March  9,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OR  IIORTIGULTURE.  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
1 N) 
APPLES  FOP  PERTHSHIRE. 
In  a  county  so  large  in  extent,  so  diversified  in  physical  features, 
and  presenting  such  a  variety  of  soils  as  Perthshire,  it  is  obvious  that 
there  is  ample  scope  for  the  selection  of  varieties  of  Apples  for  culti¬ 
vation.  In  the  rich  alluvial  soils  which  prevail  in  the  lower  valleys 
Apples  are  extensively  grown,  and  where  intelligence  is  exercised 
excellent  crops  are  obtained.  This,  hc-wever,  is  the  exception,  not  the 
rule,  at  present  in  the  once  famous  orchards  in  the  Carse  of  Gowrie. 
During  the  past  two  decades,  or  probably  longer,  the  trees,  with  a 
few  exceptions,  have  been  left  to  take  care  of  themselves,  cutting  out 
a  dead  branch  here  and  there  being  the  only  pruning  (if  such  it  can 
be  called)  which  the  trees  get,  while  manuring  is  unknown.  The 
trees  are  old  and  debilitated,  and  in  consequence  of  pruning  being 
neglected  are  much  overcrowded.  This  further  impairs  the  fruitfulness 
of  the  trees  by  excluding  the  sun  and  air,  thereby  leaving  the  wood 
immature  and  liable  to  be  destroyed  by  frost.  Many  of  the  varieties 
are  also  inferior,  although  there  are  some — such  as  Irish  Green,  Tom 
Montgomery,  Catshead,  and  Winter  Strawberry — which  do  well  in 
favourable  seasons.  Lass  o’  Gow'rie  seems  to  be  admirably  adapted  to 
the  heavy  clay  soil  of  the  Carse,  and  is  probably  one  of  the  most 
profitable  market  varieties.  It  is  an  attractive  Apple,  and  when  not 
too  ripe  is  of  good  quality,  and  always  commands  a  high  price. 
Many  of  these  old-fashioned  sorts  have  by  lack  of  cultivation  degene¬ 
rated  into  mere  Crabs,  and  the  best  thing  that  can  be  done  is  to  have 
them  displaced  by  modern  varieties  which  are  knowm  to  succeed  satis¬ 
factorily  in  the  locality. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  Apple  culture,  intelligently  carried  out,  can 
be  made  a  remunerative  branch  of  farming  in  Perthshire.  If  the 
farmers  would  display  similar  sound  judgment  and  common  sense 
regarding  fruit  culture  to  that  they  do  in  the  cultivation  of  cereals  we 
should  soon  have  abundance  of  fruit  of  the  finest  quality.  The  soil 
and  the  climatic  conditions  in  many  parts  are  favourable  to  fruit 
farming;  all  that  is  necessary  are  rhen  educated  in.Pne  most  approved 
and  i)ractical  methods  of  cultivation. 
In  commencing  Apple  culture  the  selection  of  a  site  for  the  orchard 
is  the  chief  consideration.  That  which  has  a  southern  exposure  should 
preferably  be  sheltered  from  the  north  and  east  winds,  but  not  too  much 
enclosed  by  trees.  A  low  damp  situation  must,  if  possible,  be  avoided,  as 
trees  growing  in  such  a  position  are  liable  to  be  injured  by  late  spring 
frosts.  Therefore  a  slightly  rising  ground  is  to  be  preferred,  although 
many  orchards  in  the  Carse  of  Gowrie  are  only  25  feet  to  50  feet  above 
sea  level. 
Only  varieties  which  have  been  tried  in  the  district  and  proved 
satisfactory  should  be  selected.  We  do  not  think  it  advisable  to  plant 
a  large  number  of  sorts,  and  would  restrict  the  list  to  those  that  are 
of  excellent  quality  and  also  productive.  It  is  much  more  profitable 
to  grow  a  dozen  reliable  sorts  in  quantity  than  three  times  that 
number  the  greater  proportion  of  which  produce  nothing  but  leaves. 
Pruning  should  be  systematically  carried  out  from  the  start,  keeping 
the  main  branches  widely  apart  so  as  to  admit  a  maximum  of  sun  and 
air,  without  which  well  matured  wood  cannot  be  obtained.  This  is  a 
matter  of  vital  importance,  as  without  thoroughly  ripened  wood  sound 
Apples  of  high  quality  will  not  be  produced. 
Close-spur  pruning,  excepting  in  the  case  of  one  or  two  varieties* 
produces  the  most  satisfactory  results,  after  the  trees  have  attained  to 
fairly  large  dimensions.  In  a  young  state,  root-pruning  may  have  to 
be  practised  to  check  over-luxuriant  growth  and  to  bring  the  trees  into 
a  fruit-bearing  state.  After  they  have  come  into  full  bearing  heavy 
mulchings  of  farmyard  manure,  annually,  will  prove  beneficial. 
The  following  have  been  tested  in  various  localities  and  have 
proved  free-bearing  under  orchard  cultivation  in  the  form  of  dwarfs 
and  half-standards.  Varieties  for  culinary  purposes — Alfriston,  Annie 
Elizabeth,  Wellington,  Ecklinville  Seedling,  Ilawthornden,  Lord 
Suffield,  Stirling  Castle,  Warner’s  King,  Tower  of  Glamis,  Keswick 
Codlin,  Cellini,  Lord  Derby,  Lady  Henniker,  Bramley’s  Seedling, 
Lane’s  Prince  Albert,  Beauty  of  Kent,  Manks  Codlin,  and  Potts’ 
Seedling.  Regarding  dessert  varieties  a  smaller  choice  is  at  our 
disposal,  still  there  are  several  first-class  sorts  which  succeed  admirably, 
such  as  Irish  Peach,  Worcester  Pearmain,  King  of  the  Pippins,  Court 
Pendu  Plat,  and  Lady  Sudeley. 
In  numerous  private  gardens  throughout  Perthshire  the  cultivation 
of  the  Apple  is  extensively  and  successfully  accomplished.  The 
trees  are  grown  as  dwarfs  in  the  open  garden,  espaliers,  cordons,  fan 
and  horizontally  trained  trees  on  w’alls.  Under  these  varied  forms 
beautiful  and  high-class  fruits  are  produced  if  varieties  such  as  Duchess 
of  Oldenburg,  Peasgood’s  Nonesuch,  Bismarck,  Golden  Spire, 
Grenadier,  and  Rymer  are  chosen.  Several  dessert  Apples  are 
benefited  by  being  grown  on  walls,  notably  Ribston  Pippin,  Cox’s 
Orange  Pippin,  Red  Astrachan,  Kerry  Pippin,  Devonshire  Quarrenden, 
and  Fearu’s  Pippin. — Wm.  Littlk,  Bridge  of  Earn. 
I’HALiENOPsis  Mrs.  J.  H.  Veitch. 
The  Phatenopsis  that  was  shown  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday, 
14th  ult.,  under  the  name  of  Mrs.  Jas.  11.  Veitch,  by  the  Chelsea  firm 
of  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  was  very  distinct  and  peculiar  in 
structure,  as  may  be  gathered  from  a  glance  at  the  woodcut  (fig.  47). 
It  is  a  hybrid  that  resulted  from  a  cross  between  P.  Irnddemanniaua 
and  P.  Sanderiana,  the  former  being  the  pollen  parent.  The  sejials 
and  petals  are  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in  width,  and  are  yellow’ 
with  a  tinge  of  green,  and  covered  with  numerous  crimson  brown 
spots.  The  small  lip  is  white  on  the  front  lobe,  with  pale  yellow 
marked  with  crimson  purple  at  the  base;  the  side  lobes  are  w’hite  with. 
ITu.  47. — Phal^enopsis  Mrs.  Jas.  II.  Veitch. 
stripes  of  a  similar  colour  to  the  base.  The  Orchid  Committee  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  recommended  an  award  of  merit. 
Notes  on  Phaius. 
There  are  many  lovers  of  Orchids  who  have  not  a  house  to  devote 
to  their  culture,  and  to  those  who  desire  plants  that  will  thrive  in 
a  miscellaneous  collection,  Phaius  must  be  recommended.  They  are, 
with  one  or  two  exceptions,  of  easy  culture ;  they  have  noble  foliage, 
and  carry  stately  spikes,  and  even  when  not  in  ilower  are  ornamental. 
It  is  not  of  the  species  that  I  wish  to  speak,  although  all  will  repay 
the  attention  bestowed  upon  them,  but  of  the  hybrids  raised  from 
Phaius  tuberculosus  crossed  with  the  East  Indian  forms  which,  thanks 
to  the  skill  of  the  hybridiser,  combine  the  beauties  of  the  two  parents. 
First  we  have  P.  amabilis,  which  is  a  hybrid  between 
P.  grandifolius  X  P.  tuberculosus.  It  has  white  petals  tinged  with 
rose,  and  a  claret  coloured  lip.  Then  comes  perhaps  the  most 
beautiful  of  all,  P.  Cooksoni,  which  resulted  from  crossing  P.  Wallichi 
with  P.  tuberculosus,  and  is  intermediate  between  the  two  parents. 
P.  Marthse  is  a  hybrid  between  P.  Blumei  and  P.  tuberculosus; 
it  is  a  most  beautiful  variety.  The  new  P.  Normani  shows 
considerable  variation,  but  all  the  forms  are  valuable,  especially  some 
of  the  yellow  ones.  P.  Sanderianus  and  P.  tuberculosus  were  the 
parents. 
When  in  active  growth  Phaius  delight  in  abundance  of  heat 
and  moisture,  but  when  at  rest  they  may  be  placed  in  a  cooler  house, 
and  much  less  water  will  suffice.  The  compost  I  find  them  succeed 
well  in  is  two  parts  of  loam,  one  part  of  peat,  with  pieces  of  crocks 
about  the  size  of  hazel  nuts,  and  a  fair  sprinkling  of  coarse  sand. 
They  may  be  propagated  by  division,  but  whenever  they  are  repotted 
great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  give  any  water  till  the  roots  get  well 
hold  of  the  compost,  or  the  young  growths  are  apt  to  decay.  When 
growing  vigorously  a  little  weak  liquid  manure  will  do  them  no  harm. 
— J.  Barker,  Hessle. 
The  Future  of  Orchid  Growing. 
Judging  by  precedent,  the  time  must  come  sooner  or  later  when 
our  favourite  plant,  the  Orchid,  will  be  elbowed  out  by  some  new 
candidate  for  public  favour.  From  being  the  aristocratic  flowers  grown 
only  by  those  with,  long  purses,  they  have  become  everybody’s,  and. 
