134 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
February 18, 1905. 
Arethusa bulbosa. 
To lovers of hardy Orchids the abovem aimed pretty and 
uncommon plant should especially appeal, and indeed is 
worthy of the notice of all who delight in the miniature plants 
of the rockery and bog-garden, it being distinct and beautiful. 
As its specific name indicates, it is really a bulb, but belongs, 
nevertheless, to the order Orchidaceae, A. bulbosa being the 
only species of the genus, but is closely allied to Bartholina 
pectinata, sometimes called Arethusa ciliaris. As imported 
in the dormant state, the bulbs are veiy small—about in. 
from crown to base, and scarcely so thick as a lead pencil— ■ 
and careful treatment is required to establish them. The 
safest method to adopt is to start them in a well-drained pan, 
in a compost of peat, charcoal and sand, with a little chopped 
sphagnum. When growth has fairly started they may be 
transferred to a warm nook at the base of the rockery or the 
verge of the bog-bed, moisture and warmth combining to 
satisfy the plant’s requirements. A slight covering of bracken 
or similar material in winter will be sufficient protection when 
established. Each bulb produces a single spatlie; the flowers, 
which are of a rosy-purple hue, being delightfully fragrant as 
well as beautiful. The time of flowering varies according to 
situation and atmospheric conditions, but is generally during 
the latter half of April or the month of May. 
Heather Bell. 
To be, or not to be, Apprenticed to 
Horticulture. 
Is it advisable for the youth who desires to follow the pro¬ 
fession of horticulture to serve a term of apprenticeship? In 
other words, has the lad who is apprenticed for a specified 
term in a good establishment (private or trade) any substantial 
advantage over the lad who enters a situation merely as a 
“ lad ” to make himself useful, pick up what knowledge he 
can, and improve his position as he is able? This is a question 
worthy of discussion, for among the readers of the “ G.W.” 
there are doubtless many parents whose sons will in course of 
time enter the field of horticulture in search of a livelihood, 
and who, desiring to give the lads the best possible start in 
their career, will have to decide whether or not apprenticeship 
is desirable or necessary. My own reply is in the negative, 
nor even do I concede that apprenticeship is conducive to 
future success. Among the many men and youths I have 
worked beside in various parts of the country, I cannot call 
to mind one who, havihg served apprenticeship, has made a 
better or more successful gardener than numbers who had 
started as crock-boys and pot-washers to work their own way 
from bottom to top. 
On the other hand, I have known several who at the end of 
their term have advanced but little in knowledge or ability. 
Even those who make the best of their time find their appren¬ 
ticeship of but little advantage when they have to turn out 
and work in strange places. 
Too often the apprentice considers he has a right of ex¬ 
emption from all menial and laborious tasks and must only 
be put to the lighter and pleasant work, consequently he shuns 
much that every gardener should undergo, if only that he may 
become qualified to superintend the work of others later on. 
I do not know whether the newly formed British Gardeners’ 
Association gives preference to those candidates for member¬ 
ship who produce indentures of apprenticeship, but I sincerely 
trust they do not look upon such indentures as necessary, for 
thereby many who are really worthy would be debarred the 
advantages the society should be able to afford to all qualified 
gardeners, and, to my mind, membership of that society should 
be of far greater import and advantage to a gardener than 
the possession of apprenticeship indentures. . 
Heather Bell. 
Bearers’ Competition. —Particulars of weekly prize, see 
centre page. 
Chinese Plants. 
At the meeting of the Linnean Society on February 2nd the 
first paper was by Mr. W. J. Tutcher, F.L.S., entitled “ Descrip¬ 
tions of some new Species, and Notes on other Chinese Plants ” 
The species in question had been found on the island of Hong¬ 
kong, with one from Kowloon and one from Wei-hai-wei. 
pointed out that the island lies just within the tropics, about 
22 deg. N. and 111 deg. E. from Greenwich; it consists of 
irregular granite mountain-ridges, the highest peak being Jit. 
Victoria, 1,800 ft. The average rainfall is 85 in., most of 
which falls during the S.W. monsoon. 
The hills are broken up by ravines, in which the vegetation 
is richest, but most of the vegetation which strikes the eve 
is due to the Afforestation Department, which has planted 
Pinus massoniana in large numbers. Bentham’s Flora Horw- 
kongensis ’ in 1861 enumerated 1,053 species from the island. 
159 of which had not at that time been found elsewhere, but 
at the present time only about fifty of these remain peculiar 
to the island. The flora as now known amounts to about 
1,400 species, of which 100 are regarded as endemic, though 
probably many will be found natives of the mainland. 
Botanising is difficult, as the collector has to hack his wav 
through Bamboo and shrubs amongst the boulders, some of 
which are large enough to block the passage. 
Ferns amount to 100, Grasses about as many; Leguminosae 
nearly as many; between seventy and eighty Cyperaceae; 
Compositae over sixty, and Orchids sixty. Quercus Eyrei, first 
found by Capt. Champion, was not collected by any recent 
collector till the author refound it in quantity; even Hanm 
had declared that Champion must have been mistaken in his 
locality. The luxuriance usually associated with tropical 
vegetation is here wanting, due to the poverty of the soil, 
which is almost exclusively disintegrated grauite. 
The new territory leased to Great Britain in 1898 has an 
area of about 300 square miles—that is, ten times the area 
of Hongkong. Lantao is an island resembling Hongkong, but 
its highest peak is 3,050 ft., with many well-wooded ravines, 
and when explored will doubtless prove rich in plants. In 
conclusion some lantern slides were shown, which displayed 
the character of the vegetation and scenery of the colony. 
Impatiens Holstii. 
The above new species of Balsam closely resembles I. 
Sultani. A small illustration of it appears in the “ Revue de 
l’Horticulture Beige” for February. It is of more vigorous 
growth than I. Sultani; the colour of the flowers is also much 
more intense. They appear in groups of three or four at the 
top of the branches, and measure 1 in. to 1^ in. in diameter, 
and might be described as a beautiful, lively, and very brilliant 
vermilion. The leaves are similar to those of I. Sultani. 
The plant can be employed with advantage for the embel¬ 
lishment of the flower-garden. The noted writer on plants, 
E. A. Carriere, is against the idea of cultivating this and 
similar plants in diy, warm houses which are unfavourable to 
the African Balsams. On the other hand, he considers a. shady 
position more suitable for them, because under such conditions 
the plants grow more vigorously, and their Mowers and leaves 
are larger and more handsome. 
I. Sultani lias been grown in the open in this country to a 
small extent, but. it might give more satisfaction if the planters 
were to select a shady position for it, where the sun would not 
shine directly upon it. In France, I. Sultani, in a half-shady 
position in the open air, flowers from June till cut down by 
frost. The average summer in France .i's warmer than ours, 
but nevertheless cultivators might adopt French ideas for this 
species as well as the newcomer, which is almost certain to 
find its way to our shores before long. It may, however, be 
cultivated in pots for the decoration of the greenhouse or con¬ 
servatory, and may be used on occasion for room decoration. 
The new Balsam i's being put into commerce by Messrs. Haage 
and S.chmidt, Erfurt, Germany. 
