March 11, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
197 
(lowering plant for making a display in Hie conservatory and 
lor cuttin ,r purposes during the dreaiy months of winter. 1 
am aware°that it takes some years to grow-the plants from 
seeds or cuttings before they flower, but established plants can 
now be purchased at a reasonable figure from the nurseries. 
As the plants go out of flower they should be pruned back 
slightly and restarted in a gentle warmth, syringing them 
freely. When new growth is active, remove to a cooler and 
more aiiy structure preparatory to placing out of doors for 
the summer to ripen their wood. Repotting should be per¬ 
formed immediately after flowering. 
Cannas. — If not already brought out from where stored for 
the winter, no time should be lost in so doing, as they require 
dividing and repotting into new soil as early as possible in 
order that the fleshy roots receive no disturbance after becom- 
active. Pull the old plants apart with the hand, and select 
the new conns for repotting and discard the old portion. 
Shading the Houses.— The blinds, or whatever form of 
shading material is used, should be put on the fernery or stove 
house: the cooler houses where more air is admitted will come 
to no harm if the shading is not put up for another two or 
three weeks; indeed, it is a mistake to shut out the sun at 
this period of the year in such structures. Pits and frames 
wherein propagating is being performed will of course need 
shadin'* at all times when the sun is shining brightly. 
K. M. 
Among the Orchids. 
Thunias. —T. alba, T. Bensoniae, T. Marshalliae, and the 
hybrid T. veitckiana, belong to the section of deciduous Orchids, 
which require a complete rest during the winter season. They 
should now be producing their young growths from the base 
of the old pseudo-bulbs. These will require attention in 
order to trim and overhaul the roots. The plants should 
be turned out of the pots, the whole of the decayed soil shaken 
from the roots, and at the same time all dead matter should be 
removed by cutting it away with a sharp knife. Thunias are 
usually grown in clumps, that is to say, by placing several 
plants together in one pot. The pseudo-bulbs should be 
planted 2 in. or 3 in. apart, taking care that the young growths 
are kept about 1 in. below the rim of the pot, so that the 
potting material may be made moderately firm about the base. 
It is advisable that each of the old bulbs should have a stake 
sufficiently strong to secure it in position until such time as 
the plants may have become re-estahlislied. 
The potting compost should consist of peat, fibrous loam, 
leaf soil, and sphagnum moss, and a good sprinkling of finely 
broken crocks or rough sand should be added to assist in 
keeping the soil porous. The pots used should be thoroughly 
cleansed, 8 in. or 9 in. in diameter, and filled to half their 
depth with clean broken crocks, which should be covered with 
a thin layer of partly-decayed Oak leaves. The plants should 
he grown in a light position in the stove or East Indian house, 
as near the roof glass as possible, for unless they get plenty 
of light they do not flower satisfactorily. After potting, the 
plants should be carefully watered, very little moisture being 
given until the new roots have a good hold of the fresh 
material. As soon as the plants have become thoroughly 
established, an occasional watering with weak liquid cow- 
manure will be found beneficial, applied at alternate waterings 
just as the plants are advancing their flower scapes and ex¬ 
panding their flowers. It is not difficult to increase the stock 
of Thunias, as they may be readily propagated by taking off 
the back pseudo-bulbs and making them into cuttings about 
in. long, which can either be inserted as ordinary cuttings, or 
aid out on a bed of sphagnum moss, in the propagating case, 
oi at, the warm moist end of the-stove. They will require 
constant, moisture and a strong heat. As soon as roots are 
observed at the base of the new shoots, they should be potted 
m chopped sphagnum, mixed with a little peat and sand, every 
encouragement being then given to induce free growth. 
Laelia superba.—'I his species is somewhat, despised 
owing to its shyness in flowering, hut when il can he indued 
!<> grow and flower satisfactorily il is always attractive. It 
has not been extensively used for hybridisation purposes, but 
in the lew cases in which it has been acquired as one of the 
parents in the production of hybrids it has proved most in¬ 
teresting and sufficient to suggest its more extensive use in 
future. The difficulty in flowering the species I have no doubt 
depends entirely upon the conditions under which the plants 
are cultivated. Where it can be grown under the exposed 
conditions of the Mexican house, where only sufficient shade 
is afforded, there is very little difficulty in inducing it to flower 
m a satisfactory manner. There is no plant that grows more 
reely under almost any kind of warm Orchid-house treatment: 
from the hottest stove to the intermediate house we find it 
qnnv.ng wifh equal freedom. The repotting requirements 
should be attended to immediately the new roots are emitted 
trom the base of the last made growth. II. J. Chafm \_y 
Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
Seasonable Work. —The replanting of deciduous trees and 
shrubs should by now be practically completed for this season 
and one can take, steps to render the shrubberies as neat and 
tidy as possible. All the stakes and ties should be thoroughly 
ofer? l 110,1 lie f replacing should be given new 
Mh lf POf'bffi, but it they are sound enough to stand 
ano her season, the ties will probably require taking off and 
m^S ed t0 ^ ^ bark as this com 
tuning. — Tins is one of the most important points to be 
considered m the successful cultivation of deciduous trees and 
snubs, and one that the cultivator has to learn largely In¬ 
experience to obtain a thorough knowledge of. While some 
shrubs, such as Spiraeas of the Douglasii type, Svmphoricarpm 
bambueus Cornu* and the like delight in hard priming, others’ 
which include Pyrus, Ailanthus, Acer* Lilacs, etc.: require 
veiy httle Fortunately, with the deciduous section, one is 
c • e bj judicious pruning to greatly improve the appearance 
ot any which have become damaged or unsightly, as they are 
Coffife > - ma ^r- I10W "“I" 8 ’ Wllich ’ of course > is n ot the case with 
Conifers and many other evergreens. 
Ho .w, he “ it , work « completed the surface soil should be 
lightiy forked over which will be beneficial to the shrubs, and 
also give the shrubbery a neat and fresh appearance. 
Pruning Dwarf Roses.—There are several varieties of small- 
giowing Roses which are admirably adapted for making small 
beds of in the shrubbery, such as Cramoise Superieure, Ben- 
gale Hermosa, jgtida, etc., which are capable of civim* ex¬ 
cellent results. These will need to be primed now, and the old 
, W0 °d which has flowered taken out, and the longest of the 
young growths pegged or tied down so as to cover the surface, 
these Roses are also of much service for planting on banks 
and a great variety is obtainable, some of which continue in 
flower from spring till late autumn, while others are valuable 
for the beauty of their coloured foliage or hark. They are 
also of easy culture, for besides the attention mentioned above, 
it is only necessary to give them good supplies of water and 
liquid manure in dry weather. 
Tree or Moutan Paeonies.—These are among the most ha* d- 
some of flowering shrubs, and whether grown in beds or as 
single specimens cannot fail to be admired. Thanks to the 
Japanese, we now have a. large range of colour to select from, 
ana if only a small quantity can. be grown, they are deserving 
of inclusion in all gardens. Their culture is extremely simple, 
almost any good loamy soil suiting them, but if possible they 
should be planted where cold spring winds will not injure the 
young foliage. Good soakings of water should be given occa¬ 
sionally in hot weather, and a mulching of decayed cow-manure 
strewn well over the surface now will prove of much assistance, 
as these respond well to liberal feeding. When one obtains 
yarieties direct from Japan these should be placed in a cool 
