October  24,  1901. 
■JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
371 
Evergreen  Trees  and  Shrubs. 
Trichopilia  suavis. 
The  genus  Trichopilia  comprises  very  few  species,  and 
the  one  illustrated  on  this  page  is  the  best  known,  and  ofteuest 
to  be  found  in  a  flourishing  state  of  health.  All  of  the  species 
-are  dwarf  in  habit,  the  majority  producing  gaily  coloured 
flowers.  The  pseudo-bulbs  are  compressed,  and  bear  a  single 
leaf  on  the  top.  Peat  and  sphagnum  in  about  equal  parts 
form  the  soil  they  thrive  in.  The  flowers  of  T.  suavis  are 
large,  the  sepals  and  petals  being  narrow,  about  2  inches  long, 
and  are  nearly  straight.  The  lip 
is  large,  three-lobed,  the  side  lobes 
folded  over  the  column  and  form¬ 
ing  a  tube  2  inches  across,  crisped, 
•aud  wavy  at  the  tip.  The  lip  is 
white,  spotted  and  blotched  with 
•crimson,  and  stained  at  the  base 
with  orange  ;  petals  and  sepals 
white.  In  Costa  Rica  it  grows  on 
Oak  and  other  trees  at  an  elevation 
varying  from  5000  to  9000  ft.  It  was 
.introduced  over  fifty  years  ago. 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
The  present  is  a  capital  time  for 
=a  thorough  overhauling  of  the 
■Cattleya  house.  Most  of  the  re¬ 
potting  will  be  finished,  and  the 
majority  of  the  plants  will  have 
finished  their  growth,  and  all  that 
fis  wanted  to  prepare  them  for 
passing  the  winter  safely  is  a  good 
•cleaning  and  re-arrangement.  One 
of  the  greatest  pests  to  the  grower 
•of  Cattleyas  is  the  white  soft 
scale  that  often  infests  otherwise 
healthy  plants.  It  is  difficult  to 
fkill  entirely,  and  of  so  fecund  a 
nature  that  unless  the  work  of 
•cleaning  is  thoroughly  done  the 
plants  are  soon  as  bad  as  ever. 
It  has  a  liking  for  the  scaly 
parts  of  the  rhizomes,  the  sheath¬ 
ing  bases  of  the  leaves,  and  other 
parts  where  it  can  lie  unobserved, 
and  where  a  very  little  of  the 
water  reaches  it.  All  these  parts, 
'then,  must  come  in  for  special 
attention,  using  a  small  pointed 
•stick  to  those  places  where  the 
•sponge  will  not  reach,  but  carefully 
avoiding  puncture  or  abrasion  of 
•the  foliage.  Soft  water,  with  a 
lump  of  softsoap  as  large  as  a 
pigeon’s  egg  to  a  pailful,  is  as  good 
an  insecticide  as  any,  and  for  this 
special  purpose  better  than  many. 
The  entire  plant,  exclusive  of  the  roots,  should  be  dipped 
in  the  mixture  and  laid  on  its  side  to  drip  a  little,  this 
preventing  the  soapy  water  from  entering  the  compost. 
Keep  plenty  of  water  on  the  sponge  and  go  over  the  plant 
gently,  hard  rubbing  being  injurious.  When  all  the  insects 
have  been  removed  give  a  thorough  syringing  with  tepid 
water,  and  re-arrange  the  plants,  the  stages  and  pots  having 
meanwhile  been  cleaned.  A  light  fumigation  may  be  given  on 
two  successive  evenings  with  XL- All  or  other  good  fumigator. 
The  present  mild  weather  is  all  in  favour  of  Orchids,  but 
directly  there  are  signs  of  a  change  to  colder  nights  the 
Masdevallias  of  the  Chimaera  section  should  be  taken  from  the 
coolest  house,  and  suspended  near  the  glass  in  the  intermediate 
house.  Other  species  that  like  this  slightly  higher  winter 
temperature  are  Odontoglossums  of  the  grande  and  similar 
sections,  Sophronitis  grandiflora  and  S.  cernua,  Trichosraa 
suavis,  Pilumna  fragrans,  and  several  of  the  Miltonias  and 
Maxillarias.  See  that  all  are  clean  before  they  are  placed 
-among  heat-loving  species,  the  Miltonias  and  Masdevallias 
'being  especially  liable  to  insect  attacks. — H.  R.  R. 
TEICIIOPILIA  SUAVIS. 
Judging  from  the  small  number  of  evergreen  species  of  trees 
and  shrubs  used  to  any  great  extent  for  decorative  work,  the 
large  number  suitable  for  the  purpose  cannot  be  any  too  well 
known.  The  commonest  subjects  seen  are  the  Laurel,  Box, 
Aucuba,  and  Holly-leaved  Berberis,  but  even  of  these  ubiquitous 
plants  there  are  good  forms  and  varieties  that  are  rarely  seen. 
In  the  midst  of  the  planting  season  it  may  not  be  out  of  place 
to  bring  before  readers  of  the  Journal  a  number  of  these 
neglected  plants,  many  of  which  combine  with  their  value  as 
evergreens  the  virtue  of  being  excellent  flowering  subjects. 
With  the  exception  of  peat-loving  plants,  which  will  be 
mentioned  separately,  all  will  grow  in  any  good  garden  soil, 
and  require  no  more  attention  than  things  usually  met  with. 
The  Bamboos  alone  furnish  a  goodly  number  of  excellent 
subjects,  and  providing  they  are 
sheltered  from  cold  winds  are 
valuable  alike  for  isolated  speci¬ 
mens,  groups  in  the  shrubbery,  or 
for  forming  a  separate  garden.  In 
whichever  way  they  are  used  they 
form  a  distinct  feature,  their 
wand-like  shoots  makicg  a  strik¬ 
ing  contrast  to  anything  else  in 
the  garden.  Given  good  soil, 
plenty  of  water  in  summer,  and 
protection  from  cold  winds,  their 
emerald-green  leaves  retain  their 
healthy  appearance  until  new 
growth  commences  in  April.  There 
are  upwards  of  forty  species  to 
select  from,  varying  in  habit  from 
the  tall  upright  growing  Arundi- 
naria  Simoni  and  Phyllostachys 
mitis,  to  the  dense  clusters  of 
arching  shoots  of  P.  viridi- 
glaucescens,  nigra,  flexuosa,  Arun- 
dinaria  nitida,  Ac.,  and  from  the 
distinct  spreading  habit  of  A. 
anceps  to  the  dense  masses  of  thin 
shoots  formed  by  Bambusa  pal- 
mata  and  tesselata,  the  two  largest 
leaved  of  the  group,  and  again  to 
the  dwarf  carpet-hke  masses  of 
Bambusa  pygmgea,  Arundinaria 
pumila,  &c.,  each  and  all  possessing 
its  own  style  of  beauty,  which  is 
enhanced  by  contrast  with  its 
neighbour. 
The  Chilian  Azara  microphylla 
forms  a  pretry  and  graceful  plant, 
its  elegant  shoots  clothed  with 
small  deep  green  leaves  being 
very  effective.  When  young  a  little 
protection  during  severe  frost  is 
necessary  ;  later  in  life  it  is  hardy. 
It  may  be  grown  upwards  of 
15  feet  in  height.  Ocher  species 
of  the  same  genus  are  A.  dentata 
and  integrifolia.  Several  species 
of  Berberis  combine  the  qualities 
of  evergreen  and  good  flowering  plants.  The  most  noticeable 
are  B.  aquifolium,  buxifolia,  Darwini,  Fortunei,  stenophylla, 
and  nepalensis.  Buxus  sempervirens  is  often  seen  in  gardens, 
but  not  so  many  of  its  varieties.  Of  these  argentea,  aurea 
maculata,  elegantissima,  latifolia,  longifolia,  myosotifolia, 
myrtifolia,  and  pendula  are  worthy  representatives.  In 
addition,  the  large-leaved  Himalayan  B.  \\  allichiana.  and 
B.  balearica  from  the  Balearic  Islands  are  useful  and  distinct. 
The  Ivy  furnishes  a  great  number  of  varieties,  diffei’ing 
greatly  in  habit.  The  tree  forms,  whether  green  or  variegated, 
make  good  groups,  while  the  trailing  forms  are  handsome 
alike  on  walls,  on  poles,  or  covering  large  tree  roots.  The 
Holly  is  represented  by  a  large  and  varied  number  of  forms 
of  Ilex  aquifolium,  and  also  by  such  distinct  species  as  I. 
cornuta,  crenata,  Dahoon,  and  latifolia.  Ligustrums  coriaceum, 
japonicum,  and  lucidum  are  worthy  a  place,  while  such^things 
as  the  fruiting  forms  of  Aucuba,  Garrya  elliptica,  the  Rock 
Roses,”  Magnolia  grandiflora,  Skimmias,  Rhamnus  alaternus, 
Empetrum  nigrum,  several  Genistas,  Cassinia  fulvida,  species  of 
Lonicera,  and  Evergreen  Oaks  may  be  utilised.  — W .  Dallimore. 
