Ma’ch  17,  1898, 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
2:55 
Odontoqlossum  Wilckeanum  Pitt.e, 
In  our  brief  report  of  the  meeting  of  the  Eoyal  Horticultural 
Society,  on  the  8th  inst.,  we  referred  to  the  general  excellence  of  the 
Orchids  shown.  Amongst  the  most  conspicuous  was  Odontoglossum 
Wilckeanum  Pittae,  which  received  a  first-class  certificate  from  the 
Committee.  It  is  one  of  the  handsomest  varieties  that  has  ever  been 
seen,  and  the  plant  is  of  peculiarly  robust  habit.  The  large  flow^ers, 
of  which  there  were  seventeen  on  the  spike,  were  of  great  substance, 
and  the  well  known  colour  markings  are  all  much  improved  upon. 
It  was  shown  by  H.  T.  Pitt,  Esq.-,  Rosslyn,  Stamford  Hill,  and  is 
depicted  in  the  woodcut  (fig.  51). 
Orchids  at  Cleveley,  Allebton,  Livertool. 
I  DAVE  on  several  occasions  mentioned  various  Orchids  seen  in 
flower  at  Cleveley,  but  Laelias  and  Coelogynes  make  the  handsomest 
display,  the  former  being  in  full  beauty  in  November,  and  from  that 
time  until  the  wane  of  the  Odontoglossums,  there  will,  for  more  than 
six  months,  have  been  a  veritable  wealth  of  beauty.  But  it  is  of  the 
present  time  that  I  want  more  especially  to  speak,  as  Coelogyne 
cristata  and  its  varieties  have  been  delighting  many  visitors. 
Nothing  surpasses  them  for  beauty  in  the  earlier  spring  months, 
and  1  have  seen  them  on  previous  occasions,  as  I  thought,  almost 
perfect,  but  the  crowning  success  in  flowering  seems  to  have  been 
reached  this  year.  Mr.  Cromwell,  Mr.  Timmis’  esteemed  gardener, 
attributes  this  chiefly  to  the  thorough  ripening  of  the  pseudo-bulbs  in 
the  autumn  of  1897,  the  prolonged  sunshine  having  had  a  marked  effect. 
Every  bulb  of  last  year  is  producing  its  spray  of  flowers.  A  space 
20  feet  by  9  is  taken  up  with  the  plants,  a  background  of  Palms  and 
Ferns  completing  a  picture  of  a  beauty  not  easily  forgotten.  There  are 
in  all  eleven  plants,  averaging  3  feet  in  diaineter,  each  pan  having  an 
average  number  of  100  spikes,  the  highest  number  of  flowers  on  a 
spike  being  eight,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  these  are  found  on 
the  Trentham  and  Chatsworth  varieties.  Maxima  and  Lemoineana 
follow  with  seven,  the  ordinary  varieties  having  from  three  to  four. 
This  clearly  shows  that  the  first  two  varieties  should  be  sought  after 
by  cultivators. 
Arranged  in  the  same  house  are  other  good  and  useful  Orchids, 
such  as  basket  of  Dendrobium  Ainsworthi  carrying  300  flowers, 
D.  Leechianum,  D.  albiflorum,  D.  crassinode  Barberianum,  the  lovely 
D.  Cassiope,  D.  nobile  coerulescens,  Cypripediums  in  variety,  and 
Cattleya  Trianae,  which  all  go  to  swell  the  list  of  beauty,  form,  and 
colour  so  noticeable  amongst  Orchids.  Dendrobium  nobile,  Cymbi- 
dium  Lowianum  and  C.  eburneum,  the  latter,  often  found  so  difficult 
to  grow,  are  promising  a  rich  harvest  of  bloom,  and  are  to  follow  the 
Coelogynes.  I  may,  perhaps,  be  pardoned  for  mentioning  in  this 
column  the  beautiful  corridor.  It  is  just  now  brilliant  with  Azaleas, 
spring  bulbs  and  Boses,  whilst  handsome  bushes  of  that  capital 
forcing  Rhododendron,  Madame  Wagner,  are  especially  striking. — 
R.  P.  R. 
TEN  MINUTES’  NOTES. 
Hitherto  my  pen  has  been  prone  to  touch  on  wide  and  various 
items  at  random  as  entering  my  mind  first.  I  now  send  a  few  notes 
appertaining  to  fruit  and  fruit  trees  as  a  more  united  contribution. 
Blended  Fruits. 
Not  regarding  myselt  an  old  fashioned,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  one  of 
your  “new  fangled  ”  gardeners,  I  can  safely  ask,  what  on  earth  do  we 
want  with  such  anomalies  and  mixtures  as  the  following  ?  A  “  white  ”  (?) 
Black  Currant,  a  Raspberry-Strawberry  combination,  a  Gv  oseberry  with 
a  smack  of  Black  Currant  thrown  in  as  a  flavouring,  and  so  on.  1  see 
no  useful  purpose  to  be  served  in  these  eccentric  fancies  of  a  few  novelty 
specialists.  They  are  not  “  made  in  Germany,’’  fora  wonder,  but  emanate 
rincipally  from  over  the  “  herring  pond.”  If  we  are  to  have  a  “  blend  ” 
y  all  means  consult  a  cookery  book,  and  render  the  cook  a  service  by 
raising  some  such  fruits  as  a  mixture  of  Raspberry  and  Red  Currant, 
Blackberry  and  Apple,  or  Rhubarb  and  Orange,  which,  by  the  careful 
incorporation  of  their  substances  in  due  proportion,  would  result  in 
universal  praise  in  the  kitchen,  and,  perhaps,  save  us  from  unknown 
iam  mixtures  now  so  prevalent. 
Training  Pear  Trees. 
By  this  I  am  referring  to  what  should  be  the  mean  space  between  the 
branches,  taking  an  horizontally  trained  specimen  first.  With  most 
varieties  every  third  joint — i.e.,  from  14  to  15  inches,  would  seem  a  fair 
distance,  so  as  to  allow  free  circulation  of  light  and  air  amongst  the 
foliage,  and  the  fruit  to  hang  clear  of  obstruction  ;  but  this  space  would 
hardly  suffice  for  some  others  that  assume  a  more  straggling  habit  of 
growth,  such  as,  say,  Marie  Louise,  or  Beurrd  Ranee,  or  with  large 
foliage  as  Beurre  Diel  ;  then  four  bricks  space  is  necessary  to  insure 
good  results.  With  fan- trained  trees  this  regularity  or  uniform  space  is 
of  course  impossible,  as  at  the  base  an  inch  or  so  apart  develops  into  a 
foot  or  more  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  branches  ;  it  is  better  to  err  on  the 
side  of  wider  spaces  than  attempt  to  crowd  the  branches  in  any  sense. 
When  training  maidens  select  those  side  shoots  which  point  straight  to  the 
space  desired,  those  on  both  sides  to  be  evenly  balanced  and  level. 
The  tree  looks  unsightly  with  one  bough  bowed  down  and  the  other  bent 
upwards  to  get  them  into  anything  like  good  shape.  It  will  I)e  almost  a 
necessity  to  head  back  the  leader  every  year,  selecting  as  near  as  possible 
two  side  buds  to  form  branches,  and  one  at  the  ape.x  for  a  leader.  In  all 
probability  the  side  shoots  will  not  be  of  ecjual  strength  ;  in  that  case  the 
stronger  one  will  need  pinching  to  induce  the  weaker  one  to  make 
headway  with  the  increased  supply  of  sap  resulting  from  that  operation. 
Bramley’s  Seedling  Apple. 
Without  doubt  this  Apple  is  one  of  the  best  kitchen  kinds  in  culti¬ 
vation,  and  I  do  not  know  if  I  should  be  committing  an  act  of  piracy  in 
using  its  raiser’s  eulogy  on  its  merits  as  “  the  finest  Apple  on  earth.” 
Mr.  ^lerryweather  has  more  than  once  told  me  of  the  yearly  increasing 
sale  until  the  demand  for  “  Bramley’s  ”  is  enormous.  I  have  frequently 
Fig.  51.— Odontoglossum  AVilckeanum  PiTTiE, 
seen  specimens  grown  by  cottagers  or  small  holders  weighing  25  and 
26  ozs.  I  know  a  man  of  the  latter  class  who  generally  manages  to 
pay  his  rent  with  the  sale  of  his  “Bramley's.”  Some  years  he  has 
several  hundred  pecks,  which  he  holds  in  reserve  until  the  glut  of  Apples 
is  over,  when  the  lowest  price  asked  is  2s.  Gd.  per  peck.  This  is  clseer- 
fully  paid  at  Christmas  time  on  account  of  the  firmness  and  quality  of 
the  fruit  when  used  in  mince  meat.  A  garden  without  its  Bramley’s  Seed¬ 
ling  in  Notts  would  be  hard  to  find,  and  other  counties  are  fast  following 
suit.  One  of  its  characteristics  is  its  late  flowering  habit,  which  usually 
tides  it  over  the  May  frosts.  Sturdy  growth  enables  it  to  be  self-sun- 
porting.  It  is,  perhaps,  not  quite  so  quick  as  some  varieties  in  reaching 
its  bearing  period  ;  but  when  once  established  it  recoups  all  this,  and 
outclasses  most  of  the  older  kitchen  varieties.  Beyond  procuring  young 
trees  it  is  economy  to  cut  down  and  graft  worthless  varieties  with  this 
very  hardy  and  serviceable  Southwell  Apple. 
Be  Former  Notes. 
I  beg  tq  thank  Mr.  Geo.  Abbey  for  replying  to  my  queries  so  fully 
I  find  I  am  in  error  as  regards  the  Cineraria  grub,  and  the  laryte  of  the 
Celery  fiy,  which  latter  I  have  found  dislikes  sprinklings  of  soot  on  the 
leaves  on  dewy  mornings.  I  hope  to  make  a  closer  observation  in  due 
course  as  regards  these  pests,  and  if  possible  adopt  a  preventive.  IFith 
filled  garden  walls,  the  last  paragraph  hits  the  right  nail  on  the  head 
( page  148)  as  jiresenting  the  only  sound  principle  of  “  utility  with  economy.” 
No  doubt  Apricots  were  mostly  benefited  by  the  old  system,  on  account 
of  the  protection  necessary  by  their  early  flowering.  I,  however,  feel 
grati''ed  to  have  the  personal  experience  of  Mr.  Abbey.  It  enhances  the 
interest  of  these  old-time  appliances  from  a  practical  point  of  view,  and 
not  mere  conjecture.  Cnly  this  morning  I  came  across  some  old  volumes 
of  the  Journal,  dating  back,  in  the  case  of  the  one  I  opened  casually,  to 
1868,  or  thirty  years  ago.  I  was  pleased  to  note  two  names  as  con¬ 
tributors  then  that  are  still  to  the  front — viz.,  “D-,  Deal"  and  Mr.  Geo. 
Abbey.  Long  may  they  continue  to  record  their  valued  experiences 
for  the  benefit  of  many  readers  of  the  popular  .Journal  of  the  present 
day.— Geo.  Dyke,  stubton  Gardens^  Newark. 
