February 21, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
161 
will be found a good aid to the rapid ripening up of the 
branches. Early in September the plants should be lifted and 
potted and stood in a sunny position. 
The treatment of the plants after they have been forced 
depends to a great extent on the amount of forcing that has 
been mven; if moderate forcing only is resorted to much less 
damao-e is done to the plants than if they are forced hard. 
In either case, as soon as the flowers are over the plants should 
be cut back to the strongest break or to good sound dormant 
buds, and be stood in a cool house. Hardening off should be 
done gradually until in May they are planted out in the reserve 
ground in rich soil. Plants which have only been subjected 
to moderate forcing will require two seasons’-growth in the 
reserve ground before they will be again suitable for forcing, 
but plants that have been subjected to severe heat will pro¬ 
bably require three, or sometimes four, years, according to 
the season. 
A great quantity of the Lilac blossom sold in markets is 
white. This does not mean that varieties with white flowers 
only are forced; in fact, just the opposite is the case. In 
the act of forcing the flowers are bleached, a dark house and 
a very high temperature being responsible for the white 
flowers. In many gardens, however, the colour of the flowers 
does not matter, and forcing can be carried on in a light house 
with a moderate temperature. Plants that are forced under 
these latter conditions do not suffer to anything like the extent 
of those forced in the dark and in great heat. 
The most suitable plants for forcing regarding size depends 
entirely on the object for which they are wanted ; a very 
useful size is 3 ft. high and 2 ft. or so through, carrying from 
twenty to thirty heads of flowers; but very large bushes may 
also be used, as also can plants but 1 ft. or so in height. 
Miniature plants 1 ft. high, carrying from four to six heads 
of flowers, may be obtained in the following manner: On 
stocks of the common oval-leaved Privet scions of the good 
garden varieties of the common Lilac should be grafted. After 
the union is effected the plants should be grown in rich soil, 
the leading shoot of each plant being stopped to induce side 
branches. A few branches only should be allowed, and these 
should be encouraged to grow sturdy and strong. Eventually 
they should be placed in 6-in. pots, ramming the soil firmly 
about the roots. Throughout early summer the pots should 
be plunged in ashes, but early in August they should be taken 
out of the plunge and placed in full sun, where they will get 
a thorough baking; early in September the pots should be 
turned on their sides to allow of the soil becoming dry. This 
will help to ripen the plants off. 
Most of the good single-flowered varieties are suitable for 
forcing. One known as Charles X. is perhaps used to a greater 
extent than the others. Such varieties as Alba grandiflora, 
Gloire de Moulins, Marie Legraye, Philemon, Ville de Troyes., 
^ irginalis and many others are all suitable. The pretty little 
dwarf Syringa. persica is well worth forcing. It makes a bush 
3 ft. high and 3 ft. or 4 ft. through, and flowers with great 
freedom. The branches are much weaker than those of S. 
vulgaris, and do not require nearly so much pruning, an occa¬ 
sional thinning being all that is necessary. For moderate 
forcing a temperature of from 60 deg. to 65 deg. in the day 
and 5b deg. to 60 deg. at night is suitable, the atmosphere 
being kept moist and the plants syringed several times a day. 
W. Dallimore. 
Dendrobium Wiganiae xanthochilum. 
The parents of the original D. Wiganiae were D. signatum 
and D. nobile, the former being a yellow-flowered species. To 
ully understand the beautiful character of the variety under 
notice, it may be as well to recall the description of the original, 
which had creamy-white sepals and petals slightly tinted with 
pink. The disc of the lip was rich yellow and the rest dark 
purple. The beautiful variety under notice has clear yellow 
flowers shining with a glossy lustre, and furnished with a rich 
dark brown blotch in the throat of the lip. 
Our illustration represents a small plant exhibited by Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bait, (grower, Mr. W. H. White), Burford, 
Dorking, at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on 
Denduobium Wiganiae xanthochilum. 
the 10th inst. The plant consisted of three stems, the two 
older of which carried an aggregate of thirty-three flowers, 
which had a bright and effective appearance, proving veiy 
attractive to the visitors. A First-class Certificate was awarded 
to it by the Royal Horticultural Society. 
