July  6,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
3 
to  note  at  what  time  the  transformation  from  a  leaf  bud  to  a  flower 
bud  takes  place,  not  any  change  whatsoever  has  been  revealed  by  the 
microscope.  The  tree  determines  whether  it  shall  form  leaf  buds  or 
flower  buds,  and  it  acts  upon  the  principle  solely  and  absolutely  of 
inherent  tendency,  constitutional  energy,  race  vigour,  and  heredital 
proclivities  in  strict  accordance  with  the  circumstances  in  which  it  is 
placed. 
No  change  from  a  growing  point  to  an  embryonic  pome  takes 
place  in  a  bud,  consequently  the  leaf  bud  retains  its  original  character 
and  is  surrounded  bv  leaves.  If  the  growing  point  be  differentiated 
into  embryonic  Apples  and  Pears  surrounded  by  leaves  in 
the  buds,  no  change  can  possibly  occur  except  into  a  cluster  of  similar 
points,  which  change  no  one  has  any  likelihood  of  seeing,  for  an  ovule 
means  the  growing  point  transformed  into  a  plant  capable  of  a 
separate  existence  by7  sexual  process. 
A  flower  bud  of  the  Apple  or  Pear  contains,  as  before  stated,  both 
embryonic  flowers  and  leaves.  Some  of  the  trusses  in  Pears  have 
leaves  mingled  with  the  flowers,  hence  it  is  not  unusual  to  see  growth 
amongst  the  fruit  and  extending  beyond  it.  Thus  a  blossom  bud  may 
not  only  contain  flowers  and  leaves,  but  also  buds  or  growing 
points.  This  three-fold  formation  occurs  in  the  wild  Pear,  therefore 
the  principle  is  inherent,  and  means  that  the  tree  has  an  hereditarv 
power  to  form  a  bud  in  accordance  with  “adventitious  circumstances” 
or  otherwise. 
In  everything  we  come  to  the  simple  vesicle  or  cell.  From  that  cell 
no  one  can  tell  what  the  plant  to  which  it  belongs  will  put  forth. 
Certainly  there  will  be  cellular  tissue  if  a  multicellular  plant,  but 
whether  it  will  form  a  leaf  bud  or  a  flower  bud  at  the  first  onset  rests 
with  the  plant.  Of  this  I  have  some  curious  records,  but  as  they  do 
not  refer  to  Apples  and  Pears  they  are  passed. — G.  Abbey. 
PLANTING  VEGETABLES. 
The  experience  of  your  correspondent,  “ N.  J.,”  related  on  page  497, 
are  exactly  coincident  with  my  own  with  regard  to  the  planting  of 
vegetables — Sprouts,  Cabbage,  and  Borecoles.  I  have  long  since  regarded 
wet  and  heavy  soil  as  totally  unfitted  for  the  planting  of  these  in  the 
ordinary  way,  for  two  reasons.  Slugs,  as  remarked  by  “N.  J.,”  do 
considerable  mischief  in  wet  weather,  and  there  is  not  the  same  ease  in 
combating  them  as  when  the  ground  is  dryer.  Large  earthworms,  too,  are 
almost  equally  destructive  among  stria1!  plants.  When  the  dibbler  is  used 
for  planting,  and  this  is  shod  with  steel  at  the  point,  it  gives  the  holes  a 
glazed-like  smoothness  which  checks  the  passage  of  water  and  hinders  the 
root  growth  of  the  plants.  This  happens,  of  course,  only  in  firm  soil  ; 
that  which  has  been  treshly  dug  does  not  present  these  difficulties,  but 
firm  ground  is  always  preferable  for  general  planting,  more  especially  for 
the  stock  intended  for  the  winter. 
I  much  prefer,  and  find  plants  do  better  when  the  ground  is  in  a  dryer 
state,  that  is,  in  heavy  land,  or  that  inclining  to  clay.  It  is  a  different 
matter  in  light,  gravelly,  or  sandy  soils,  which  allow  of  their  being  dug 
as  soon  as  it  ceases  to  rain.  These  are  some  reasons  why  the  planting  of 
vegetables  is  better  done  in  dry  weather  than  in  wet. 
There  has  been  no  cause  for  complaint,  however,  on  the  score  of 
planting  in  wet  weather  for  several  seasons  now — that  i9,  summer  plant¬ 
ing  ;  the  difficulty7  has  tended  in  the  opposite  direction.  Latterly  the 
planting  of  any  of  the  Brassica  family  has  presented  many  difficulties,  on 
account  of  the  great  heat,  accompanied,  as  it  was,  by  dry  searching  winds. 
It  has  been  so  severe,  that  even  with  sufficient  root  moisture  to  meet 
ordinary  demands,  the  scorching  influence  of  the  sun  has  rendered  it  most 
difficult  to  retain  sufficient  vitality  in  the  plant  to  justify  extensive 
plantings.  Cauliflowers  more  than  any  other,  even  those  established  before 
the  first  June  sun  had  set,  have  bad  a  struggle  for  useful  existence,  the 
early  summer  sorts  in  particular.  Premature  “buttoning  ”  has  and  will  be 
in  evidence  among  this  section,  and  retarded  growth,  in  like  manner,  will 
be  common  experience  in  the  main  crop  varieties.  A  quarter  of  an  inch  of 
rain  and  a  cooler  atmosphere  occurring  on  the  18th,  and  again  on  the 
19th  of  June  made  a  welcome  change,  and  afforded  an  opportunity  for 
further  planting  of  autumn  and  winter  vegetables. 
Rain  following  such  a  period  of  summer  drought  makes  an  ideal  time 
for  this  work,  and  is  vastly  different  from  planting  when  the  ground  is  made 
very1  wet  from  oft-recurring  storms.  Light  soils  exposed  to  such  tropical 
sunshine  become  like  a  veritable  hotbed  ;  water  unless  given  often,  and 
this  covered  with  dry  soil,  or  short  litter,  is  evaporated  at  a  very  rapid 
rate.  It  does  not  avail  much  to  plant  largely  in  such  weather,  small 
numbers,  or  as  many  as  can  be  regularly  watered  daily',  may  be  made  to 
succeed,  excepting,  perhaps,  summer  Cauliflowers  and  Lettuces. 
Salt  is  a  good  repellant  of  the  slug  and  earthworm  among  newly 
planted  vegetables,  applied  in  reasonable  quantity,  and  stirred  into  the 
soil  with  the  hoe  or  rake  as  soon  as  it  is  applied.  By  treating  it  thus 
it  imparts  moisture  as  well  as  coolness  to  the  soil,  and  to  such  as  Beet¬ 
root,  Spinach,  Onions,  Peas,  and  the  varied  Brassicas,  salt  acts  as  a 
stimulant  when  scattered  thinly  and  evenly  over  the  ground.  For  three 
weeks  previous  to  the  18th  ult.,  when  such  intense  sun  heat  and  dry 
winds  prevailed  without  intercession,  salt  could  not  act  beneficially  unless, 
as  previously  intimated,  it  was  buried  beneath  the  surface  and  out  of 
the  influence  of  elements  of  which  so  much  complaint  has  been  made, 
because  its  property  evaporated  instead  of  gravitating  to  the  roots  below. 
— W.  S. 
Odontoglossum  IIarryano-crispum. 
!  In  view  of  the  conference  on  hybridisation  that  is  to  take  place 
next  week  under  the  auspices  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society, 
hybrid  Orchids  and  other  flowers  become  more  and  more  interesting. 
At  the  Drill  Hall,  on  Tuesday  the  27th  ult.,  Mr.  W.  H.  Young,  Orchid 
grower  to  Sir  Frederick  Wigan,  Bart.,  Clare  Lawn,  East  Sheen,  sent 
Odontoglossum  Harryano-crispum,  for  which  the  Orchid  Committee 
recommended  a  first-class  certificate.  The  rame  tells  from  what 
parentage  this  hybrid  has  come,  and  a  glance  at  the  woodcut  (fig.  1) 
will  show  how  strikingly  handsome  is  the  flower.  The  sepals  and 
petals  are  white  flushed  with  rose  at  the  tips,  and  with  immense 
Fig.  i. — Odontoglossum  IIarryano-crispum. 
blotches,  bar  and  spots  of  bright  brown.  The  magnificent  lip  is 
white,  quite  pure  on  the  front  lobe,  and  the  brown  colour  is  arranged 
with  wonderful  regularity  on  the  central  portion  and  the  side  lobes. 
Odontoglossum  citrosmum. 
I  know  of  no  other  Orchid,  not  even  Calanthes,  that  is  so  easily 
spotted  and  disfigured  by  damp  as  0.  citrosmum,  and  one  of  my 
correspondents  sends  me  a  flower  with  the  sepals  spotted  from  this 
cause,  under  the  impression  it  was  natural.  As  soon  as  possible  after 
the  flowers  commence  to  unfold  the  plants  should  be  placed  in  cool  dry 
quarters,  and  great  care  taken  that  no  water  reaches  the  spikes.  In 
spite  of  the  many  ways  that  this  pretty  species  may  be  shown  to 
advantage,  some  exhibitors  of  Orchids  persist  in  tying  up  its  beautiful 
pendant  spikes,  or  hanging  them  over  the  edge  of  the  stage,  for  the 
spectators  to  knock  about  with  their  knees  and  fingers. 
DlSA  RACEMOSA. 
Besides  being  one  of  the  easiest  to  grow,  this  is  also  one  of  the 
prettiest  of  Disas,  and  has  a  fine  effect  when  grouped  with  cool 
Orchids  of  the  Odontoglossum  crispum  type.  The  spikes  of  rosy 
flowers  have  a  far  more  graceful  appearance  than  those  of  D.  grandi- 
flora  or  D.  Veitchi,  though,  of  course,  they  are  not  nearly  so  showy  as 
either,  as  far  as  the  individual  flowers  are  concerned.  The  plants 
o-row  well  under  the  conditions  as  advised  for  D.  grandiflora — 
a  cool  moist  house,  with  very  free  currents  of  air  moving  about  them 
and  light  syringings,  being  quite  to  their  taste. 
Ornithocephalus  grandiflorus. 
This  pretty  plant  will  not  suit  those  who  have  only  eyes  for  large 
and  showy  blossoms ;  but  to  those  who  like  distinct  and  interesting 
species,  it  will  always  appeal  strongly.  The  flowers  come  in  the  forming 
growth,  and  occur  on  arching  racemes,  rather  closely  packed,  the 
individual  flowers  being  yellowish  white,  with  a  green  blotch  at 
