230 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER , 
March  12,  1896. 
The  supply  is  maintained  by  sowing  seeds  annually  in  October.  Primulas, 
now  fading,  make  a  gay  show  in  turn  ;  as  they  are  wanted  early  and  fine, 
the  plants  are  raised  at  the  same  time  as  the  Cyclamens — October — and 
hundreds  of  firm  sturdy  plants  are  ready  for  shifting  from  60-size  pots. 
Gloxinias  are  being  started  to  furnish  one  of  the  houses,  and  tuberous 
Begonias  another.  Then  a  display  is  made  in  due  time  with  show  and 
fancy  Pelagoniums  and  Zonals  in  different  structures.  At  present  a 
mass  of  the  fine  winter  flowering  Begonia  Gloire  de  Sceaux  is  highly 
effective,  while  another  house  is  gay  with  Cinerarias  and  mixed  bulbs. 
It  will  be  perceived  that  it  is  not  a  question  of  growing  a  dozen  or  two 
of  the  different  plants  required,  but  from  500  to  700  each  of  the  several 
kinds  have  to  be  provided  to  furnish  the  houses  satisfactorily.  Still, 
great  in  number  as  are  the  different  kinds  in  the  aggregate,  Orchids 
excel  them,  as  these  occupy  fourteen  houses,  not  all,  however,  opening 
into  the  corridor.  This  terminates  in  a  house  36  by  18  feet  devoted  to 
pot  Roses  in  winter  and  spring  and  Tomatoes  in  the  summer. 
It  may  be  said  that  the  corridor  and  all  the  houses  in  connection 
with  it  —  Rose  house,  rock  fernery,  and  conservatory — can  all  be 
FIG.  36.— -ODONTOGLOSSUM  HAEEYANUM. 
illuminated  in  a  moment  by  the  touch  of  a  button,  throwing  over  every¬ 
thing  from  end  to  end  the  rays  of  the  electric  light  from  behind  and 
between  foliage  and  Ferns  arranged  for  masking  the  pendent  globes. 
The  fine  floral  promenade,  with  its  agreeable  temperature,  is  used  on 
the  occasions  of  balls  and  receptions  during  the  winter,  very  well 
accommodating  500  or  600  guests  ;  while  during  the  summer  hundreds  of 
children  visit  the  houses  and  grounds,  as  also  do  adult  members  of  various 
associations,  with  the  consent  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain.  Thus  dots 
the  right  hon.  gentleman  carry  out  in  practice  the  theory  we  once 
heard  fall  from  his  lips — namely,  “  One  of  the  greatest  recommendations 
of  our  hobby  (gardening)  in  this  democratic  age  is  that  it  is  capable  of 
affording  delight  to  rich  and  poor  alike.” 
Okchids. 
Orchids  have  been  mentioned,  but  they  demand  more  attention,  the 
Highbury  collection  being  justly  famed.  Most  classes  appear  to  be 
represented,  some  in  very  large  numbers,  such  as  Cattleyas,  Laelias, 
Dendrobiums,  and  Odontoglossums,  for  practically  all  kinds  appear  to 
be  admired  by  their  owner,  except,  perhaps,  Cypripediums,  of  which 
few  are  to  be  seen.  As  has  been  said,  the  plants  occupy  fourteen  houses, 
some  large,  some  small,  the  object  in  view  being  evidently  the  provision 
of  the  requisite  space  and  suitable  conditions  for  meeting  the  require¬ 
ments  of  the  different  kinds.  That  these  requirements  are  met  both 
in  respect  to  structures  and  cultural  skill  is  evident  by  the  clean,  fresh, 
Btout,  healthy  condition  of  the  plants. 
The  Cattleya  house,  44  by  18  feet,  contains  many  fine  specimens  of 
choice  established  varieties  that  must  make  a  grand  display  by-and-by. 
At  present  they  impress  by  their  Bubstance,  colour,  and  general  sturdi¬ 
ness,  denoting  that  they  are  well  fortified  with  the  materials  that  are 
essential  to  their  health.  Overhead  are  many  baby  plants — crosses  not 
yet  flowered,  though  some  of  them  may  be  expected  to  do  so  before  very 
long,  but  patience  is  a  virtue  in  raising  Orchids.  Adjoining  is  the  East 
Indian  house,  with  a  glass  partition.  In  one  compartment  we  find  the 
warm  house  Cattleyas  Lawrenceana,  Rex,  Eldorado,  a  grand  variety 
of  Schroderse  (fig.  37,  page  231),  and  others,  with  Vanda  coerulescens,  a 
plant  of  which  produced  seventeen  spikes  ;  in  the  other  a  number  of 
Saccolabiums  and  Odontoglossum  Roezli  looking  perfectly  happy  and 
at  home. 
The  cool  house  is  entered  from  the  north  side  of  the  corridor,  and 
is  a  lean-to  facing  north,  a  flat  stage  in  front,  and  another  rising  to  the 
back  wall,  which  is  covered  with  Ficus  repens.  Here  we  find  Odonto¬ 
glossums  in  countless  numbers  flowering  beautifully,  and  in  the  best  of 
colour  and  substance  of  petal  were  O.  Rossi  majus,  O.  nebulosum, 
O.  Edwardi  .(fine),  O.  Cervantesi,  with  the  brilliant  Epidendrum 
vitellinum  majus,  Cochlioda  noezliana,  and  the  rich  C.  vulcanica 
gigantea  among  others.  The  extension  (No.  4)  house  is  mainly  devoted 
to  Lselia  anceps  and  other  Mexican  kinds,  grand  examples  of  culture* 
including  L.  anceps  alba,  which  had  produced  seventy  flowers.  Lselia 
superbiens  is  producing  its  charmingly  pencilled  flowers  on  a  spike  some 
8  feet  long. 
No.  5  house  brought  under  view  a  most  healthy  lot  of  plants  of 
Odontoglossum  vexillarium,  also  a  number  of  O.  grande,  as  well  as  the 
dainty  gem  Leptotes  bicolor  ;  also  in  glowing  colours  Ada  aurantiaca, 
a  very  good  form  of  Odontoglossum  Harry anum  (fig.  36),  with  the 
pearly  white  Cymbidium  eburneum  showing  its  flowers.  Another 
house  (No.  6)  is  crowded  with  Odontoglossums,  margined  with  Ferns, 
all  evidently  enjoying  the  position  over  the  open  water  tanks 
beneath  the  stages.  No.  7  house,  an  extension  of  the  corridor,  is 
practically  filled  with  Cattleyas,  plus  some  fine  plants  of  Odonto¬ 
glossum  citrosmum  ;  while  No.  8  is  mainly  devoted  to  Phalsenopses 
and  heat-loving  Dendrobiums.  Cattleyas  and  grand  masses  of  Ceelogyne 
cristata  occupy  Nos.  9  and  10  respectively,  and  when  the  last-named 
were  in  beauty  they  would  be  worth  going  a  long  journey  to  see. 
Then,  on  the  north  side  of  a  wall,  we  find  a  small  low-sunken  span- 
roof  filled  with  Masdevallias,  the  equal  of  which,  in  robust  yet  sturdy 
vigour,  we  should  have  to  travel  far  to  find.  They  are  grown  on 
open  stages  near  the  glass,  over  a  flooring  of  Oak  leaves,  damped  as 
needed,  below  them — a  practice  which  is  somewhat  general  with  Mr. 
Burberry,  and  it  is  no  doubt  conducive  to  the  health  of  the  majority 
of  Orchids  under  otherwise  appropriate  routine. 
Nos.  12  and  13  are  two  new  lofty  lean-to’s  for  sun-loving  Orchids. 
The  first  of  these  is  intended  for  a  Mexican  house.  They  are  chiefly 
occupied  with  Dendrobiums,  of  which  D.  Leechianum  (fig.  35,  page 
229),  D.  Wardianum  (fig.  40,  page  237),  and  many  others  are 
flowering  profusely.  There  are  two  very  fine  houses  at  the  end  of  a 
recently  erected  fruit  range.  A  step  stage  is  formed  at  the  back,  a 
flat  one  in  front,  also  a  stage  in  the  centre,  with  a  path  all  round, 
and  the  roof  is  barred  for  the  suspension  of  baskets.  The  last  of  the 
Orchid  houses  to  be  enumerated  (14)  is  the  show  house ;  it  is  in  the 
corridor  range,  and  kept  gay,  especially  when  the  family  are  at  home, 
with  various  plants  in  flower,  associated  with  Ferns  and  Isolepis  for 
effective  display,  as  represented  in  the  photographic  reproduction 
(fig.  39,  page  235).  This  is  a  mere  skeletonised  reference  to  the 
Orchids  at  Highbury,  but  it  must  suffice  at  present,  as  other  features  of 
the  garden  cannot  be  entirely  overlooked. 
Feuit  and  Supply  Houses. 
With  the  Bmall  exceptions  above  indicated,  the  structures  and  their 
contents  hitherto  noticed  are  included  in  what  may  be  termed  the 
corridor  block,  or  houses  in  direct  connection  with  the  mansion,  all  of 
which  can  be  traversed  without  setting  foot  in  the  open  air.  Nor  have 
we  to  travel  far  to  reach  others  that  have  yet  to  be  alluded  to.  We  are 
no  sooner  out  of  the  terminal  corridor  house,  now  well  filled  with  Roses, 
than  we  are  in  an  excellent  new  span-roofed  structure,  erected  for,  and 
filled  with  Carnations,  mostly  of  the  Malmaison  type.  This  house  is 
60  feet  by  12  feet,  in  two  compartments,  and  is  admirably  fitted  for  its 
purpose,  as  admitting  a  maximum  amount  of  light  while  there  is 
ample  provision  for  ventilation.  Mr.  Wright  (late  Wright  &  Holmes), 
Birmingham,  is  responsible  for  this  structure,  as  well  as  for  a  new  fruit 
range,  closely  adjoining.  Mr.  Hope  erected  the  Orchid  houses  and 
corridor. 
The  fruit  range  has  been  rather  a  formidable  piece  of  work,  for  the 
