520 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 25, 1904. 
and leaf-soil in. equal parts; use peat sticks for drainage, and 
surface the plants with. moss. About the end of August, or 
September is generally the season for repotting or top-dress- 
ino-; the latter should be practised unless the soil is in a. bad 
state or the plant requires a larger receptacle. 
The first-named group 1 includes such as M. cocoinea and its 
many pretty varieties ; M. veitchiana with its beautiful orange 
and scarlet, flowers is a very attractive and bold plant, which 
often blooms twice a year. Others are M. Chelsoui, ignea, 
etc. The second group 1 contain® M. Chimaera and its several 
varieties, producing large, handsome flowers of orange, yellow, 
white, all of which are very grotesque. M. polystieta is a 
winter-flowering one, the blooms being white and beautifully 
spotted with crimson. M. tovarensis is pure white. The genus 
Sophiitnitis contains two or three species;, but the one most 
worthy of cultivation is S. grandiflora ; its deeji 1 scarlet' flowers 
are greatly admired, being the most brilliant winter-flowering 
Orchid. The plants are best grown in pans suspended in the 
lightest position of the cool house. 
Epidendrum vitellinum should be in every collection; it is 
easily managed, and five or six nice pans of this bright little 
Orchid are very effective about Christmas-time when arranged 
among the Masdevalliasi. 
Cattleya oitrina should be placed on rafts with a small portion 
of sphagnum and peat, and grown ini a downward position., 
The flowers are of a. lemon-yellow colour, and most deliciously 
perfumed. 
Cymbidium giganteum and C. lowianum are plants of a grace¬ 
ful habit', and when out of flower they give the- house an elegant 
set-off. They make a lot of fleshy roots, and generally succeed 
in rough peat and moss, with a portion of fibrous peat added. 
Never allow them to become dry, or the loss of leaves will be 
the result. Zygopetalimi is a somewhat'extensivei-genus, and 
contains some very handsome species which flower in the 
winter-time, thus making them more valuable from a. decorative 
point of view. They may be grown in pot® or pans of rough 
peat*, loam and moss, and should be well drained. Z. Mackayi 
and its varieties'are: held in, high repute by Orchid lovers, and 
Z. Clayi is a very free bloomer. 
The temperature cf a cool house should be from 45 deg. to 
50 deg. F. during winter, and kept as low as possible in 
summer; this is done by shading and keeping the stages and 
floors damp 1 . The plants: mentioned do not require any drying 
off, just keep them from shrivelling when growth is: finished. 
Cool Orchids enjoy plenty of air, never quite closing the ven¬ 
tilators, except to fumigate. W. Anstiss. 
Three Useful Greenhouse Climbers. 
For richness and depth of colouring, Tibouchina semidecan- 
dra, Streptosolen Jamesonii, and Hidalgoa, Wercklei are hard 
to excel, and few to equal among the cooler greenhouse sub¬ 
jects. 
The scarcity of a rich violet blue is supplied by Tibouchina 
semidecandra in an effective manner. Lasiandra and Pleiroana 
were former names of this plant, which belongs to the order 
Melastomaceae. The hairy leaves have three prominent veins, 
and the anthers are peculiarly beaked. In habit the: plant 
forms a loose', straggling shrub, but is readily adaptable tot 
training on a greenhouse wall or wire® under the roof, about 
9 in. from the glass. The latter mode usually shows the: plant, 
to the best advantage. The flowers are produced with great 
freedom, and average about 4 in. in diameter, appearing in 
loose clusters at the end of the branches, and as they open, 
successionally the flowering extends over a, considerable: 
period. Turfy loam and sand form a suitable compost in which 
to plant, but if the loam is not very fibrous the addition of 
peat will be beneficial. Where space can be allowed it to 
develop freely it, is better to plant, in a border, as the plant 
flowers the more profusely the: larger the: proportions it 
assumes. Where only a, .limited roof space is at command it 
can be planted in a good-sized tub or pot- When growing 
freely plenty of water will be required, though in the winter 
water should be withheld to rest the plant. An occasional 
thinning out is sometimes needed, though hard pruning is not 
necessary. 
The flowers of Streptosolen. Jamesonii are of a brilliant 
orange colour, in shape like those of the Browallia, under 
which genus: it: was at one time placed. The present generic 
name is derived from the twisting of the corolla tube. The 
leaves are small, ovate, and evergreen. It forms a good 
pillar plant, or does well planted out in a border to cover 
the roof; loam should form the staple compost, as peat seems 
to induce growth more than flower in this plant. Training in 
a, loose manner usually gives the best effect, for if tied too 
closely to: a pillar it. has: a stiff appearance. Cuttings can be 
rooted with ease with a little bottom heat, and grown on 
steadily and placed in the open to. well ripen the wood in 
autumn, make nice plants for .spring flowering. In, mixed 
bedding large plants have been used at Hampton Court and 
other places with marked effect, the pots being plunged below 
the soil.' 
Rapidity of growth and a distinct character from the usual 
inmate® of the greenhouse are two features of Hidalgoa Werck¬ 
lei, so: that this: native of Costa Rica will probably become 
popular when better' known, as its 1 introduction is comparatively 
recent. It. may be grown as: a pillar plant., or suspended from 
the roof on wires. When hanging down from the roof in this 
way it foams a graceful curtain of green,cry in winter, when 
other climbers are bare. 
The leaves are themselves: ornamental, being cut like some 
species of Vitis, and from .summer to autumn this foliage forms 
a, fit. setting to flowers of a dazzling scarlet colour, and from 
their likeness to a single Dahlia the plant, derives its popular 
name—The Climbing Dahlia. To flower freely it should be 
planted in good loam and in, a light position, to get plenty of 
sun, so as to get, the growth, firm and short- jointed. When 
well established growth is sometimes too abundant; thinning 
out then becomes a necessity. The flowers usually appear 
terminally at first, then axilliary. Cuttings taken, from the 
growing points root, readily in a close frame. If they can be 
struck early in, the year and grown steadily and then hardened 
off they will be found very useful for covering vacant spaces 
in summer on walls or fences. Nil Desperandum. 
A Useful Half-hardy Annual. 
Schizanthus retusns, if not, the best', is- one of the most useful 
half-ha,rdieis, we possess. It has recovered in, a certain degree 
the, position to which neglect bad consigned it. It, is most use¬ 
ful as a decorative plant for conservatory and greenhouse 
alike; its brilliant-coloured flowers command respect and are 
sure to cause admiration when grouped together in the con¬ 
servatory with light and graceful foliage plants. The white 
variety is equally pleasing and effective. 
For pot work to flower in early spring, the seed should be 
sown during August, and September. The young plants should 
be grown on singly in a frame or house, where frost is excluded, 
keeping the plants moving till 7-in. and 8-in. pots are reached. 
By this time they will require a. greenhouse temperature, when 
the cultivator will be rewarded with a, mass: of elegant foliage 
and curiously-shaped flowers somewhat resembling Calanthe 
Yeitchii. Schizanthus revels in a good, rich soil for final pot¬ 
ting, and will repay any liberal treatment bestowed upon it. 
Schizanthus retususi and its white variety give a charming 
touch of colour planted in. the open border, and will show itself 
to advantage planted amongst, hardy Ferns, in not too- shady or 
too exposed a position. It is also of great, value for sub¬ 
tropical bedding, for which purpose seed should be. sown in 
gentle heat during March, and the plant® potted on into 4-in. 
pots, taking care to properly harden previous to being trans¬ 
ferred to their permanent quarters. Wm. James Fenton. 
Studley Castle Gardens. 
