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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  10.  1898. 
for  surprise  that  there  should  be  such  distiuctiveness  as  in  the  growth, 
and  this  alone  shows  how  varied  is  the  stock.  As  a  matter  of  fact  there 
are  many  that  none  but  an  expert  would  recognise  as  being  forms  of 
elegans.  Some  have  growths  and  leaves  approaching  closely  to  the 
size  of  those  of  L.  purpurata,  while  others  are  very  small.  The  shape  of 
them,  too,  varies  almost  as  much  as  does  the  size,  but  that  they  are 
elegans  there  can  be  no  doubt,  and  it  is  quite  as  certain  that  the  finest 
forms  in  cultivation  are  to  be  found  amongst  them. 
Having  seen  and  admired  those  mentioned,  we  passed  through 
several  houses  of  Cattleyas,  and  observed  in  flower  some  varieties  of 
Mossiae  and  IMendeli,  with  many  specimens  of  gigas,  Triauae,  a  splendid 
stock  of  Lawrenceana  intermedia  alba  labiata,  including  more  than  one 
white  variety,  Mantini  nobilior,  Schroderae,  Gaskelliana,  Bowringiana, 
and  others  beyond  number.  Laelias  of  the  purpurata  type,  Laelio- 
Cattleyas,  and  Laslias  tenebrosa  and  praestans  alba,  some  in  and  out  of 
bloom,  were  seen,  besides  scores  of  grand  plants  of  Coelogynes  in  a 
house  to  themselves.  AngrjECums,  Anguloas,  Vandas,  Thunias,  and 
Dendrobiums  claimed  attention  in  passing  by  reason  either  of  the 
beauty  of  their  flowers  or  the  excellence  of  their  several  growths. 
Dendrobium  Phalaenopsis  are  in  great  form,  as  are  Phalaenopsis,  ■whose 
tough  leaves  appear  to  be  in  the  very  best  of  condition.  They  occupy 
a  front  stage  in  a  house  on  the  back  stage  of  which  Anthuriums 
flourish,  and  the  conditions  are  palpably  congenial  to  all. 
In  an  earlier  paragraph  brief  reference  was  made  to  the  Woodlands 
system  of  planting  Orchids  in  beds  on  the  stases,  for  which  purpose 
Cymbidiums  are  great  favourites.  That  the  plan  suits  them  is  proved 
by  the  splendid  condition  of  the  stock,  and  it  is  a  fact  that  many 
improve  after  the  planting.  Several  species  and  varieties  are  utilised 
for  the  purpose  in  one  structure,  w^hich  also  contains  four  plants 
of  Laelia  purpurata,  that  were  turned  out  of  pots  because  they  were 
somewhat  sickly ;  now  they  look  well,  and  are  making  good  headway. 
Another  lofty  conservatory  has  been  built  up  with  tufa  rock,  and  is 
entirely  occupied  with  Cymbidiums,  which  will,  when  well  established, 
make  a  very  charming  display.  Amongst  the  several  other  Orchids 
that  were  subjected  to  this  treatment  were  Cypripedium  insigne  and 
Odontoglossum  grande,  each  of  which  was  in  a  very  satisfactory  state. 
Needless  to  say  the  use  of  dwarf  trailing  plants  as  a  groundwork 
greatly  enhances  the  effect  produced  by  all  these  plants. 
Hanging  from  the  roof  of  one  of  the  Cattleya  houses  was  one  of  the 
finest  collections  of  Odontoglossum  citrosmum  it  has  been  my  pleasure 
to  see.  It  is  not  included  amongst  those  Orchids  which  are  easy  to 
grow;  but  at  Streatham  it  luxuriates,  and  its  requirements  are  evidently 
thoroughly  understood.  In  cooler  quarters  are  Odontoglossums 
crispum,  Pescatorei,  polyxanthum,  and  many  besides,  which  were,  when 
this  visit  was  paid,  looking  very  bright.  Spikes  of  variously  sized  and 
coloured  flowers  were  numerous,  and  the  plants  carried  stout  foliage  of 
a  deep  green  hue.  Miltonia  vexillaria,  too,  is  well  grovni,  and  some 
charming  varieties  were  noticed  as  we  passed  along.  The  flowers  were 
of  good  average  size,  and  ranged  in  colour  from  pure  white  to  the 
richest  rose. 
Though  the  flowers  are  so  short-lived  few  Orchid  growers  would 
care  to  exclude  Sobralias  from  their  houses,  for  some  of  them  are  of 
singular  beauty.  The  blooms  are  here  to-day  and  gone  to-morrow, 
but  they  are  nevertheless  appreciated.  Some  of  the  most  conspicuous 
at  The  Woodlands  were  Lowi,  Amesiana,  IMeasuresiana,  Hookerae, 
Kimballiana,  and  alba,  but  these  were  not  all  in  flower.  Lycastes, 
too,  are  numerous,  but  the  same  might  be  said  of  others,  for  the 
mention  of  which  space  cannot  now  be  found.  It  was  a  pleasant  treat 
to  see  the  splendid  plants  in  such  immense  numbers,  and  visits 
to  see  the  Lselia  elegans  and  Cypripedium  insigne  will  be  looked 
forward  to  with  eagerness  until  their  flowering  times  come  round 
again. — H.  J.  Wright. 
Flora  of  Tibet. — During  the  last  five  years  the  Kew  Herbarium 
has  been  enriched  by  a  number  of  collections  of  dried  plants  from 
various  parts  of  Tibet,  some  particulars  of  which  hsve  appeared  in 
the  “  Kew  Bulletin  ”  from  time  to  time.  (See  1893,  p.  369  ;  1894,  p.  136  ; 
and  1896,  pp.  99  and  207-216;  also  Hemsley  in  the  “Journal  of  the 
Linnean  Society,”  xxx.,  pp.  101-140,  plates  4  and  5.)  Several  other  small 
collections  have  reached  Kew  since  ;  and  one,  by  far  the  largest  ever 
received  from  Tibet,  was  presented  last  July,  but  has  not  as  yet  been 
completely  examined  on  account  of  the  pressure  of  other  work.  This 
collection  was  made  by  H.  E.  Hobson,  Esq.,  who  is  stationed  at  Yatung, 
on  the  eastern  frontier  of  Sikkim  and  Western  Chumbi,  between  Yakla  and 
Gnatong.  Botanically  it  is  in  the  humid  Himalayan  region,  where  the 
vegetation  is  comparatively  luxuriant  and  diversified,  whereas  all  the 
collections  previously  noticed  are  from  the  arid  sterile  country,  which 
begins  a  very  little  to  the  north.  Mr.  Hobson’s  collection  consists  of 
about  1500  specimens,  largely  of  herbaceous  plants,  amongst  which  there 
are  doubtless  a  good  many  novelties. — (“  Kew  Bulletin.”) 
Eoyal  Horticultural  Society’s  Rose  Show#  Change  of  Date» 
May  I  ask  you  to  be  so  kind  as  to  announce,  in  as  prominent  a  manner 
as  possible,  that  the  Council  have  changed  the  date  of  the  R.H.S.  Rose 
Show,  advertised  on  page  59  of  the  Arrangements  for  1898,  from  June  28th 
to  July  12  th  ?  This  alteration  is  necessitated  by  the  abnormally  backward 
state  of  the  Roses  this  year. — W,  Wilks,  Secretary, 
Royal  Roses, 
We  are  informed  that  on  the  occasion  of  the  recent  Floral  FSte  at  the 
Royal  Botanic  Society’s  Garden,  Regent’s  Park,  the  Prince  of  Wales  was 
graciously  pleased  to  name  one  of  Messrs.  Wm.  Paul  &  Son's  seedling 
Roses  “  The  Alexandra,’’  and  to  accept  blooms  of  it.  His  Royal  High¬ 
ness  also  specially  admired  Messrs.  Paul’s  new  variety  “  Empress 
Alexandra  of  Russia.” 
Roses  at  the  Early  Shows. 
It  is  a  matter  for  regret  that  the  long-continued  untoward  weather 
has  somewhat  marred  the  prospects  of  the  early  shows.  Mr.  C.  W. 
Simmons,  the  well-known  York  Secretary,  informs  us  that  Rose  entries  are 
rather  short.  This  is  unfortunate,  for  as  a  rule  the  queen  of  flowers  is 
seen  in  grand  form  in  the  northern  city.  We  see  by  our  advertisement 
columns,  too,  that  the  Isle  of  Wight  Show,  which  was  fixed  for  June  16th 
at  Carisbrooke  Castle,  has  had  to  be  postponed  owing  to  the  lateness  of 
the  flowers.  We  hope  things  will  brighten  for  the  later  exhibitions,  but 
so  far  as  we  have  heard  results  are  not  very  promising. 
Notes  on  Choice  Wall  Roses. 
Roses  on  walls  are  now  coming  into  flower,  being  favoured  by  position, 
warmth,  and  shelter  in  many  cases  from  cutting  winds,  wherebj’  they  can 
produce  blooms  earlier  than  plants  in  the  open  ground.  There  is  a  wealth 
of  wall  Roses,  but  the  choicest  are  undoubtedly  the  Teas  and  Noisettes. 
Some  of  them  are  better  adapted  for  growing  on  walls  and  fences  than  any 
other  method  of  cultivation,  for  the  reason  that  they  make  long,  strong 
shoots,  and  are  generally  robust  in  habit. 
The  hardiest  of  our  Tea  Roses,  Gloire  de  Dijon,  is  one  of  the  earliest 
and  the  freest  in  flowering,  producing  buff-coloured  blooms  in  abundance 
at  the  point  of  every  young  shoot  when  a  plant  is  in  good  health.  On  a 
warm  wall  facing  south,  either  of  a  dwelling-house  or  a  glass  structure, 
few  Roses  seem  to  succeed  better.  Even  after  its  first  flush  of  beauty 
blooms  will  continue  to  be  produced,  which  makes  it  almost  a  continuous 
flowering  plant  during  the  season. 
Reine  Marie  Henrietta  is  another  Tea  very  similar  in  growth  and  habit 
to  Gloire  de  Dijon,  but  its  blooms  afford  a  decided  contrast,  being  deep 
red.  It  is  an  excellent  wall  Rose.  Cheshunt  Hybrid  is  also  similar  in 
habit  and  nature  of  growth,  which  is  very  free.  The  blooms  differ  in 
colour.  They  are  cherry  carmine. 
A  Rose  of  a  totally  different  class  has  attained  popularity  of  late 
years  It  is  the  vigorous  Crimson  Rambler,  styled  a  hybrid  Polyantha. 
The  flowers  are  borne  in  trusses  of  pyramidal  shape,  and  the  colour  of 
the  blooms,  as  the  name  of  the  Rose  implies,  is  crimson. 
William  Allen  Richardson,  belonging  to  the  Noisette  class,  is  a 
remarkably  useful  Rose,  antj  is  considered  in  numerous  cases  to  be  worthy 
always  of  space  for  culture  under  glass,  but  one  or  two  plants  should  be 
grown  outside  to  afford  a  succession,  selecting  a  favourable  position. 
The  blooms  are  of  a  deep  orange  colour,  and  the  plant  is  almost  a 
continuous  bloomer.  Reve  d’Or  and  L’Ideal  are  also  Noisettes.  The 
former  is  one  of  the  hardiest  of  this  class  ;  colour,  buff  yellow.  The 
latter  is  specially  sweet  scented,  giving  it  an  additional  claim  to  be 
ranked  as  a  good  Rose.  A  white  climbing  Rose  is  indispensable.  In 
Climbing  Nipbetos  we  have  a  strong  grower  and  free  bloomer. 
In  the  course  of  the  summer  long  strong  shoots  will  be  thrown  out 
from  various  parts  of  the  trees.  The  best  of  these  must  be  reserved, 
given  every  facility  to  ripen,  and  be  finally  trained  in  to  form  the  blooming 
wood  for  the  following  season.  During  growth  and  flowering  plenty  of 
moisture  at  the  roots  is  essential.  It  is,  however,  in  danger  of  being 
deficient  when  trees  are  growing  in  positions  where  there  is  a  pro¬ 
bability  of  the  rainfall  not  reaching  the  soil  in  sufficient  amount  for  the 
requirements  of  the  trees.  Wall  Roses  are  frequently  unfairly  treated 
in  respect  of  moisture,  suffering  in  consequence,  growing  weakly,  and 
flowering  indifferently  the  following  season,  it  not  during  the  current  year. 
Roses  appreciate  liquid  manure.  The  best  time  to  give  it  is  in  moist 
weather,  or  when  the  soil  about  the  roots  has  been  first  moistened.  It 
then  enriches  the  soil  and  provides  food  in  a  readily  available  form.  The 
effect  of  an  application  may  soon  be  seen  in  the  improved  appearance  of 
the  foliage,  the  tendency  to  push  new  growths  not  only  from  the  younger 
parts  of  the  trees,  but  from  the  older.  The  flower  buds  plump  up  and  the 
blooms  open  more  readily. 
The  varieties  above  mentioned  are  well  adapted  to  furnish  the  higher 
spaces  of  walls,  but  they  do  not  readily  clothe  the  lower  parts,  hence  it 
is  necessary  when  planting  to  intersperse  varieties  which  will  furnish  the 
base  of  the  wall  effectively.  Of  the  two  classes  of  Roses,  Teas  and 
Noisettes,  these  dwarfer  growing  varieties  are  only  foimd  in  the  Tea 
