August  6,  18J8. 
JOuMAL  OP  MonnatrMVM  asd  cottage  gardener. 
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over  a  large  area  to  tbe  rubbish  heap  outside  the  garden  walla  beiug 
obviated  to  the  benefit  of  his  walks  as  well.  All  woody  refuse  is 
burned  upon  some  vacant  plot  at  a  fitting  opportunity. 
It  is  at  this  season  especially  that  the  “  head  ”  (expatiated  upon 
here)  is  actively  engaged  hatching  out  his  plans  for  further  im¬ 
provements  in  labour-saving,  or  rather,  economising  what  he  has  ; 
hence  I  know  that  from  autumn  until  spring  he  will  go  to  consider¬ 
able  labour  and  pains  in  making  some  apparently  trivial  alteration, 
spending,  may  be,  a  day  when  it  can  be  spared  to  save  a  precious 
hour  in  his  time  of  need  next  season.  It  would  be  superfluous  to 
say  that  this  man  takes  time  by  the  forelock,  for  that  ie  too 
plainly  evident.  To  me  he  appears  not  only  to  grasp  that 
venerable  figure-head,  but  actually  to  drag  him  along  in  his 
anxiety  to  keep  ahead  of  his  work.  Ere  passing  from  the  kitchen 
garden  to  what  is  of  equal  importance,  the  flower  garden,  the  law 
of  order  is  further  exemplified  by  having  a  place  for  everything, 
and,  so  far  as  is  consistent  with  active  service,  everything  in  its 
place. 
As  there  are  a  hundred  little  things  more  or  less  noticeable  in 
the  kitchen  garden,  all  strengthening  the  moral  I  am  endeavouring 
to  point,  a  few  of  which  can  only  be  enumerated  here  to  illustrate 
the  principle  involved,  so  it  is  in  an  extensive  flower  garden,  wherein 
no  diminution  of  area  has  taken  place.  Here,  at  present  no  reduc¬ 
tion  has  been  permitted  in  the  twin  cropping  of  spring  and  summer 
bedding.  In  this  matter  our  friend,  having  no  choice,  has  ingeniously 
contrived  to  save  a  vast  amount  of  labour  without  sacrificing  the 
wishes  of  his  employers,  who  favour  the  old  fashion  (it  is  an  old 
fashion  now)  of  bedding.  In  a  series  of  extensive  beds  on  the 
grass  the  labour  of  preparing  and  planting  hat  been  reduced  some 
50  per  cent,  by  making  broad  permanent  edgings  of  low  growing 
hardy  plants.  In  some  cates  the  beds  are  cross-panelled  by  this 
means,  and  Sedums  and  Saxifragas,  and  things  of  that  ilk,  form  an 
admirable  framework  to  the  more  brilliant  occupants.  Some  of 
these  hardy  plants  give  the  most  charming  effect  at  their  flowering 
period,  notably  so,  large  raised  beds  with  a  substantial  edging  of 
the  old  London  Pride,  filled  in  for  spring  with  Forget-me-nots. 
The  combination  was  «q[uite  accidental,  but  the  effect  in  the  distance 
was  the  happiest  imaginable. 
Though  the  main  object  has  been  to  ease  high  pressure  by  fore¬ 
thought,  I  shall  look  for  further  departures  in  this  department,  for 
our  keen-eyed  *•  head  ”  is  always  on  the  alert  for  fresh  means  to  the 
end  be  has  in  view.  Severely  handicapped  as  he  has  been,  and  is, 
in  the  labour  department,  be  firmly  believes  that  it  is  easier  to  keep 
clean  than  to  make  clean,  and  I  may  add  my  qaota  to  that  belief  by 
saying  that  it  is,  so  far  as  gardening  is  concerned,  eminently  more 
satisfactory. — Staff  Officer. 
Cattleya  superb  a. 
Possibly  of  no  other  Cattleya  have  so  many  plants  been 
imported  only  to  grow  and  flower  for  a  time  and  then  to  die  as  of 
C.  superba,  many  growers  of  ability  and  considerable  skill  failing 
to  hit  just  the  right  treatment  for  it-  When  we  think  of  plants 
difficult  of  cultivation  the  mind  as  a  rule  turns  to  small  weak- 
growing  kinds  that  at  the  best  are  only  pigmy  affairs.  But  looking 
at  a  healthy  plant  of  C.  superba  no  one  could  imagine  it  was  hard 
to  please,  the  strong  bronzed  pseudo-bulbs  and  thick  leathery 
foliage  having  a  robust,  not  to  say  a  vigorous,  appearance  not 
usually  associated  with  the  class  of  Orchid  referred  to.  But, 
nevertheless,  the  fact  remains  that  it  is  a  plant  that  requires  well- 
considered  treatment  to  keep  it  in  health  for  a  number  of  years. 
Inexperienced  growers  who  may  happen  to  have  a  run  of  lack  with 
a  few  plants  that  have  not  been  long  under  cultivation  get  hold  of 
the  idea  that  they  have  hit  the  correct  mode  of  treatment,  say,  by 
allowing  a  great  deal  of  heat  and  moisture,  or  some  other  detail, 
and  at  once  in  their  own  mind  place  it  out  of  the  category  of 
“  miffy  ”  plants. 
This  goes  on  for  a  time,  but  by  degrees  the  backward  tendency 
of  the  growths  and  the  weakening  flower  spikes  are  all  too  apparent, 
and  the  erstwhile  elated  cultivator  finds  that  it  is  not  to  be  all 
smooth  sailing  with  this  aptly  named  Cattleya.  There  must  be 
some  reason  for  this,  it  may  be  said.  Unfortunately  there  are  more 
than  one,  and  the  worst  of  all  is  the  artificial  climate  we  are  com¬ 
pelled  to  keep  up  in  our  Orchid  bouses.  It  is  the  same  with  all 
difficult  plants  ;  they  are  taken  from  their  natural  habitats,  where 
the  constantly  changing  air,  the  humid  atmosphere,  the  genial 
forest  shades,  all  conduce  to  their  well  being,  and  are  placed  under 
quite  differing  conditions,  where  their  supply  of  air  is  doled  out  to 
them,  so  to  speak,  where  steamy  vapour  takes  the  place  of  natural 
humidity,  and,  in  short.  Nature  is  altogether  replaced  by  artificiality. 
Fortunate,  indeed,  it  is  that  so  many  lovely  Orchids  take  so  kindly 
to  the  altered  conditions,  and  with  those,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
do  not,  it  behoves  us  as  cultivators  to  stretch  a  point  or  two  in  their 
favour,  and  by  judicious  treatment,  based  on  observation  of  the 
peculiarities  of  the  plants,  to  endeavour  to  keep  them  in  the  best 
health  possible  under  the  circumstances. 
I  would  advise  anyone  taking  up  the  culture  of  C.  superba  to 
obtain  either  newly  imported  plants  or  those  in  their  second  year, 
and  should  personally  prefer  the  former,  if  they  had  not  suffered 
more  than  usual  on  the  journey.  Small  and  weak  plants  or  back 
breaks  from  old  cultiv^ted  specimens  are  almost  worthless,  for 
they  seldom  grow  into  flowering  plants.  When  received  the  plants 
may  be  treated  as  advised  for  newly  imported  Cattleyas  of  other 
kinds,  and  when  .plumped  up  and  emitting  roots  or  growing  they 
may  be  placed  in  whatever  receptacle  is  chosen  for  their  growth. 
It  is  perhaps  unimportant  whether  pots,  baskets,  or  blocks  are 
used,  more  depending  upon  the  after-treatment ;  but  whatever  is 
used  as  a  compost  must  be  of  the  very  best  and  most  lasting 
description.  After  the  first  season  the  plants  produce  abundance 
of  roots,  and  theie  take  with  a  will  to  their  new  home. 
In  this  case  they  are  safe  for  a  time,  and  until  it  becomes 
necessary  to  transplant  them  they  go  on  fairly  well.  It  is  then 
the  difficulty  usually  arises,  the  plants  not  having  apparently  enough 
vigour  left  in  them  to  overcome  the  check  consequent  on  dis¬ 
turbance  of  the  roots.  This  shows  then  the  importance  of  the 
lasting  properties  of  the  compost.  Fresh  sphagnum  mois  and  peat 
fibre,  without  a  particle  of  sand  or  earth,  mixed  in  the  proportion 
of  two  of  the  former  to  one  of  the  latter,  and  plenty  of  rough 
lumps  of  charcoal  and  crocks,  will  be  suitable  for  pot  or  basket,  and 
a  thin  layer  only  is  needed  above  good  drainage  ;  for  blocks  a 
dressing  of  sphagnum  only  will  suffice,  this  being  kept  growing 
during  the  summer  months  if  possible. 
Blocks  of  Tree  Fern  stems  have  been  recommended  by 
successful  cultivators,  but  these  are  sometimes  difficult  to  obtain, 
though  they  doubtless  make  a  capital  holding  for  the  roots,  keeping 
moist  a  long  time  without  bolding  too  much  water  in  a  stagnant 
state.  During  the  growing  season  the  roots  must  be  well  watered, 
and  the  plants  grown  in  the  warmest  house  at  command  and  a  light 
sunny  position,  shading  only  to  avoid  injury  to  the  foliage.  The 
flowers  will  appear  on  the  young  growth,  from  three  to  five 
occurring  from  each  sheath,  the  pseudo-bulb  finishing  up  at  the 
same  time.  To  conserve  the  blossoms  and  to  consolidate  the  growth 
made  the  plant  should  be  placed  in  a  dry  and  rather  cooler  house, 
and  this  also  serves  to  steady  the  plants  down  for  the  resting  period. 
Just  enough  water  must  be  given  during  the  latter  season  to  keep 
the  bulbs  plump,  and  the  temperature  ought  never  to  drop  below 
60°  at  night  unless  the  weather  is  exceptionally  cold. 
At  all  times  keep  the  foliage  and  bulbs  free  of  insects,  the 
worst  pest  being  a  small  white  scale  that  works  its  way  into  the 
furrows  of  the  pseudo-bulbs,  under  the  scales,  or  into  the  axils  of 
the  leaves  if  not  kept  in  check.  Careful  and  frequent  syringings 
with  clear  tepid  water  will  be  found  preferable  to  using  any  strong 
insecticide,  the  latter  being  injurious,  especially  to  the  young 
growing  shoots.  C.  superba  is  a  native  of  Britiih  Guiana  and 
various  other  parta  of  tropical  America,  and  has  flowers  of  medium 
size,  the  sepals  and  petals  of  varying  tints  of  rosy  purple,  the  lip 
much  deeper  than  the  other  egments  in  ground  colour,  and  blotched 
with  yellow.  There  is  an  albino  form  in  existence,  and  other 
varieties  more  or  less  distinct  from  the  type,  and  all  are  really 
choice  and  useful  Orchids  that  help  to  brighten  up  the  flowering 
house  as  the  dull  season  for  Orchids  approaches. — H.  B,.  R. 
Bulbophyllum  barbigerum. 
In  this  Orchid  we  seem  to  have  a  kind  of  connecting  link 
between  the  animal  and  the  vegetable  world.  Though  not  by  any 
means  a  “  florists’  flower,”  this  wonderful  plant  is  certainly  some¬ 
thing  more  than  a  botanical  curiosity.  The  pseudo-bulbs  are  small, 
and  surmounted  by  solitary  fleshy  leaves  about  1^  to  2  inches  long  , 
the  peduncles  rise  from  the  base  of  the  bulbs,  bearing  racemes  of 
six  to  twelve  flowers.  The  sepals  are  amall  and  brownish  red,  and 
petals  minute.  But  the  lip  makes  up  for  their  shortcomiiigs  ;  it 
has  a  long  body,  covered  with  very  short  yellow  velvety  hairs  ;  at 
the  end,  on  both  upper  and  under  sides,  are  tufts  of  fine  purple 
hairs,  and  at  the  extreme  tip  a  cluster  of  longer  purplish  threads  ; 
these  hairs  all  continually  move  about.  The  lip  is  articulate  with 
the  column,  and  moves  op  and  down  in  a  manner  that  makes  one 
wonder  if  in  this  case  animal  sense  has  not  become  connected  with 
plant  movements.  B.  barbigerum  was  introduced  from  Sierra 
Leone  in  1836. — C. 
