28 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTIOULTURF  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
July  d.  i86«. 
into  a  condition  of  sixes  and  sevens.  The  trees  have  not  made 
^ual  growth,  are  of  unequal  character,  and  the  outlines  are  very 
irregular.  These  Horse  Chestnuts  and  the  Lime  trees  that  back  them 
are  all  fast  getting  past  their  beat,  and  will  soon  go  to  decay.  The 
famous  Elm  avenue  at  Windsor,  especially  in  the  Great  Park,  is 
rapidly  merging  into  the  same  condition.  The  trees  are  too  thick 
here  as  elsewhere,  and  just  now  they  present  a  most  meagre 
appearance,  the  foliage  being  thin  and  the  growth  almost  nil. 
The  vista  may  be  in  some  persons’  estimation  grand,  but  as  the 
view  is  on  either  side  limited  for  three  miles  to  solid  lines  of  trees, 
and  at  one  end  a  huge  statue  and  at  the  other  a  small  portion  of 
the  Castle,  there  is  after  all  very  little  that  is  sublime. 
To  me  a  thousand  times  more  beautiful  are  the  great  expanses 
of  verdure  with  groups  of  deer  browsing  here  and  there,  single 
noble  trees  or  groups,  prominent  in  the  landscape  and  bounded  in 
the  distance  by  massive  rolling  woods,  that  tower  up  like  immatnre 
mountains.  That  is  sylvan  scenery  indeed,  and  to  it  avenues 
straight  and  impervious  to  the  vision  lend  no  beauty.  Some  time 
since  there  was  a  craze  for  planting  avenues  of  Conifera),  especially 
of  Deodars,  Wellingtonias,  and  Araucarias.  Those  will  never 
be  repeated,  as  but  a  few  years  sufl&ced  to  show  for  avenues 
what  frauds  such  trees  are.  Cedars  of  Lebanon  seem  to  be  the 
only  ones  long  in  life  and  noble  in  aspect,  but  even  these  grandest 
of  Conifera)  yet  are  far  nobler  singly  or  in  groups  than  when  planted 
in  avenues.  —A.  D. 
The  Dell. 
In  making  reference  to  The  Dell  at  Egham  there  is  not  the 
slightest  necessity  to  tell  readers  of  the  Journal  that  it  is  the 
residence  of  Baron  Schroder,  or  that  it  is  the  place  where  is 
located  the  finest  private  collection  of  Orchids  in  the  world.  How¬ 
ever,  it  is  done  as  a  matter  of  form,  and  with  the  addition  that  the 
plants  number  close  on  7000,  for  whose  accommodation  about 
twenty  houses  of  various  sizes  and  shapes  are  absolutely  necessary. 
If  anyone  wishes  to  see  a  model  garden  of  glass  houses,  containing 
plants  that  no  sum  of  money  could  buy,  they  ought  to  go  to 
The  Dell,  for  there  it  is  to  be  found.  But  they  should  choose  a 
time  when  some  of  the  priceless  gems  of  the  collection  are  in 
flower,  and  the  interest  of  their  visit  will  be  greatly  enhanced. 
Mr.  Ballantine  as  the  gardener  is  about  as  well  known  as  the 
Baron  as  proprietor,  while  the  Orchid  grower,  Mr.  Clarke,  is  almost 
equally  as  renowned.  _ 
It  was  to  the  excellent  guidance  of  the  last  named  that  we  were 
relegated  a  few  days  ago  on  the  occasion  of  a  visit  to  see  the 
Orchids,  and  we  could  scarcely  have  been  in  better  hands,  for 
every  plant  in  every  house  seems  to  be  as  a  child  of  whom 
Mr.  Clarke  knows  the  history.  Of  course,  nothing  but  Orchids 
was  talked  about,  and  with  a  man  of  such  deep  knowledge  no 
other  topic  need  be  wished  for.  The  visit  was  not  made  with  the 
expectation  of  seeing  a  large  number  of  plants  in  flower,  but  never¬ 
theless  there  were  several  of  considerable  interest,  and  of  these  a 
few  notes  were  made  in  the  journey  through  the  houses. 
Probably  it  is  amongst  the  Odoutoglossum  crispum  -that  the 
choicest  plants  are  found  ;  indeed  some  of  them  are  unique,  but 
none  of  these  is  in  flower  just  now.  The  plants  are  there  in 
excellent  health,  and  full  of  promise  for  the  future.  The  varieties 
of  O.  (Miltonia)  vexillarium  have  now  almost  finished  flowering, 
but  those  still  in  beauty  make  a  charming  display.  The  immense 
specimens  of  Coelogynes,  including  0.  cristata,  C.  c.  alba, 
C.  c.  maxima,  the  Chatsworth  and  Trentham  varieties,  and 
Lemoinei,  just  making  their  growth,  are  magnificent  examples  of 
good  culture.  One  specimen  of  C.  c.  alba,  which  had  in  1886  only 
six  bulbs,  is  now  in  an  octagon  basket,  3  feet  across,  and  sufficient 
pieces  have  been  taken  off  this  year  to  well  stock  six  10-inch 
baskets.  Both  the  large  and  the  small  ones  are  now  growing  away 
strongly.  _ 
The  Anguloas  are  looking  splendid  now,  and  are  producing 
their  quaintly  formed  flowers  in  a  highly  satisfactory  manner. 
Those  blooming  are  mostly  A.  uniflora  and  A.  u.  alba.  The 
Vandas  have  just  finished  blooming,  but  have  this  year  made 
a  superb  display.  A  bank  of  V.  teres  must  have  looked  singularly 
beautiful  wnen  they  were  at  their  best.  Maxillaria  tenuifolia, 
I  with  its  grass-like  leafage  and  curious  marked  flowers,  is  not  very 
often  met  with ;  neither  is  Marmodes  luxatnm,  which  is  just  now 
throwing  up  some  splendid  spikes.  M.  Medusae  is  much  more 
frequently  seen,  though  seldom  in  better  form  than  at  Egham. 
The  charming  Cochlioda  Noezliana,  with  its  brightly  hoed  blooms, 
lends  a  pleasing  diversity,  and  is  very  acceptable  at  this  season  of 
the  year,  when  flowers  amongst  the  Orchids  aie  becoming  some¬ 
what  scarce. 
Some  of  the  Dendrobiums  still  remain  from  the  feast  of  flowers 
that  might  have  been  seen  a  few  months  back  when  the  plants  in  a 
large  span-roofed  structure  were  literally  wreathed  with  flowers. 
These  Orchids  were  represented  to  a  remarkable  degree  here,  the 
best  of  almost  all  the  species  and  varieties  finding  a  place.  The 
splendid  growth  the  plants  make,  with  the  thousands  of  flowers  that 
are  annually  prodneeJ,  testifies  to  the  skill  with  which  they  are 
tended.  To  see  these  at  the  summit  of  their  beauty  is  a  treat 
which  we  are  looking  forward  to,  and  which  we  hope  to  see  ere 
another  twelve  months  have  passed  away.  We  have  heard  and 
read  much  of  them,  but  feel  sure  that  to  be  thoroughly  appreciated 
they  must  be  seen  at  home.  _ 
Of  Cattleyas  there  must  certainly  be  several  hundreds  of  plants 
of  various  kinds,  such  as  gigas,  Mendeli,  Schrodersa,  aurea,  labiata, 
Hardyana,  and  Bex,  with  Gaskelliana  alba,  Skinneri  alba,  and  many 
others  too  numerous  to  mention.  A  few  are  in  flower  though  not 
very  many.  They  comprise  some  varieties  of  gigas  and  Hardyana, 
besides  Gaskelliana  alba,  which  is  very  beautiful.  The  condition 
of  the  plants  leaves  little  to  be  desired,  and  the  same  excellent 
results  that  have  been  attained  in  the  past  should  be  easily 
reached  in  the  future.  Lselias  anceps,  grandis  tenebrosa,  majalis, 
purpurata,  elegans,  and  autumnalis,  to  mention  only  the  more 
popularly  known  and  generally  grown  kinds,  though  not  now  (with 
one  exception)  in  flower  must  not  be  overlooked,  for  they  are  in  a 
capital  state.  The  one  in  flower,  L.  grandis  tenebrosa,  was  a  grand 
form  of  this  beautiful  Orchid. 
In  a  warm,  heavily  shaded  pit  the  Phalsenopsis  are  at  home. 
For  some  considerable  time  the  progress  made  by  these  plants  was 
not  satisfactory,  and  they  were  moved  from  bouse  to  house  until 
their  present  resting  place  was  found.  Here,  if  they  do  as  well  in 
the  coming  years  as  they  have  done  during  the  past  one,  they  are 
destined  to  remain,  for  advancement  is  most  marked.  It  is  now 
thirteen  months  since  we  last  paid  a  visit  to  The  Dell,  and  the 
improvement  perceptible  in  the  condition  of  the  plants  is  very 
plain,  showing  that  at  last  the  proper  position  has  been  found. 
The  leaves  are  clean,  fresh,  and  of  excellent  substance,  while  the 
roots  look  to  be  in  first  rate  condition.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
plants  will  not  again  look  back  now  they  have  made  such  a  good 
start. 
Cypripediums,  like  everything  else,  receive  the  best  possible 
attention,  which  they  repay  by  the  growth  they  make  and  the 
splendid  flowers  they  produce.  Space  is  found  in  several  structures 
for  the  plants,  according  to  the  treatment  they  require,  but  the 
bulk  of  the  stock  is  in  one  large  house.  Unlike  most  other  Orchids, 
some  species,  hybrids,  or  varieties  of  these,  are  always  in  flower, 
and  doubtless  to  this  to  a  very  material  degree  they  owe  their  wide 
popularity.  Then  they  are  unsurpassed  by  any  plants  for  the 
production  of  cut  blooms,  as  when  placed  in  water  some  of  them 
will  last  several  weeks,  an  attribute  that  will  count  for  a  considerable 
amount  in  the  opinion  of  many  persons.  Of  those  in  flower, 
Parishi,  Stonei,  Chamberlainianum,  superbiens,  and  Lawrenceanum 
are  the  most  conspicuous,  though,  of  course,  there  are  several 
others,  all  perhaps  equally  worthy  of  mention.  Such  plants  of 
Calanthes  are  rarely  seen,  for  they  must  be  as  perfect  as  a  plant 
possibly  can  be.  Our  guide  mentioned,  in  passing,  that  they  had 
had  flowers  of  C.  Baron  Schroder  continuously  from  February 
until  J une.  _ 
Sobralias  several  feet  through,  in  immense  pots  placed  on 
revolving  stands,  are  not  commonly  seen,  but  they  may  be  found 
at  Egham.  The  growths  form  a  miniature  forest  as  they  spring 
from  the  soil,  and  scores  of  flowers  are  produced.  Both  the 
beautiful  S.  macrantha  and  its  variety  are  now  in  flower,  and  it 
is  a  matter  for  regret  that  they  are  so  ver;p  short-lived.  Of 
Saccolabiums  and  Aerides  the  collections  are  finished  ones  in  every 
respect ;  in  fact,  it  is  seldom  indeed  that  the  last  named  are  seen  in 
such  first-rate  condition  and  extensive  numbers,  which  is  some¬ 
what  remarkable  when  the  beauty  of  the  flowers  is  taken  into 
consideration.  _ 
Mention,  unfortunately,  cannot  be  made  of  the  many  other 
Orchids,  but  attention  may  again  be  called  to  the  cleanliness  that 
