January  14,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
27 
GLADIOLUS  GANDAYENSIS  IN  1896. 
The  opportunities  of  seeing  this  fine  autumn  flower  except  in 
my  own  garden  were  not  many  last  season.  The  discontinuance 
of  their  exhibition  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  to  which  one  was  apt 
to  look  during  many  years  past,  has  left  a  great  blank  ;  while 
that  at  the  Aquarium  only  offers  prizes  for  a  collection,  a  compe¬ 
tition  into  which  it  is  impossible  for  the  amateur  to  enter  with  any 
hope  of  success.  There  remains  then,  so  far  as  the  metropolis  is 
concerned,  but  the  Drill  Hall,  and  here  on  two  occasions  very  fine 
collections  have  been  exhibited,  but  only  from  the  trade.  In 
August  Mr.  Kelway  exhibited  a  considerable  number  of  spikes, 
while  in  September  Mr.  Burrell  showed  a  grand  collection  from 
Cambridge. 
I  am  convinced  that  the  absence  of  amateur  exhibitors  is  one 
of  the  reasons  why  the  flower  does  not  increase  in  popularity,  and 
no  society  can  be  expected  to  offer  prizes  for  a  flower  where  at  the 
most  three  growers  contend  in  the  amateur  class.  Those  who  have 
noticed  our  metropolitan  exhibitions  will  recollect  that  besides 
myself  there  were  two  exhibitors  of  late  years  who  showed  their 
boxes  of  twenty-fours  in  grand  style  ;  these  were  Mr.  W.  H. 
Fowler  of  Taunton  and  Mr.  E.  B.  Lindsell  of  Hitchin.  Both  of 
them  have  practically  retired,  I  have  been  obliged  to  give  up 
exhibiting,  and  I  really  know  of  no  amateur  who  will  step  into 
the  vacant  places.  Were  there  any  prospect  of  good  exhibitions 
persons  might  probably  come  forward,  but  as  this  is  not  the  case 
the  one  reacts  on  the  other,  and  the  consequence  is  the  present 
dearth  of  which  we  all  complain. 
I  think  perhaps  that  the  very  excellent  seedlings  that  can  now 
be  obtained  at  a  moderate  price  is  another  cause.  This  we  know 
has  been  the  case  with  other  flowerB.  Very  few  people  now  grow 
named  collections  of  Calceolarias,  Cinerarias,  or  Begonias,  as  such 
good  flowers  can  be  obtained  from  seed.  Our  great  growers  of  the 
Gladiolus  grow  a  large  number  of  seedlings,  and  even  after  they 
have  selected  those  which  they  intend  to  name  and  place  in  their 
list  the  others  are  sufficiently  good  for  all  decorative  purposes,  and 
this  is  the  object  which  most  people  aim  at  in  these  days.  I  have 
had  unnamed  seedlings  this  year  which  did  not  compare  unfavour¬ 
ably  with  many  of  the  named  varieties. 
The  past  season,  which  has  been  so  perplexing  a  one  to 
gardeners,  whatever  the  flower  they  are  most  interested  in,  has 
made  its  mark  on  the  Gladiolus.  The  droughty  summer  was,  I  think, 
not  unfavourable  to  the  plants  ;  in  fact,  as  their  native  habitat  is 
South  Africa  one  can  quite  understand  this,  and  where  the  soil  was  re¬ 
tentive  they  did  well.  Such  a  soil  as  I  have  often  advocated — viz., 
one  that  will  grow  Roses  and  Strawberries  well,  will  grow  Gladioli. 
As  is  the  case  with  many  other  things,  it  is  desirable  if  possible  not 
to  plant  them  in  the  same  place  year  after  year. 
I  think  great  advances  are  being  made  in  what  are  called  the 
Lemoinei  hybrids.  Blue  flowers  are  appearing  amongst  them,  and 
Mr.  Burrell  is  strongly  of  opinion  that  we  shall  have  large  and  well 
opened  flowers  of  very  striking  colours.  Some  of  them  are  much 
hardier  than  others,  and  I  believe  that  they  will  stand  our  winters 
with  a  slight  protection  of  coal  a»hes  or  cocoa-nut  fibre ;  and 
although  as  yet  they  are  not,  to  my  mind,  comparable  with  those 
of  the  gandavensis  section,  but  they  are  very  useful  as  ornamental 
plants  for  the  garden. — D.,  Deal. 
LjELIA  PRiESTANS  ALBA. 
Most  Orchid  growers  are  familiar  with  Laelia  prsestans,  and 
probably  everyone  admires  its  delicate  beauty.  Many,  too,  will 
have  seen  forms  with  pure  white  sepals  and  petals  and  a  coloured 
lip,  but  not  all  will  know  the  real  albino  that  was  staged  at  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  meeting,  on  December  15th,  by  Mr. 
H.  Holbrook,  gardener  to  E.  Ashworth,  E*q.,  Wilmslow,  Cheshire. 
This  charming  variety  was  named  L.  p.  alba  var.  Ashworth,  and 
received  from  the  Orchid  Committee  a  first-class  certificate.  Other 
than  a  little  pale  yellow  in  the  throat  the  flower  is  pure  white. 
The  specimen  staged  was  a  small  one  carrying  one  flower  only,  but 
it  attracted  a  considerable  amount  of  attention. 
Masdevallia  tovarensis. 
There  are  few  Orchids  at  once  so  elegant,  useful,  and  easily 
grown  as  this,  the  only  pure  white-flowered  species  in  the  genus. 
It  would  well  repay  special  culture  for  cut  flowers  where  those  of 
choice  quality  are  in  request,  and  it  is  also  a  charming  addition  to 
the  Orchid  flowering  house.  As  its  name  implies,  it  is  a  native  of 
Tovar,  where  it  grows  at  a  considerable  elevation.  It  may  be 
grown  with  the  coolest  section  of  Orchids  through  the  summer 
months  ;  indeed  all  the  year  round  if  the  winter  temperature  is 
kept  at  or  near  50°.  This  is  quite  low  enough  for  the  Odontoglots, 
and  the  nearer  this  figure  is  approached  the  better  for  all  cool 
Orchids. 
The  atmospheric  moisture  must  be  ample,  frequent  dampings 
being  resorted  to  in  bright  weather  and  when  fire  heat  i9  used. 
From  the  end  of  May  until  September  the  house  wherein  it  is 
grown  must  be  heavily  and  closely  shaded  all  day  long,  freely 
ventilated  at  night  and  early  morning,  and  kept  rather  closer  at 
midday  to  husband  the  moisture.  During  late  autumn  and  winter 
as  much  light  as  possible  must  be  afforded,  the  glass  being  kept 
clean  inside  and  out,  and  the  plants  kept  well  up  to  it  by  staging 
them  on  inverted  pots.  Syringing  is  never  required  in  winter, 
but  during  the  summer  months  a  light  dewing  from  a  fine  jet  is 
helpful  in  keeping  the  foliage  cool  and  keeping  red  spider  and 
thrips  at  bay. 
With  regard  to  the  roots,  these  are  not  so  ambitious  in  pushing 
far  away  from  the  centre  of  growth  as  those  of  many  other 
Orchids,  therefore  large  pots  are  unnecessary,  in  fact  harmful. 
Neat  little  specimens  may  be  grown  in  the  3-inch  or  4-inch  sizes, 
and  for  the  largest  plants  about  1£  inch  of  compost  around  the 
sides  is  ample.  The  latter  should  consist  of  two-thirds  of  clean, 
freshly  gathered  sphagnum  moss  to  one  of  the  most  fibry  portions 
of  peat,  plenty  of  small  crocks  and  broken  charcoal  being  kept  at 
hand  for  mixing  in  as  repotting  proceeds. 
Many  growers  are  in  the  habit  of  shifting  the  plants  in  spring, 
but  for  reasons  more  than  once  given  in  these  pages  I  am  strongly 
in  favour  of  repotting  in  autumn,  early  enough  for  them  to  be 
re-established  before  winter.  Plants  in  bad  condition  must  be  done 
at  any  time  of  course,  as  no  good,  but  the  reverse,  can  come  of 
leaving  the  roots  in  a  close  or  water-logged  compost.  The  pots 
must  be  quite  clean,  and  drained  well — nearly  two-thirds  of  their 
depth — with  clean  crocks.  Cover  with  moss,  and  having  taken 
them  as  carefully  as  possible  out  of  the  old  material  replant  so  that 
the  base  of  the  leaves  comes  a  little  above  the  rim,  finishing  the 
compost  nearly  to  the  usual  convex  mound.  The  roots  must  be 
carefully  watered  for  a  week  or  two  after  repotting,  and  also  during 
winter  ;  but  while  growing  freely  in  summer  a  liberal  supply  is 
needed. — H.  R.  R. 
Early  Flowers. — How  very  mild  the  weather  keeps  1  Primroses 
and  Polyanthuses  have  been  in  flower  outside  now  for  some  time, 
and  on  Christmas  Day  and  Sunday  last  my  bees  were  out  as  though  it 
were  a  spring  day.  We  have  had  a  quantity  of  rain,  with  heavy  fogs 
at  times.  I  hope  we  may  not  have  to  suffer  for  it  later  on  as  regards 
spring  frosts,  for  so  far  as  I  can  see  there  is  a  good  show  for  fruit 
blossom  round  about  here. — John  Gilbert,  Guildford. 
