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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  26,  1902. 
undoubtedly  be  fraught  Avith  far-reaching  consequences  in 
the  future,  and  the  beginning  of  a  reign  ushered  in  Avith  so 
many  propitious  circumstances  should  augur  aaoU  for  our 
future  peace  and  prosperity.  The  ceremony  of  Coronation 
Avill  doubtless  be  both  solemn  and  impressive,  and  the  subse¬ 
quent  pageant  one  calculated  to  engender  spontaneous  pa¬ 
triotism,  as  Avell  as  to  shoAv  the  resources  of  the  Empire. 
I  think  it  may  be  truthfully  said  that  gardeners,  as  a 
body,  are  cupable  of  taking  a  broad  vieAv  of  things  in  general, 
as  they  are  habitually  inclined  to  look  forAvard  and  grasp  the 
significance  of  passing  events.  Many  avIio  pursue  our  ancient 
aiv  Avill  doubtless  SAvell  the  stream  of  sightseers,  and  among 
the  millions  avIio  stand  in  London  to-day  none  Avill  be  more 
loyal  and  enthusiastic  than  the  gardeners  of  Britain.  Hosts 
of  gardeners  Avill  necessarily  be  kept  at  home,  on  account  of 
the  fe,stivities  Avhich  Avill  take  place  on  the  estates,  or  in  the 
districts  in  Avhich  they  reside,  and  many  of  them  on  such 
occasions  prove  a  tOAver  of  strength  in  carrying  out  the  ar¬ 
rangements,  and  by  providing  suitable  decorations  adding 
to  the  enjoyment  of  the  hour.  The  decorations  along  the 
principal  streets  of  the  Metropolis  Avill,  of  course,  be  on  an 
elaborate  scale,  and  as  extraordinary  efforts  have  been  made 
to  create  distinct  features,  and  make  each  a  real  Avork  of 
art,  those  gardeners  Avho  are  able  to  see  them  Avill  have  the 
opportunity  of  carrying  into  various  parts  of  the  country 
many  neAv  ideas  in  connection  Avith  such  Avork.  For  this 
reason  it  is  a  pity  that  every  gardener  cannot  see  some  of  the 
best  examples  of  the  Avork.  Perhaps  the  editor  of  “  Our 
Journal  ”  (Avhich  is  essentially  a  gardeners’  paper)  A\dll,  in  an 
early  issue,  be  able  to  giv'e  us  a  minute  description  of  some 
of  the  acknoAA'ledged  triumphs  as  seen  on  Coronation  Day, 
King  Edward  VIL  and  Queen  Alexandra  are  generous 
patrons  of  horticulture,  and  Avherever  tney  have  taken  up 
their  abode,  there  has  gardening  expanded  and  progressed. 
Great  as  the  reputations  of  the  gardeners  connected  Avith 
Windsor  Castle  have  been  in  the  past,  their  fame  Avill 
assuredly  be  increased  in  the  future.  When  Royalty  sets 
the  fashion  in  this  respect,  progress  and  advancement  are 
the  order  of  the  day  throughout  the  land,  and  Av-hen  this  is 
taken  in  conjunction  Avith  the  more  prosperous  times  which 
seem  at  hand,  gardening  must  inevitably  be  stimulated  in  a 
marked  degree,  and,  let  us  hope,  the  prospects  of  gardeners 
correspondingly  increased. 
To  men,  Avomen,  and  children  of  every  class  Coronation 
Day  should  bring  thoughts  of  wonder  and  aOmiration,  as  well 
as  thankfulness,  for  is  it  not  patent  to  all  hoAv  small  a  speck 
is  Britain  when  traced  upon  the  map  of  the  Avorld  1  yet  from 
this  sea-girt  land  have  gone  forth  sons  and  daughters,  who 
have  founded  colonies  in  almost  every  quarter  of  the  globe. 
These  have  so  flourished  that  to-day  they  stand  in  solid  unity, 
and  form  an  Empire  which  for  vastness,  strength,  and  equity 
the  world  has  never  before  seen.  A  great  prayer  should  go 
up  that  a  reign  which  begins  amid  so  many  splendid  advan¬ 
tages  should,  before  its  close,  carry  us  onward  to  still  higher 
ideals.  When  the  shouts  of  ‘‘  God  Save  the  King  !”  have  died 
away,  let  us  all  remember  Ave  are  children  of  the  Empire, 
who  have  our  parts  to  play  in  moulding  its  Liture  course. 
Let  us  therefore  “  press  onAvaixl.”— A  Loyal  Subject. 
[Many  of  the  above  expressions  still  hold  good  despite  the 
lamentable  illness  of  the  King  and  the  postponement  of  the 
Coronation,  except  that  referring  to  the  reproduction  of 
the  decorations,  which  Avere  not  completed. — Ed.] 
Plas-y-Bryn,  near  Carnarvon. 
At  this  place  the  Strawberries  are  Avortli  seeing,  niany  fruits 
measuring  Tin  round,  and  are  beautifully  finished.  They  are 
the  finest  I  have  eA'er  seen  in  pots,  and  the  variety  is  Royal 
Sovereign.  In  the  Peach  house  there  is  quite  a  display  of 
Cinerarias,  about  100  plants  in  all,  each  Avell  groAvn,  and  many 
have  heads  of  bloom  15in  and  18in  across.  These  are  from 
Messrs.  Sutton’s  strain.  The  ncAv  flower  garden  with  fountain 
is  a  great  improvement.  The  beds  are  gay,  and  contained 
Hyacinths  and  Tulips  in  May.  Although  it  is  only  a  little  over 
twelve  months  since  Mr.  G.  Tyler  took  charge  of  this  place 
there  has  been  a  great  improvement  all  round,  the  shrubberies 
having  been  seen  to  and  the  commoner  trees  taken  aAvay  to  give 
light  and  air  to  others.  Abies  Douglasi  is  doing  well,  and  is 
shown  off  to  an  advantage  by  the  side  of  a  neAV  Avalk.  In  the 
fi'uit  room  are  still  fine  examples  of  Lane’s  Prince  Albert,  Bram- 
ley’s  Seedling,  and  Wareham  Russet  Apples.  Anyone  intere.sted 
in  gardening  would  not  regret  visiting  Plas-y-Bryn,  which  Mrs. 
J.  W.  Jones  takes  a  deep  interest  in. — Welsher. 
Phalaenopsis  Schilleriana, 
With  reference  to  the  splendidly  floAvered  sx^ecimen  of 
Phaltenoijsis  Schilleriana  figured  on  the  opposite  page,  “  M .  G.” 
Avritesi:  “It  has  occuried  to  me  that  the  lAhotcgraph  of  a.  fine 
specimen  of  Phaltenopsis  Schilleriana,  Avhen  groAvn  by  Mr.  Fred 
Schobs,  of  Brooklyn,  N.Y.  State,  some  thirteen  years  ago,  AA'ould 
be  sufficiently  interesting  for  rein'oduction  in  the  Journal.  Mr. 
Schobs  Avas  one  of  the  leading  Orchid  owners  of  Isew  York,  and 
Avas  designated  the  Partington  of  America.  Ihe  plants  Avere 
only  three  years  old  Avhen  the  photographs  Avere  taken,  and 
the  luxuriance  of  the  plants  practically  demonstrates  the 
beneficent  use  of  liquid  coav  manure,  AA’hich  AA'as  freely  applied 
when  they  were  in  an  actic'c  groAving  state.  One  of  the  plant’s 
floAver  .spikes  was  3ft  in  height.  Some  of  the  leaves  were  15in 
long,  and  of  robust  substance.  The  photographic  reproduction 
alone,  hoAvever,  sufficiently  portrays  the  extraordinary  vigour 
and  floriferousness  of  the  specimens  in  question.  Several  years 
ago  Mr.  Gardiner  retired  from  the  profession,  and  is  enjoying 
a°Av ell-earned  increment,  cum  otium  dignitate,  at  Worthing, 
Sussex. 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
It  has  been  difficult  of  late,  OAving  to  the  cold  damp  Aveather, 
to  keex>  up  the  brisk,  buoyant  heat  in  the  East  Indian  house 
that  PhalsenoxAsis  and  similar  Orchids  delight  in.  Although  in 
most  cases  Ave  have  to  shut  out  the  sun  by  means  of  blinds,  yet 
the  atmosphere  is  never  the  same  in  dull  or  Avet  Aveather,  fire 
heat  not  seiwing  the  same  purpose  by  any  means.  .4t  the  timc'^ 
of  wwiting  there  seems  a  probability  of  brighter  AA'eather,  and  if 
this  comes,  an  improA’cment  in  condition  Avill  soon  be  manifest. 
On  bright  sunny  mornings  the  A'entilators  .should  be  opened 
very  early  in  order  to  change  the  air,  and  the  fires  kept  low. 
When  the  temx>erature  has  risen  a  fcAv  degrees  from  that  of  the 
night  the  house  sIioiaIcI  be  thoroughly  damped,  floor,  stages. 
Avails,  and  all  dry  places  coming  in  for  a  good  soaking.  A  nice, 
genial,  groAving  atmosphere  is  thus  set  up  early  in  the  day,  re- 
fre.shing  and  stimulating  to  the  plants,  and  helping  them  to 
Avithstand  a  drier  aitmosphere  .should  this  be  unavoidable  later 
in  the  day.  As  the  heat  ri.se.s  the  ventilation  must  be  increased, 
so  that  by  or  near  ten  o’clock  the  maximum  for  the  day  is 
reached,  the  blinds  having  mGanAvhile  been  loAvered  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  house. 
There  may  .still  be  a  little  repotting  and  top-dressing  to  see 
to  in  this  house,  but  it  should  not  much  longer  be  delayed. 
Plants  disturbed  at  the  roots  after  this  do  not  again  become 
Avell  established  before  autumn,  and  consequently  are  apt  to 
suffer  in  winter.  All  the  small  groAving  Angraecums,  such  as 
A.  modestum,  the  dAvarf  Sacoolabiums,  Sarcanthuses,  and 
others,  should  have  the  benefit  of  the  lightest  part  of  the  house, 
being  suspended  near  the  glass  in  ba..skets.  The  lower  stages 
may  be  given  ux>  to  larger  groAving  tropical  kinds,  such  as 
Angraecum  sesquipedale  and  various  Aerides  and  Vandas. 
Any  of  the  latter  that  have  become  lanky  and  bare  of  leaves 
at  the  bottom  may  be  improved  by  being  cut  off  just  at  a  suitable 
height  and  replanted  in  sphagnum  and  charcoal.  Many  groAvers 
do  this  annually  Avith  Vanda  teres  and  O.  Hookeriana..  But  in 
cases  Avhere  a  less  drastic  mode  is  desired  the  same  effect  can 
be  attained  by  loAvering  the  ijlants  in  the  pot  and  mos.sing  the 
stems  higher.  "  This  has  often  the  effect  of  cau.sing  neAv  rootts  and 
sometimes  groAvth  shoots  from  the  old  and  lately  barren  stems. — 
H.  R.  R. 
- - 
Lavender  Culture. 
The  introduction  of  Lavender  into  England  is  due  to  the 
Huguenot  refugees,  Avho  settled  in  the  valley  of  the  Wandle; 
and  Lavender  Hill,  Lavender  SAveep,  and  Lavender  Road,  in  the 
neighboiArhood  of  WandsAvorth,  London,  attest  the  popularity 
of  the  plant.  It  is  still  largely  cultiAmted  in  Mitcham,  Carshal- 
ton,  Wallington,  and  Beddington,  but  all  Surrey  Lavender  comes 
under  the  name  of  INIitcham  Lavender.  English  LaA'ender  com¬ 
mands  the  be.st  price  in  the  market,  but  it  fluctuates  considerably. 
It  has  been  doAvn  as  Ioav  as  29s.  per  lb,  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
it  has  been  sold  at  54s.,  and,  indeed,  has  reached  the  high  ijrice 
of  200s.  per  lb. 
