34 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
January 16, 1909 
structures being well provided with venti¬ 
lators both in the roof and side walls. An¬ 
other important item is to have plenty of 
piping. The greater the radiating surface 
the less there will be of hot dry heat and 
the easier it will be to maintain the desired 
temperature. One of the greatest mistakes 
made by amateurs is to have the floors of 
their houses either cemented or flagged. It 
will be found far better to have the soil left 
uncovered with a few cinders placed over 
the walks, thus giving natural conditions of 
evaporation from the soil instead of the 
drying state of an artificial flooring. 
Regulating the temperatures for the suc¬ 
cessful cultivation of Odontoglossums is a 
matter requiring very particular attention. 
Some years ago it was stated by all pro¬ 
minent writers that a temperature of 40 or 
45 degrees was ample for Odontoglossums 
in winter. I will not dispute that these 
plants can be induced to exist under such 
conditions, but we cannot lose sight of the 
fact that it is during the winter months 
that the plants, or at least the majority of 
them, are in their most active state of 
growth, and therefore it is unnatural they 
should be subjected to lower temperatures 
at the season when every encouragement is 
necessary for the development of such 
growth. I certainly do not care to see the 
temperature fall below 50 degrees at any 
time, unless it be that extreme conditions 
are prevailing outside. Under such condi¬ 
tions it is advisable to reduce the atmo¬ 
spheric conditions to the lowest minimum 
and to refrain from applying more ■ root 
moisture than is absolutely necessary. 
Under favourable conditions plenty of at¬ 
mospheric moisture is advisable and daily 
damping is desirable, but the frequency with 
v/hich the dampings are repeated should be 
governed by the season of the year and the 
prevailing outside conditions. I think if 
amateurs would more frequently visit nur¬ 
sery establishments or private gardens where 
Orchids are grown, it would be greatly to 
their advantage, as it would afford them a 
general insight as to the necessary require¬ 
ments. 
Proper ventilation is another item that is 
essential to the successful cultivation of 
Odontoglossums. I consider that at ail 
seasons of the year when the thermometer 
has reached 55 degrees air should be sup¬ 
plied through the lower ventilators, and in¬ 
creased according to the rise in temperature. 
A great point is to keep the temperatures as 
even as possible. Shading is necessary dur¬ 
ing the bright months of the year, say, from 
March until the end of October. Canvas 
blinds fixed on rollers are the best for the 
purpose. . Runners should be fixed u n the 
roofs for the rollers to work upon and by 
keeping the blinds raised a few inches above 
the glass, the air thus circulating between 
the blinds and the glass assists in keeping 
the air cool in summer. 
H. J. Chapman. 
-- 
Montanoa bipinnatifida. 
When raised from cuttings annually 
this grows to a height of 3 ft. to 5 ft., 
bearing opposite, deeply-lobed leaves of 
a rich green. The flowers are produced 
in terminal cymes, or open clusters, and 
being pure white with a yellow disc they 
remind one of a single Dahlia. A group 
of plants was shown by Messrs. Paul and 
Son, Cheshunt, at the last meeting of the 
R.H.S. The plants were not so fine as 
when shown on a previous occasion, but 
they had been subjected to greater heat 
in order to determine whether they could 
be had in flower by Christmas, and evi¬ 
dently this is quite possible. 
Border Carnations- 
Layers being wintered in cold frames 
derive great advantage by being ven¬ 
tilated day and night, as it keeps the 
foliage healthy and hardy. The recent 
severe weather has had no effect on those 
plants which have been properly attended 
to in this respect. Damp is more the 
enemy of the Carnation than cold. A 
dirty atmosphere, such as that near smoky 
towns, is another enemy which a cold 
frame enables the cultivator to avoid. 
Decaying leaves should be removed, and 
any that actually show the presence of 
the Carnation spot should be burned at 
once to prevent the spores from getting 
scattered on healthy foliage. When not 
actually raining, the sashes may be left 
off during mild open weather, and that 
will keep the foliage in much better con¬ 
dition than if the frames are kept closed. 
Show Carnations and Picctees. 
Plants in cold frames should get the 
same treatment as border varieties. In 
greenhouses, where some enthusiastic 
growers and exhibitors now grow them, 
ventilation is equally essential, and water¬ 
ing may occasionally be necessary, but it 
must be done with great discrimination, 
and only those actually dry should be 
watered. Mop up any water that may 
have been spilled on the floor to main¬ 
tain a dry atmosphere as far as damp and 
foggy weather will allow. 
Preparations may be made for repot¬ 
ting them into their flowering pots at the 
end of February by getting ready the re¬ 
quisite number of pots and housing turf 
and leaf mould, as well as decayed cow 
manure, that may be requisite in order 
to get them in a suitably dry condition 
for potting. When mixed the compost 
should be in that condition which may be 
pressed firm without making the soil 
pasty. Carnations must be firmly potted 
so that the compost must be in the right 
condition for the operation. 
Tree Carnations. 
Those who have still retained a liking 
for this class of Carnation should now be 
commencing to propagate them by cut¬ 
tings if they are desired to be in bloom 
early. Side shoots may be taken off 
about 4 in. or 4 in. with a heel of the old 
wood if possible. Either those or small 
pips of sufficient length which can just 
be pulled out of the axil of their leaf 
make the best and quickest rooting cut¬ 
tings. Very strong shoots should be 
avoided. Trim the heel, if ragged pieces 
of bark are present, and remove one or 
two pairs-of. leaves, and the cutting will 
be readv. The pips which may be pulled 
out of the axils of the leaves seldom re- 
auire the removal of leaves, but they 
should not be mixed with cuttings that 
are 3 in. or 4 in. long. They should be 
reserved for pots by themselves, and they 
would succeed much better than if mix l 
with those having harder wood and - 
quiring longer time to root. 
At this season of the year no frame - 
close case will be necessary for the c - 
tings if the pots are plunged in a bed f 
cocoanut fibre. The temperature of 2 
bed should have a bottom heat r 
60 degs., though the atmosphere of 2 
house may be 5 degs. or 10 degs. low . 
As soon as the cuttings commence gr< - 
ing and show that they are rooted, renr : 
to a cooler place near the glass. 
Malmaison Carnations. 
Those who are partial to this class ir : 
now be able to obtain true winter flow - 
ing plants, as the perpetual flower;; 
habit is being imparted to new- variet; 
being raised. The old Madame Warocc 2 
was a near approach to this, but > 
flowers were small. The old type of M; 
maison should be kept dry, cool and re 
ing. A temperature of 40 degs. to ; 
degs. will be quite sufficient. They do 1: 
like being forced for early flowering a l 
this may be avoided when the new r; 1 
gets sufficiently multiplied to be at t: 
command of cultivators. 
American Carnations. 
Last year’s plants in this class shoil 
still be in the heyday of perfection wh< ■ 
not too closely cut for home decoratu 
Maintain a minimum night temperate 
of 48 degs. to 54 degs. according to t; 
varieties grown. Some require less hr 
than others to open their flowers free 
and the necessary degree should not 
exceeded where this has not been asci 
tained. Where more than one house 
devoted to them the temperature, can 
regulated accordingly, but where play 
are few the temperature may be arrangl 
to meet the requirements of the major! 
Carnations are very hardy, but when th' 
bloom in wdnter heat must be applied > 
open the flow'ers. With ventilation 1 
mild days the temperature may be allowfl 
to rise to 60 degs. or even 65 degs. w.i 
sun heat. The atmosphere of the how 
should be kept fairly dry and to prevet 
red spider from getting a footing the pr 
caution should be taken to paint the h 
water pipes with sulphur. 
Propagation may also be commend 
with this class of Carnation and the tre;- 
ment mentioned for tree Carnations w! 
also suit in the rooting of cuttings f 
this class. The foliage should get d' 
for a while at least during each day. b 
this wall keep it healthy until roots si 
formed when cooler conditions will ‘ 
given. 
J. D. F. W 
•-*♦> - 
In Wales it is a common thing to s' 
turfs, cut from the roadside, laid on t- 
top of low' cottage walls for the expre; 
purpose of growing flowers. 
