60 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  18,  1895. 
LyELIA  PUEPUKATA  WiLLIAMSI. 
This  is  a  truly  grand  form  of  this  most  magnificent  species, 
and  which  must  be  seen  in  large  plants  to  get  an  idea  of  its  true 
beauty.  The  flowers  are  very  massive  when  compared  with  those 
of  the  type,  the  sepals  being  bright  but  delicate  rose  with  faint 
lines  of  purple  ;  the  lip  is  very  broad,  the  front  lobe  an  intensely 
rich  crimson,  the  throat  being  yellow  with  radiating  crimson  lines. 
On  strong  plants  the  spikes  bear  as  many  as  five  flowers,  each  of 
which  are  upwards  of  7  inches  across.  It  is  a  very  strong-growing 
variety,  not  infrequently  attaining  a  height  of  30  inches,  the  pseudo¬ 
bulbs  very  stout,  and  bearing  large  broad  leaves. 
As  this  species  blooms  somewhat  late  in  the  season,  the  growths 
need  to  be  pushed  on  rapidly  when  the  flowers  are  past,  being  in 
this  way  more  likely  to  finish  up  well  before  the  dead  of  winter. 
Abundance  of  water  must  be  afforded  at  the  roots  all  through  the 
growing  season,  and  the  plants  should  stand  in  a  good  clear  light,  but 
when  there  is  no  fear  of  the  foliage  being  scorched  by  the  sun.  If 
they  are  not  closer  than  a  couple  of  feet  from  the  glass  and  the 
house  is  ventilated  early  the  shading  may  be  usually  kept  up  until 
about  ten  o’clock,  raising  it  again  early  in  the  afternoon,  but  the 
surest  test  is  to  feel  the  foliage  with  the  hand,  and  when  just 
getting  warm  to  shade  at  once. 
Staging  Orchids. 
A  good  deal  depends  on  how  Orchids  are  staged,  not  only  the 
appearance  but  also  the  well-being  of  the  plant  being  greatly 
enhanced  if  the  work  is  properly  carried  out.  During  the  summer 
months,  or  indeed  all  the  year  round,  a  good  deal  of  damping  has 
to  be  done  between  the  pots,  and  unless  the  majority  of  these  are 
raised  a  little  above  the  level  of  the  stage  on  pots  or  otherwise  the 
water  is  apt  to  be  splashed  over  the  surface  of  the  compost, 
making  it  very  difficult  to  determine  whether  or  not  the  plants  are 
dry  at  the  roots.  This  is  especially  the  case  with  small  and 
medium  sized  plants,  the  large  specimens  usually  standing  high 
enough  to  be  out  of  danger. 
In  narrow,  span-roofed  houses  with  a  centre  path  and  side 
stages  the  smaller  plants  are  too  often  kept  near  the  edge,  the 
taller,  more  bulky  specimens  being  placed  at  the  back.  This  is 
all  very  well  for  appearance  sake  but  quite  wrong  for  the  plants, 
the  large  plants  keeping  the  light  away  from  the  small  ones,  the 
latter  being  usually  much  too  far  from  the  glass.  This  order  then 
should  be  exactly  reversed,  the  smaller  plants  being  raised  on 
inverted  pots  of  varying  heights  so  as  to  bring  them  into  view  for 
watering  and  examination.  A  few  small  pots  of  Panicum  or 
Tradescantia  should  be  thinly  arranged  among  the  pots  towards 
the  outer  edge  of  the  stage  to  take  off  the  bare  appearance,  but 
these  must  not  be  allowed  to  grow  up  very  high,  or  they  obstruct 
the  light  and  air  about  the  Orchids. 
When  Cypripediums  are  grown,  these,  too,  may  be  kept  towards 
the  front  edge,  as  they  require  abundance  of  water,  are  better  for 
more  shade  than  most  Orchids  require,  and  have  usually 
ornamental  foliage.  In  wider  structures  that  have,  in  addition  to 
the  above,  a  central  stage  ;  the  larger  plants  will,  of  course,  be 
arranged  on  this,  and  this  class  of  house  is  much  easier  to  arrange 
where  there  are  plants  of  varying  sizes. 
I  have  frequently  given  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  the 
different  positions  as  to  light  and  shade  required  by  the  varying 
species,  and  this  must  be  kept  in  mind  when  the  work  of  staging  is 
in  progress.  Often,  too,  from  some  cause  or  other  a  certain  plant 
may  not  be  doing  very  well,  and  when  re-arranging  a  bouse  any 
such  should  be  tried  elsewhere.  Bollea  Patini  would  not  thrive 
with  me  in  a  shady  corner  behind  some  large  Cymbidiums  and 
Lselias,  so  I  tried  it  close  to  the  glass,  but  heavily  shaded.  Here  a 
great  improvement  was  soon  apparent,  the  foliage  being  much 
larger  and  thicker  in  texture.  Here  apparently  the  same  condi¬ 
tions  obtained,  but  the  results  as  shown  were  quite  different,  and  I 
could,  if  necessary,  give  many  other  instances  in  the  same  direction. 
With  regard  to  the  class  of  stage  and  material  used  a  good  deal 
may  be  left  to  personal  fancy.  Some  prefer  staging  direct  upon 
some  moisture-holding  substance,  as  shell  or  gravel,  while  others 
pin  their  faith  to  slate  stages  uncovered.  Lattice  stages  are 
frequently  used,  and  are  very  suitable  placed  immediately  above  a 
secondary  shelf  covered  with  shingle.  I  have  a  great  liking  for 
coke  broken  finely,  and  if  the  plants  are  elevated  as  noted  above 
it  forms  a  capital  stage.  Where  anything  of  this  nature  is  used  it 
requires  to  be  frequently  moved  to  prevent  it  settling  down  too 
closely  and  getting  covered  with  a  slimy  coat  of  moss. 
The  Panicum  here  may  be  dibbled  into  this  material,  and  has  a 
light  and  pretty  appearance,  but  small  Ferns  and  other  plants  must 
not  be  allowed  to  grow,  as  they  frequently  harbour  insects,  black 
thrips  in  particular.  However  the  staging  is  arranged  a  space  of  at 
least  a  couple  of  inches  must  be  left  between  it  and  the  outside 
wall  in  order  to  allow  the  heat  and  air  to  circulate  both  back  and 
front,  and  if  the  latter  is  bricked  up  spaces  must  be  left  at  suitable 
distances  for  the  same  purpose. — H.  R.  R. 
EXAMINATION  IN  HORTICULTURE— RESULT. 
Having  been  favoured  with  an  early  view  of  the  examination  list 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  I  have  ventured  to  offer  a  few  remarks 
concerning  it.  First,  I  think  the  general  result  disappointing,  seeing 
that  the  “  exam  ”  is  open  to  all  the  kingdom,  and  one  marvels  to  find 
not  a  single  candidate  from  Scotland,  Ireland,  or  Wales  ;  still  further, 
that  only  twelve  out  of  122  who  have  passed  should  have  obtained  the 
needful  200  marks  and  upwards  to  place  them  in  the  first  class,  is  also 
remarkable.  Then,  again,  out  of  the  122  who  have  passed,  exactly  oae- 
half  come  from  the  county  of  Surrey  (thirty. four),  and  the  Horticul¬ 
tural  College,  Kent  (twenty-seven),  and  if  to  these  be  added  two  others 
from  Swanley,  though  not  from  the  College,  the  half  is  exceeded,  and 
for  all  the  rest  of  the  kingdom  only  fifty-nine  are  left.  That  is  a  strange 
and  unsatisfactory  result,  but  perhaps  it  is  not  so  inexplicable  after 
all.  At  the  Swanley  Horticultural  College,  now  greatly  improved  as  a 
teaching  institution,  the  best  of  instruction  both  in  theoretical,  as  well 
as  in  practical  gardening,  is  given.  Although  it  is  not  at  all  difficult  to 
understand  that  questions  relating  to  plant  life  and  physiology,  not 
necessarily  practical,  though  essentially  valuable,  obtained  the  largest 
number  of  marks  to  the  answeis,  it  does  seem  as  if,  looking  at  the 
peculiar  position  which  the  College  enjoys  and  the  privileges  the 
students  possess,  that  these  should  not  come  into  this  general  “exam,”' 
but  should  have  one  specially  adapted  to  their  annual  courses  of 
instruction. 
With  respect  to  Surrey,  no  doubt  the  high  position  taken  by  so  many 
candidates  from  that  county  is  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  first  the 
County  Council  promotes  there  more  systematic  instruction  in  gardening 
than  is  given  in  any  other  county  ;  and  secondly,  the  horticultural 
instructors,  with  the  sanction  of  thg  Technical  Education  Committee, 
have  paper  examinations  of  their  own  arising  from  each  course  of 
six  lectures,  a  paper  of  twelve  questions  arising  from  the  lecture 
delivered  being  handed  to  each  person  attending,  and  which  they  are 
requested  to  take  home,  and  to  the  best  of  their  ability  furnish  replies 
on  paper  at  the  following  meeting.  Later,  all  these  papers  are  pointed, 
and  the  writers  are  informed  of  their  position.  This  proved  to  be 
excellent  practice ;  and  I  find  out  of  those  who  attended  the  lectures 
during  the  past  winter  and  took  papers  as  referred  to,  there  are  on  the 
list  of  successful  candidates  no  less  than  thirty  out  of  the  total  of 
thirty-four  from  the  county. 
In  the  first  class  out  of  the  twelve  candidates  the  Horticultural 
College  has  six,  Surrey  has  four.  Mr.  Butcher  and  Mr.  Dumper  are 
gardeners  ;  Mr.  Cave  is,  I  believe,  at  Kew  Gardens  ;  and  Mr.  Warner, 
who  has  done  so  well,  is  a  schoolmaster.  It  is  very  interesting  to  note 
that  Mr.  R.  D.  Ewens,  who  obtained  150  marks,  is  a  groom  ;  and  a 
brother,  who  was  in  the  third  class,  is  an  engineer.  Mr.  A.  J.  Ward  is  an 
insurance  agent,  but  is  also  the  enthusiastic  Secretary  of  the  Richmond 
Allotment  Holders’  Association,  and  at  the  recent  judging  of  the  allot¬ 
ments  there  secured  the  champion  prize  out  of  fifty-three  candidates. 
It  is  no  doubt  due  to  Mr.  W.  Dyke  of  Turnford  that  so  good  an 
average  of  six  candidates  (including  himself)  should  have  passed  from 
that  one  centre.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  many  who  have  found  them¬ 
selves  low  down,  especially  in  the  third  class,  will  have  another  try,  and 
they  may  be  able  to  accomplish  much  greater  things  another  year. 
It  should  be  added  that  the  medallist  is  a  lady,  Miss  A.  U.  Gulvin 
winning  the  position  with  260  marks,  Mr.  Butcher  following  with  240. 
Sixteen  other  ladies  were  also  successful. — A.  Dean. 
MEMORIES  OF  ALTON  TOWERS. 
In  a  quiet  corner  of  Staffordshire,  far  from  the  crowded  haunts  of 
men,  and  situated  in  the  centre  of  a  locality  as  famous  for  the 
beauty  of  its  scenery  as  for  its  historical  romances,  lies  Alton  Towers, 
the  home  of  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury  and  Talbot,  the  subject  of  these 
notes,  and  where  also  may  be  found  the  original  of  the  accompanying 
engraving  (fig.  9). 
The  scenery  for  miles  round  is  undulating,  romantic,  and  pleasing  ; 
richly  wooded  and  abounding  in  a  luxuriance  of  vegetation.  At  one 
point  may  be  seen  a  bold  forbidding  precipice  of  rocks,  and  a  little 
further  on  a  sheltered  nook  in  the  form  of  a  valley. 
In  the  midst  of  such  surroundings  one  could  not  imagine  a  more 
desirable  spot  for  building  a  mansion  and  forming  a  garden,  and  it  was 
a  happy  inspiration  that  caused  one  of  the  scions  of  the  noble  house 
aforementioned  to  entertain  such  an  idea,  in  the  realisation  of  which  he 
not  only  formed  a  beautiful  home  for  himself  an!  those  who  have 
followed  him,  but  also  provided  pleasure  for  the  many  visitors  who 
journey  to  see  the  gardens. 
