July  bO,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
113 
metz,  and  Odontoglosaum  aspidorhinum,  A  flower  of  Oattleya  granulosa 
Banneri  was  sent  by  Mr.  J,  Edwards,  gardener  to  S.  Banner,  Esq., 
Sberwood,  Sefton  Park,  Liverpool. 
Messrs.  W.  L.  Lewis  &  Co.,  Southgate,  sentCattleya  Schofieldianum  ; 
W.  C.  Clark,  Esq.,  Liverpool,  Cypripedium  Harrisander ;  and  W.  Cobb, 
Esq.,  Tunbridge  Wells,  Odontoglossum  vexillarium  Dulcote  variety. 
Messrs.  F.  Sander  &  Co.,  St.  Albans,  staged  a  small  group  of  Orchids, 
in  which  Cypripedium  Patersoni,  C.  Lord  Derby,  C.  Massiana,  Dendro- 
bium  bractescens,  Restrepia  elegans,  Odontoglossum  crispum,  and  Pholi- 
dota  obovata  were  conspicuous.  Mr.  M.  Seavy,  Camberwell  New  Road, 
sent  a  collection  of  finely  executed  photographs  of  Orchids. 
Certificates  and  awards  of  Merit. 
Campanula  pyramidalis  alba  compacta  (G.  Wythes). — A  splendid 
form  of  this  popular  Campanula.  The  spike,  besides  being  dwarfer^  is 
considerably  more  branched  and  the  flowers  are  whiter  (award  of  merit). 
Cattleya  atlanta  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons). — A  beautiful  hybrid  between 
C.  Warscewiczi  and  C.  guttata  Leopold!.  The  claret  coloured  sepals 
and  petals  are  sparsely  spotted  with  crimson.  The  lip  is  rich  velvety 
purplish  crimson  (first-class  certificate). 
Cyxjrifedium  Harrisander  (W.  C.  Clark).  —  The  peculiar  combi¬ 
nation  in  the  above  name  will  suggest  the  parentage  (C.  Harrisoni- 
anum  superbum  and  C.  Sanderianum)  of  this  beautiful  hybrid.  The 
petals  are  about  6  inches  long,  narrow,  and  drooping,  the  colour 
being  dull  claret,  green  at  the  base,  and  spotted  almost  throughout 
with  dark  brown.  The  dorsal  sepal  is  pale  green  with  blackish 
brown  stripes  and  spots.  The  pouch  is  rich  claret  crimson,  the  whole 
flower  having  the  appearance  of  being  varnished  (award  of  merit). 
Delphinium  Zalil  (Barr  &  Son).— This  is  a  most  elegant  flower,  its 
long  spikes  being  graceful,  branching,  and  of  a  creamy  white  shade 
(award  of  merit). 
Uollyhoch  Ovid  (Webb  &  Brand). — Rich  deep  rose  is  the  colour  of 
this  fine  double  Hollyhock  (award  of  merit). 
Masdecallia  Ajax(J5.  Veitch  &  Sons). — This  is  a  beautiful  hybrid, 
resulting  from  a  cross  between  M.  Chelsoni  and  M.  Peristeria.  The 
ground  colour  is  golden,  densely  spotted  with  chocolate  crimson  (award 
of  merit). 
Odontoglossum  aspidorhinum  (W.  H.  White). — A  beautiful  little 
species.  The  lip  is  white,  occasionally  spotted  claret.  The  sepals  and 
petals  are  greenish  yellow,  spotted  with  brown  (award  of  merit). 
LILIUM  WASHINGTONIAN UM. 
Liliums  are  plants  that  the  majority  of  people  admire  and  appre¬ 
ciate,  but  many  only  cultivate  one  or  two  of  the  leading  kinds,  such,  for 
example,  as  L.  candidum,  L.  Harrisi,  and  L.  auratum.  There  are,  how¬ 
ever,  many  others  that  ought  to  be  accorded  attention  by  those  who  have 
the  space  at  command,  and  amongst  these  L,  Washingtonianum  (fig.  22) 
may  well  be  included.  It  is  a  native  of  California,  and  in  suitable 
positions  frequently  attains  to  a  height  of  from  4  to  5  feet.  The  flowers 
are  of  pleasing  shape,  the  colour  being  white  or  purple  tinted,  and  is 
spotted  with  purplish  crimson.  It  is  a  beautiful  species,  and  succeeds 
admirably  in  situations  that  are  not  too  exposed  to  the  sun  or  wind. 
NO  RAIN. 
It  is  diflicult  to  estimate  the  consequences  of  the  existing  drought  on 
the  future  crops  of  garden  or  field,  but  there  is  a  certainty  of  a  partial 
vegetable  famine  unless  we  get  rain  very  soon  in  sufficient  quantity  to 
soak  the  soil  to  a  greater  depth  than  it  has  done  for  some  months. 
There  is  already  a  termination  in  the  supply  of  suitable  Cauliflowers  for 
the  table,  and  Turnips  for  some  time  have  only  been  fit  for  flavouring 
purposes.  Peas  cannot  find  sufficient  moisture  in  the  soil  to  carry  on 
seed  development,  while  mildew  and  the  birds  are  intent  on  preventing 
the  kitchen  from  getting  even  a  small  supply.  Cabbages  are  badly 
eaten  by  caterpillars,  and  young  ones  put  out  a  month  or  two  since  make 
no  progress  whatever.  Beans,  runner  and  dwarf,  and  Carrots  are  the 
only  progressive  crops  at  all  useful  for  the  summer,  and  Beans  are  not 
doing  well,  unless  water  is  given  often.  The  flowers,  if  they  set  at  all, 
seem  to  have  insufficient  energy  to  swell  away. 
Those  who  feel  the  drought  most  acutely  are  naturally  those  who 
have  a  short  water  supply,  and  a  deep  or  light  working  soil.  With  a 
clayey  subsoil,  and  this  not  far  from  the  surface,  there  is  more  moisture 
retained  for  such  tropical  weather.  But  where  the  rainfall  is  so  much 
under  the  average  as  in  our  case  everything  must  suffer,  no  matter  what 
the  nature  of  the  soil  may  be.  Raspberries  and  Strawberries  which 
depend  on  the  surface  largely  for  their  sustenance  have  suffered  the 
most  severely  of  all  fruits,  reducing  the  crops  to  much  below  their 
average.  In  our  case  this  was  the  result  obiained  without  artificial 
watering,  the  latter  being  totally  out  of  the  question  by  reason  of  a 
restricted  supply.  For  many  years  past  these  gardens  have  been  supplied 
from  the  lake  by  means  (  f  hydraulic  ram  power,  and  when  this  was  first 
laid  down  no  doubt  the  supply  was  adequate  for  all  purposes,  but  the 
natural  accumulation  of  deposit  reduces  the  store  space,  and  consequently 
the  supply  is  yearly  becoming  less.  With  such  a  provision  supplied 
without  manual  labour  the  necessity  for  tanks  was  evidently  not  con¬ 
sidered  in  which  to  store  water  in  any  bulk,  but  this  necessity  now 
becomes  more  apparent  every  day,  and  we  have  found  it  strictly  advisable 
to  act  upon  it  in  a  practical  manner. 
Judging  from  reports  which  have  appeared  often  our  rainfall  is  very 
much  less  than  has  been  known  generally,  and  having  no  record  of  the 
yearly  rainfall  beyond  the  present  and  that  of  the  last  year  I  am  unable 
to  ascertain  the  average  which  we  may  consider  our  due.  But  for  the 
six  months,  January  to  June  inclusive,  my  record  shows  a  loss  of 
inches  compared  with  last  year  in  a  corresponding  period.  The  total 
for  that  time  was  less  than  6  inches  ;  indeed,  up  to  the  time  of  writing, 
July  21st,  the  rainfall  is  still  less  than  that  amount.  Gardens  every  where 
around  us  have  a  barren  look  about  them.  Potatoes  have  many  of  them 
made  but  little  growth,  and  in  the  midseason  varieties  this  is  rapidly 
ripening  off.  Peas,  too,  gave  but  scant  crops,  and  in  most  cases  but  one 
gathering.  There  has  not  been  sufficient  rain  to  benefit  either  crop  since 
March. 
Thunderstorms  have  been  frequent  this  summer,  and  in  some  of  the 
hilly  districts  there  has  been  sufficient  rain  to  support  growing  crops. 
Well  springs  are  generally  low  or  dry,  which  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
when  the  dry  winter  and  spring  months  are  taken  into  account.  Those 
who  have  an  abundant  supply  of  good  water  laid  oa  about  their  gardens 
cannot  realise  the  extent  of  work  such  weather  makes  extra  and  the 
little  good  that  can  be  done  in  comparison.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that 
tons  of  water  could  be  stored  in  the  winter  in  many  a  garden,  where  at 
ihe  present  moment  none  is  stored  at  all.  From  the  garden  paths  alone 
one  might  collect  a  quantity  from  the  drains.  Last  autumn  I  dug  and 
built  a  small  tank  holding  700  gallons  to  collect  surface  water  where 
there  was  no  drain  to  take  it  away,  and  this  was  quire  filled  from  one 
wet  day.  This  is  only  one  case,  but  is  to  my  mind  quits  sufficient  to 
prove  what  may  be  done  when  necessity  compels  one  to  act. 
Unfortunately  too  many  cases  can  be  cited  where  the  gardener  is 
powerless  in  making  this  provision  for  himself,  employers  apparently  not 
realising  sufficiently  the  importance  of  a  good  water  supply.  The  cost 
of  constructing  small  tanks  is  not  so  much  as  many  would  imagine,  and 
where  there  is  a  handy  man  on  the  place  small  underground  tanks,  with 
oak  or  deal  plank  covers,  can  easily  be  undertaken.  Bricks,  mortar, 
and  cement  can  be  purchased  cheaply,  and  would  no  doubt  more  often 
be  made  an  investment,  were  not  the  fear  of  large  bills  anticipated  by 
the  owners  of  gardens  instead  of  being  more  practically  undertaken. — 
w.  s.,  wms. 
