February  20, 1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
159 
the  wisdom  of  the  advice ;  consequently  it  appears  at  first  sight 
somewhat  startling  to  see,  as  I  see,  a  fine  plant  of  P.  Stuartiana 
receiving  through  the  winter  on,  at  least  alternate  days,  a  vigorous 
douche  of  tepid  water  all  over  from  the  syringe,  and  enjoying  it, 
too.  This  particular  plant  is  suspended  in  a  warm,  dry  corner  over 
a  network  of  pipes  branching  to  other  houses.  As  this  house,  an 
old  one,  is  far  from  being  air-tight,  a  buoyant  atmosphere  is 
constantly  maintained. 
Another  case  is  that  of  a  gentleman  visitor  who  was  pleased 
with  the  luxuriant  appearance  of  a  house  of  Maidenhair  Ferns,  and 
in  response  to  his  inquiries  was  told  that  the  plants  bad  been  top- 
dres»ed  with  a  sprinkling  of  fish  manure.  He,  on  returning  home, 
bade  his  gardener  do  likewise.  The  sequel  in  this  case,  given  on  a 
subsequent  visit,  was,  “  Oh,  that  stuff  killed  all  my  Ferns,”  but  it 
was  elicited  that  it  had  been  carelessly  applied  by  scatter¬ 
ing  it  over  the  crowns,  which  it  had  burned. 
One  might  probably  be  able  to  recount  dozens  of 
similar  instances  in  which  precept  and  practice  appear  to 
be  utterly  at  variance,  and  not  at  any  season  occurring 
more  frequently  than  during  the  time  now  at  hand — the 
•eason  of  seed-sowing.  The  best  and  soundest  advice 
that  is  given,  or  could  be  given,  in  these  or  any  pages 
devoted  to  the  subject  must  be  filtered  through  the 
medium  of  observation,  and  this  alone  will  fit  it  to  the 
varied  conditions  of  a  gardener’s  surroundings,  which  may 
mean  his  soil,  or  his  climate,  his  houses,  or  even  his  boilers. 
There  are,  in  fact,  so  many  little  things  contingent  on 
success  which  only  observation  can  record. 
Let  it  not  be  thought  that  anything  advanced  here 
tends  to  minimise  the  value  of  the  lessons  as  freely  given  as 
they  are  gratefully  accepted.  The  more  keenly  observant 
a  man  is  the  more  anxious  is  he  to  grasp  all  the  facts 
which  can  be  placed  before  him,  and  the  more  clearly  and 
exhaustively  they  are  laid  down  the  easier  and  better  will 
he  bend  them  to  his  purpose.  Hence  I  venture  to  suggest 
to  our  practical  writers  the  value  of  ample  details,  including 
those  of  local  conditions  when  treating  on  broad  subjects, 
so  far  as  it  is  possible  or  consistent  to  give  them. 
The  most  lucid  exposition  of  any  one  phase  of  culture 
is  as  much  suggestive  as  it  is  authoritative.  For  instance, 
Mr.  Arnott’s  clever  articles  on  hardy  flowers  are  redolent 
with  the  spirit  of  this  teaching.  One  is  carried  with  him 
from  plant  to  plant  in  sunny  spot  or  shady  nook  of  his 
northern  home,  and  ever  and  anon  transported  to  the 
habitat  of  his  pets.  The  reader  not  only  knows  all  the 
knows,  but  is  lured  on  to  think  over  nicer  points  or  little  mysteries 
as  yet  unrevealed. 
One  cannot  bat  feel  that  observation  is  a  great  power  ;  a  power 
sufficient  to  place  the  humblest  worker  on  a  pedestal  as  high  as  the 
tether  of  his  duties  will  permit.  The  progress  of  the  age  demands 
it ;  we  must  give  it  or  be  ranked  with  those  who  “  will  not  conform 
to  the  march  of  time,  but  are  dragged  along  in  the  procession.” — 
Invicta. 
those  mentioned  are  more  especially  worthy  of  attention.  They 
reflect  great  credit  ou  the  skilful  Curator,  Mr.  W.  B.  Latham. 
— G. 
Orchid  Groups. 
The  wondrous  diversity  in  the  Orchid  family,  combined  with 
their  striking  and  handsome  appearance,  render  groups  of  various 
species  much  more  attractive  than  those  of  any  other  class  of 
plant,  provided  they  are  lightly  and  tastefully  arranged.  They 
differ  from  most  other  families  in  that  they  require  nothing  else 
than  some  suitable  greenery  as  a  set-off  to  their  delicately  tinted 
blossoms,  the  mixing  of  various  other  stove  or  greenhouse 
flowering  or  foliage  plants  as  a  rule  detracting  from  the  appearance 
of  the  arrangement.  There  are  a  few  plants  that  look  really  well 
native 
writer 
Cypripedium  James  Buckingham. 
To  Mr.  A.  J.  Hollington  of  Enfield  orchidists  are  already 
indebted  for  several  hybrid  Cypripediums,  and  another  was  added 
to  the  list  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society, 
when  the  Orchid  Committee  adjudged  an  award  of  merit  for 
C.  James  Buckingham,  of  which  the  woodcut  (fig.  23)  is  a  repre¬ 
sentation.  We  are  informed  that  this  handsome  form  resulted 
from  a  cross  between  C.  enfieldiense  and  C.  bellatulum.  The 
flower  is  not  very  large,  but  all  the  organs  are  of  remarkable 
substance.  The  broad  dorsal  sepal  is  deep  rose,  veined  with  white, 
the  petals  being  also  rose,  suffused  with  whitish  green,  and  spotted 
with  brown.  The  pouch  is  of  deep  rosy  maroon.  Through  an 
oversight  this  hybrid  was  given  as  C.  Jamesonanum  in  our  last 
issue. 
Orchids  at  Edgbaston  Botanic  Gardens. 
At  the  present  time  the  Orchids  in  these  popular  gardens  are 
making  a  very  imposing  display,  as  well  by  their  great  diversity  as 
by  their  numbers.  There  are  species  and  varieties  of  such  as 
Cypripediums,  Saccolabiums,  Calanthes,  Co3logynes,  Lycastes, 
Epidendrums,  Sophronites,  and  Zygopetalums,  beside?  others,  but  |  where  the  graceful  outline  of  the  stems  and  foliage  shows  to  good 
FIG.  23. — CYPRIPEDIUM  JAMES  BUCKINGHAM. 
in  conjunction  with  Orchids,  and  these  are,  as  a  rule,  simply 
formed  flowers  of  bright  and  telling  colour,  such,  for  instance,  as 
Anthurium  of  the  Andreanum  or  Scherzerianum  type,  Iris  fimbriata, 
and  others,  while  in  early  winter  if  Orchids  are  scarce  a  few 
Poinsettias  look  very  well.  _ 
If,  however,  we  are  to  judge  from  the  groups  usually  arranged 
by  trade  and  other  growers  at  many  of  our  leading  exhibitions 
the  art  of  tasteful  grouping  is  not  common.  Flat  sloping 
arrangements,  with  as  many  plants  cr  immed  into  a  given  space  as 
it  is  possible  to  get  there,  and  a  trim  fringe  of  Panicum,  with 
possibly  a  plant  or  two  of  Isolepis  or  Caladium  argyrites  dotted 
about  at  regular  intervals,  and  the  group  is  complete.  How  much 
better  this  would  be  if  Orchid  growers,  instead  of  trying  to  show 
off  every  plant  they  happen  to  have  in  flower,  would  take  their  cue 
from  some  of  the  truly  artistic  and  beautiful  groups  of  miscel¬ 
laneous  plants  that  are  now  becoming  so  popular,  and  instead  of 
the  flit  gaudy  bank  of  flower  which  only  tires  the  eye  of  visitors 
we  should  then  see  the  natural  and  pretty  undulations  of  surface, 
and  the  pleasing  combinations  of  form  and  colour  that  Orchids,  and 
only  Orchids,  possess.  _ 
But  it  is  not  at  exhibitions  only  that  this  kind  of  thing  prevails, 
for  more  often  than  not  the  arrangement  of  the  flowering  house  at 
private  establishments  leaves  much  to  be  desired.  True,  it  is  not 
in  every  place  that  a  suitable  house  exists  for  the  purpose,  and 
many  good  houses  are  spoilt  by  the  style  of  staging  in  them. 
Nothing  is  more  difficult  than  to  conceive  a  pretty  and  natural  arrange¬ 
ment  of  plants  on  a  high  straight  stage,  such  as  is  commonly  fixed 
in  modern  plant  houses.  A  low  stage  or  none  at  all  is  preferable, 
for  many  Orchids  are  prettiest  when  looked  down  on  from  a  higher 
level,  while  any  that  require  it  are  easily  raised  or  suspended  at 
the  height  required.  _ 
Let  us  suppose  we  have  a  house  with  sufficient  floor  space 
for  the  plants  at  command  and  no  staging  at  all  in  it.  The 
idea  for  the  outline  of  the  group  must  be  worked  out  on  the 
floor  with  a  little  moss  or  soil  first  of  all,  and  in  order  to  break  up 
the  surface  stand  one  or  two  Palms  of  suitable  kinds  in  prominent 
positions,  not  regularly  dotted  about,  but  placed  here  and  there 
