Jufie  19,  1902. 
rOURXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
529 
Odontoglossum  x  Adrianae  Sybil. 
Captain  G.  L.  Holford,  C.I.E.,  Westonbirt  (grower,  Mr. 
Alexander)  received  a  Finst  Class  Certificate  in  recognition  of 
this  variety  (which  we  illirstrate)  on  May  20.  It  is  a  very  large 
and  handsome  form,  and  exceedingly  distinct.  The  segments 
iwre  firm  and  wax-like,  with  wavy  edges,  and  each  is  beautifully 
marked  with  deep  chocolate  or  chestnut-coloured  spots  on  a 
canary-yellow  ground.  It  is  a  noble  hybrid. 
The  Week's  Cultural  Notes. 
The  Cattleya  house  is  very  gay  just  now,  and  where  a  separate 
flowering  house  exists  it  is  easy  to  kpoil  many  of  the  choice 
blooms  by  over-abundant  moisture.  The  plants  need  it,  of 
course ;  many  are  gi'owing  freely,  and  can  hardly  be  over-watered 
either  at  the  roots  or  in  the  atmosphere,  but  the  blossoms  spot 
very  easily.  A  very  good  plan  is  to  group  all  that  are  in  flower 
in  one  corner,  preferably  the  coolest  end  of  the  house,  and  use 
as  little  moisture  there  as  possible.  A  little  top  air  day  and 
night  will  serve  to  prevent  the  moisture  settling  on  the  flowers. 
Odontoglossum  x  Adrianae  var.  Sybil. 
Regarding  the  plants  themselves,  Cattleya  Mossise  will  only 
just  be  commencing  to  grow  from  the  base  of  the  flowering  bulbs. 
Unlike  C.  Gaskelliana,  which  makes  its  new  growth  and  flowers 
upon  it  the  first  season,  C.  Mossise  has  it  all  to  do  afterwards, 
so  in  order  to  give  it  the  best  chance  possible  it  is  usual  to  place 
the  plants  in  the  lightest  and  warmest  part  of  the  house,  and 
pay  special  attention  to  them  from  now  onwards.  C.  gigas  and 
C.  aurea  are  both  throwing  up  their  flower  spikes,  and  must  be 
encouraged.  At  the  same  time,  keep  the  plants  in  a  bright 
light,  hardened  well  ripened  specimens  being  far  less  likely  to 
stool  unseasonably  than  those  that  have  been  grown  in  shade. 
Lselia  majalis  is  now  throwing  up  its  spikes ;  that  is,  it  will 
be  if  the  plants  have  been  properly  treated.  As  I  have  before 
pointed  out  in  the  Journal,  it  is  useless  to  expect  this  lovely 
Orchid  to  flower  freely  unless  it  is  absolutely  exposed  to  all 
winds  and  weather  as  autumn  comes  on  and  the  growths  are 
maturing.  Just  now  the  forming  growths  and  spikes  make  a 
large  demand  upon  the  energies  of  the  plants,  and  their  wants 
must  be  met  by  copious  moisture  supplies. 
That  pretty  Dendrobium,  D.  Brymerianum,  flowers  more 
freely,  and  makes  finer  growths  in  the  Cattleya  house  than  when 
grown  in  stronger  heat,  and  there  are  many  others  of  the  ever¬ 
green  and  partially  evergreen  species  that  are  also  better  suited 
here.  D.  chrysotoxum,  D.  densiflorum,  D.  thyrsiflorum,  U. 
Paxtoni,  and  D.  suavissimum  are  cases  in  point;  while  among 
the  grosser  growing  species  D.  moschatum  and  its  allies  may  be 
mentioned.  All  these  Orchids  like  the  fullest  exposure  to  sun 
and  light  in  the  growing  season,  the  more  shady  portions  of  the 
house  being  allotted  to  Bollcas,  Warscewiczellas,  and  Pe.scatoreas. 
— H.  R.  R. 
Commercial  Horticulture. 
During  the  last  two  years  the  growers  of  many  kinds  of  horti¬ 
cultural  produce  have  passed  through  a  trying  time  indeed, 
which  has  been  brought  about  by  a  combination  of  circumstances. 
Unseasonable  weather  certainly  cannot  be  blamed  for  the  con¬ 
dition  of  affairs  which  have  prevailed,  as  crops  have,  as  a  rule, 
been  abundant,  so  much  so  in  fact  that  the  soft  fruits  which  have 
glutted  the  markets  during  the  summer  and  earlj'  autumn 
affected  the  price  of  hothouse  fruits  to  a  considerable  extent. 
When  hardy  fruits  are  plentiful  and  good,  the  demand  for 
Grapes  is  usually  not  so  brisk  as  during  less  fruitful  seasons. 
Last  year  was  remarkable  for  the  low  prices  obtained  for  Grapes, 
and  Tomatoes  were  often  sold  at  prices  which  left  a  doubtful 
margin,  of  profit  for  the  grower.  To  the  above  we  have  to  add 
the  significant  fact  that  labour  has  been  scarce  and  fuel  dear,  and 
when  these  three  conditions — i.e.,  low  prices,  scarce  labour,  and 
dear  fuel — are  found  in  combination,  the  commercial  horticul¬ 
turist  must  necessarily  be  “  hit  hard.” 
The  scarcity  of  labour  has  doubtless  been  to  a  great  extent 
caused  by  the  long  struggle  for  supremacy  in  South  Africa,  and 
the  demand  for  choice  fruits  and  flowers  has,  of  course,  been 
considerably  lessened  for  the  same  reason,  as  while  the  war  was 
raging  parties  and  other  festivities  were  less  numerous  than 
usual.  All  these  things,  taken  in  conjunction  with  the  abund¬ 
ance  of  hardy  fruits,  have  had  the  effect  of  hitting  the  grower 
of  choice  fruit  hard.  Africa  also  is  a  land  of  fruits.  There  was, 
therefore,  but  little  need  to  send  fruits  among  other  foocl 
supplies.  If,  however,  vegetable  growers  in  this  country  had 
long  ago  turned  their  attention  to  the  process  of  preserving 
vegetables  they  might  have  reaped  a  good  harvest  by  sending 
supplies  which  had  to  be  obtained  abroad.  This  is  a  matter 
which  should  certainly  have  immediate  attention,  as  it  is  one  in 
which  a  new  industry  might  be  created;  and  if  in  conjunction 
with  it  we  can  perfect  our  methods  of  drying  fruits,  a  wonderful 
impetus  will  be  given  to  market  gardening. 
So  far  I  have  touched  upon  the  conditions  which  have  pre¬ 
vailed  in  the  recent  past  ;  let  us  now  look  to  the  future,  and  add 
“  hope  ”  to  the  universal  gladness  which  rings  out  strong  and 
clear  around  us.  The  glad  tidings  of  “  Peace  ” — so  long  deferred 
— have  at  last  been  borne  with  joyous  enthusiasm  throughout  the 
Empire.  The  struggles  of  the  past,  the  splendid  heroism,  and 
the  brave  who  sleep  beneath  the  lonely  veldt  are  not  forgotten; 
but  a  cry  of  thankfulness  goes  up  that  the  strife  is  over,  and 
that  future  prosperity  seems  assured.  Such  welcome  news, 
coming  as  it  tlid  a  few  weeks  in  advance  of  the  Coronation,  will 
add  greatly  to  the  zest  with  which  that  great  national  event 
will  be  celebrated,  and  few  trades  will  be  more  beneficially 
influenced  by  the  “  turn  of  events  ”  than  commercial  horti¬ 
culture.  The  demand  for  flow'ers,  fruits,  plants,  and  vegetables 
will  undoubtedly  be  so  great  that,  although  preparations  on  a 
gigantic  scale  have  long  been  in  progress,  the  available  materials 
will  be  so  closely  used  up  that  a  brisk  demand  will  be  ensured 
throughout  the  season.  The  markets  have  already  been  affected, 
and  shrewd  men  are  buying  in  advance  much  of  the  material  they 
rec^uire. 
Old  hands,  however,  among  the  producers  are  holding  back, 
as  they  know  well  that  just  at  the  critical  time  when  materials 
must  be  obtained  is  the  time  to  get  top  prices.  Two  days  ago  I 
saw  two  large  si)an-roofed  houses  filled  with  fine  Pelargoniums 
in  32-sized  pots.  The  bulk  of  them  consisted  of  two  well- 
known  varieties.  King  of  Denmark  and  Raspail.  They  were 
unfolding  their  flowers  freely,  and  in  ordinary  seasons  would 
be  placed  on  the  market  at  once.  The  owner,  however,  intends 
to  “  hold  ”  them  till  about  a  week  before  the  Coronation,  and 
he  has  little  doubt  that  such  fine  plants  will  then  be  eagerly 
snapped  up. 
Bedding  plants  have  met  with  a  quick  sale,  and  the  demand 
for  them  seems  likely  to  continue  to  a  much  later  date  than 
usual.  Cut  flowers  of  the  right  type,  and  especially  Roses  and 
Lilies,  will  be  keenly  sought  after,  and  anything  that  can  be 
done  during  the  next  fortnight  to  either  retard  or  forward 
them,  so  as  to  have  them  in  good  condition  just  in  the  “nick” 
of  time,  should  receive  special  attention.  Grapes,  Peaches,  and 
Tomatoes  will,  of  course,  be  in  great  request,  and  although  many 
growers  may  have  the  former  ripe  at  the  present  time,  it  seems 
highly  probable  that  better  prices  will  be  obtained  at  Coro¬ 
nation  time,  and  throughout  the  following  week,  than  now. 
Peaches  cannot,  unfortunately,  be  kept  long  after  they  are  ripe, 
unless  special  means  for  cold  storage  are  at  hand,  and  prices  have 
been  so  good  that  few  would  care  to  risk  anything  by  holding. 
Owing  to  the  recent  dull  and  cold  weather.  Tomatoes  have 
not  ripened  very  rapidly,  and  instead  of  picking  them  before 
they  are  well  coloured  as  many  growers  do,  it  will  certainly  bo 
wi.se  to  allow  them  to  hang  till  highly  coloured,  and  to  have,  as 
many  as  possible  in  that  condition  from  the  20th  to  the  26th  of 
June.  A  little  special  manure  applied  to  give  high  colour 
should  prove  a  profitable  practice,  as  at  these  festive  times  high 
