166 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  24,  1899. 
summer,  so  that  the  fruit  is  not  deprived  of  the  benefits  of  the 
sunshine.  Good  mulchings  of  farmyard  manure  are  beneficial  in  the 
spring,  but  it  is  bad  practice  to  disturb  the  soil  to  any  depth  where 
roots  are  located.  In  order  to  prolong  the  season  of  picking  a  part  of 
the  trees  may  be  covered  with  thin  light  canvas,  which,  if  carefully 
adjusted,  will  act  as  a  safeguard  against  wasps  and  birds,  both  of 
which  will  play  havoc  among  the  fruit. 
Red  and  White  Currants  for  dessert  are  not  much  appreciated  till 
late  in  the  season,  but  when  placed  on  the  table  after  everyone  thinks 
they  are  past  they  receive  a  hearty  welcome.  Currants,  of  course, 
keep  much  longer  than  Gooseberries,  and  when  left  to  hang  on  the 
bushes  and  properly  protected  they  are  gathered  late  in  the  autumn. 
A  north  wall  is  a  suitable  position  for  growing  two  fruits  for  late 
picking — viz,,  Currants  and  Morello  Cherries.  The  latter,  when 
allowed  to  hang  till  they  are  almost  black,  are  appreciated  for  dessert, 
and  the  colour  of  Red  Currants  as  well  as  the  flavour  are  improved  by 
keeping.  From  such  a  position  we  have  gathered  excellent  Morelios 
and  Red  and  White  Currants  in  December  in  a  favourable  season, 
when  they  prove  a  welcome  addition  to  the  dessert  menu. 
Currants  lend  themselves  readily  for  wall  culture,  as  under  these 
conditions  the  bunches  are  generally  larger  and  the  fruit  finer  than  that 
grown  on  bushes.  Comet,  a  comparatively  new  red  variety,  possesses 
the  attributes  necessary  for  growing  on  walls,  as  the  bunches  are  long, 
and  the  berries  large  and  clear.  Cherry  is  a  large  and  attractive  Red 
Currant,  and  both  Raby  Castle  and  Chiswick  Red  are  suitable  for 
growing  for  dessert  purposes.  White  Currants  are  included  chiefly 
for  the  sake  of  variety’,  and  the  best  kinds  for  this  purpose  are  White 
Dutch  and  Versailles.  The  provision  of  a  varied  supply  of  fruit  for 
dessert  is  au  important  matter  in  many  gardens,  and  the  difficulty 
may  be  minimised  by  careful  attention  to  such  common  fruits  as 
Gooseberries  and  Currants. — H. 
Cattleya  IIardyana. 
Cattleya  gigas  has  been  used  as  a  parent  in  many  cases  in  hybrid 
Cattleyas  raised  in  our  collections,  and  with  good  results;  but  it  is 
very  doubtful  if  anything  better  than  the  above  mentioned  has  or  will 
be  raised  from  it.  C.  Hardyana  first  flowered  from  an  imported  plant, 
but  it  has  since  been  raised  by’  artificial  means,  which  proves  con¬ 
clusively’  that  Cattleya  gigas  and  Dowiana  aurea  are  its  parents.  It  is 
the  most  gorgeous  Cattleya  in  existence,  and  in  its  habit  of  growth 
resembles  C.  gigas,  also  partaking  after  it  in  size  of  flower.  Consider¬ 
able  variation  has  been  shown  in  the  different  plants  that  have  been 
flowered,  but  the  typical  variety,  which  is  still  one  of  the  best,  has 
flowers  8  inches  across,  with  sepals  and  petals  of  a  deep  rosy  purple. 
The  lip  is  3  inches  across,  the  throat  and  upper  portion  being  veined 
with  rich  yellow,  while  the  much-frilled  front  lobe  is  magenta  crimson. 
The  lip  has  two  eyes  peculiar  to  C.  gigas,  which  are  in  this  case  of  a 
richer  yellow,  margined  with  magenta,  the  whole  flower  giving  off  a 
powerful  perfume.  Cattleya  Massiana  is  the  reverse  cross,  and  both 
succeed  under  the  condition  recommended  for  Cattleya  gigas  on 
page  73. 
Wabscewiczellas. 
This  small  family  of  Orchids,  which  are  often  classed  as  Zygo- 
petalums,  is  most  interest  ng  on  account  of  the  beautiful  flowers. 
rIhe  plants  are  often  killed,  I  believe,  by  too  much  heat  ;  and  having 
no  pseudo-bulbs  to  support  them  they  must  have  a  supply  of  water 
the  year  round,  giving  no  more  than  is  necessary  in  the  winter  months 
to  keep  the  leaves  from  slnivelling,  as  if  too  much  is  applied  they  will 
rapidly  decay.  They  are  best  grown  in  the  cool  intermediate  Cypri- 
pedium  house,  where  they  will  enjoy  the  atmospheric  moisture,  and 
will  be  found  to  grow  luxuriantly.  For  a  compost  use  equal  portions 
of  peat  and  mo-s,  which  in  ad  cases  should  be  the  best  procurable  ; 
the  pots  must  be  well  drained.  There  are  some  seven  or  eight  species 
and  varieties,  all  of  which  are  beautiful. 
Vanda  Sanderiana. 
This  would  certainly  be  called  a  wonderful  Orchid  if  we  always 
saw  it  in  perfection.  But  how  often  is  it  found  so  ?  and  how  often  do 
we  hear  of  its  thriving?  it  is  generally  classed  as  a  difficult  plant, 
and  I  at  first  experienced  some  trouble,  until  1  decided  to  alter  the 
conditions  entirely  under  which  I  was  trying  to  grow  it.  The  plants 
had  been  placed  in  baskets  and  suspended  in  the  warm  house,  the 
compost  being  live  sphagnum  moss  and  crocks.  The  plants  merely 
existed,  and  being  firmly  of  the  opinion  that  when  a  plant  ceases  to 
grow  it  begins  to  decay,  I  adop'el  different  tactics.  Instead  of 
putting  the  plants  in  baskets  I  put  them  in  pots,  and  selected  the 
dampest  and  shadiest  corner  in  the  sam  i  house,  where  everything  has 
gone  on  satisfactorily.  This  is  proof  that  so-called  difficult  Orchids 
are  as  easy  to  grow  as  the  others  when  we  learn  the  conditions  under 
which  they  succeed. — J.  Barker,  Uessls. 
Dendrobium  Aphrodite. 
A  good  deal  like  D.  Findleyanum  in  growth,  this  pretty  Den¬ 
drobium  flowers  later  in  the  season,  and  is  useful  on  this  account  for- 
keeping  up  a  display  at  this  end  of  the  season.  In  its  habitat  it  grows 
in  company  with  D.  albo-sanguineum,  and  both  require  a  light  sunny 
position  to  do  well ;  a  thin  compost  and  ample  moisture  while  growing 
freely.  D.  Aphrodite  has  creamy  white  sepals  and  petals,  the  lip¬ 
having  two  deep  coloured  blotches,  and  the  flowers  occur  principally 
towards  the  upper  portion  of  the  stems,  which  grow  erect. 
Oncidium  tigrinum. 
Common  as  this  species  is  in  the  usual  acceptance  of  the  word,, 
there  is  no  question  as  to  its  beauty  and  elegance.  The  large  bright 
yellow  blossoms  occur  freely,  and  are  most  sweetly  scented,  the 
fragrance  reminding  one  of  that  of  Violets.  0.  tigrinum  thrives  in 
quite  a  cool,  moist,  and  shady  house,  such  as  suits  Odontoglossum 
grande;  and  for  compost  a  thin  layer  of  equal  parts  of  good  peat  fibre 
and  sphagnum  moss.  Although  the  roots  are  fairly  persistent, 
Oncidium  tigrinum  always  seems  to  do  best  when  the  roots  are  feeling- 
the  pots,  so  these  should  not  be  too  large  or  contain  too  much  materiaL 
Water  freely  all  the  year  round,  but  especially  during  active  growth. 
The  Mexican  Ladlias. 
Just  now  the  majority  of  the  plants  are  growing  freely,  and  some, 
such  as  L.  anceps,  are  pushing  their  spikes.  See  that  none  of  thenv 
suffers  for  want  ot  moisture  or  light,  and  any  that  are  quite  finished* 
may  be  placed  quite  in  the  full  sun,  or  even  out  ot  doors  to  ripen  and 
consolidate  the  pseudo-bulbs.  L.  albida  is  rather  a  peculiar  species  to 
grow,  and  what  suits  it  in  one  place  does  not  always  result  in  success  at 
another.  It  is  more  subject  to  the  attacks  of  the  soft  white  scale  than 
any  other  kind  I  know,  even  newly  imported  plants  being  often  covered* 
with  it. 
It  is  impossible  for  them  to  keep  healthy  with  this  strain  upon 
them,  and  just  now  is  a  good  time  to  go  through  the  plants  and  clean 
any  insects  off  that  may  be  about  them.  Care  is  necessary  that  tho 
buds  are  not  injured  that  are  now  iormir.g  at  the  sides  of  the  bulbs,  a 
small  pointed  stick  being  useful  for  getting  the  insects  out.  Th& 
pietty  L.  majalis  is  »ot  quite  finished,  and  must  not  be  dried  at  the- 
roots  yet,  but  after  the  bulbs  are  quite  matured  a  slackening  of  tl?e- 
moisture  conduces  to  a  perfect  rest,  and  is  more  likely  to  lead  to- 
floriferous  plants.  It  is  a  very  beautiful  species,  and  worth  any 
trouble  to  do  it  well. — H.  R.  R. 
HERBACEOUS  FLOWERS. 
A  recent  visit  to  the  gardens  of  Newton  Hall,  Chester,  for  upwards- 
of  half  a  century  the  residence  of  Miss  Huiuberston,  who,  although  over 
eighty  years  of  age,  still  takes  a  keen  interest  in  all  that  pertains  to 
gardening,  especially  in  the  occupants  of  her  herbaceous  borders  was 
very  instructive.  In  her  gardener,  Mr.  Robert  Wakefield,  she  has  a 
wor.hy  cultivator  of  these  beautiful  old-fashioned  flowers,  and  whose  fame 
as  a  successful  exhibitor  of  them  has  now  spread  beyond  the  local  district. 
The  borders,  at  the  time  of  the  visit  referred  to,  revealed  a  wealth  of 
bloom  and  variety  of  colour  which  left  little  to  be  desired.  Here  the 
neatly’  trimmed  and  cramped-looking  specimens  sometimes  seen  in  similar 
borders  are  unknown,  large  massive  clumps  or  groups  of  each  species  or 
variety  being  evident  throughout,  all  effective  and  decorative,  and  with 
quantities  of  bloom  sufficient  to  cut  and  come  again  for  many  days. 
In  my  pocket-bouk  the  following  are  noted  as  being  particularly 
fine — Hybrid  Gaillardias,  a  fine  type  of  Lobelia  cardinaiis,  named 
“Firefly  Scabiosa  caucasica.  Coreopsis  grandiflora,  Gypsophila  panicu- 
latu,  Bnccor.ia  frutescens,  Achillea  ptarmica  fl.-pk,  hybrid  Delphiniums, 
Helianthus  Icetiflorus,  Echinops  nivale,  herbaceous  Phloxes,  Catananche 
ccerulea,  a  large  flowered  type  of  Chrysanthemum  maximum,  Alstromeria 
aurea,  and  Helianthus  rigidus  Miss  Mellish.  which  was  just  beginning  to 
show  colour,  but  whose  stems  stood  8  feet  high,  with  large  massive  leaves, 
like  those  of  well-grown  Jerusalem  Artichokes. 
We  did  not  inquire  of  Mr.  Wakefield  his  system  of  culture,  but  it  was 
very  evident  that  the  methods  adopted  by  him  are  the  best  and  most 
suitable,  for  healthier  and  better  developed  specimens  we  have  never  seen. 
It  should  be  added  that  one  of  the  borders  referred  to  was  backed  up  by 
a  collection  of  choice  varieties  of  Sweet  Peas,  arranged  in  clumps,  not  in 
the  ordinary  stiff  row,  giving  added  effect  to  that  which  was  already 
beautiful. 
One  regretable  feature  was  noticed  as  we  walked  away  from  this 
interesting  old  garden,  and  that  was  the  handiwork  of  the  modern  builder, 
whose  bricks  and  mortar  are  towering  up  in  the  near  distance,  and  thus 
taking  away  the  rural  aspect  of  a  typical  old  English  home. — 
George  Paxton. 
