108 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  1,  1895. 
Ill-Treatment  of  Orchids, 
A  GOOD  deal  of  useful  knowledge  may  be  picked  up  by 
beginners  in  Orchid  culture  by  observing  the  effect  of  irrational 
and  unnatural  treatment.  When  they  have  learnt  what  to  avoid 
in  their  cultural  operations  it  is  a  great  point  gained,  and  to  reverse 
the  order  of  things  will  be  the  natural  sequence.  Possibly  the 
most  frequent  mistake  made  in  the  cultivation  of  these  beautiful 
plants  is  overpotting,  and  in  consequence  too  much  water  being 
applied  to  the  roots.  If  we  take  the  Orchid  family  as  a  whole, 
they  require  more  water  or  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  than  at  the 
root.  This  is  especially  the  case  with  the  epiphytal  kinds.  A 
rooting  space,  then,  that  collects  much  water  and  holds  it  cannot  be 
otherwise  than  detrimental  to  the  plants. 
Again,  many  of  the  species  produce  roots  that  cannot  from 
their  nature  take  hold  of  a  body  of  compost,  but  prefer  rather  to 
cling  to  the  sides  of  the  pots  wherein  they  are  grown.  These 
being  so  far  away  from  the  point  where  the  roots  are  emitted,  it  is 
obvious  the  roots  can  never  reach  them,  but  perish  among  the 
mass  of  compressible  compound  that  is  supposed  to  strengthen 
them.  The  roots  being  killed,  no  treatment,  however  good,  can 
have  satisfactory  results,  for  although  it  is  hard  to  kill  some 
Orchids,  they  may  as  well  be  thrown  away  unless  the  roots  are 
conserved.  In  their  absence  the  plants  may  grow  for  a  time,  but 
the  growths  will  be  weaker  every  year  until  the  plant  ceases  to  be 
of  any  value.  Then,  again,  plants  in  flower  are  often  allowed  to 
waste  away  from  the  double  burden  of  carrying  the  blossoms  in 
the  dry  atmosphere  of  the  flowering  house. 
The  splendid  blossoms  arrest  the  gaze  of  all  by  their  beautiful 
features  and  pleasing  form,  and  to  have  to  cut  them  seems  hard 
after  perhaps  months  of  careful  treatment  to  bring  them  to 
perfection,  but  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  if  allowed  to  remain 
on  and  draw  their  sustenance  from  the  pseudo-bulbs,  already  taxed 
to  produce  them,  it  will  undoubtedly  be  at  the  expense  of  the 
future  health  of  the  plant.  With  some  the  temptation  to  leave 
them  on  is  greater  than  others  ;  for  instance,  Oncidium  macranthum 
with  its  graceful  scandent  scapes  lighting  up  a  group  of  plants  in 
the  conservatory.  Take  these  away  and  the  effect  of  the  whole 
is  marred,  and  I  must  plead  guilty  to  having  on  several  occasions 
allowed  these  to  carry  their  inflorescence  longer  than  was 
advisable. 
The  result  has  always  been  the  same,  weak  growth  the  next 
season,  and  happily  for  the  plant’s  sake  no  flower  scapes.  Semi- 
established  plants,  or  those  in  the  second  year,  often  throw  large 
and  vigorous  spikes  ;  to  leave  these  on  is  simply  fatal.  They 
ought  in  fact  never  to  be  allowed  to  perfect  half  the  blossoms  that 
show,  for  this  in  itself  would  be  sufficiently  weakening  to  destroy 
the  prospect  of  the  future  well-being  of  the  plant.  The  effect  on 
strong  and  well  established  plants  is  not  so  bad  of  course,  but  even 
here  caution  is  necessary.  Heavy  shading  is  an  evil  that  is  far 
reaching  in  its  ill  effects. 
The  number  of  growths  of  Dendrobiums,  and  similar  sun-loving 
tropical  Orchids,  that  indirectly  have  been  lost  owing  to  this  is 
enormous.  The  young  growths  and  the  influence  of  the  son  to 
consolidate  them  and  enable  them  to  withstand  the  slight  variations 
of  temperature  and  atmospheric  moisture  that  will  sometimes  occur 
even  with  our  best  care.  Grown  in  a  dense  shade  the  fabric  is  ill 
built  up,  so  to  speak,  and  the  tiny  shoots  succumb  to  the  first  chance 
burst  of  bright  sunshine  or  overdose  of  moisture.  Too  much  sun 
may  ruin  the  appearance  of  the  plants  for  years,  but  too  heavy 
shading  is  a  far  greater  evil. 
Another  item  of  mismanagement — which  fortunately  is  not  so 
prevalent  as  formerly — occurs  during  the  resting  season.  No 
greater  mistake  can  ever  be  made  than  to  starve  and  shrivel  a  plant 
by  withholding  water  for  weeks  under  the  impression  that  it  is 
thereby  inducad  to  rest.  Orchids  are  indeed  long  suffering  under 
difficulties,  and  respond  very  readily  to  corrective  measures  ;  but 
there  is  a  limit  to  their  powers  of  endurance  in  this  respect,  which 
it  will  be  wise  not  to  approach  too  nearly.  These  are  only  a  few 
ways  in  which  Orchids  are  ill  treated,  and  many  more  may  be 
mentioned,  but  with  one  other  this  list  of  the  wrongdoings  of 
orchidists  must  close. 
Growing  in  their  natural  habitats,  high  up  on  the  branches  of 
trees,  these  plants  are  naturally  free  to  every  wind  that  blows. 
Brought  to  this  country  they  are  imprisoned,  confined  within  the 
narrow  limits  of  an  Orchid  house.  This  cannot,  of  course,  be  ' 
avoided,  our  climatic  conditions  outside  being  distinctly  adverse 
to  those  which  obtain  in  the  moist  tropical  forests  whence  so  many 
Orchids  come.  But  there  is  no  reason  why  our  houses  should 
be  kept  closed  when  the  external  conditions  are  congenial, 
denying  the  plants  the  fresh  air  that  means  life  and  health  to 
them.  Nothing  is  more  unsatisfactory  than  to  enter  a  house  on 
mild,  misty  mornings  and  find  a  dry,  stuffy  atmosphere  inside. 
The  chink  of  night  air  has  been  omitted  that  would  have  kept 
the  house  pleasantly  cool  and  moist,  and  instead  of  the  balmy, 
restful  atmosphere  so  necessary,  we  have  a  close  and  parched  one 
only  conducive  to  the  propagation  of  insect  pests.  —H.  K.  R. 
CRAIG -Y-NOS. 
It  was  after  an  absence  of  some  four  years  that  I  paid  a  visit  to  this 
charming  Castle  of  Madame  Patti’s,  which,  dreary  and  desolate  as  it  may 
appear  in  the  winter  months,  is  in  the  spring  and  summer  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  spots  in  South  Wales.  I  was  very  much  surprised  at  the 
vast  improvements  that  had  taken  place  since  the  advent  of  Mr.  Hibbert, 
who  had  but  newly  taken  charge  on  my  first  visit. 
On  approaching  the  Castle,  whether  by  road  or  rail,  the  first  thing 
that  attracts  attention  is  the  winter  garden,  a  fine  building  standing 
boldly  against  the  Castle,  and  a  word  or  two  in  reference  to  its  occupants 
may  prove  of  interest  to  the  reader.  It  stands  about  40  feet  high,  and 
contains  7000  feet  of  glass,  made  waterproof  by  the  dry  glazing  system, 
which  seems  to  answer  well.  Entering  this  building  with  the  visions  of 
black  rugged  mountains  in  his  eyes,  the  visitor  is  almost  bewildered  by 
the  luxurious  Palms  and  Tree  Ferns  within,  all  planted  out,  looking 
quite  at  home.  The  trunks  of  the  Tree  Ferns  are  hidden  with  Rex 
Begonias.  Here  are  some  fine  Seaforthia  elegans,  15  to  20  feet  high,, 
also  Kentia  australis  and  Aralia  Sieboldi  intermixed  with  some 
splendidly  grown  Camellias,  the  pillars  being  all  well  covered  with  sucb 
plants  as  Clematis  indivisa.  Heliotropes,  Bignonias,  Habrothamnus 
elegans.  Plumbago  capensis,  and  other  suitable  plants.  The  paths  are 
neatly  edged  with  a  rockery  wall  all  round,  stones  adapted  for  that 
work  being  abundant  here.  This  is  planted  with  small  Ferns, 
Selaginellas,  and  Sedums  of  sorts.  At  the  back  is  a  wall  12  feet  high,  om 
the  face  of  which  is  about  9  inches  of  half  peat  and  loam,  held  in 
position  by  a  strong  wire  netting.  At  the  time  of  my  visit  it  looked 
charming  with  Adiantums  and  other  Ferns,  which  are  kept  moist  by  a 
perforated  pipe  running  along  the  top*  A  stage  running  along  the  one 
side  is  always  kept  gay  with  flowers,  and  at  the  time  of  my  visit  the 
Ivy-leaved  Geraniiums  were  making  a  grand  show  with  an  edging  of 
Harrison’s  Musk.  The  illustration  (fig.  15)  shows  a  portion  of  this 
winter  garden  with  the  Castle  looking  across  the  artificial  lake  mentioned 
below. 
A  corridor  leads  from  the  winter  garden  into  the  Castle  through  the 
conservatory,  another  large  house  which  is  mainly  used  in  summer 
time  as  a  dining-room.  There  are  three  vineries,  each  containing  a 
splendid  crop,  especially  the  Muscats,  of  which  the  bunches  are  even 
and  regular,  averaging  lbs.  each.  The  stoves  are  well  stocked  with 
young  Crotons  and  Dracaenas  suitable  for  house  and  table  work.. 
Tomatoes  here  are  extensively  grown  in  pits  that  are  well  adapted  for 
the  purpose. 
A  house  is  devoted  to  Carnations,  mainly  of  the  Malmaison  tribe  and 
Mrs.  Reynolds  Hole,  which  I  fear,  although  blooming  profusely,  are 
doomed,  as  they  are  attacked  with  the  disease  so  well  known  to  all  lovers 
of  this  most  beautiful  flower.  A  fine  improvement  to  the  Castle  is  an 
artificial  lake  which  has  been  newly  made.  In  the  middle  is  an  island, 
which  forms  a  secure  and  resting  place  for  the  numerous  wild  ducks.  It 
must  have  been  a  great  piece  of  labour,  and  credit  is  due  to  Mr. 
Hibbert  for  the  way  it  was  carried  out.  Another  piece  of  landscape,, 
which  improves  the  place  wonderfully,  is  more  to  the  south  of  the  Castle, 
where  a  splendid  pavilion  has  been  built.  New  tennis  lawns  have  been 
laid,  and  shrubs  planted  tastefully  around  in  groups,  there  being  on 
each  side  a  row  of  Limes  and  Poplars,  which  forms  a  most  imposing 
sight. 
The  kitchen  garden  also  shows  that  it  gets  its  full  share  of  attention. 
The  soil  and  aspect  are  against  perfect  production,  but  all  the  crops 
looked  in  a  very  promising  condition.  The  frosts  of  last  winter  seemed 
to  have  done  little  or  no  harm  here  in  this  department.  The  fruit  trees 
which  had  been  very  much  neglected,  and,  as  Mr.  Hibbert  informed  me, 
were  of  very  poor  quality,  have  all  been  uprooted,  and  sturdy  young 
trees  planted  in  their  places.  In  this  department  are  the  Peach  houses, 
in  which  the  occupants  are  looking  clean  and  in  the  best  of  health 
Nectarines  especially  appearing  to  be  excellent,  and  bearing  a  good  crop 
of  fruit. — T.  F.  J. 
GARDEN  MOTHS  OF  EVENING. 
When  we  are  engaged  in  the  garden  till  twilight  comes  on,  or  later 
still,  are  strolling  amongst  the  flower-beds  as  the  darkness  begins  tO' 
hide  them  from  view  on  an  August  evening,  we  are  sure  to  have 
around  us  some  of  the  night-flying  moths.  The  diminished  light,  with 
the  rapidity  of  their  movements,  prevents  us  from  distinguishing  their 
colours  usually,  even  if  they  are  poised  over  flowers,  but  we  are  often 
attracted  by  their  flashing  eyes,  which  shine  like  tiny  stars — is  it 
electricity  or  phosphorescence  that  is  the  cause  1  A  few  there  may  be 
of  slender  make,  but  the  majority  of  these  moths  are  stout-bodied,  their 
