March  29,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
27.^ 
prised  Phaius,  Dendrobiums,  Laelias,  Odontoglossums,  Miltonias, 
Cjpripediuiris,  Cymbidiums,  Angraecums,  and  others  (silver  Flora 
medal).  Messrs.  H.  Low  &  Co.,  Bash  Hill  Park,  contributed  a  small 
collection  of  Orchids.  The  plants  proved  by  the  splendid  flowers  they 
were  carrying  the  excellence  of  the  methods  of  culture.  There  were 
Cattleya  Schrodera?,  Dendrobium  atro-violaceum,  D.  Findleyanum, 
D.  barbatulum,  D.  Brymeriana,  Odontoglossum  Adrianje,  0.  Ander- 
sonianum,  and  Oncidium  varicosum  Rogers!  (silver  Banksian  medal). 
The  number  of  small  exhibitors  of  Orchids  was  not  so  large  as  usual, 
owing  probably  to  the  weather.  Mr.  J.  T.  Bennett-Poe  showed  Ada 
aurantiaca ;  Mr.  J.  Davis,  Dendrobium  nobile  album  ;  Mr.  H.  White, 
La?lia  Cowani  and  Dendrobiums  ;  Mr.  A.  J.  Keeling,  Lfelia  Jougheana ; 
Mr.  de  Barri  Crawshay,  Odontoglossums ;  and  Sir  F.  Wigan,  Bart., 
various  Orchids. 
Certificates  and  Awards  of  Merit. 
Ada  aurantiaca  (J.  Downes). —  This  Orchid  is  far  too  popular  and 
well  known  to  call  for  any  description  (award  of  merit). 
Apple  King  of  Tompl-ins  County  (R.  Parker). — This  Apple  is  too  well 
known  as  to  need  description  (award  of  merit). 
Cattleya  Triana:  Clara  Wigan  (W.  H.  Young). — A  delicately  beautiful 
variety.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  very  soft  blush,  while  the  lip  is 
deep  rose  with  a  yellow  throat  (award  of  merit). 
Cyclamen  fimbriota  (St.  George’s  Nursery  Co.). — The  papilio-flowered 
Cyclamen  is  now  followed  by  a  fimbriated-foliaged  variety  (award  of 
merit). 
Dendrobium  aggregatum  (H.  T.  Pitt). — A  splendidly  grown  example 
of  a  well-known  Orchid  (award  of  merit). 
Dendrobium  Clio  superbum  (W.  H.  White). — This  is  a  magnificent 
variety  of  the  now  well-known  type  (award  of  merit). 
Dendrobium  Melpomene  (W.  H.  White). — This  is  a  hybrid  from  a  cross 
between  D.  signatum  and  D.  splendidissimum  grandiflorum.  The  pre¬ 
vailing  colour  is  cream,  deepening  to  canary  yellow  in  the  lip.  The 
throat  is  deep  crimson  (first-class  certificate). 
Dendrobium  nobile  album  (J.  Davis). — This  is  a  chastely  beautiful 
pure  white  variety  (first-class  certificate). 
Karcissus  Comet  (R.  0.  Backhouse). — A  charming  form,  after  the 
character  of  Johnston!  Queen  of  Spain,  but  of  deeper  yellow  (award  of 
merit). 
Odontoglossum  triumphans  Baymond  Crawshay  (de  B.  Crawshay). — 
A  superb  variety  ;  the  yellow  is  almost  wholly  obscured  by  the  varnished 
brown  (award  of  merit). 
Pelargonium  All  Floiver  (H.  Cannell  and  Sons). — This  is  a  free 
flowering,  semi-double  white,  that  is  a  decided  advance  on  the  old 
Hermione  (aw«ard  of  merit). 
Rhododendron  Dr.  Stocker  (G.  Abbey). — A  beautiful  white  variety, 
with  dull  brown  splashes  on  the  upper  portion  (award  of  merit). 
Rhubarb  Daxu’s  Champion  (W.  Poupart). — This  variety  received  an 
award  of  merit  a  short  time  back,  and  now  receives  a  first-class 
certificate. 
Violet  La  France  (I.  House  &  Son). — A  magnificent  variety,  with 
fiowers  of  large  size  and  excellent  colour  (award  of  merit). 
- - - - 
Pernettya  mucronata. 
This  is  one  of  the  prettiest  of  outdoor  plants  during  the  winter, 
when  it  is  covered  with  its  brilliant  fruits,  which  are  sometimes 
produced  so  freely  as  to  weigh  the  branches  down.  It  is  a  native  of  the 
extreme  south  of  South  America,  and  is  thoroughly  hardy  in  this 
country,  growing  freely  in  almost  any  situation.  It  should  be  planted 
in  a  soil  that  contains  a  good  proportion  of  peat,  and  which  is  other¬ 
wise  of  a  rather  light  nature.  Although  single  plants  show  well  when 
they  have  attained  their  full  size,  it  is  better  to  put  six  or  eight  plants 
together,  when  they  can  be  seen  to  the  best  advantage.  When  fully 
developed  it  forms  a  plant  about  2  or  3  feet  high,  and  as  much,  or 
more,  in  diameter. 
The  leaves  are  evergreen,  leathery  in  texture,  about  half  an  inch 
long,  smooth  and  shining  on  both  surfaces,  sharply  pointed,  and  rather 
broadly  toothed  on  both  margins.  The  flowers  are  small  and  white, 
and  are  freely  produced  singly  in  the  axils  of  the  leaves,  being  followed 
by  the  globular  fleshy  fruits,  which  are  the  chief  beauty  of  this 
plant.  Normally  the  fruits  are  of  a  bright  red,  but  now  many  varieties 
can  be  obtained  with  fruits  varying  in  colour  from  almost  pure  white 
to  lilac,  rose,  purple,  deep  crimson,  and  almost  black.  Such  names  as 
fructu  lilacina,  fructu  rubra, ,  and  fructu  purpurea  are  sufiiciently 
suggestive  of  the  colours  of  the  fruits. 
Some  of  these  varieties  are  extremely  pretty,  more  especially  when 
they  are  planted  to  contrast  with  each  other,  but  others  differ  little, 
if  any,  from  the  type,  and  it  is  difficult  to  understand  why  they  have 
received  a  distinctive  name.  The  fruits  are  very  rarely,  if  ever, 
attacked  by  birds ;  an  important  point  when  dealing  with  plants  which 
carry  their  fruits,  as  the  Pernettya  does,  throughout  the  winter.  It  is 
easily  propagated  by  seeds  or  by  division  of  the  old  plants,  but  these 
divisions  require  careful  nursing  for  a  time. — C, 
Tlie  Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Forcing  Peacljes  and  Nectariiies. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines  are  so  closely  allied  that  they  are  almost 
invariably  classed  together,  both  succeeding  in  the  same  house  under 
identical  treatment.  They  are  deservedly  held  in  high  esteem,  and  a 
house  of  healthy  trees  laden  with  fruit  is  a  most  pleasing  sight,  which 
repays  all  the  care  and  attention  that  may  have  been  bestowed. 
Before  forcing  operations  are  commenced  the  houses  should  be  well 
cleaned,  washing  the  glass  and  woodwork,  and  lime-washing  the  walls. 
Not  much  pruning 
will  be  required  at 
this  season,  but 
the  trees  should  be 
examined,  shorten¬ 
ing  any  shoots  that 
require  it,  or  re¬ 
moving  them  alto¬ 
gether  if  too 
crowded.  Dress 
the  trees  wi^h 
some  insecticide 
for  the  destruction 
or  prevention  of 
the  attacks  of  scale 
and  other  insect 
pests,  then  tie  th© 
shoots  to  the  trellis 
as  evenly  and 
straight  as  possi¬ 
ble.  This  having 
been  done  the 
border  will  require 
attention.  If  the 
surface  soil  is  not 
in  good  condition 
remove  as  much  of 
it  as  possible  with¬ 
out  injuring  or  uu- 
duly  exposing  the 
roots,  replacing  it 
with  fresh  loam, 
to  which  may  have 
been  added  a  good 
proportion  of  wood 
ashes,  some  lime 
rubbish,  and  bone- 
meal  or  other 
artificial  manure, 
making  it  firm.  If 
the  border  is  at  all  dry  it  should  receive  a  thorough  watering.  It  may 
also  be  necessary  to  fumigate  the  house  to  keep  green  fly  in  check 
until  after  the  trees  have  finished  flowering,  when  the  syringe  will 
effectually  stay  the  progress  of  that  pest. 
In  starting  the  houses  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  in  view  some 
definite  date  on  which  it  is  desired  to  have  ripe  fruit,  and  from  the 
day  of  starting  to  the  time  when  the  fruits  are  required  five  or  six 
months,  according  to  the  variety,  should  bo  allowed.  A  minimum 
night  temperature  of  45°  ought  to  be  maintained,  with  a  rise  of  5°  by 
day  from  fire  heat,  with  a  further  advance  from  sun  heat  of  10°  to  15°, 
or  even  more,  with  full  ventilation.  Admit  a  little  air  at  60°,  and 
increase  or  decrease  the  amount  as  the  temperature  rises  or  falls. 
Damp  the  borders  and  paths  as  often  as  necessary  to  supply  atmo¬ 
spheric  moisture.  The  trees  may  also  be  syringed  on  bright  after¬ 
noons,  closing  early  to  obtain  the  benefit  of  the  sun’s  rays. 
Trees  that  are  not  subject  to  bud-dropping  are  often  allowed  to 
expand  a  large  quantity  of  bloom  that  is  not  required.  This  is  an 
unnecessary  effort,  and  an  expenditure  of  strength  on  the  part  of  the 
tree.  Before  the  blossom  buds  expand  it  would  be  well  to  thin  them 
where  they  are  too  crowded,  removing  those  which  on  account  of  their 
position  are  not  available  for  setting.  When  the  trees  are  in  bloom  the 
night  temperature  may  be  raised  to  50°,  with  a  corresponding  rise  by 
day,  allowing  a  moderate  amount  of  air  on  fine  bright  days.  Keep  the 
atmosphere  a  little  dryer,  but  an  arid  condition  is  injurious  to  the  floral 
organs ;  the  house  should  therefore  be  damped  down  occasionally  on 
bright  days. 
With  early  forced  trees  it  will  be  necessary  to  aid  the  distribution 
of  pollen  by  artificial  means,  that  the  fiowers  may  be  properly  fertilised 
and  a  good  set  of  fruit  secured.  For  this  purpose  a  camel’s-hair  brush 
is  the  most  suitable,  passing  it  gently  over  the  flowers  when  the  pollen 
is  ripe,  the  operation  being  performed  about  midday.  Some  varieties 
do  not  produce  pollen  so  freely  as  others,  but  by  having  in  the  early 
house  especially  one  tree  of  some  variety  that  produces  pollen 
plentifully  it  may  be  conveyed  from  that  to  other  trees,  and  the  perfect 
pollination  of  the  flowers  be  thus  insured. 
Fig.  74. — Mitraria  coccinea.  (*'««  page  271.) 
