THE GARDENING WORLD 
399 
May 9, 1903. 
ipliis appear. Fertilise about midday those in flower, keep¬ 
ing dry overhead until a set has been secured. 
'ihcton, Devonshire. James Mayne. 
Notes on Hardy Herbaceous Plants. 
Suitable Alpines for Crevices, Rock Bridges, etc. In 
the majority of gardens where no specially-constructed rockery 
exists there are suitable places which can be utilised for grow¬ 
ing alpine plants, and very satisfactory results may be obtained 
b/cultivating those which will succeed in the above and similar 
situations. One of the most interesting features here has been 
made by furnishing some rustic rock bridges with alpines, 
which span the streams and larger pools of ornamental water, 
and the effect produced is a very pleasing one. The method of 
procedure, in the first place, is extremely simple. When the 
bridges were built small pockets were made between the 
coping-stones, and these filled in with suitable compost, consist¬ 
ing of good loam, peat, and some finely-broken rock or other 
oritty material. When once planted little other attention is 
necessary, except to give copious supplies of water in diy 
weather and an annual top-dressing of soil similar to that men¬ 
tioned above. Of plants suitable for these positions there is 
an almost endless variety, but I append only those which we 
have found to succeed. 
The encrusted section of Saxifragas are among the most 
useful, the silvery foliage being beautiful all through the year, 
and when the flowering season is over these never fail to have 
a pleasing effect. The mossy Saxifragas also are equally ser¬ 
viceable, as they soon spread and cover the rocks, thus giving 
the work an established appearance. The Sedums and Semper- 
vivums are also very pleasing, the deep red foliage of many of 
these contrasting well with the other subjects. 
Probably one of the best varieties of the mossy Saxifragas 
is the new S. Guildford Seedling, which is, no doubt, a seedling 
from the popular S. muscoides Rhei. The colour of the flowers 
is a fine deep red, veiy much darker than S. Rhei superba, a dis¬ 
tinctly inferior variety, which is sometimes offered for it. 
Other suitable plants are Erinus alpinus, and the white 
variety Tunica Saxifraga, Acaena microphylla, and A. Novae 
Zealandiae, Androasce carnea, A. foliosa, and A. Chumbyi, 
Douglasia vitaliana, Gentiana verna, Hutchinsia alpina, 
Arenaria balearica, and A. tetraquetra, Nierembergia rivularis, 
Thymus carnosus, T. lanuginosus, T. Serphyllum album, and 
T. Serphyllum coccineum. These are all easily grown, and suc¬ 
ceed in any well drained situation. 
The Perennial Lathyrus. —Few hardy deciduous climbers 
are more beautiful or more useful than the perennial Lathyrus, 
and the amount of attention required to cultivate them to per¬ 
fection is so small that they can be grown by all. They easily 
adapt themselves to almost any position where medium-sized 
climbing plants are required, and are also valuable for growing 
in the shrubbery beds or at the back of broad, herbaceous 
borders. 
When planting, a good open site should, if possible, be 
chosen, and some fairly good soil added to give them a start, 
although, when they become well esta-blished, almost any soil 
will suit them. The roots do not care to be disturbed, so that 
j this should be noted when planting, and they are easily in¬ 
creased by seed. The plants should now be given a good 
mulching of manure, that from the farmyard being as good as 
anything, and if they are growing in beds or borders some Pea 
sticks should be placed round them not too closely, so that 
they can ramble freely and display the flowers to the best effect. 
Lathyrus latifolius and its varieties are the best. The type 
grows from 6 ft. to 8 ft. in height, and the flowers are bright 
red in colour, produced on long spikes. L. latifolius albus has 
splendid pure white flowers, invaluable for cutting, and quite 
as robust as the type. 
L. latifolius delicatus is a beautiful variety, the flowers being 
white, overlaid with delicate rose, which becomes deeper at 
the edge ; this is not quite such a strong grower as the previous 
varieties. 
L. latifolius splendens has flowers of a deep rosy crimson. 
The herbaceous borders will not need attention, as several 
plants require supporting; the mild weather and rains have 
caused these to grow away rapidly. This includes Centaureas 
of the montana section, Veronica spicata and its varieties, 
Erigerons, and Phloxes. The practice of placing one stick 
behind the plant, and simply bunching the growths up to it, is 
not to be recommended, as this produces a faggoted appear¬ 
ance, and does not do the plant justice, or produce the mass of 
colour it is possible to obtain. When staking the above, and, 
in fact, the majority of herbaceous plants, three or four stakes 
should be used to a plant, according to size, and the growths 
looped up lightly. A much larger space will then be filled, and 
the effect produced far more pleasing. Such plants as Del¬ 
phiniums, Hollyhocks, and the like should now be heavily 
mulched with good farmyard manure, and keep the surface 
soil well stirred with the Dutch hoe; there is more importance 
attached to this than many suppose. A. E. Thatcher. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Among the Orchids. 
Dendrobiums. —The deciduous section of Dendrobiums aie 
now well away into growth, and the plants must have every 
encouragement to induce them to make satisfactory progress. 
The plants of this section require very little shading, only suffi¬ 
cient being necessaiy, to prevent the foliage becoming scorched 
during the hottest portions of the day. Air may be freely 
admitted when the outside conditions are favourable, but the 
house should be closed early in the afternoon, the plants 
syringed overhead, so that the conditions may be made as 
hot and humid as it is possible for the sun’s aid to provide. 
The fire heat should be resorted to as soon as the temperature 
commences to drop, so that there may be no sudden fluctua¬ 
tion, to render a possibility of the plants getting a check. 
The Evergreen Dendrobiums, such as D. thyrsiflorum, D. 
densiflorum, D. Farmerii, D. chrysotoxum, D. suavissimum, 
D. harveyanum, and others that are just passing out of fioiver, 
should be attended to for any repotting requirements that may 
be necessary. It is not advisable to disturb this section of 
Dendrobiums for annual repotting. When thoroughly estab¬ 
lished the plants will stand for several seasons in the same 
pots, but, owing to the long resting season the plants like, it 
is difficult to keep the sphagnum moss alive; it is necessary 
then to remove the old moss and replace with new. As soon 
as new growth commences a liberal supply of water will be 
necessary, both at the roots and in the atmosphere. The con¬ 
dition under which the deciduous section are found to thrive 
will also meet the requirements of this section also. 
Laelia anceps, and the other species belonging to this class 
of autumn and winter flowering Laelias are emitting their new 
roots, and if repotting or top-dressing has not already been 
done, it should be seen to without delay; as the young growths 
are also making their appearance, it is advisable that the plants 
should be removed to their growing positions as soon as pos¬ 
sible. As soon as the growth gets well away, and with plenty 
of light, it is necessary that the plants should be freely 
syringed early in the morning, and again at shutting-uj^ time. 
Woodlice and cockroaches are very fond of the tender young 
roots of Laelia anceps, and they quickly play havoc unless 
means are taken to trap and destroy them. I find that hollowed- 
out- Potatos form a good trap for both, as, when fresh, the cock¬ 
roaches feed beneath them at might, and may be thus caught 
by the aid of a lamp. Woodlice always find the Potatos an 
attractive shelter, from which they may be taken and 
destroyed. 
Vanda teres. — Of all the terete-foliaged Orchids, none are 
more attractive than V. teres. It is not a plant that can be 
accommodated in an ordinary Orchid house, unless a portion 
can be set apart for them, where they can be exposed to the full 
benefits of the sun’s rays, wuthout which it is impossible to 
flower the plants in a satisfactory manner. The plants are now 
pushing their flower scapes, and more liberal treatment must 
be afforded. Syringing overhead will greatly assist them, and 
may be done up to the time the flowers commence to expand. 
H. J. 
