March 31, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
485 
The De la Grifferaie Rose stock is said to be use¬ 
less for any, except the most vigorous growers, like 
those of the Polyantha section. 
Messrs. Stanley, Ashton & Co.—This is not a new 
firm but merely an improved way of writing Messrs. 
Stanley-Mobbs & Ashton, the wholesale importers, 
exporters, and growers of Orchids, of Southgate, 
London, N. The whole name was too cumbrous 
and lengthy for business purposes, so that for con¬ 
venience sake the title and address of the firm are 
Messrs. Stanley, Ashton & Co., Southgate, London, 
N. 
The Reading Gardeners’ Mutual.—A very large 
attendance of members assembled on Monday last in 
the Club Room of the Old Abbey Restaurant, to 
spend an evening in “ A Surrey Garden,” by the aid 
of lime-light views, and under the guidance of Mr. 
Alex. Wright, of Bucklebury Place Gardens. The 
garden was that of Falkland Park, which was en¬ 
tirely planned and maintained for several years by 
Mr. Wright, who, in a very interesting manner, ex¬ 
plained the different alterations that were made, and 
the reasons for planting particular varie¬ 
ties of trees, shrubs, and flowers. Messrs. 
Baskett and Neve spoke to the very interest¬ 
ing evening that had been spent, and 
congratulated Mr. Wright on the splendid way in 
which he had laid out the grounds and gardens under 
his charge. On the proposition of the chairman, 
Mr. Fry, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the 
lecturer and to Mr. G. Smith, of Cintra Lodge 
Gardens, for staging some beautiful specimens of the 
White Grape Hyacinth, and to Mr. Cretchley, 
The Gardens, The Honeys, Twyford, for a splendid 
plant of Cineraria stellata. 
Anne Pratt’s Flowering Plants of Great Britain. 
—This publication, which we have bad occasion to 
notice at various times within the last few months, 
has now reached the final stages of its issues. 
Numbers XXXf. and XXXII. of the fourth volume 
are devoted to the grasses and the Filices or Ferns. 
The coloured illustrations are very good, and faith¬ 
fully represent the various subjects. The number of 
them in each of the parts is quite surprising, 
especially as the price of each is but one shilling. 
The structure of the plants and flowers treated upon 
is depicted clearly by means of drawings and by 
letterpress descriptions, the fertilisation of Ferns 
being also detailed. With this work beside them, 
he or she who cares to apply themselves diligently 
for one summer to the study of British botany will 
have gained so much insight to it that a keen 
interest will have been induced, and will be main¬ 
tained from the sheer fascination of the study. We 
would recommend those who are likely to have 
opportunity to study our native plants, to obtain at 
least a specimen copy, feeling sure that they will be 
strongly tempted to secure the complete work. It 
is published by Messrs. Frederick Warne & Co., 15, 
Bedford Street, Strand, London. 
Croydon and District Horticultural Mutual Im¬ 
provement Society.—An interesting meeting was 
held in the society’s room at the Sunflower Temper¬ 
ance Hotel, Croydon, on Tuesday evening, March 
20th, forty-nine members being present. Mr. F. 
Gilbert, The Gardens, Addington, read a capital 
paper on " Violets.” After giving an account 
of the geographical distribution of the Violet, 
the essayist dealt very practically with its culture, 
principally in the open air and in frames. Soils, 
manures, and diseases were mentioned. Mr. Gilbert 
much prefers a west or south-west aspect. The 
reading of the paper brought various questions from 
members, and the discussion which followed, 
and the practical remarks were most instructive. A 
very hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Gilbert. 
The secretary, Mr. Gregory, read and placed before 
the members a complete list of books on botany, 
horticulture, agriculture, insect pests, &c., which 
he had received from Mr. Jast, chief libra¬ 
rian of The Croydon Public Libraries. On 
the proposition of Mr. Nay lore, seconded by 
Mr. Harris, a unanimous vote of thanks 
was given Mr. Jast. Ten new members were 
nominated. Mr. J. R. Box sent a vase of very good 
Cyclamen blooms ; also some bunches of Cineraria 
stellata. Notice was then given of the next meeting 
which will be held on Tuesday evening, April 17th. 
The subject will be “ How Plants Feed,” introduced 
by Mr. C. B. Green, Chairman of the Ealing 
Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Society. The 
meeting terminated with a hearty vote of thanks to 
the chairman. 
The Italian Yintage.—The Italian vintage last 
year amounted to 699,000,000 gallons, the figures for 
the preceding years being, according to the Journal 
of the Society of Arts, 723,800,000 gallons, 622,600,000 
gallons, and 629,200,000 gallons. 
Acacia dealbata.—In reference to the paragraph 
on this subject, on p. 469, by " J. M., B.,” I may 
safely predict that he is not likely to get many rr- 
plies to his closing question. It is hardly likely that 
it will be found to thrive far from the south and 
west coasts of England. I was unaware that any 
trees of it would be found on the mainland, and if 
he is competing he ought to have the prize for the 
originality of the information vouchsafed. Some 
years ago I saw a fine tree of it about 15 ft. to 20 ft. 
high, with a broad spreading head quite as far 
through, in one of the front gardens facing one of 
the principal streets in St. Peter’s Port, Guernsey. 
Being in autumn it was not the flowering season, 
but evidently the tree had reached the flowering 
stage some years previously.— P.L. 
"A Danger to Planters.”—A writer on the 
subject of trees in a society paper condemns the 
practice of propagating such trees as Lawson's 
Cypress and the like by cuttings which, as so often 
happens, are struck under bell glasses. From such 
beginnings they will never make proper trees. We 
read of trees reaching 100 ft. or rso ft., and in some 
cases even more than twice that height, and some of 
us may hope to get something like this even in our 
own country. But rapidly as the tree grows, and 
well suited as it is to our land, it is impossible that 
it can ever come to the dignity of a mighty tree from 
a cutting. It is the branchlet origin at the start that 
makes the tree grow with a many stemmed habit. 
The writer suggests the propagating of the Lawson 
and other Cypresses from seeds. 
-—J—- 
SCENT IN CYCLAMENS. 
It may be well to ask where the scent has gone in 
our present race of Cyclamens. Beautiful as any 
flower may be, its merits are much higher when it 
has a sweet scent. Years ago the Cyclamen was 
noted for its delicious perfume. At the present 
time it is difficult to find any that can compare with 
kinds thirty years ago. Somehow or other we 
seem to give up many good features for vulgar size. 
Personally, I am old-fashioned and prefer the 
smaller-bloomed kinds to the large ones of to-day. 
I admit the blooms are large, but then there are 
far fewer on a plant. Added to this they have no 
perfume. Nor do I consider them as ornamental as 
the strain of smaller-bloomed kinds with bright and 
decided colours. They do not commend themselves 
for cutting. Some thirty-five years ago when a 
youth in a large garden in Wiltshire, Cyclamens 
were grown well, and I remember the fine plants in 
32 pots, with an enormous quantity of blooms in 
thumbs. As they were elevated amongst Ciner¬ 
arias, they scented the house, and oh, so sweet! 
I admit much has been done to improve the culture 
of these, but certainly we ought not to lose sight of 
this desirable feature in them for mere size.— 
7 . C., F., Chard. 
-- 
ORCHID NOTES & GLEANINGS. 
By the Editor. 
Dendrobiums from Larbert House.—A box 
of blooms of various species and varieties of Den- 
drobium has reached us from Mr. David Airdrie, 
gardener to J. H. N. Graham, Esq., Larbert House, 
Larbert, Falkirk. The varieties of D. nobile are 
numerous, and some of them are very fine. Several 
of those without any varietal name attached are 
handsome flowers,particularly one in which the rich 
purple of the segments is extended to the middle of 
the sepals and petals, and then continued in a paler 
hue to the base. D. nobile pulcherrimum is a pretty 
light variety, with nearly white petals and a creamy 
lip. D. nobile wallichianum is a large flower, with 
dark tips to the sepals and petals. D. n. w. grandi- 
florum differs chiefly in being paler. D. n. Larbert 
House var. is a bold and handsome flower of large 
size, with broad petals that are richly coloured in the 
upper third of their length. The maroon blotch on 
the base of the lip is very intense and beautifully 
rayed at the margin. D. n. Rolfae is also pretty in 
quite another respect. The tips of the sepals are 
rose, the rest being delicately shaded. The short 
and broad petals are whiter but retain their bright 
rose tip. The blotch at the base of the lip is re¬ 
duced to very small proportions, and rosy-purple, 
lined on either side with marcon. The peloria form, 
known as D. n. Cooksonii, in good form, also ac¬ 
companied the others. 
Dendrobium leechianum is a hybrid from the 
same parents as D. AiDsworthii, but the sepals and 
beautifully crisped petals have more of the rosy tint 
than the original D. Ainsworthii possessed ; and, 
besides, the hybrid under notice is the less common 
of the two in cultivation. Large and well coloured 
flowers of D. wardianum were also sent. A different 
name might have been found for a very pretty variety 
named D. w ardianum album. The sepals and petals 
are pure white with the exception of a small and pale 
purple blotch at the tip, the lower half beiDg waxy 
and shining. The lip hardly differs from that of the 
type. There is even less colour in D. w. candidum 
than in this which is both beautiful and distinct, 
but we should have given it another name. Mr. 
Airdrie is very successful in the cultivation of the 
above two types, namely, D. nobile and D. wardia¬ 
num with their varieties. The samples sent were of 
the first size, and in the aggregate they presented a 
galaxy of bright colours. Two others have yet to be 
mentioned, namely, D. findlayanum and D. primu- 
linum. The former is always charming on account 
of the delicacy of all parts of the flower contrasting 
with the rich oraDge base of the lip. Several of 
them were distinctly scented, including D. primu- 
linum, D. leechianum, etc. The snowy white 
Coelogyne cristata alba is also a favourite at Larbert 
House, where Mr. Airdrie grows a number of 
specialities. 
The following are among a number of Orchids at 
present in flower at the Royal Gardens, Kew :— 
Brassavola grandiflora.— Among the showy 
species of these epiphytes must be included B. 
grandiflora. Pure white Orchids are scarce, and for 
that reason one may well prize the few we have. B. 
grandiflora, when in good form, is very pretty, the 
lip being of medium size, convolute, so as to form a 
moderately long tube. The sepals and petals unfor¬ 
tunately are narrow, and only from 1 in. to 2 in. 
long. The foliage is thick and succulent. 
Ansellia africana.—This is a noble floweriog 
epiphytal Orchid, attaining to about 1 yd. in height. 
It flowers from now till well on into spring; but to 
get it to last the longer a cooler house than that 
necessary for growth should be selected. The genus 
is found distributed over tropical Africa, and 
reaches as far south as Natal. A place in the East 
India house is found to serve its needs. One of the 
most popular species is the subject under note. The 
flowers individually are large, and are borne on 
drooping racemes which spring from the apex of the 
stems. The flowers are highly marked with bars of 
dark brown or purple on a pale primrose ground. 
The lip is an extremely rich and fine yellow. As 
many as 100 blooms can be obtained on one spike. 
It is an evergreen species. 
Dendrobium Pierardii.—This delicately sweet 
little species, which is deciduous, is very useful 
because of its early flowering character. The 
blooms depend in fascicles of two blooms from the 
nodes of the stems. The spathulate lip is tinted a 
soft yellow, and the involute claw is feathered with 
purple lines. The petals and sepals are quaintly 
pretty, beiDg a transparent white. They are small, 
but freely produced on the rather long stem. The 
species is a native of India; a place in the East 
India house, and the treatment similar to 
D. superbum suits it. 
D. wardianum.—Some few pieces of this very 
handsome Dendrobe are dotted about the stages. 
The blooms are of good form, but not numerous. 
D. leechianum.—A rather showy member, having 
a mauvy-purple lip of the usual spathulate form, 
and recurved at the edges. It is coloured white, 
with mauve tip and a maroon throat. The sepals 
and petals are edged with mauve, the inner part of 
the lip being white. It is a handsome hybrid, the 
result of a cross between D. aureum and D. nobile, 
in fact, the same cross which gave us D. Ainsworthii. 
A place beside the other above mentioned is agree¬ 
able to it. 
Eulophia saunderiana.—TheEuIophiasare not 
particularly pretty, yet, for variety, such a species as 
E. saunderiana, with its erect raceme of small 
flo ivers havmg crested lips and arching upper petals, 
