809 
Septeijilper 26, 1903. THE GARDENING WORLD. 
for winter decoration. Any good garden soil suits this winter 
Cherry well, and it can be increased by division of the roots or 
by seed. 
The recent heavy gales will in all probability havei loosened 
the supports of many autumn flowering plants, and these should 
be made thoroughly firm without delay, and fresh sticks given, 
if necessary, so that no damage may be done by rough weather, 
which we often experience at this season. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. A. E. Thatcher. 
Among the Orchids. 
Dendrobiums.— Most of the deciduous section of Dendro- 
biums will now have practically matured their season’s growth ; 
every encouragement must be afforded to enable the plants to 
thoroughly ripen their pseudo-bulbs. The treatment of plac¬ 
ing the plants in a cool, dry house and literally drying them to 
death by withholding water until the bulbs had shrunk out of 
all recognition, is a system of ripening and resting which ,'S 
gradually giving place to more rational treatment, even by 
those uninitiated in the cultivation of Orchids who have learnt 
that to procure satisfactory conditions it is absolutely necessary 
first to have thoroughly ripened growth. There is a. vast differ¬ 
ence between affording facilities for the proper ripening of the 
pseudo-bulbs and the barbarous treatment of excessive drought, 
as before mentioned. * 
One has to study the peculiarities of the plants we have to 
deal with. Certain conditions which may be suitable for one 
kind may be absolutely ruinous to others. Even the species 
in their native habitats are found wild at a great variation of 
altitudes, with a corresponding difference of temperature and 
climatic conditions. If these conditions are considered but 
for a moment, how can it be wondered at that we find failure 
in the cultivation of some of the species when under artificial 
conditions they are subjected to treatment altogether foreign 
to their requirements. 
As with the species, so with the hybrids. I am convinced 
that no haphazard, “ treat-us-all-alike ” conditions of culture 
can possibly succeed with hybrid Dendrobiums any more than 
is found to be possible with the different species. Take, for 
example, D. Ainsworthii in its varied forms, derived from the 
intercrossing of D. nobile and D. aureum, two of the most easily 
grown and hardiest of the species. To subject the offsprings 
derived from this amalgamation to the same hardships that 
both parents will thrive under means a hopeless failure. 
Neither these nor, in fact, any of the hybrid Dendrobiums 
should be subjected to a less degree of temperature through 
the resting season than that usually recommended for the cul¬ 
tivation of Cattleyas, and the plants placed in such a. position 
that they may obtain the maximum amount of light. 
Here, again, the proper administration of root moisture plays 
a prominent part in the results obtainable. Every precaution 
must be taken to prevent shrivelling, but at the same time, 
under warmer conditions, there is a tendency to unduly incite 
the plants to emit new growths where they are too liberally 
'provided for. Where growth 'starts in this way it is bound to 
have detrimental effect on the' flowers, both numerically and 
in quality. 
D. Bryan, the hybrid derived from the intercrossing of D. 
luteolum and D. wardianum, is, perhaps, one of the most diffi¬ 
cult plants to winter it is possible to conceive. There is no 
possibility of success with it unless it is kept in normal condi¬ 
tions of from 60 deg. to 65 deg. It must then be suspended 
well up to the roof glass, every precaution taken to guard 
against drip from the roof falling on the compost in which it 
is potted, and only sufficient moisture will be necessary to 
retain the pseudo-bulbs, in their normal state. 
Plants backward in growth should now be placed under the 
warmest conditions procurable. Afford all the light available, 
which will help to mature the growth as it develops. H. J. 
I • 
Fruit under Glass. 
Early Peach House. — Discontinue the use of the syringe 
and allow the foliage to ripen and fall naturally, but on no 
account let the t-reesi suffer for moisture at the root—a sure 
forerunner of bud-dropping in early spring. Should any trees 
have made extra strong wood, set about remedying this evil 
early in the coming month by opening out a trench 1 ft. wide, 
2-|- ft. to 3 ft. from the trunk, and, with a garden fork, work 
away the soil towards the base of the tree,. preserving all 
fibrous roots, but cutting well back all strong fibreless roots, 
carefully working underneath with the' fork, as it is often here 
the mischief is done, by roots penetrating into the drainage 
and subsoil below. Such roots should be severed with a, sharp 
knife., and in returning the soil a small quantity of fresh loam 
with a little bonemeal and wood ashes may be placed in the 
trench if it. is considered the old soil is deficient of nutriment. 
In filling in the trench make the soil veiy firm, especially 
underneath the tree, and encourage the remaining roots to 
come upwards., laying them evenly cut as filling-in proceeds. 
Trees but. three or four years from the bud are inclined to grow 
extra strong the first few years; these may be entirely lifted 
and replanted when such is the case, cutting back the stronger 
roots as with older trees, and, should the weather be very 
bright, shade the trees for a few hours daily for a. week or 
ten days, and syringe the foliage several times during the day, 
and afford water at the root within a week to settle the soil. 
Later houses should be syringed two or three times a week, 
to rid them of any red spider, and if the growths are at all 
crowded, those shoots that have borne fruit should be cut out; 
this will give more space for shoots that may have been laid 
in this season. Keep the structures well ventilated and the 
borders' from becoming any way dry, as it is quite as important 
that the trees have plenty of moisture at the root at the 
present date as it is in early summer, as during the next few 
weeks the trees have much to perform in the matter of ripen¬ 
ing their wood and plumping up their buds for next season’s 
crop, so, with a diy root-run, trees would be unable, to perform 
this necessary work. 
Orchard House. —Trees in pots or tubs requiring attention 
at the root, whether it is repotting or top-dressing, should 
receive the necessary overhaul early in October before the 
leaves begin, to fall. Let the soil be moist before turning the 
tree out, then with a pointed stick remove all inert soil tops 
and bottom, and a. portion all round the ball. Use clean pots, 
carefully drained, and as compost made up' of two parts turfy 
loam to one of well-decayed manure, while for stone fruit a. 
little mortar, plaster, or lime rubble should be added, potting 
quite firm, the grower being best able toi tell whether a larger 
pot or tub' is necessary, by the state of the roots of each in¬ 
dividual tree 1 , or whether the same size will better suit the 
tree’s requirements'. Keep the trees syringed several times 
daily, but afford no water at the root for a few days, if such 
can be 1 avoided, which is best done by covering the pot or tub 
with a. mat if the weather be veiy bright. If only top- 
dressing is contemplated, see that the drainage is clear, and 
pick away with the stick 2 in. or 3 in. of surface soil, taking 
every care of the young roots that may have got hold of the 
summer’s top-dressing. 
Melons. —The latest crop should be freely swelling away by 
now, and much care will be needed to. bring the fruit to per¬ 
fection ; too free a use of the watering-can or syringe at this 
date will at times wreck what would ptherwise have been a 
good lot of fruit. Do not, apply water until you see it is 
actually needed, giving a little weak guano water occasionally, 
and ventilate with due care from now until, the fruits are ripe, 
withholding water when they reach that stage, with a. little 
ventilation at night. Distribute moisture underneath and 
around the walls several times daily in bright weather, closing 
soon after. 2 p.m. until approaching ripeness', when treat as 
indicated above. James Mayne. 
Bicton, Devonshire. 
