April  53,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
369 
distributed,  creamy,  with  a  little  green  on  lip  and  spur.  Towards 
evening  they  have  a  perfume  reminding  us  of  Honeysuckle. 
Then  there  is  the  allied  H.  chlorantha,  more  partial  to  open 
places,  and  the  northern,  white,  cluster-rooted  H.  viridis.  Green 
also  is  the  chalk-loving  Aceras  anthropophora,  the  Man  Orchis, 
having  insignificant  unspurred  flowers.  “If  like  a  man  at  all  it  is 
a  hung  criminal,”  writes  one.  Yet  another  says  that  by  the  aid  of 
a  little  imagination  the  flowers  look  something  like  a  number  of 
diminutive  helmet-crowned  knights.  The  green  colour  is  chequered 
with  brown,  and  possibly,  after  all,  it  approaches  some  small  insect 
most.  From  this  we  naturally  pass  to  the  genus  Ophrys,  the  name 
of  which  refera  to  the  juice  of  some  of  these  plants,  which  the 
Roman  ladies  are  said  to  have  used  as  a  dye.  Prominent  amongst 
these  is  the  Fly  Orchis,  O.  muscifera,  which  was  formerly  common 
on  loam  over  chalk,  with  lilac  purple  flowers,  which  really  do  mimic 
a  cluster  of  flies  settling  on  the  stem. 
The  Bee  Orchis,  again,  0.  apifera,  by  its  brown  streaked  lip 
reminds  us  of  the  body  of  a  large  bee,  and  the  calyx  suggests  its 
wings.  Symbolic  of  “  diligence,”  from  its  resemblance  to  the  bee, 
its  scarcer  relative  the  Drone  (O.  fucifera)  owns  a  somewhat 
similar  aspect,  and  has  been  taken  to  represent  “  error,”  though  not 
specially  like  those  useless  members  of  the  bee  family.  Some 
fancy  is  needed  to  see  a  spider  in  the  Spider  Orchis  (0.  aranifera), 
but  the  odd  flower  resembles  an  insect  of  some  sort.  This  is  an 
early  species,  its  flowers  few,  greenish,  the  lip  brown  and  hairy. 
Then  we  have  another  Spider  or  Cobweb  Orchis  (O.  arachnitis), 
which  blooms  much  later,  and  has  brown  flowers  tinged  with  blue. 
Upon  chalk  grows  sparingly  the  Musk  Orchis  (Herminium 
monorchis),  a  small  plant,  emblem  of  “  sweetness,”  since  it  smells 
both  of  musk  and  honey.  The  flowers  are  in  a  little  thick 
spike,  giving  some  attraction  to  various  insects,  and  are  of  curious 
shape. 
Later  than  most  species  is  Neottia  spiralis,  flowering  about 
August,  so  named  because  the  white  and  green  flowers  turn  to  one 
side  of  the  twisted  stem.  It  has  been  supposed  that  it  was  called 
“  Ladies'  Tresses  ”  from  a  fancied  resemblance  to  a  coil  of  hair,  but 
the  original  was  Ladies’  Traces.  Dr.  Hooker  states  it  is  a  fragrant 
species.  “Win  me  and  wear  me”  is  the  quaint  motto  belonging 
to  the  Ladies’  Slipper  (Cypnpedium  Calceolus),  a  northern  plant, 
having  large  leaves  and  a  stem  bearing  at  the  top  not  more  than 
two  flowers,  slipper-like  in  form,  brown  and  yellow.  Deep  in 
woods  hides  the  Bird’s-neso  Orchis  (N.  nidus-avis),  the  flower 
resembling  a  drooping  Oak  leaf.  The  stem  is  scaly,  and  the  fibrous 
tangled  roots  suggested  tb«  name  it  bears.  C  nnmon  about  woods, 
too,  is  Listera  ovata,  the  Twayblade,  having  only  a  few  leaves  on 
the  stem,  which  is  crowned  with  a  cluster  of  little  green  flowers. — 
J.  R.  S.  C. 
GOLDFISH. 
The  most  beautiful  denizen  of  ornamental  water,  whether 
indoors  or  outside,  is  the  golden  carp  (Carassius  or  Cyprinus 
auratus),  found  in  the  fresh  waters  of  China,  and  distinguished  for 
the  splendid  golden  colour  of  the  membrane  lying  immediately 
beneath  the  scales.  But  the  species  is  subject  to  the  most  singular 
variations  in  colour  ;  indeed,  there  is  every  variety  of  shades  of 
gold,  black,  or  bronze  black,  those  shades  intermixed  with  silver, 
pure  silver  (in  this  stage  known  as  the  silverfisb),  pure  gold,  and 
bright  golden  orange.  As  an  article  of  food  they  are  not  used,  and 
are  only  valued  for  their  beauty  and  gentleness,  being  very 
commonly  kept  in  vases  or  aquaria  indoors  as  an  ornament,  also 
in  conservatory  fountain  basins,  and  miniature  ponds  under  glass, 
likewise  in  ponds  or  lakes  outdoors. 
Goldfish  was  introduced  from  China  in  1G11,  and  in  this 
country  very  rarely  exceeds  9  inches  in  length  ;  the  body  is  full  and 
subficiform,  the  scales  large,  and  the  fins  are  without  spinous  rays. 
Individuals  are  sometimes  met  with  which  want  the  dorsal  fin,  and 
others  that,  by  the  uncommon  dilatation  of  the  eyes,  appear  very 
much  deformed.  They  are  very  prolific  and  are  easily  bred, 
requiring  scarcely  any  further  attention  than  that  of  changing  the 
water  frequently,  but  this  only  applies  to  circumstances  in  which 
they  have  abundance  of  natural  food,  for  when  “  pinched  ”  they 
display  cannibalistic  propensities,  as  shown  by  the  following 
excerpt  from  a  letter  recently  received  : — 
“  After  a  lot  of  blundering  I  can  state  from  experience  the 
way  to  minage  gddfish.  Hix  years  ago  we  had  over  100  in  the 
fernery  pond,  and  through  irregular  feeding  and  there  being  no 
aquatic  plants,  the  females  were  attacked,  not  only  by  the  males, 
but  the  former  amongst  themselves  for  the  spawn  (ova),  eating 
through  the  ribs  and  in  some  cases  half  the  fish  from  the  tail  end. 
Every  summer  went  on  in  that  style  until  only  eleven  fish 
remained,  and  these  had  not  grown  in  six  vears  what  they  should 
have  done  in  one  season.  Last  spring  (1895)  they  were  transferred 
to  the  new  aquatic  pond  (outdoors)  with  abundance  of  natural 
food,  and  are  now  (March  20th,  1896)  at  least  9  inches  in  length  and 
have  bred  into  the  bargain.  In  the  fernery  pond  they  lived  on 
the  green  slime  at  the  bottom  more  than  anything  else. 
“  In  place  of  the  golden  carp  we  introduced  a  new  and  superior 
aquarium  fish,  Golden  Arpe  (Tenciseus’  arfus),  which  grows  more 
rapidly  and  attains  a  larger  size,  orange  in  colour  and  silver  under¬ 
neath.  This  species  has  a  peculiarity  of  darting  silver  side  upwards 
and  thus  resembling  a  flash  of  lightning  in  the  water. 
“  We  now  feed  the  fish  in  the  fernery  pond  with  raw  beef  cut 
into  thin  strips  to  resemble  worms,  worms,  ants’  eggs  (so  called), 
but  the  best  food  is  vermicelli.” 
Golden  carp  (Carassius  auratus)  or  its  variations,  the  silver  fish, 
bronze-black,  gold  bronze-black  and  silver  intermixed,  and  orange 
golden  should  be  kept  upon  the  following  principles  or  rules  : — 
1,  In  glass  globes,  vases,  or  small  aquaria.  Fresh  water  every 
dav,  wholly  or  in  part,  always  some,  and  if  possible  running. 
When  the  fish  swim  with  their  noses  close  to  the  surface  of  the 
water  it  is  evidence  of  crowding  or  impure  water  (for  fish),  and  the 
cause  must  be  removed  or  the  defect  rectified  without  delay  by 
giving  fresh  water  or  proper  space. 
2,  Provide  shade  against  sun  either  by  keeping  them  away  from 
the  sun’s  rays  or  by  means  of  aquatic  plants.  The  best  aquatic  plant 
for  small  aquaria  is  Yallisneria  spiralis,  commonly  called  Eel  Grass 
or  Tape  Grass,  long  or  short  in  the  leaves  as  the  water  is  deep  or 
shallow  and  narrow.  The  pollen-bearing  flowers  are  borne  on  short 
peduncles  and  are  sessile  on  a  conical  axis.  At  the  flowering  period 
the  seed-bearing  peduncle  gradually  lengthens,  so  that  the  flower 
finally  rests  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  Then  the  male  submerged 
flowers  detach  themselves  spontaneously  from  the  peduncle  and  rise 
to  the  surface,  whence  the  male  element,  by  its  inherent  energy  joins 
issue  with  the  seed  bearer  and  transmits  the  racial  form,  giving  life 
and  a  continuation  plant  or  plants  in  embryo.  After  fertilisation 
the  peduncle  of  the  seed-bearing  flower  contracts  spirally,  and  the 
ovary  descends  to  the  bottom  of  the  water  to  perfect  its  seeds. 
Another  favourite  aquarium  plant  is  the  Water  Milfoil  (Myriophyllum 
spicatum).  Best  of  many  for  outside  ponds  is  the  Floating  Heart 
(Limnanthemum  or  Yiilarsia  nymphaeoides).  Its  golden  cups 
bedeck  the  silvery  surface  in  the  summer  and  beneath  the  “flcatiag 
hearts”  Golden  carp  love  to  shade,  indeed  they  are  ?lir<,ys 
under  it  in  the  summer,  as  also  are  the  common  carp  (Cjpnaus 
carpio,  L.). 
3,  Never  place  large  fish  in  small  aquaria.  The  creatures  are 
not  only  incommoded  and  do  not  appear  to  the  best  advantage,  but 
are  more  likely  to  lack  the  needful  air.  Bad  also  is  the  practice  of 
placing  large  and  small  fish  together,  as  when  the  pinch  comes  the 
large  are  prone  to  turn  cannibals  and  devour  the  weaker  kinds. 
4,  In  introducing  additional  fish  to  existing  stock,  or  before 
stocking  a  pond  for  the  first  time,  always  keep  the  fish  in  quarantine 
for  a  few  days,  examining  them  daily,  and  promptly  removing 
diseased  specimens.  It  is  better  to  do  this,  even  if  the  whole  have 
to  be  rejected,  than  begin  with  a  tainted  stock. 
5,  Always  choose  cold  water  bred  fish,  as  such  are  hardier  and 
healthier  than  those  reared  in  warm  quarters.  Also  give  preference 
to  stock  from  running  rather  than  from  still  water,  as  such  get 
purer  air  (for  a  fish)  and  more  wholesome  food,  and  as  these  are  so 
is  the  fish  in  power  of  gill,  sleekness  of  body,  and  strength  of  fin, 
and  withal  keenness  of  appetite. 
6,  Remember  that  the  majority  of  golden  carp  becoming 
diseased  and  dying  is  oftener  traceable  to  lack  of  fresh  water  and 
proper  food  than  anything  else.  Never  forget  this,  but  act  up  to 
it,  providing  fresh  water  and  sweet  wholesome  food  with  suitable 
environment. 
7,  Feed  every  day  where  there  is  no  possibility  of  the  fish 
acquiring  food  naturally.  Vary  the  dietary,  not  stalling  them  by 
always  giving  the  same  food.  Live  worms  (small,  of  course)  give 
life  to  the  pent-up  creatures,  which  never  lose  their  cunning  for 
distinction  between  a  living  and  a  dead  carcase.  Even  ants’  eggs 
(so  called)  are  snapped  up  in  no  time  before  the  dry  imported 
“  stuff.”  Raw  meat,  beef  or  mutton,  cut  into  small  worm-like 
shreds  is  eaten  with  relish,  but  do  not  let  it  be  tainted.  Hard 
boiled  yolk  of  egg  suits  fish,  taking  care  to  supply  it  in  crumbs, 
casting  them  as  the  angler  does  the  trimmed  hook.  But  best  of 
all  food  for  goldfish  is  vermicelli  (Italian,  “little  worms’’),  an 
Italian  mixture  prepared  of  flour,  cheese,  yolk  of  eggs,  sugar,  and 
saffron,  and  reduced  into  threads  like  worms,  by  forcing  it  with  a 
piston  through  a  number  of  little  holes  in  the  end  of  a  pipe  made 
for  that  purpose.  No  wonder  such  natural-like  food  in  form  is 
readily  taken  by  carp,  or  that  from  its  combined  vegetable  and 
flesh-iike  nature  they  thrive  on  it.  Avoid  overfeeding,  for  that 
is  “  neither  good  for  man  nor  bea,st,” 
8,  Outside  ponds  of  good  size  and  with  plenty  of  aquatic  plants, 
supply  enough  natural  food  for  golden  carp.  It  is  stock  over 
the  number  there  is  food  for  that  necessitates  feeding,  and  this  ia 
a  matter  for  judgment. 
