage in a cool house, should be 
brought out, slightly pruned by cutting off the tops 
of the shoots, and introduced to a temperature of 
about 6o° to produce cuttings. The young shoots 
strike readily if taken off when they are from ij in. 
to 2 in. long, inserted in very sandy soil, and plunged 
iD a propagating frame having a temperature of 7o Q . 
Five-inch pits will be found a suitable size. If by 
any means the cutting case is full and no room can 
be found for the Bouvardias, the latter will do very 
well if placed in the body of a warm house, and 
covered with a bell glass, but in this case the glass 
should be taken off daily and wiped dry. 
Chrysanthemums. — Continue to insert cuttings 
until a sufficient stock has been obtained. Cuttings 
that are rooted may be taken out of the handlights, 
and placed on shelves close to the glass, but before 
giving them this shift give them plenty of air whilst 
they are in the handlights, in order to see whether 
they can stand ihe exposure without flagging. The old 
plants may no w be consigned to cold frames, and 
may, if desired, be lifted out of their pots. This 
will give an opportunity of having the latter washed 
ready for further use during wet weather, when help 
from outside is usually available. 
Cyclamen.— A sowing of seed may now be made 
as a succession to the autumn sowing. Sow rather 
thinly, and bury the seed not more than a quarter of 
an inch deep. As Cyclamen seed germinates more 
or less irregularly it is well to have plenty of patience 
with it. 
Gloxinias.— Sow a pinch of seed in a well-drained 
pan filled with sandy soil to within half an inch of 
the rim. The seed should be scattered thinly, and a 
little very fine soil sprinkled lightly over it. Cover 
the pan with a sheet of glass and place it on a shelf 
in a warm house. A batch of the old plants should 
also now be started for early blooming. Place them 
near the glass and water them repeatedly until the 
balls are moistened through. As soon as the young 
growths begin to push potting may be conducted. 
Achimenes.—A small batch of these for early 
work should be started. The old plants have been 
allowed to winter in the pots in which they flowered 
last summer. A few of these should be kn ocked out 
for present need, but the remainder may be allowed 
to stay where they are until they are required a few 
weeks hence.— A. S. G. 
