THE GARDENING WORLD. 
589 
May 11 , 1901 . 
southern counties, where it is extensively grown as a 
decorative plant for sheltered portions of the 
shrubbery. 
Mildew.— Rose: It is early yet for this to become 
troublesome. One of the best remedies is flowers of 
sulphur sprinkled on the plants affected. Take 
immediate steps to prevent it spreading, by thinning 
the shoots, or removing the plants, where possible, 
to where they can get a free circulation of pure air. 
»a«—— 
0D0NT0GL0SSUM POLYXANTHUM 
FROM RAVENSWOOD. 
Last year we mentioned a splendid raceme of 
flowers of this Odontoglot, which we had received 
from Mr. Wm. Yea, then gardener to Lady Fairfax, 
Ravenswood, Melrose. Since then the estate has 
passed into other hands, having been acquired by 
William Younger, Esq., who retained the services of 
Mr. Yea, who is well known as ao enthusiastic and 
successful grower of Orchids, samples of whose 
handiwork we have often seen. Last year the spike 
was 30 in. long and carried twenty flowers, the 
lowermost six being in pairs upon branches. The 
Orchids have evidently fared well during the inter¬ 
val, for on this occasion we are favoured with a 
spike of O. polyxanthum,' which is fully a yard long 
and carries twenty-two flowers. The lowermost 
flower is solitary, then come four branches, each 
carrying a pair of flowers, followed by thirteen, 
arranged singly upon the axis. All are of splendid 
size for the species, richly coloured and strongly 
scented. Last year’s spike we considered the best 
we had seen, but that before us certainly beats the 
record. Large chocolate blotches nearly cover the 
sepals, while the petals have three chestnut-red 
blotches near the base. The lip is shining bright 
chestnut red, with white edges and a yellow basal 
area, making altogether a very handsome flower. 
Whether Mr. Yea will ever beat this record remains 
to be seen, but he has certainly excelled himself for 
the lime being. 
The accompanying illustration, reproduced from a 
photograph of the spike sent us by Mr, Yea, will 
serve to put on record his latest achievement with 
this particular species. It shows the spike and 
flowers less than one-third the natural size. 
CHEMISTRY FOR THE GARDEN. 
XIV. —Manures, continued. 
Manures may be said to be divided into two classes, 
viz., natural and artificial. A familiar example of 
the one is farmyard manure and of the other super¬ 
phosphate guano. Farmyard manure consists 
largely of the excreta of the animals usually kept on 
a farm, and is always valuable in proportion to the 
food stuffs such animals consume. If the food be 
rich in nitrogen, then so will their excrements, if not 
then the manure will be poor. Many were, and 
perhaps yet are disposed to believe that such manure 
is better than ail others, notwithstanding the condi¬ 
tion which we have pointed out. Guano such as the 
now extinct Peruvian guano so popular some years 
ago, and which consisted chiefly of excreta of birds, 
was also a natural manure. It may be stated in this 
connection that for years after the source from 
which this first class guano became exhausted, un¬ 
scrupulous traders were audacious enough to put an 
artificial preparation purporting to be the genuine 
article on the market. 
The spurious article was not difficult of detection, 
for the simple test of the weight of bulk for bulk 
alone sufficed to distinguish the real from the 
other. 
The genuine article per bushel weighed only about 
70 lbs. We may be pardoned for re-stating here a 
matter which we pointed out in an agricultural 
paper some years ago, about this spurious article. 
We had occasion to get some Peruvian guano, but, 
alas, the colour was the only redeeming quality it 
seemed to have, and when closer attention was given 
to the matter it turned out to be the neatest fraud 
we remember of seeing performed. First we took a 
portion of the article and washed it after the manner 
we proposed for the determination of the amount of 
clay in the soil. After an enormous amount of 
ordinary fowls' feathers, seaweed, ground cork, &c., 
were eliminated, the tenaceous bricky colouring 
matter was separated from the bulky residue. This 
residue was river sand, and on account of its nature 
it was not difficult to form an opinion of its geo¬ 
logical habitat. The feathers, &c., were a lame 
attempt to counteract the weighty nature of the 
shingly material which was slightly over 50 per cent. 
We have no doubt whatever but many a poor 
farmer was mulched by this fraudulent article, per¬ 
haps are yet being so for aught we know. The 
ordinary amount of ammonia appeared to be present, 
but that is an easy matter, a few pounds of sulphate 
of ammonia dashed in will accomplish that little 
business. 
All natural manures as a rule find more favour 
with tillers of the soil than any artificial preparation. 
POLYXANTHUM. 
They may, however, be quite at fault here, and 
indeed sometimes are, for some artificial manures 
which we know are of a greater value than ever any 
farmyard manure could possibly be. Farmyard 
Odontoglossum 
