March 20, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
455 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd , and Sir Trevor 
Lawrence, Bart, (grower, Mr. W. H. White), Bur- 
ford Lodge, Dorking. 
Odontoglossum crispum Kegeljani. Nov. var .— 
The flowers of this handsome variety are of moderate 
size, but round and beautifully shaped. The sepals 
and petals are broad, white and boldly spotted with 
brownish-purple. The lip has a large blotch in front 
of the crest with numerous small ones round the 
sides. Award of Merit. Messrs. Linden, L’Horti- 
culture Internationale, Brussels. 
Odontoglossum crispum Ami Charles .Nov.var .— 
As far as shape and size are concerned this might be 
the twin sister to the previous one, but the markings 
are quite distinct. The segments are white, tinted 
with rose, and the sepals have a few, large, reddish- 
brown blotches. The petals on the contrary are 
freckled over with small markings. The lip has a 
lobed, chestnut-red blotch in front of the crest, and 
small spots round the sides. Award of Merit. 
Messrs. Linden, Brussels. 
Cypripedium hirsuto Sallieri., Nov. hyb .— 
The compound name attached to this hybrid will 
hardly explain the parentage, for the seed bearer was 
C. hirsutissimum and the'pollen bearer C. Sallieri 
hyeanum, the latter itself a hybrid. The upper 
sepal is pale greenish-yellow, with a broad white 
margin round the apex, and of good substance. The 
petals are yellowish at the base, and of a soft pink on 
the upper third of their length. In this latter 
respect we see the influence of the seed parent, 
whereas the other characters point more conclusively 
to the influence of the pollen bearer. The pale 
yellow lip is suffused with pale purple. Award of 
Merit. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. 
Masdevallia Pourbaixii, Nov. hyb. —This was 
raised from M. Veitchii crossed with M. Shuttle- 
worthii, and we are surprised at the great size of the 
flowers and the breadth of the lateral segments. 
They are deep orange, shaded with bronze, and 
having purple veins. A velvety plush of violet hairs 
show themselves here and there in good light. 
Altogether it is a handsome hybrid. Award of 
Merit. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. 
Sarcochilus Hartmanii. —The flowers of this 
species are small and white, beautifully spotted with 
brownish-crimson at the base. The lip is mostly of 
the latter colour. Botanical Certificate. Sir Trevor 
Lawrence, Bart. 
Lycaste Skinneri pulcherrima, Nov. var. —The 
flowers of this variety are of large size, good sub¬ 
stance, and chiefly notable for the delicate pink hue 
of the sepals and petals, the latter being darker at 
the base. The plant was well grown and flowered. 
Award of Merit. Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. 
Albans. 
Floral Committee. 
Lomaria ciliata grandis. —The fronds of this 
handsome and useful decorative variety are so im¬ 
proved in size and general appearance as hardly to 
be recognisable at first sight. The fronds and pinnae 
are much longer and broader than in the type. 
Award of Merit. Mr. H. B. May, Dyson’s Lane 
Nursery, Upper Edmonton. 
Corylopsis spicata. —Viewed in different stages 
of its growth this dwarf shrub resembles a glorified 
Hazel. The specific name does, indeed, imply that 
it is like that well known shrub. Flowers and 
bracts are yellow, the stamens red and projecting 
beyond the bracts. They are produced, in drooping 
spikes or catkins of great size, during March, and 
considerably in advance of the heart-shaped leases. 
The shrub is usually planted against a wall in the 
open air, where it proves quite hardy. Award of 
Merit. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd. 
Chionodoxa Luciliae alba.— The flowers of this 
chaste and beautiful variety are as large as those of 
the type and pure white. They are borne in racemes 
of two to four on a scape. It will make a beautiful 
companion for the type, or may be planted in beds 
by itself as a spring bedding plant. Award of Merit. 
Messrs Barr & Sons, King Street, Covent Garden. 
Primula obconica rosea.— The free-floweriDg P. 
obconica is now giving evidence that it is capable of 
variation. The flowers of this variety are large, 
with broad segments, now overlapping one another 
to some extent, and of a beautiful, rich rose colour. 
It is the most distinct and most highly coloured 
variety we have seen, and has been brought to its 
present attractive form simply by long continued 
selection. It is exceedingly pretty, floriferous, and 
will, no doubt, in skilful hands, give rise to something 
better. Award of Merit. Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale 
Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. 
Cotoneaster HORizoNTALis. —Planted against a 
wall, on a rockery, or in the open, this makes a 
beautiful but singular growth. Against a wall it 
readily grows flat and upright; but when left to its 
own resources the stronger stems grow upright for a 
short way and then throw out numerous branches 
horizontally like a flat table. The leaves are ovate, 
dark green, and larger than those of C. micrcphylla. 
Red berries are also produced in abundance and keep 
on all winter if not devoured by birds. First-class 
Certificate. Messrs Paul & Sod, Cheshunt. 
Cyclamen grandiflorum album. —The flowers 
of this type are of huge size and pure white. The 
segments are about 3 in. long and 1J iff. to 1$ in. 
wide. Award of Merit for the strain. The St. 
George’s Nursery Co., Hanwell. 
* 
The storms of sleet and rain which have been so very 
general lately have given the spring flowers a 
rough time of it, and most of them have been sadly 
knocked about. The Daffodils, however, seem to be 
none the worse for the experience, and the many 
shades of yellow furnished by their flowers are a 
grateful feature in the out-door garden. Where 
they have been planted in borders, or in beds, the 
flowers have naturally been damaged by being 
splashed with mud, but where they have been planted 
on grass they have been spared this. 
Drains and Water Courses. —These must be 
looked to and placed in thorough working order, 
as they are sure to have been blocked up to some 
extent by the winter rains. In the coming month we 
mayexpect to get sudden and heavydo wnpours of rain, 
and it is therefore necessary that arrangements for 
getting rid of this surface water should be complete. 
It matters little if walks are rolled if they are to be 
washed into gutters and ridges through lack of taking 
this simple precaution. The gutters which are cut 
in the grass at the sides of gravel walks need not be 
of sufficient width to make them look ugly, but when¬ 
ever the path is on the slope they should be pretty 
close together. Instead of cutting big ones at long 
internals, it is far better to make small ones and more 
of them. 
Weeds. — In order to put the gravel paths in con¬ 
dition for the summer an application of weed¬ 
killer should be made before long. This operation 
will be much more effectually performed during dry 
weather. Take care not to go too near the edges of 
the grass with the liquid, or harm will be done. 
Moreover, all utensils employed either for mixing 
or applying the weed-killer must be set apart, and 
marked in such a manner that they may not, by a 
mistake, be used for watering plants ; indeed, too 
much precaution cannot be taken. 
Mowing. — The grass has grown so rapidly that 
towards the end of the month the mowing machine 
will have to be set to work regularly. The knives 
of the machine, however must not be set down very 
low, for close cutting will lay bare the roots and 
injury will be done. It is far better to have to mow 
twice than to cut too hard once. In order to obtain 
a thick close sward the grass has to be humoured 
to some extent, and its after behaviour much 
depends upon the treatment given during the months 
of spring. 
The laying of Turf should be pushed on as 
rapidly as possible, in order that it may receive the 
full benefit of the April rains, and thus be in a posi¬ 
tion to withstand the drought of summer. 
Magnolias that have been covered with mats 
throughout the winter may now be finally uncovered, 
for any frost that may now visit us will not do them 
any damage. The coverings should be thoroughly 
dried before they are stored away for the season. 
Hollyhocks. — These old fashioned favourites have 
a stately and imposing character all their own, and 
the flower-garden would be all the poorer without 
them. A few beds filled entirely with them form a 
very effective feature, and they may also be used to 
good purpose in the herbaceous border. A line of tall 
Hollyhocks along the back of a herbaceous border is 
a showy arrangement it is true, but it imparts an idea 
of stiffness and formality to a part of the garden from 
which these characteristics should be absent. The 
various subjects in a herbaceous border are planted 
in lines for the sake of convenience it is true, but their 
varying sizes and habits speedily do away with the 
idea of straight lines. We think that Hollyhocks 
look decidedly the best when planted in groups of 
five or seven plants. These groups may be dotted 
at irregular intervals in the background all along the 
length of the border. The question of the suitable 
arrangement of colours may or may not be considered, 
but if it is, then the colours of the plants next to the 
Hollyhocks have also to be reckoned with, or the 
arrangement will be spoilt. 
The sites which these groups are to occupy should 
now be fixed upon, and prepared by digging in a 
heavy dressing of well rotted stable manure. This 
will have time to become well incorporated with the 
soil before the plants are fit for planting out, which 
will be about the second week in April. The plants 
obtained by grafting young shoots, thrown up by 
the old stools upon small pieces of the fleshy roots, 
at the beginning of February, will have been shifted 
from the small pots in which they were first placed 
into forty eights. They should be gradually hardened 
off now, so that they may be ready for planting out 
by the time specified. 
Mulching Roses. —The pruning of these now 
having been completed, and any coverings in the way 
of bracken or straw that may have been placed over 
them for the winter, removed, a good mulching of 
short stable manure should be given. Of course, in 
cases where Chionodoxas, Scillas, and Muscarishave 
been planted in the beds to occupy the space beneath 
the Roses, this will not be possible now, and the mul¬ 
ching will have to be deferred until later in the season, 
when the foliage of the bulbs has died down.— A .S.G. 
GARRY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Planting is now completed for the season. If it has 
been conducted on a large scale it will entail a great 
deal of subsequent work. First of all there is the 
dryness of summer to be thought about. As the 
roots of the young trees are at no great depth, 
drought would have serious effects were not steps 
taken to obviate it. The first of these steps may be 
taken at once by proceeding to give all newly 
planted trees a substantial mulching of short stable 
manure. Watering need not cause any anxiety just 
yet, for the ground is thoroughly saturated. 
Staking. —If the soil has been made fairly firm in 
planting dwarf pyramidal trees will not require 
staking, but all standard trees upon which the wind 
exercises so much more effect will need it. This 
must be seen to at once. In driving in the stake do 
not allow it to be too near the stem, and avoid injuring 
the principal roots if possible. Bands of hay must 
be inserted between the support, and the supported 
to prevent the abrasion of the latter. 
Protecting Apricots and Peaches. —Continual 
watch must be kept upon frost as the blossoms open, 
and if good crops are to be secured, protection must 
be given. Even a slight covering is better than 
nothing, and it is wonderful what a lot of frost can 
be kept out by the simple plan of inserting sprays of 
heather or evergreens between the branches of the 
fruit trees. If no other covering material is to hand 
we should strongly recommend the cultivator to 
resort to these measures. Blinds, of course, are 
expensive, although they are also very effective, since 
the requisite protection can be easily given without 
any of the all-important light being excluded. In 
fixing the blinds they must be placed in such a way 
that they can be easily lowered or raised as occasion 
may require. Where glass copings are attached to 
the wall the working of the blind is greatly 
expediated. All that is Decessary then is to see that 
the roller is not allowed to bump against the tree 
whilst the blind is being moved up or down. Light 
laths of wood placed immediately behind the line of 
descent will make all things secure. 
Figs. —The pruning of these may be undertaken 
now at any time. If protection has been given 
throughout the winter this may be finally removed, 
as there is no longer any need for it. If the trees 
have been properly looked after last summer little 
pruning will be required save the thinning of the 
branches. The idea should be to obtain just 
sufficient bearing wood to cover the area allotted to 
the trees. Old branches that are not needed for 
carrying the younger fruiting wood may then be cut 
clean out down to the bottom. In tying the ties 
should not be made tight, for the young wood swells 
considerably, and the ligatures would then cut into 
the bark . — A. S. G. 
