May  1§,  1898. 
JotiMAL  oP  iioRTic^iiLTukk  And 
COTTAGE  GARDEN  Eh. 
Sale  of  Orchids  at  Walton  Grange. 
Messrs.  Protheroe  &  Morris  completed  their  sale  of  Orchids 
at  Walton  Grange,  Stone,  Staffordshire,  on  Thursday.  The  following 
are  some  examples  of  the  prices  realised  : — Cattleya  Victoria  Reginae, 
44  guineas ;  Odontoglossum  crispum  Alfred,  34  guineas ;  Odonto- 
glosBum  crispum  Golden  Queen,  160  guineas;  Cypripedium 'Dorothy, 
21  guineas;  Odontoglossum  crispum  aureum,  140  guineas;  Odonto- 
glossum  Ruckerianum  ocellatum,  50  guineas;  Odontoglossum  Wilcke- 
anum  nobilior,  33  guineas;  Odontoglossum  meleagris,  35  guineas; 
O.  crispum  Stevensi,  110  guineas  ;  0.  Coradinei  expansum,  25  guineas ; 
Cattleya  labiata  coerulescens,  28  guineas ;  C.  1.  Peetersi  superba, 
75  guineas;  C.  Skinneri  alba,  30  guineas;  and  Odontoglossum 
excellens  Thoinsoni,  140  guineas. 
Odontoglossum  citrosmdm. 
It  is  not  often  one  sees  twin  spikes  on  this  pretty  Orchid,  but 
we  have  a  plant  with  two  from  the  same  lead.  Each  spike 
is  fully  developed,  and  occurs  quite  separately  from  the  base,  no 
fusing  or  fasciation  being  present.  It  is  one  of  the  most  useful 
Orchids  now  flowering,  and  very  popular.  It  is  not  difficult  to 
grow;  few  are  easier,  in  fact,  but  special  treatment  is  necessary  to 
induce  it  to  flower.  After  the  growth  is  fully  made  and  the 
bulbs  are  ripened  keep  the  roots  perfectly  dry  until  the  tips  of  the 
flower  spikes  can  be  seen  in  the  young  growth.  Then  give  a 
thorough  soaking  of  water,  and  the  spikes  will  form  and  lengthen 
very  rapidly. 
It  should  be  grown  in  a  rather  higher  temperature  than  the 
crispum  and  similar  sections  of  the  genus,  and  baskets  are  preferable 
to  pots  on  account  of  the  pendant  flower  racemes.  There  are 
several  beautiful  varieties,  the  type  being  white  with  a  yellow  crest 
to  the  lip,  the  variety  roseum  having  a  bright  rose  lip,  and  punctatum 
being  thickly  spotted  with  rosy  purple  on  each  segment.  Peat  and 
moss,  Avith  plenty  of  charcoal  or  potsherds  intermixed,  will  grow  it 
well,  and  it  must  be  disturbed  as  little  as  possible  Avhen  rebasketing. 
— H.  R.  R. 
Orchids  at  Bush  Hill  Park  Nurseries. 
Messrs.  Hugh  Low  &  Co.  have  now  transferred  the  last  of  their 
collection  of  Orchids  from  the  familiar  nurseries  at  Clapton  to  their 
larger  premises  at  Bush  Hill  Park,  near  Enfield,  wht^re  the  plants 
have  more  light  and  purer  air.  The  Phalaenopsis  were  removed  last 
February,  and  they  do  not  appear  to  have  suffered  by  the  journey  and 
change  of  quartcs.  The  house  provided  for  them  has  a  double  span 
roof,  with  staging  in  the  centres  and  at  the  sides.  Large  lumps  of 
burnt  ballast  lay  under  the  stages  and  by  the  side  of  the  paths,  and 
this  being  damped  frequently  causes  a  moist  atmosphere,  which  is  so 
necessary  to  the  successful  cultivation  of  these  plants.  A  very  distinct 
form  of  P.  amabilis  is  flowering.  It  has  a  beautifully  rose-coloured  lip, 
and  a  band  of  similar  colour  in  the  middle  of  the  petals.  It  is  to  be 
known  as  P.  a.  Kinleside’s  variety.  P.  leucorrhoda,  P.  Sanderiana,  and 
P.  Stuartiana  are  also  in  blooni.  In  the  next  house  Dendrobiums  are 
growing  vigorously,  suspended  from  the  roof  over  beds  of  moist  leaves 
and  sphagnum  moss.  At  the  end  of  these  houses  are  healthy  plants 
of  Vanda  Miss  Joachim,  which  w’as  illustrated  in  the  Journal  on 
December  9th  of  last  year. 
Cypripediums  occupy  several  large  houses,  in  one  of  which  there 
are  many  choice  species,  hybrids,  and  unflowered  seedlings.  Gertrude 
Hollington  is  represented  bv  a  large  plant  in  flower,  and  healthy 
specimens  of  Mastersianum,  Curtisi,  and  ciliolare  are  in  bloom,  while 
other  houses  are  filled  with  Lawrenceanum,  Dayanum,  Spicerianum,  and 
others.  The  Odontoglo.«sum  houses  are  each  180  feet  in  length,  and 
connected  at  one  end  by  a  cool  shady  corridor,  in  which  is  D'ckwork, 
adorned  with  flowering  plants  of  Ada  aurantiaca,  Oncidiums  IVIarshalli- 
anum,  macranthum,  and  undulatum,  with  numerous  Odontoglossums 
and  some  Lycastes.  From  the  roof  are  suspended  Sophronites  grandi- 
flora,  Oncidium  concolor,  and  Cattleya  citrina,  making  a  charming 
combination  of  colour.  This  portion  being  rather  new,  it  will  be  more 
attractive  when  the  bareness  of  the  stone  is  relieved  with  trailing  and 
foliage  plants.  There  is  a  grand  display  of  Odontoglossums,  chiefly  of 
varieties  of  crispum,  Pescatorei,  triumphans,  cirrhosum,  and  Coradinei, 
with  a  splendid  collection  of  Dendrobium  Jamesianum. 
The  structures  for  Cattleyas  are  on  similar  lines  to  the  preceding, 
but  are  of  course  warmer.  They  are  effectively  furnished  with  plants 
of  trailing  habit,  as  well  as  Ferns,  Palms,  choice  Cattleyas,  Lselias, 
Laelio-Cattleyas,  Oncidiums,  Phaius  Cooksoni,  large  plants  of  Calanthe 
veratrifolia,  Cymbidium  Lowianum,  and  C.  L.  concolor.  There  is  a 
distinct  Cattleya  unnamed,  and  suggestive  of  a  hybrid  between 
C.  intermedia  and  C.  Ijoddigesi,  with  the  lip  of  the  former,  but  much 
deeper  in  colour,  while  the  shape  resembles  the  last  named.  This 
was  shown  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  the  lOth  inst ,  and  received  an  award 
of  merit.  As  there  is  no  dividing  Avail  beneath  the  stages  in  this 
block  of  houses,  there  is  a  circulation  of  air  continually  throughout. 
Two  large  concrete  tanks  pass  throush  each  division,  one  being  used 
for  rain  water,  and  the  other  for  water  pumped  up  from  wells  in  the 
nursery,  which  on  account  of  its  hardness  is  onlv  used  for  damping 
the  floors  and  stages.  A  few  Gaskelliana,  Schruderse,  speciosissima, 
and  Trianae  are  still  in  bloom,  but  the  wealth  of  flower  is  amongst 
Mendeli  and  Mossiae,  with  Laelia  purpurata.  The  plants  appear  to 
have  grown  and  matured  uncommonly  well,  especially  Cattleya 
Mossiae. 
The  Cattleyas  have  been  grown  at  Bush  Hill  Park  for  some  time 
past,  many  of  them  having  been  established  there,  and  are  now- 
flowering  for  the  first  time.  From  these  and  others  ot  proved  merit 
iMessrs.  H.  Low  &  Co.  will  be  able  to  maintain  their  reputation  at 
the  forthcoming  Temple  ShoAv.  Mr.  I’Anson  has  the  management 
of  the  Orchid  department,  and  to  him  a  word  of  praise  is  due  for 
the  clean  and  healthy  state  of  the  plants  under  his  care.  Other 
large  houses  are  in  course  of  erection,  and  there  are  features  of 
interest  in  the  construction  of  these  Avhich  may  be  Avorth  recording 
when  completed. 
In  the  older  portion  of  the  nursery  are  thousands  of  Palms,  Ferns, 
New  Holland  plants.  Crotons,  and  other  fine-foliage  plants.  Azaleas, 
Pelargoniums,  Carnations,  pot  Roses,  and  Vines.  Beyond  the  houses 
are  about  40  acres  of  ground  devoted  to  hardy  fruit  and  Roses,  for  the 
culture  of  which  the  soil  is  admirably  adapted. — G.  W.  Cummins, 
Wallington. 
AUSTRALIAN  MEDICINAL  PLANTS. 
Australia  is  rich  in  plants  reputed  to  possess  medicinal  virtues, 
although  at  present  only  a  fcAv  have  been  utilised,  and  these  but  to  u 
limited  extent.  In  New  South  Wales  such  plants  are  abundant,  many 
kinds  being  found  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Sydney,  especially  in  the 
Parramatta  district. 
One  of  the  most  common  is  the  wild  Pennyroyal,  a  decoction  of  whit  h 
is  largely  used  as  a  tonic.  A  valuable  oil  can  be  extracted  from  it,  whicb 
may  be  employed  both  as  a  medicine  and  as  a  means  of  imparting  a 
pleasant  odour  and  flavour  to  other  ingredients.  Two  little  plants  of  the 
Gentian  family,  plentiful  enough  in  the  spring,  have  proved  highly 
efficacious  in  certain  stages  of  dysentery.  The  common  native  Raspberrv. 
like  other  species  of  Rubus,  possesses  astringent  properties  which  may  one 
day  secure  it  a  place  in  the  colonial  pharmacopoeia,  which  alreadv 
includes  the  native  Sarsaparilla,  although,  notwithstanding  the  latter 
abounds  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Sydney,  the  bulk  of  the  Sarsaparill  i 
used  by  colonial  chemists  is  imported.  The  country  people  frequently 
prepare  an  agreeable  and  wholesome  tonic  from  the  native  plant,  which 
costs  nothing  save  the  trouble  of  collecting  it.  It  is  also  known  by'  the 
name  of  Sweet  Tea  or  Wild  Liquorice. 
There  is  also  a  native  Laurel,  allied  ta  the  Sassafras  of  the  pharma¬ 
copoeia,  which  possesses  medicinal  properties  as  yet  but  little  understood. 
The  native  Grape  yields  a  rich  crimson  jelly,  said,  when  used  as  a  gargle, 
to  be  good  for  sore  throat.  The  native  Veronica  possesses  properties  in 
common  with  the  European  species,  and  the  leaves  are  frequently  used 
for  making  herb  tea.  Self-heal  is  plentiful  and  indigenous,  as  in  Europe  ; 
it  is  bitter  and  astringent,  and  occasionally  used  as  a  substitute  for  bark. 
The  leaves,  in  England,  are  supposed  to  be  efficacious  in  healing  cuis 
hence  the  name.  The  different  species  of  native  Currant  possess  a 
powerful  acid,  capable  of  being  used  for  flavouring  sugar  drops,  or 
employed  as  a  substitute  for  lemon  syrup. 
The  Thorn  Apple,  t’astor-oil  Plant,  Pimpernel.  American  Nightshade, 
Fennel,  Wart-wort,  and  other  plants  differ  very  slightly,  if  at  all,  from 
those  found  in  other  countries.  The  Castor-oil  Plant  not  only  yields  the 
well-known  oil,  but  the  leaves  have  been  successfully  employed  as  a 
galactopoietic,  for  remedying  the  absence  of  milk  in  the  maternal  brea"i. 
The  Thorn  Apple  is  used  as  a  cure  for  asthma,  the  seeds,  when  exjiresscd 
and  made  into  an  ointment  with  lard,  being  good  for  irritable  ulcers, 
burns,  and  scalds.  The  American  Nightshade  is  useful  as  a  purgative  ; 
and  the  Pimpernel  is  employed  in  mania  and  hydrophobia  ;  the  juici', 
when  applied  to  the  eye  in  certain  stages  of  ophthalmia,  having  the 
property  of  cleansing  it  in  a  remarkable  manner.  The  medicinal  virtues 
of  the  various  kinds  of  Eucalypti,  or  Gum  Trees,  have  become  universally 
recognised,  but  it  is  not  so  generally  known  that  they  are  shared  also  Lv 
the  different  species  of  Tea  Tree  and  Wattle.  The  flowers  of  the  native 
Pittosporum  yield  a  Jasmine-like  scent  by  distillation  ;  and  the  Boron  a 
and  other  Rutaceous  plants  abound  in  volatile  oils. 
The  foregoing  are  only  a  few  of  the  many  Australian  native  plants 
known  to  possess  medicinal  properties,  and  their  luxuriant  abundance 
during  the  greater  portion  of  the  year,  combined  with  the  ease  with 
which  many  species  can  be  cultivated  in  suitable  localities,  will,  at  some 
future  date,  give  them  considerable  industrial  value.  —  J.  Plu.mmeh, 
Sydney,  N.S,  W. 
