January  26,  18&9. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
Cl 
DESSERT  APPLES. 
Fig.  12.— Cyprii’edium  Wottoni. 
Cypripedium  Wottoni. 
Tub  collection  of  Orcliicl.s  so  excellently  tended  by  Mr.  H.  J, 
Chapman  at  Cambridge  Lodge,  Camberwell,  for  K.  I.  Measures,  Esq., 
is  peculiarly  rich  in  Cypripediums,  mmy  of  which  are  hybrids  that 
iiavo  been  raised  there.  Naturally  the  older  species  and  varieties  are 
splendidly  represented,  and  we  have  on  more  than  one  occasion  had 
the  jdeasuro  of  examining  the  plants,  and  roproducinf;  some  of  the 
choicest  of  the  llowers.  It  must  not  be  thoaf;ht  that  Cypripediums 
are  the  only  Orchids  grown,  for  such  is  by  no  means  the  case,  as 
Masdevallias  are  supoerb,  while  Cvttleyas,  Loelias,  Odontoglossums, 
Dendrobiums,  and  others  are  little  if  any  inferior.  At  the  present 
moment,  however,  we  would  pdace  before  our  readers  a  representation 
of  Cypripedium  Wottoni  (fig.  12),  ta  which  the  Orchid 
Cjmmittce  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  recommended 
an  award  of  merit  on  November  8th  last.  As  a  glance  at 
the  woodcut  will  suffice  to  p>rove,  the  flower  is  singularly 
massive.  It  resulted  from  a  cross  between  C.  bellatulum 
and  C.  callosum.  The  dorsal  sepal  is  very  broad  and  sub¬ 
stantial,  the  colour  being  pale  claret  with  darker  veins, 
paling  gradually  towards  the  white  mirgin.  The  fine 
pouch  is  deep  claret,  while  the  petals  are  a  lighter  shade 
of  this  colour,  with  darker  suffusions  and  heavy  spots 
extending  from  the  base  to  the  cent’e. 
A  Floriferous  Cypripedium. 
Tliere  is  at  the  present  time  in  one  of  the  Orchid 
houses  at  Rangeiriore  a  Cypripedium  (named  provisionally 
VT'nubol)  bearing  six  flowers  on  one  spike,  five  fully  opien 
and  one  developing.  Can  any  of  your  readers  tell  me  if 
Kich  ^an  event  has  occurred  before  to  their  knowledge? 
I  know  it  is  nothing  unusual  for  a  plant  to  have  many 
flowcr.s  develop  one  at  a  lime,  such  as  on  C.  Sedeni,  but  I 
think  this  one  having  five  ilow'ers  opren  simultaneously 
must  bo  something  unusual. — J.  Law'son. 
nearly  enough  known  as  its  merits  deserve.  The  fruit  much  resembles 
King  of  Pippins  in  shape,  but  is  p)erhaps  brighter  in  colour,  while  the 
flavour  is  superior,  and,  what  is  more  important  than  all,  it  comes  in  at  a 
time  when  dessert  Apples  are  scarce — just  before  King  of  Pippins  is 
ready  and  after  Worcester  Poarmain  is  finished.  The  tree  is  an  upright 
grower,  a  point  in  its  favour  for  market  work,  as  it  can  be  planted 
closer  together  than  many  sorts'. 
Irish  Peach  1  do  rot  think  is  worthy  of  its  place  in  Mr.  Picker’s 
list ;  certainly  fur  market  I  have  found  it  quite  useless,  its  dull 
appearance  anl  soft  flesh  entirely  putting  it  out  of  the  question.  I 
should  replace  this  with  Devonshire  Quarrenden,  which  always  finds 
a  ready  sale  and  quick  consumption  at  the  homo  table. 
King  of  Tompkins’  County  growing  in  the  open  has  not  been  a 
success  with  me,  as  it  repeatedly  fails  to  give  anything  like  a 
reasonable  return.  I  hardl/  think  Dutch  Mignonne  is  good  enough 
in  quality  as  a  dessert  Apple.  I  should  replace  these  two  with 
Lady  Ilenniker  and  Claygate  Pearmain,  both  for  homo  use.  Ailing- 
ton  Pippin,  Gravenstein,  and  Trumpington  I  do  not  know  enough 
of  to  expiess  an  opinion. 
Saccodaijium  giganteum. 
This  pretty  and  interesting  jdant  has  again  flowered 
well  this  season,  and  the  dense  racemes  of  small  blooms 
have  a  bright  appearance  and  scent  the  house  wherein 
they  are  grown.  S.  giganteum  thrives  best  in  a  high 
temperature,  and  owing  to  the  largo  size  of  the  roots, 
fairly  roomy  pots  or  baskets  should  be  allowed,  these 
being  suspended  as  near  as  po.ssible  to  the  roof.  Nothing 
but  sphagnum  and  charcoal  iiord  be  used  as  compost,  and 
the  plants  must  bo  kept  in  a  medium  state  as  to  moisture 
while  the  flowers  are  open.  When  these  are  past  and 
the  plants  have  taken  a  slight  rest  they  commence  to  grow, 
and  increased  heat  and  moisture  are  required. — H.  R.  R. 
I  hardly  think  Mr.  Picker  is  as  fortunate  in  his  selection 
Con  page  4,  January  5th)  of  varieties  for  dessert  as  in  the  kitchen  section, 
lie  rightly  places  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin  at  the  head  of  the  list.  No 
Apple  rquals  it  for  flavour  ;  in  my  opinion  it  is  much  superior 
to  Ribston  Pippin,  which  is  in  many  instances  decidedly  dry.  Cox’s 
is,  as  a  rule,  a  constant  bearer,  except  perhaps  when  an  exceptionally 
heavy  crop  is  borne  on  the  trees  one  year,  it  is  much  lighter  the  next. 
VN  here  the  trees  are  large  it  is  not  alwa^'s  possible  to  thin  the  fruit, 
hence  some  weakening  must  take  place,  especially  if  stimulative  food 
is  not  freely  supplied.  In  no  form  does  this  Apple  succeed  better 
than  as  a  half-star.dard.  In  this  form  a  handsome  tree  is  made ; 
the  long  flowing  branches  sweep  the  ground  and  give  an  extremely 
wide  area  of  fruit-bearing  parts,  much  more  so  than  can  any  bush- 
grown  tree.  Where  space  is  available  ])lant  half-standards  and  allow 
the  trees  to  develop  freely  without  much  shortening  of  their  branches 
after  the  foundation  is  laid. 
Every  w’ord  of  what  Mr.  Picker  says  of  Worcester  Pearmain  is 
correct  in  my  ca  e  also.  The  quality  is  quite  third-rate,  but  people 
will  have  it  on  account  of  its  colour.  If  I  were  compelled  to  grow 
one  dessert  Apple  only  for  sale  I  should  select  this,  treat  it  freely,  and 
expect  satisfactory  results. 
Kerry  Pippin  is  much  too  small  m  my  opinion  for  either  home  use 
or  market ;  certainly  I  shouM  replace  this  with  Benoni,  which  is  not 
Blenheim  Pippin  I  consider  one  of  the  best  Ajoples  in  cultivation. 
When  established  as  a  standard  it  produces  a  crop  more  certainly 
perhaps  than  any  other  variety  grown.  I  u-ed  not  to  recommpd 
it  on  account  of  its  slow  growth  and  similar  fruit-producing  quality, 
but  having  had  twenty  years’  experience  with  trees  I  have  altered 
my  opinion,  and  now  recommend  it  always.  Deep  planting  in  strong 
soil  is  certain  to  je.sult  in  failure,  as  the  branches  become  affected  with 
canker.  Plant  on  the  surface  and  mound  around  it,  treat  liberally  at 
the  roots,  allow  the  growth  to  extend  freely,  but  thinly,  and  success 
with  this  Apple  is  certain  to  follow. — E.  Molyneux. 
Mr.  Picker  certainly  distinguishes  between  Apples  for  home  use 
and  for  market,  otherwise  some  varieties  which  he  mentions  on  page  4 
would  scarcely  have  found  a  place  in  his  selection.  But  a|)art  from 
those  included,  why  is  one  of  the  best  market  Apples  for  eating 
uncooked  omitted  ?  In  a  strong  tenacious  loam  in  which  Cox’s  ()rango 
Pippin  is  not  happy,  the  crimson-cheeked  Quarrenden  grows  and  bears 
as  well  as  Worcester  Pearmain,  and  the  fruits  find  acceptance  with 
general  consumers. 
Baumann’s  Winter  Reinette  is  approved  for  market,  no  doubt 
because  of  its  colour  and  easy  growth,  but  denounce  1  for  home  ufo 
