538 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
June 20, 1903. 
do to dogmatise in cultural matters, as I have witnessed over 
and over again. 
This article, however, would not be complete without a, refer¬ 
ence to .pot plants and pot culture. A hint to the wise is all- 
sufficient, and no one knows better than the professional 
gardener the assiduity required to bring a pot plant to the 
highest state of excellence. Besides this assiduity there is 
the question of soils and the importance of water, the latter 
more especially being the crux on which so many come to grief. 
How to water and when to water can only be acquired by 
Experience, but it may be here affirmed that the axiom in 
respect to flowering plants, viz., Never water when the soil is 
wet, is equally applicable to Ferns. 
As to soils, these must be selected with greater care for pot 
culture. The Hart’s-tongue will thrive in pure loam or pure 
leaf-mould, but ill practice I prefer these properly blended, 
and even to add others, such as nodules of stone or brick, or 
broken oyster shells, to keep the compost sweet and porous. 
Let the compost be rough rather than otherwise, for I do not 
advocate the use of the sieve, not even for the sowing of spores. 
There are some other factors in the successful management of 
British Ferns, but as the principles, of horticulture apply to 
hardy cryptogams, as well as to other plants, it is unnecessary 
here to distinguish between them. 
Ferns, however, like other plants, are subject to insect pests. 
Most gardeners will be conversant with remedies. But there 
is one pest which provokes me beyond measure, and that is the 
short-snouted or black Vine weevil (Otiorrhynchus sulcatus). 
It. is a perfect incarnation of devilishness—a perennial nuisance. 
In the larval form it feeds on the roots, and even the cortex, of 
our Ferns, while at other times it is. doing its level best to 
disfigure the fronds. It is particularly partial to Scolopen- 
driums, and therefore calculated to upset the mildest-mannered 
man. The parents, perchance, can be caught at feeding-time, 
but the larvae, or grubs, cannot be detected until the damage 
is done and the Fern shows signs of collapse. M lien, then, a 
plant is not. doing well, there must be a. reason. Search out 
the. cause, examine the soil, and if weevil grubs be found 
well, exercise your own discretion. 
As I cannot cover the whole gamut of Scolopendrium culture 
in a short article, and as this, in fact, is not necessary to 
“ G. W.” readers, I will conclude by insisting that some of the 
more important conditions which should prevail under glass 
are cleanliness, shade, ventilation, and humidity. Light, also 1 , 
is very necessary—hence the value' of roller blinds. 
Propagation is effected by division, by basal cuttings in the 
case of the non-fertile crispums, and. by spores ; but into these 
processes want of space prohibits detail. Frame or pit culture 
is also very suitable for the smaller and choice varieties; in 
fact, some of the dwarf' and mossy-looking varieties and the 
firbriated crispums must receive comparatively close culture. 
I trust that tlie preceding remarks on varieties and culture 
will induce an inquiry into this subject; and that, if the deci¬ 
sion be five rable, only the tlitt in each section be taken in 
hand. Thus may the culture extend, and thus' may the full 
decorative foliage value of these Feras be emphasised and 
assured. C. B. Green. 
Acton, W._ 
Iberis correaefolia. 
To all appearances' the origin of this fine Candytuft has been 
lost. In my opinion it is one of the finest of perennial and 
evergreen kinds. The habit of the plant is similar to I. sempti- 
virens, but the leaves are relatively shorter and broader, while 
the pure white flowers are' also of larger size, making a beautiful 
compact mass when in perfection. As far as I have been 
able to see, it does not produce seeds in most seasons, but a 
stock of young plants could always be kept up by cuttings of 
young shoots which have not flowered, these being inserted 
firmly in pots of sandy soil, and placed in a frame. The pots 
containing the cuttings might also have a handliglit placed ovei 
them and the frame itself shaded during the hotter parts of 
the day. M ' W ' 
Plants Recently Certificated 
By the Royal Horticultural Society. 
June 9th. 
ORCHID COMMITTEE. 
Phaius Chapmani superbus. 
The parentage of this fine hybrid was P. Phoebe x Humblotii. 
The sepals and petals are relatively short compared with many 
of the better-known species and hybrids, but they are also 
very broad, of a pale rosy-fuscus hue, almost pink, but the exact 
colour is difficult of description. The lip is of large size, 
purple on the upper half, and more or less of a crimson-purple 
on the broad -side lobes. The blooms are larger and the colour 
better than in the typical P. Chapmani. First-class Certificate 
to Norman C. Cookson, Esq. (gardener, Mr. H. J. Chapman), 
Oakwood, Wylam-on-Tyne. 
Odontoglossum crispum truffautianum. 
The sepals of this, fine variety have, a large brownish-purple 
•blotch on the middle. The petals have more numerous and 
smaller blotches ; the lip has a large blotch in front of the crest, 
and numerous smaller ones around the sides, but all of them are 
distinctly different in hue' from those' cf the' sepals and petais, 
being in this instance of a deep cinnamon. First-class Certifi¬ 
cate to Baron Sir Henry Schroder (gardener, Mr. H. Ballan- 
tine), The Dell, Egliam. 
Odontoglossum cordatum aureurn. 
In this beautiful variety the brown colour so conspicuous in 
tlie type has been entirely washed out ; the transverse bars on 
the sepals are, however, left of a. deep yellow on a pale yellow 
ground. The petals are similarly blotched on a pale y ellow 
ground. The lip, on the contrary, is white, with a yellow base 
and apex. Award of Merit to W. Thompson, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. W. Stevens), Walton Grange, Stone, Staffs. 
Epicattleya matutina. 
The parentage in this bigeneric hybrid was C. bowringi-ana x 
Epidendrum radicans, the latter being the pollen parent. The 
form of the flowers very much resembles that of Epidendrum, 
but the colours, although to some extent intermediate, are 
pale rose and pink, showing the influence of the Cattleya which 
was the seed bearer. The influence of Epidendrum has been 
well indicated in several other previously recorded hybrids, in¬ 
cluding the now fairly well-known Epiphronitis. Award of 
Merit to Messrs. J. Veitcli and Sons, Ltd., Chelsea. 
Oncidium triquetrum. 
The leaves of this pretty little species are triquetrous, as in¬ 
dicated by the specific name, and perform the function of 
pseudo-bulbs, which are here absent. Tlve lip is relatively laige. 
spotted, and striated with purple on a white ground. It is a 
dwarf-growing, pretty, and interesting species. Botanical Cer¬ 
tificate to H. T. Pitt, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Thurgood), Rosslyn, 
Stamford Hill. 
FLORAL COMMITTEE, 
Adiantum scutum ramosum. 
As indicated by the name, the fronds of this variety are 
branched, but the distinctive character of the variety has refer¬ 
ence rather to the arrangement of these branches, which is tri¬ 
angular or flabellate—that is, the branches and pinnae are 
arranged in a fan-shaped manner. Award of Merit to Mr. H. B. 
May, Dyson’s Lane Nursery, Upper Edmonton. 
Heuchera hybrida Rosamundi. 
The parentage of this hybrid was H. sanguinea x mierantha 
rosea. The latter garden variety has reduced the size of the 
flowers, but lias given stature to the progeny, the stems being 
3 ft. or more in length, more or less branching,. and bearing a 
large number of rosy-pink flowers, intermediate in size between 
those of the parents. Award of Merit to Messrs. Wallace and 
Co., Kilnlield Gardens, Colchester. 
