January 9, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
295 
care lavished upon them. Where Anemones are 
taken up as a hobby elaborate preparations are often 
made for them. The soil, if it is not considered good 
enough by the cultivator, is dug out to the depth of 
2 ft., and then replaced by a prepared compost of two 
parts of good turfy loam, and one of cow manure, 
with river sand in sufficient quantities to keep the 
soil open. The results obtained are of course very 
fine, but it is a matter of question whether they pay 
for all the trouble. Usually it is sufficient to give a 
good deep digging, working in plenty of manure. 
This serves to minimise the effects of drought, and 
to supply the plants with moisture and nutriment as 
well. 
Seed Lists. —The seed catalogues for the year 
issued by the various seedsmen are now pretty well 
distributed, and many gardeners will be anxiously 
scanning their columns with a view to making up 
their orders. Bearing in mind the great numbers of 
easily grown annuals that are now to be had for very 
little money, as well as the great usefulness of these 
selfsame plants where cut flowers are required in 
quantity, it will be a wise plan to deal pretty largely 
in them. Beds and borders will be able, thereby, to 
boast of a greater share of floral wealth, apart from 
the increased quantity of subjects suitable for cutting 
from that will be obtained. It is always advisable, 
however, to devote a border in the vegetable garden 
to the cultivation of these plants, for, not unnaturally, 
the gardener does not like to curtail the beauty of 
his flower beds. Breaks of Sweet Sultan, double 
Scabious, Coreopses in variety, Godetias, Chinese 
Asters, etc., come in very useful, and will prove 
admirable reserves to the herbaceous border. 
Aquilegias. —These charming perennials have 
been vastly improved of late, and the range of colours 
is now very extensive. The florist has found them 
fairly tractable material, for they cross and inter¬ 
cross with great freedom. Hence, if they are 
to bear seed that shall produce plants anything like 
the parents, special varieties must be isolated and 
protected from the visitations of insects. The quaint 
forms of the flowers with their long characteristic 
spurs are charming, and for table decoration nothing 
can be more effective. Not only are they light and 
elegant, but they last well in water. A packet of the 
mixed " hybrid ” seed will furnish a great variety of 
colours. They will grow in any ordinary garden 
soil, although they really prefer a moist and sheltered 
position. 
There are also several species that are well worthy 
of attention, in addition to the hybrids spoken of 
above. A. caerulea, a very pretty native of the 
Rocky Mountains, does well planted in a sheltered 
nook near the base of the rockery, where it can get 
a fair depth of soil. A. chrysantha, with its yellow 
flo Aiers, as the name indicates, is equally as valuable, 
and is a suitable subject for the herbaceous border. 
Dahlias. —During a spell of inclement weather, 
when outside work is impossible, it will be well to 
give the Dahlias a look over. Any decayed portions 
should be cut out with a sharp knife. Varieties from 
which it is desired to propagate should be separated 
from the rest, as it is time to make a start within the 
next week or two if anything like a good stock of 
desirable forms is to be obtained. The roots should 
be laid in shallow boxes and covered with a little light 
soil. A capital place for them is a vinery that was 
started about the middle of December. The syringe 
should be drawn lightly over the boxes twice a day 
to stimulate growth.—^. 5 . G. 
-«$.-- 
ORCHID NOTES & GLEANINGS. 
By The Editor. 
Trichopilia crispa marginata.—Since Lindley 
first named the type of the species, several names 
have been given to T. crispa and, apparently, differ¬ 
ent varities of it. There can be little doubt, however, 
that T. c. marginata is the best of the varieties in 
cultivation. It first appeared in the collection of 
Mr. C. B. Warner, of Stratford Green, who had 
bought three plants with the impression that they 
were simply T. crispa. All three turned out to be 
different when they came into bloom, and that under 
notice was the best, and was described and figured 
by the late Robert Warner in his Select Orchids PL, I 
tab. 5 (1862). Since then however the plant has 
never become particularly common in cultivation 
and has not been surpassed by any better from. The 
short drooping peduncles bear from one to three 
flowers, the sepals and petals of which are of a light 
crimson-red, with a broad but irregular white margin. 
The lip is more jagged at the edges than in the type 
and dark crimson, narrowly edged with white. The 
white edges add much to- the effectiveness of the 
flowers, and suggest the varietal name. A coloured 
illustration of it appears in th & Lindenia PI. 527. 
Cattleya Trianaei Imperator.—The distinc¬ 
tion of this telling variety consists chiefly in the 
colouration of the flowers but particularly that of the 
lip. The sepals and broad petals are well folded 
back and of a warm rosy hue. The lip, on the 
contrary, is of a deep purple-red, the rich hue ex¬ 
tending well down into the tube, and becoming 
intensified to crimson on the basal part of the 
lamina. In these respects the variety stands out pre¬ 
eminently distinct amongst its compeers, many of 
which have already received special names, and been 
described in different publications. A first-class 
Diploma of Honour was accorded it at a meeting of 
the Orchideenne when shown by Messrs. Lucien 
Linden & Co., of Moortebeek on the 10th of May 
last. A full page illustration of it is also given in 
the Lindenia PI. 528 
Cypripedium Mrs. G. Botterell, Nov. var.-~ 
This beautiful Cypripedium was raised from C. 
savageanum superbum as the seed parent, crossed 
with C. lathamianum. It will be seen at a glance 
by connoisseurs of Orchids in general, and Cypri- 
pediums in particular that both parents are them¬ 
selves hybrids, so that the parentage is very 
complicated. The seed parent ^vas a fine variety of 
C. savageanum which was raised from C. harrisianum 
(itself a hybrid) crossed with the pollen of C. 
spicerianum. Now C. harrisianum was raised from 
C. villosum crossed with C. barbatum. This gives 
the pedigree on the mother side; but the complica¬ 
tion is greater when it is remembered that some 
authorities reckon the reverse crosses as synonymous. 
The pollen parent (C. lathamianum) was raised 
from C. spicerianum crossed with C. villosum. Thus 
three original species have taken part in the produc¬ 
tion of C. Mrs. G. Botterell; so that with a double 
cross in the second generation, it is difficult to say 
what relation it would bear to either of the originals. 
Laying aside pedigree and looking at the flower, I 
should say it is a glorified C. spicerianum of which 
it has the form and the slender, arching peduncle, 
but the bloom is larger and altogether different in 
colour. The upper sepal owes most to C. spiceri¬ 
anum, of which it has the claret midrib and broad 
pure white margin ; all the central and basal portion 
is of a rich brownish purple of a shade but rarely 
seen, and which would appear as the effect of the 
purple of C. barbatum on the brown of C. villosum. 
The combination of colour, however, is quite unique 
of its kind. The petals are like those of C. spiceri¬ 
anum in form, but the rich reddish brown of the 
upper longitudinal half has been derived from C. 
villosum ; the lower corresponding half is yellow, 
lightly overlaid with brown. The lip is almost 
entirely that of C. spicerianum. The staminode is 
pale reddish-brown. The whole flower has a polished 
surface but particularly the petals. The potenti¬ 
ality of the original parents as to influence on the 
progeny then stands in the following order ;—C. 
spicerianum, C. villosum, and C. barbatum. Orchid 
growers may rest satisfied that no attempt was made 
to coin a name from these, nor from the names of 
the primary hybrids. The hybrid was raised by 
Mr. A. Wright, gardener to T. McMeekin, Esq., 
Falkland Park, South Norwood Hill, who is 
responsible for the name.— J. Fraser. 
Cypripedium Insigne montanum Falkland 
Park var.—Names seem to lengthen, but montanum 
may be looked upon as indicating a group or race that 
is very different in general aspect from the old type of 
C. insigne which comes from lower elevations on the 
Himalayas. The dorsal sepal of C. insigne is broadly 
oblong with a dark green ground for the greater part 
of its length, while that of the montanum group is 
much broader, with the green more limited in extent, 
inclined to yellow, and the spotting on a much 
grander scale in most cases. The Falkland Park 
variety under notice has a nearly orbicular dorsal 
sepal about 2J in. across. It is of a light apple- 
green, heavily blotched with rich brown, and having 
a few purple blotches extending on to the broad 
white margin, towards the apex. The blotches 
measure 2-6 millimetres across, the larger ones at 
the base being nearly \ in. wide. The petals are 1 in. 
broad near the apex, and measure 5$ in. across when 
spread out. They are prominently spotted all over 
with rich brown on a greenish-yellow ground. The 
large lip is heavily overlaid in front with a shining 
brown hue ; and, curiously enough, is brown more 
or less marbled internally. 
- .!> ■ — 
(§ leanings 
of Science 
Chelidonium majus in Medicine.—Some three 
months ago a letter from a Russian doctor, M. 
Denisenks, appeared in Vrach, a St. Petersburgh 
medical review, and a note upon the subject was 
given in Nature. The subject of the doctor's letter 
was the treatment and cure of cancer by means of 
the juice of the Wart-wort or Greater Celandine. 
He earnestly entreated his colleagues to make experi¬ 
ments upon the plant, in order to confirm his own 
experience or otherwise. In the first place he tried 
the juice as an external agent, but was unsuccessful, 
after which he experimented with a preparation of 
it as an internal remedy. After prolonged use of it 
the cancer growths disappeared. Since then the 
same doctor has published two further letters of an 
interesting character dealing with seven cases of 
cancer under his treatment, four of external growth 
which could not be treated surgically, and three 
cases of it in the oesophagus and stomach. Photo¬ 
graphs were given of the external growths, showing 
the cancer in different stages, and after the repeated 
administration of the drug internally, the growth 
entirely disappeared. The internal growths under 
treatment also became very much reduced in size. 
According to this medical testimony, the treatment 
and results seem reliable, and if so, it is the first 
scientific record of cancer growths having been 
removed or caused to disappear by means of 
medicines take internally. The coloured sap of 
Chelidonium contains two very poisonous alkaloids, 
and cases of poisoning by it are not uncommon, so 
that the drug should never be used without medical 
advice. Bad efforts might also follow the continued 
use of the drug even in limited quantities. The 
plant itself is of course closely allied to the Poppy, 
from which opium is prepared, being a member of 
the same family. 
The Leaf-cutter Bee.—Entomologically this 
(to the Rose amateur cultivator) provoking bee is 
known as Megachile centuncularis Mr. Fred Enock, 
in Knowledge, says that as soon as the leaf-cutter bee 
has made her burrow she flies off and selects a rose 
of the Tea type (in our experience hybrid perpetual 
Rose leaves are often used), from which she first cuts 
a circular piece somewhat larger than the diameter 
of the hole into the bottom of which she fits it, so 
that it assumes a concave form. Then from the 
same leaf she cuts an oblong, wedge-shaped piece, 
which she drags down the burrow, thin edge fore¬ 
most. The operation is repeated with great exact¬ 
ness till the sides of the first egg-cell are made up of a 
dozen or more of these oblong pieces, the first of 
which is fitted into the oblong base, and the rest 
overlapping the edges of one another, till the desired 
size is attained. Then the bee visits flowers, 
collecting pollen and nectar with which to make a 
delicious "pudding ’’ for her future progeny. One 
egg is deposited with each pudding, so that, when 
the larva hatches out it finds an abundance of food 
to hand sufficient fcr its wants till it reaches the 
winged state. About a dozen circular pieces of 
Rose leaves are then placed in the burrow to form 
the lid of the first cell, and the bottom of the second, 
in the same hole. 
The Sparrow in Trouble.—Amongst the few 
really injurious birds native to this country the 
common house sparrow (Passer domesticus) reigns 
chief. Some of his depredations in the neighbour¬ 
hood of Staines and Colnbrook were recently 
recorded in these pages. Now it seems that the 
feathered pest is active, and destructive on account 
of numbers, in the neighbourhood of Wycombe. 
Many a brick is thrown at his devoted head in 
various parts of the country, but in the West Riding 
of Yorkshire a reward of a halfpenny was formerly 
offered for his head, dead or alive. Again it is 
suggested that the sparrow clubs should be revived 
for the purpose of supplying the halfpenny for every 
sparrow killed. The necessity for this is given as 
the havoc effected amoDgst the grain crops of the 
farmer. Agriculture is said to be seriously retarded 
by sparrows, which fairly consume the produce of 
the fields, to the ruin of the farmers. 
