January 23, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
75 
is no such, thing, put in cold frames oil .ashes, and give a 
good watering, also a syringe overhead to refresh the plants. 
Air freely, and shade from strong sunshine. Those in frames 
will require to be removed indoors the first week in October 
and the usual cool treatment followed. Those intended for 
layering can be done in frames or outside, where early Potar 
tos were dug. 
The last-named way I consider the best, and shall explain 
how to go about it. Prepare in equal proportions loam, leaf- 
mould, and sand. Put a few barrow load-si down on the ajr- 
pohmted place. Proceed by removing bottom foliage; then 
knock the plants out of the j>ot; then remove crocks, lay it on 
its side in, the hollow prepared, and continue 1 in the usual way 
for layering Carnations. After .all are layered, give a good 
watering through a fine rose, and then place sashes of frames 
over the lot, resting on 7-in. pots, and shade from the sun¬ 
shine with mats. Give a syringe underneath, till they begin 
to root, every afternoon when mats are removed ; they will be 
ready for lifting and potting in six weeks. Sever from • the 1 
parent one week before potting. If they happen to< get dry 
before the six weeks, remove sashes and give a, good watering. 
Lift very carefully with asi good balls as possible, and pot into 
5-in. and 6-in. pots well chocked, with a layer of moss over 
each, in the mixture advised before. These pots I mention 
are those intended for flowering them in. Pot all the strongest 
layers, first into 6-in. a.nd then the rest in 5-in., and so on just 
according to the roots, they have. Remove them to a, cool 
house or frame, and give a good watering-; also syringe over¬ 
head and shade from strong sunshine, and air freely. Any 
green fly appearing, give a fumigation. About end of October 
give them a, dusting with flowers of sulphur overhead, and I will 
guarantee you will not be troubled with any vermin. Con¬ 
tinue the same cool treatment throughout and careful water¬ 
ing, and success will follow. The following are the best 
varieties to grow : —Souvenir de la Malmaison (blush), Sou¬ 
venir de la. Malmaison (pink). Prime Minister (scarlet), Nell 
GWynne (white), Churchwarden (crimson-scar'let), and, as a. 
substitute for a. yellow, I would advise to grow Cecilia, 
Mons. Meg. 
Raspberries. 
I would like to describe a. method of cultivation, which I 
liave found very successful and have proved to be very effectual 
in renovating old worn-out plantations and bringing them, into 
a state of fertility equal to young plantations. 
Some ten years ago I had to deal with a worn-out plantation). 
It was in so poor a state that the former system of training 
had to be abandoned—that of tying the canes in the form oif 
arches—the cane® being too short to make a.n arch between 
the stools. The first thing done wasi to drive a, line of posts 
down, the centre of the rows and fix two wire® on, to the posts. 
The first wire was 2 ft. from the ground, and the top wire 
1 ft. above it, but some of the canes were too short to reach 
the top wire. After the canes- nearest to the centres of the 
lines were tied to the wires, those that had spread out were 
dug up and the -spaces between the stools were filled up. No 
digging was done, but the spaces between the rows of plants 
were covered with herbage; from herbaceous borders, tops of 
Jerusalem Artichokes, etc., and the whole covered with leaves; 
they liave been treated in the same way every autumn since 
without any digging. In the -summer they are treated to 
mulchings of short grass, manure and other garden; refuse. 
There was a great improvement in the strength of the canes 
the first summer, and a fairly good crop was produced the 
second season. Since then the cane® average 9 ft. to 10 ft., 
many over 11 ft, in height, and carry very heavy crops. The 
wires had to he raised, the top wire being 4 ft. 6 in. from the; 
ground. An improvement was- also; made in -the form of the 
trellis, two cross pieces of wood 10 in, long being nailed 
on to; the posts to carry a, wire on. each side, making a double 
trellis for each row. At priming time the fruiting canes are 
tied to both wire®, and in the summer the young canes are 
kept in the space between. This allows more light and air to 
reach the fruit, and freer access to gather it, as the young 
caries are kept, from falling between the rows. 
By planting Narcissus, a good supply of cut bloom can be 
obtained. Plant, the bulbs 2 in,, or 3 in. apart for a space of 
about 9 in. on each side of the Raspberry rows. This leaves 
them clear of being trampled upon, at fruit pulling. I have 
never found the lifting and replanting the bulbs do the Rasp¬ 
berries any apparent, harm. John C'raigie. 
Dendrobium bigibbum. 
Since the introduction of D. Phalaenopsis and its many fine 
varieties the beauty of D. bigibbum has been rather overlooked 
in many establishments;. The fault of it, perhaps, is that it 
does not give rise to much variation, while the flowers are 
somewhat smaller. When well grown, however, the two broad 
petals make the; plant a rival to its better 1 known congener, D. 
Dendrobium bigibbum : Flower rose purple. 
Phalaenopsis, The flowers, are usually of a uniform pale or 
deep rose tint, or rose-purple, a® some would describe it, 
deepening considerably in the throat. At least two varieties 
have been described—namely, D. b. candidum, having white 
flowers, with a purple blotch, on each side of the crest of the 
lip, and D. b. superbum, with larger and more richly-coloured 
flowers than the type. These may be described as Australian 
Dend robes, being amongst the few really showy species that 
come from the island continent. 
Our photograph was taken, in the gardens of Leopold de 
Rothschild, Esq., Gunnersbury House, Acton, W., in October 
last, this being an autumn-flowering species. Although grown 
in a small pan the plant, carried twelve spikes of bloonr. Mr. 
James Hudson, the gardener, does not grow a great many 
specie® of Orchids, hut what he does; have he grows exceedingly 
well. At present, however, he bas more Orchids at Gunners¬ 
bury House than existed there a few years ago'. 
Too Much Water. —The rainfall in this country was exces¬ 
sive during the past season, but the inhabitants of Bloemfontein 
had more than their share on the 17th inst., when a waterspout 
burst over the town. Three hotels and many houses were de¬ 
stroyed, while a number of people lost their lives. 
