336 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE-  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  17,  1902. 
unemployed  labourers  in  our  towns,  but  it  would  restrict  tLe 
exodus  from  this  beautiful  and  fertile  land  of  the  best  and 
strongest  of  our  population,  rvho  at  lu'esent  become  do\\  n-liearted, 
and  leave  us  in  desperation  for  the  United  States  of  America,  or 
for  other  and  often  far  less  hospitable  and  kindly  shores. 
Peas— A  Larger  Supply  Wanted. 
Gardeners  in  private  establishments  are  generally  fully 
alive  to  the  importance  of  keeping  up  a  regular  supply  of 
Peas  throughout  the  season,  because  they  know  that  few 
vegetables  are  so  highly  esteemed,  and  a  shortage  in  the 
supply  soon  becomes  a  matter  for  inquire.  For  this  reason 
sowings  are  usually  made  each  month  from  Febimary  to 
June,  and  under  such  circumstances  it  is  not  often  that  the 
supoply  fails  until  the  middle  or  end  of  September.  Matters 
are,  however,  considerablv  different  in  regaru  to  the  supplies 
obtained  in  the  market.  The  Pea  seems  to  be  one  of  the  few 
vegetables  which  the  market  grower  does  not  seem  to  “run 
for  quite  all  it  is  worth.”  Early  varieties  are  extensively 
planted,  and  those  who  are  the  first  in  the  market  with  their 
produce  obtain  remunerative  prices.  Then  comes  the 
“  glut,”  and  with  it  the  inevitable  fall  in  prices.  After  a 
time  the  supply  rapidly  diminishes,  and  by  the  end  of  July 
and  throughout  August  reallj^  good  Peas  are  frequentlj^  ex¬ 
tremely  scarce,  and  realise  excellent  prices.  Such  weak 
links  in  the  chain  of  supply  are  often  noted  at  the  time  in 
the  Press  ;  the  matter  is  then  forgotten,  and  a  similar  state 
of  affairs  prevails  again  the  following  yeai’.  My  object  in 
penning  this  note  now  is  to  draw  attention  to  the  matter 
at  a  time  when  cultivators  may  profit  from  the  lessons  learned 
in  past  seasons,  and  turn  them  to  profitable  account,  as  there 
is  an  almost  unlimited  demand  for  good  Peas  durinv  August 
and  September,  and  there  is  no  insurmountable  difficulty 
in  providing  a  supply^ 
Perhaps  one  reason  why  midseason  crops  have  not  re¬ 
ceived  more  attention  is  that  Peas  suffer  more  uuan  most 
'crops  during  periods  of  drought  ;  but  then  such  weather 
affects  all  vegetation  to  some  extent,  and  methods  of  high 
culture  are  the  best  means  of  combating  such  unfavourable 
conditions.  For  the  above  reasons  deep  soils  should  be 
selected,  which  have  been  abundantly  manured  for  the  pre- 
\dous  crop  ;  then,  with  deep  digging  or  ploughir-  and  a 
surface  dressing  of  superphosphate  at  the  rate  of  6cwt  per 
acre,  the  soil  would  be  enriched  in  a  suitable  wa-'^  for  this 
leguminous  crop.  From  the  middle  to  the  end  of  April  is  a 
capital  time  to  make  an  extensive  sowing,  and  another  sow¬ 
ing  might  be  made  a  fortnight  later.  As  soon  as  the  young 
plants  push  through  the  soil,  an  application  of  nitrate  of 
soda  at  the  rate  of  2cwt  per  acre  would  nrove  of  immense 
benefit  in  promoting  quick  growth  by  causinv  the  roots  to 
move  rapidly,  and  produce  nodules,  by  the  aid  of  which  the 
nitrogen  of  the  air  would  be  turned  to  good  account  in  feed¬ 
ing  the  plants.  By  having  strong,  vigorous  plants  to  begin 
with,  periods  of  drought  will  not  easily  affect  the  crop  if 
surface  cultivation  receives  proper  attention.  This  consists 
of  frequently  hoeing  to  prevent  the  evaporation  of  moisture, 
and  the  majority  of  cultivators  know  how*  valuable  the  prac¬ 
tice  is  during  hot  weather.  The  dw'arf  growing  kinds  of 
Peas,  suitable  for  field  culture,  are  necessarily  sown  in  rows, 
somewhat  close  togethc*;*,  and  by  the  time  the  pods  begin  to 
form  the  surface  of  the  soil  is  kept  cool  by  the  haulms,  and 
this,  combined  with  the  previous  work  of  hoeing  and  sowing 
in  deep  rich  soil,  complete  a  chain  of  favourable  circum¬ 
stances  by  which  the  cultivator  may  successfully  fight 
drought. 
The  following  are  excellent  varieties  for  the  above  pur- 
pose.  Pride  of  the  Market,  2ft  ;  Princess  of  Wales,  SU  • 
Sharpe  s  Queen,  2ift  ;  Fertility,  2ift ;  Sutton’s  Satisfaction. 
3tt  •  and  Harrison’s  Glory,  2ift.  All  are  good  growers  and 
fine  croppers.  In  many  districts  some  special  varieth  has  a 
great  local  repute.  In  such  instances  it  is  unwise  to  dis- 
^  kind,  as  soils  have  a  great  influence  on 
!.  but  all  cultivators  should  make  a  practice 
of  testing,  on  a  limited  scale,  a  few  fresh  ones  each  year,  as  it 
IS  only  by  growing  them  side  by  side  with  their  favourites 
that  the  merits  or  demerits  of  newer  introductions  can  satis¬ 
factorily  be  tested  in  regard  to  their  own  locality,  and  the 
man  who  is  striving  to  get  the  best  possible  returiiAor  labour 
and  capital  cannot  afford  to  lose  an-"-  advantage  in  regard  to 
the  variety  grown,  or  the  method  of  culture  adopted.— H.  D. 
Angraecum  sesqulpedale. 
Tlie  tliick,  waxy  flowers  of  this  Madagascar  Orchid,  their  ivory 
whiteness  and  their  extraordinaiw  form,  are  at  all  times  wonderful 
to  view  and  charmingly  beautiful.  The  Angriecuins  are  all  epipnytal 
in  habit ;  in  fact,  the  generic  name  is  deduced  from  angurek,  a 
Malayan  name  for  air  plants.  The  specific  name,  sesquipedale,. 
means  a  “  foot  and  a  half,”  and  refers  to  the  long,  tubular  spur 
down  which  a  certain  species  of  moth  is  alone  said  to  be  able  to 
penetrate  its  proboscis  in  search  of  nectar.  The  fertilisation  of 
this  Orchid  was  a  matter  that  interested  Mr.  Darwin  greatly,  and 
he  is  .said,  even  though  he  had  never  seen  it,  to  have  declared 
that  a  moth  must  exist  with  powers  to  penetrate  the  extremely 
long  spur.  The  plant  is  grown  in  every  garden,  though  not  at 
all  times  with  equal  success  to  that  which  our  illu.stration  points. 
This  specimen  is  a  most  creditable  one,  and  the  possessor  ivould 
do  a  service  to  our  readers  were  he  to  detail  the  particulars  of  his- 
succe.s.sful  treatment. 
Orchids  at  Kew.  , 
Seldom  have  the  Orchid  houses  in  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew, 
been  brigliter  than  they  are  now.  One  of  the  chief  objects  of 
interest  is  Moorea  irrorata  with  two  moderate  spikes,  and  close  by 
in  the  same  house  is  Eulophila  Elizabethse  with  three  or  four 
racemes  ju.st  about  to  open.  A  number  of  Cyrtqpodiums,  with 
their  tall  and  branching  inflorescences  are  at  their  best,  and  in 
hanging  jians  there  are  some  showy  Broughtonias  (B.  sanguinea), 
Cattleya  Lawrenceana,  C.  guttata  Prinzi,  C.  citrina,  anxl  others 
also  assist  the  effect,  as  do  the  Dendrobiunis  primulinum,  Pierardi, 
oculatum  fimbriatum,  Wardianum,  nobile,  aggregatuin,  &c.,  and 
the  tall  flowering  Epidendrums  contrast  with  the  arched  racemes 
of  the  Cymbidiums.  A  specimen  Oncidium  altissiinum  is 
bearing  upward  of  a  thousand  flowers,  while  in  the  cool  house  the 
Odontoglos.sums  and  Masdevallias  complete  a  very  creditable 
show.  On  Sunday  last  there  was  a  rumour  afloat  that  the  Right 
Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain,  M.P.,  had  intended  to  vi.sit-the  Kew 
Orchids.  ' 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
An  interesting  section  of  Orchids  are  Catasetums,  MormodeSr 
and  similar  genera.  They  are  often  grown  in  a  rather  perfunctory 
manner,  not  thrown  away,  but  just  left  on  sufferance;  but  they 
are  worthy  of  better  things  than  this.  Just  now  they  will  be 
starting  to  grow,  and  they  must  be  encouraged  by  giving  them 
a  hot  and  moist  atmosphere,  with  almost  full  exposure  to  the 
rays  of  the  sun.  Later  on,  when  the  leaf  is  forming,  a  slight 
shade  will  be  needed,  but  after  the  bulbs  ai;e  finished  this  will 
have  to  be  removed  entirely  and  the  plants  placed  in  the  full  'sun 
to  consolidate  the  growth,  for  without  this  thorough  ripening,  as 
it  is  termed,  no  flowers  will  be  produced. 
In  all  probability,  some  at  least  of  the  plants  will  need 
repotting,  and  this  is  the  time  to  do  the  wmrk.  The  plants  are 
very  little  dependant  in  most  cases  upon  the  last  season’s  roots,, 
the  stored  nutriment  in  the  pseudo-bulbs  forming  their  mainstay, 
con.sequently  no  harm  will  be  done  by  shaking  them  quite  free- 
of  the  old  compo.st  and  removing  all  dead  or  decaying  roots. 
Examine  the  bases  of  the  bulb.s  for  any  trace  of  decay  or  insect 
mischief  and  remove  it,  wash  the  plants  thoroughly  in  tepid 
water  if  they  need  it,  and  dry  them  preparatory  to  repotting. 
Keep  the  habits  of  the  plant  in  mind  wiien  providing  their 
root  run.  A  close,  heavy  mass  of  compost  is  most  undesirable, 
the  best  rooting  arrangement  being  a  small  shallow’  pan  or 
basket,  where  the  roots  will  be  exposed  to  the  influence  of  the 
quick  atmosphere  of  the  house  as  well  as  the  stems  and  leaves. 
Some  of  the  stouter  growers  prefer  a  little  fibry  loam  mixed  with 
the  peat  and  moss  for  compost ;  but,  whatever  is  used,  great  care 
mu.st  be  taken  to  insure  perfect  a-eration  of  the  whole  by  the 
inclusion  of  lumps  of  crocks,  charcoal,  or  similar  material. 
After  repotting,  water  in  only  very  modei'ate  quantities  will 
be  required,  and  occasional  dewings  overhead  must  take  the  place 
of  root  w’aterings  until  the  latter  are  again  active.  In  all  depart¬ 
ments  growTh  w  ill  be  getting  more  active,  and  the  treatment  will 
need  to  be  more  generou.?.  .  Dendrobiums,  Cattleyas,  and  all  the 
popular  kinds  will  all  be  more  or  less  active,  and  whenever  a 
little  attention  is  needed  in  the  nature  of  compost  or  a  shift  to 
more  suitable  quarters  it  must  be  given  at  once,  for  delays  in 
these  matters  are  dangerous,  causing  a  check  that  the  plants  may 
not  get  over  all  the  season. — H.  R.  R. 
