July 22, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
5 83 
ODONTOGLOSSU/A A/AABiLE IXION. 
and it was only by taking a small cutting or 
two that I saved the stock. 
I have seen soils that will not grow Phloxes, 
and T at first imagined that I had been un¬ 
fortunate enough to secure such soil. The 
peculiar appearance of the stems, however, 
suggested either insect or fungoid troubles, 
and I lifted the plants, but failed to discover 
anything. I had some shoots and roots micro¬ 
scopically examined, and learned that slight 
traces of eehvorm were present; but, having 
some doubts, I applied elsewhere, to be in¬ 
formed that the tissues of the stem were free 
from eehvorm or fungus, although the cells 
were much enlarged. Acidity was given as the 
cause. 
This spring several varieties exhibited the 
trouble, and without further ado I lifted all 
and cut away all doubtful crowns. The soil 
I treated to a dressing of sand, lime, and 
vaporite, and later watered with iron sulphate 
solution. I opined that this mixture would 
fit all requirements—the sand to lighten, the 
lime to counteract acidity, and vaporite to 
kill nematoid worms. The iron sulphate has 
a strengthening and cleansing effect. 
The result has been satisfactory, for no 
more gout has appeared, and all the plants 
save one are in normal health. The exception 
has exhibited lack of green-colouring matter, 
the top growth being white. lion and soot 
will probably put this right again. Cal. 
cated scroll-work of rich cinnamon-brown on 
a white ground. In shape, the lip shows the 
influence of the original 0. harryanum in 
being oblong, almost rectangular, and flat, 
with the arrangement of colours very much as 
in the last-named. Not all of the blooms are 
lings which were a complete revelation, 
though each retained the long dorsal spur or 
horn which gives the wild species its name. 
These seedlings were subsequently crossed 
with various coloured Pansies, flowers of 
every tint but yellow resulting, while the 
typical compact wild habit was retained and 
perpetuated. To prevent too close an approach 
to the known Pansy type, Dr. Stuart crossed 
some of the seedlings with the original 
comuta hybrids, and the offspring produced 
flowers thrice the size of Y. cornuta, much 
varied in colour and both proliferous and 
floriferous. A trial of these plants at Chis¬ 
wick in competition with Violas resulted in 
no less than six First-class Certificates, a 
fair proof of expert recognition of exceptional 
merit. 
These flowers, however, all retained the 
central rays which are regarded by floricul¬ 
turists as a disfigurement, and it was not 
until 1887 that a perfectly rayless form 
appeared, accompanied by a pronounced 
almond-like perfume. The pedigree of this 
plant appears to be foggy, as Dr. Stuart re¬ 
ferred to it as a “ chance seedling.” This was 
named “Violetta,” and started the dwarf 
strain, since so much elaborated. All through 
the paper the importance of making V. 
comuta the seedbearer is emphasised, as the 
opposite cross was apt to produce the 
ordinary Pansy type, and as the general 
advance is graphically described and the 
fresh varieties named which have led up step 
by step to the present acquisitions, it is bolund 
to be of great utility, not only to the Pansy 
fancier, but on account of the principles of 
hybridising involved to floriculturists gene¬ 
rally. A hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Crane 
concluded a pleasant and instructive meeting. 
A Lovely Stove Fern. 
ADIANTUM FARLEYENSE. 
This lovely stove Fern, of which so little is 
known considering it has been introduced now 
forty years, is a native of Barbados, and was 
to this country a new Fern in 1865. Its lovely 
appearance ought to find its way to the 
ferneries of every establishment. It does well 
when grown in 6-in. pots, hung up, and inter¬ 
mixed with Gymnogramme schizophylla 
gloriosa. 
A compost consisting of three parts good 
fibrous loam, one part leaf mould, a little de¬ 
cayed horse manure, and a dash of coarse 
sand will suit. It often fails to do well when 
peat is used. Pot it fairly firm, making the 
surface so as to cany the water away from the 
crown. After potting the plants place them 
in a light, moist, shady position, with a tem¬ 
perature of 68 degrees, rising 10 degrees with 
sun heat. Water sparingly at first, when they 
have established themselves ; feed them twice 
weekly with a little sheen manure. Water 
not too strong, or it will turn the edges of 
the fronds brown, but increase it in strength 
and give it a little oftener as time goes on. 
Ventilation should be carried out with cau¬ 
tion, because cold draughts will injure the 
young fronds. If they are stood on a dry 
bottom syringe once a day between the pots. 
The best method of propagating A. far- 
leyense is by carefully washing all soil off the 
roots and dividing the crowns, taking care to 
keep intact all roots possible. Do not cut 
through the ball of roots, as it severs the root 
from the crown and diminishes their strength 
to survive. After dividing pot them as 
quickly as possible or they will get too dry, 
and the best time for doing this work is in 
February or March as they are then dormant 
or just beginning to grow, and keep them 
close for a day or two to prevent evaporation. 
The following pests are likely to attack 
them, and great care should be taken to keep 
them down :—Fumigate for white, black, and 
green fly; mealy bug and scale should be 
sponged off ; for cockroaches and crickets a 
trap or poison may be laid. Woodlice can 
easily be caught by means of a piece of Turnip 
or Apple with a hole cut in it, or even a few 
toads will get rid of them, although many 
people have a great objection to them. 
Staging these plants on a bottom of gravel 
or ashes is advisable, as it will retain the 
moisture. I hope these few remarks will help 
to make its culture a success. H. Page. 
Gouty Phloxes. 
The note on the above, page 537, is interest¬ 
ing, for until last season this disease was 
quite unknown to me. Our soil is heavy 
black loam, and during past decades has 
doubtless received large quantities of leaves 
from the numerous trees. The first variety 
of Phlox to exhibit the gouty swellings was 
Mrs. E. H. Jenkins, one of the finest whites, 
Our illustration of this hybrid shows a very 
handsome and interesting flower, the product 
of crossing 0. harryano-crispum with one of 
the original parents, namely, 0. crispum. 
The flowers are of large size and the overlap¬ 
ping segments have a beautiful and compli- 
alike, as there is sometimes one large choco¬ 
late blotch in front of the crest, or this may 
be more or less broken up into separate 
blotches, with others extending round the 
sides of the crest. The apical portion is 
creamy-white. The plant may be regarded 
as a secondary hybrid, and received a First- 
class Certificate from the Royal Horticultural 
Society at the Temple Show, when exhibited 
by M. Ch. Vuylsteke, Loochristi, Ghent. 
