28 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  11,  1896. 
paper,  ani  the  remains — caput  mortuum — finally  entombed  in  a 
hortus  siccus. 
Humph!  “  Fiction  ”  say  you,  dear  readers.  Well,  I  grant  you 
the  point  sans  argument  ;  but  now  to  facts.  Sic  transit  the 
beauteous  or  the  rare  from  our  native  flora,  and  so  passes  the 
graceful  and  bright  in  foliage  or  blossom  from  their  healthy 
surroundings  to  the  early  grave  of  a  noxious  fumed  city.  Whether 
the  victims  are  immolated  by  savants  on  the  altar  of  Science  or 
butchered  by  city  folk  on  a  Bank  holiday,  there  is  the  same  absence 
of  love — that  love  of  Nature  which  bids  the  woodman  spare  the 
tree.  That  ardent  desire  to  alone  possess  what  all  should  enjoy 
turns  our  tourists  into  chevaliers  d’industrie,  who  hunt  down  their 
prey  to  the  distant  parts  of  our  islands,  and  Killarney’s  lakes  know 
their  beautiful  Fern  (Trichomanes  radicans)  no  more.  So  a  market 
is  created  for  knights  of  the  barrow,  who  ruthlessly  strip  the 
Primrose-studded  bank. 
Any  excuse  for  this  ?  Yes,  a  poor  one,  seldom  expressed,  but 
clearly  understood — viz.,  “If  I  don’t  take  it  someone  else  will.” 
How  near  is  this  excuse  to  self-accusation,  yet  how  far  from  a 
remedy.  Turning  from  these  deeds  of  violence  to  veritable  blood¬ 
thirsty  ones,  from  the  flora  to  the  fauna,  we  may  note  the  same 
wanton  spirit  dooming  to  destruction  some  rare  visitant  to  our 
shores,  some  literal  rara  avis,  and  the  self-beatification  which 
promptly  furnishes  all  particulars  to  the  newspapers.  Further 
dissertation  is  unnecessary,  but  the  dissemination  of  teaching  which 
will  preserve  to  posterity  the  rare  or  beautiful  in  Nature  is  worthy 
a  more  potent  pen  than  that  of — Nemo. 
A  Beautiful  Group  of  Orchids. 
In  my  note  under  this  heading  page  12,  a  slight  printer’s  error 
las  crept  in.  The  beautiful  Warwickshire  seat  of  C.  A.  S.  Smith- 
Ryland,  Esq.,  there  reads  “Bayford  Hill.”  It  should  be  Barford 
Hill. — Wanderer. 
Odontoglossum  Edwardi. 
This  fine  Odontoglot  is  quite  distinct  from  any  other  in  the 
genus,  and  when  happily  situated  is  a  very  free  grower.  The 
spikes  are  produced  at  different  times  in  the  year  and  take  a  long 
time  to  come  to  perfection.  They  are  nearly  erect,  branching,  and  bear 
a  very  large  number  of  flowers,  each  about  an  inch  across.  The  sepals 
and  petals  are  about  equal  in  size,  and  the  whole  flower  is  violet 
purple  with  the  exception  of  a  bright  yellow  marking  at  the  base 
of  the  lip.  The  roots  of  this  species  are  large  and  persistent,  and 
like  a  rough  open  compost  with  abundant  capacity  for  aeration. 
The  pots  must  be  larger  than  for  O.  crispum  and  kindred  plants, 
and  great  care  is  necessary  with  the  drainage,  which  must  be  ac 
least  two-thirds  of  the  depth  of  the  pots.  The  roots,  being  some- 
iimes  pushed  above  the  surface  of  the  compost,  are  apt  to  be  eaten 
off  at  the  points  by  insects  if  not  protected,  this  being  very 
weakening  to  the  plants.  If  a  little  sphagnum  moss  is  placed  over 
these  it  will  keep  them  safe  and  assist  the  plants  considerably. 
The  pseudo-bulbs  on  strong  plants  are  upwards  of  4  inches  high, 
oblong,  and  bear  large  vigorous  foliage  of  a  bronzy  green  tint.  The 
temperature  of  the  coolest  house  suits  it  best  during  the  summer 
months,  but  it  is  easily  checked  by  cold  during  the  winter.  A 
aative  of  Ecuador,  flowered  in  England  first  in  1880, 
Cypripedium  barbatum. 
In  the  race  for  new  species  and  hybrids  many  of  the  older 
ihough  handsome  Cypripediums  are  placed  in  the  background.  This 
species  is  an  instance  of  this,  although  it  is  a  really  good  kind  and 
one  that  has  been  very  successfuby  used  by  the  hybridisers.  The 
prettily  variegated  foliage,  which  attains  a  length  of  about  G  inches,  is 
very  stiff  in  texture  and  attractive  in  appearance.  The  flowers  are 
produced  during  the  summer  months  and  last  a  very  long  time  in 
full  beauty.  The  dorsal  sepal  is  broad,  and  pure  white  at  the  apex, 
the  base  being  striped  with  green  and  purple.  The  petals  are  purple 
with  several  tufts  of  black  hairs  on  the  upper  part.  The  pouch  is 
deep  vinous  purple,  very  smooth  and  regular  in  outline.  These 
flowers  are  produced  usually  singly  on  tall  stems  from  the  centre 
of  the  growths. 
This  kind  tarives  in  a  stove  temperature  all  the  year  round 
m  the  compost  usually  recommended  for  Cypripediums.  The 
leaves  are  often  attacked  by  a  peculiar  kind  of  scab  insect,  dark 
with  a  white  lining.  These  are  very  fecund,  and  unless  kept  well 
under  soon  disfigure  the  plants.  Fumigation  will  lessen  the 
number  of  these  but  will  not  destroy  them  all,  and  recourse  must 
be  had  to  sponging  to  effect  a  clearance,  thoroughly  wetting  every 
part  of  the  plant  with  warm  water  and  going  over  every  leaf 
carefully. 
C.  barbatum  is  somewhat  variable,  the  best  forms  being  large 
and  very  deep  in  colour,  C.  b.  biflorum  produces  two  flowers  upon 
a  scape,  the  pouch  being  usually  more  pointed  and  lighter  in 
colour  than  the  type.  C.  b.  nigrum  is  much  darker  than  the  other 
varieties,  bearing  larger  flowers  and  having  finely  marked  foliage. 
C.  b.  superbum  is  another  beautiful  variety  with  bold  striking 
flowers  very  clearly  and  distinctly  marked.  These  are  the  most 
distinct  of  the  dozen  or  more  varieties  so  called.  They  are  natives 
of  the  Old  World,  being  rather  widely  distributed  about  the  Malay 
Peninsula  and  various  parts  of  India.  The  type  was  introduced  to 
England  in  1840. 
Oncidium  pr^textum.  ) 
This  is  a  remarkably  fine  species  belonging  to  the  crispum  set, 
the  flowers  of  which  are  just  opening.  It  produces  handsome 
branching  racemes  of  flowers  which  are  each  upwards  of  2  inches 
across,  of  varjing  shades  of  yellow  and  brown.  This  thrives  well 
m  the  Cattleya  house,  and  should  be  suspended  on  a  raft  or  in 
shallow  pans,  a  great  thickness  of  compost  being  objectionable. 
The  immense  racemes,  compared  with  the  growth,  are  a  great 
drain  upon  the  plants  if  allowed  to  remain  until  they  fade,  and  for 
this  reason  they  should  be  cut  after  about  a  fortnight,  when  they 
will  last  another  week  or  ten  days  in  water.  This  is  a  Brazillian 
species  introduced  in  1876. — H.  R.R. 
PROFITABLE  EMPLOYMENT  OF  GLASS  STRUCTURES 
IN  WINTEE. 
[Silver  Medal  Essay  by  Mr.  GEORGE  SUMMERS,  Sandbeck  Park,  Rotherham.] 
(^Continued  from  page  6.') 
Lily  of  the  Valley. — This  should  be  grown  in  quantity  according 
to  the  convenience  to  hand.  Unlike  Arums,  they  require  a  great  amount 
of  heat  and  moisture,  and  unless  this  is  at  command  their  cultivation 
should  not  be  undertaken.  Procure  the  best  Berlin  single  crowns,  as 
neither  the  Dutch  nor  ordinary  home  grown  varieties  are  to  be  lepended 
on,  though  I  have  on  several  occasions  obtaiiied  English  grown  crowns 
from  Mr.  Jannock  of  Dersingham,  Norfolk,  who  makes  a  speciality  of 
them,  which  have  invariably  turned  out  well.  Given  suitable  land,  I 
do  not  see  sny  reason  why  as  good  crowns  of  the  Berlin  variety  should 
not  be  grown  in  this  country  as  in  Germany  ;  in  fact,  it  has  proved  that 
quite  as  good  can  be  supplied,  that  can  be  relied  on  for  forcing,  and  1 
have  had  good  spikes  of  them  at  Christmas.  The  price  being  higher 
than  the  German  crowns,  however,  have  hitherto  prevented  their 
extensive  use  for  market  purposes.  Houses  in  which  Tomatoes  or 
Cucumbers  have  been  grown  during  the  summer,  if  well  heated,  are 
suitable.  Narrow  span-roofed  or  lean-to  houses  are  better  than  large 
airy  structures. 
Procure  the  crowns  as  early  as  possible.  They  usually  come  to  hand 
early  in  November,  and  should  at  once  be  placed  in  boxes.  Those  I  use 
and  have  found  convenient  for  the  purpose,  being  26  inches  long,  12  inches 
wide,  and  inches  deep.  These  will  hold  about  160  crowns  each.  A 
few  rough  leaves  or  Mushroom  bed  refuse  is  placed  over  the  bottom  of 
the  box,  and  any  light  soil  such  as  has  previously  been  used  will  be  suit¬ 
able.  Cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  is  also  useful  for  the  purpose,  as  the  crowns 
do  not  emit  any  new  roots  during  the  time  they  are  being  forced.  Com¬ 
mence  at  one  end  of  the  box,  placing  the  crown  singly  and  firmly  in  the 
soil.  The  roots  should  not  be  shortened,  as  I  have  on  various  occasions 
known  failures  arise  from  this  practice.  After  boxing  them  they  should 
at  once  be  placed  in  the  open  air  till  required  for  forcing,  a  little  frost 
not  harming  them  ;  on  the  contrary,  for  the  earlier  plants  I  think  it  is 
an  advantage. 
When  taken  into  the  forcing  house  they  should  be  assigned  a  position 
in  a  high  temperature,  such  as  a  temporary  frame  placed  over  the  hot- 
water  pipes  on  which  there  has  been  placed  some  troughs  kept  filled 
with  water.  Or  they  may  be  put  directly  on  the  hot-water  pipes  with 
plenty  of  moss  kept  constantly  moist  round  them.  The  crowns,  too, 
must  be  well  covered  with  moss,  which  should  never  be  allowed  to 
become  dry.  The  bottom  heat  may  be  from  85°  to  90°,  the  moss  remain¬ 
ing  on  the  crowns  until  they  have  grown  2  or  3  inches.  They  must  then 
be  graduallv  broucht  to  the  light  in  a  house  in  which  the  temperature  is 
kept  from  75°  to  80°,  and  the  flowers  will  be  ready  for  market  in  about 
a  month  from  the  time  the  crowns  were  first  brought  into  heat. 
Treated  in  this  manner  the  plants  will  have  good  spikes  of  bloom, 
and  abundance  of  foliage.  Without  the  latter  they  are  of  little  use  for 
market  purposes.  Prices  are  invariably  good  from  Christmas  to  the  end 
of  January,  ranging  from  10s.  to  15s.  per  dozen  bunches,  twelve  spikes 
in  a  bunch.  Throughout  February  and  March  this  year  they  averaged 
8s.  to  lOs.  per  dozen  bunches,  Lily  of  the  Valley  is  very  easy  to  manage 
when  once  the  treatment  is  understood,  but  without  abundance  of  heat 
and  moisture  it  is  impossible  to  force  them  satisfactory  early  in  the 
year.  My  experience  of  forcing  and  marketing  Lily  of  the  Valley  is, 
that  it  is  one  of  the  best  paying  winter  flowers  for  market  that  can  at 
present  be  grown. 
