June  29,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  EORTIGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
535 
only  make  a  fine  display,  but  last  in  flower  over  a  very  long  season. 
In  the  cool  house,  scandent  flowered  group,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
name  the  popular  and  beautiful  0.  macranthum  and  its  many  allies. 
Few  other  genera  can  be  said  to  contain  such  varied  and  useful 
species,  and  as  by  far  the  larger  number  of  these  are  of  easy 
Fig.  120. — Odontoglossum  Adrians  Ashworthianum. 
culture  no  other  is  to  be  so  strongly  recommended  to  the  amateur  or 
beginner  in  Orchid  culture.  Coming  as  they  do  from  such  a  wide 
expanse  of  country  no  system  of  procedure  can  be  laid  down  for  all 
alike,  but  notes  on  the  most  popular  kinds  frequently  appear  in  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture.  Geographically,  Oncidiuras  cover  very 
much  of  the  same  ground  as  Epidendrums,  and  in  Linnaeus’  time  the 
few  species  then  known  were  classed,  as  were  all  known  exotic  kinds, 
an  the  latter  genus. — H.  R.  R. 
TROP.EOLUM  SPECIOSUM. 
I  WAS  in  a  wonderfully  lovely  Surrey  garden  recently,  one  I  may  not 
name,  where  Tropaeolum  speciosum,  the  famous  Flame  Flower,  had 
beside  the  north  wall  of  the  mansion  and  in  other  places  become  a  weed, 
and  gave  no  end  of  trouble  to  keep  it  restricted.  It  was  a  few  years  since 
established  by  planting  roots.  I  brought  away  some  pieces  of  root  and 
growth,  and  have  planted  them  in  my  back  yard  beneath  a  north  fence, 
but  fear  I  may  not  indu-’e  it  to  grow  ;  the  change,  from  a  sweet  sandy 
loam  in  a  very  lofty  garden  in  the  purest  air,  to  our  Kingston  atmosphere 
is  so  great.  In  the  country  garden  on  nets  hung  on  wires  fixed  to  the  walls 
the  stems  will  run  up  to  a  height  of  15  feet  and  become  a  glorious  mass  of 
scarlet  flowers.  It  is  evident,  judging  by  this  case,  that  given  shade,  cool 
temperature,  suitable  soil,  and  a  sweet  atmosphere  the  FJame  Flower  is  not 
difficult  to  establish  by  roots. — A.  D. 
I  HAVE  been  interested  in  the  various  notes  on  this  beautiful  creeper 
lately  appearing  in  your  columns.  I  have  never  had  any  difficulty  in 
■establishing  it  in  shady  places  in  the  south  (Mid-Sussex).  On  several 
occasions  I  procured  roots  from  a  parson’s  garden  about  two  miles  from 
the  sea  in  Banffshire,  where  the  gardener,  thirty  years  ago,  had  more 
than  he  w  anted  of  it,  speaking  of  it  as  “  that  confounded  weed.” 
On  receiving  the  roots  I  cut  or  break  them  into  pieces  about  2  or 
S  inches  long,  and  lay  thtm  on  the  soil  in  5-inch  pots  two-thirds  filled, 
and  cover  with  an  inch  of  soil.  The  pots  are  stood  in  any  cool  house  or 
frame  and  kept  moist.  They  will,  treated  thus,  appear  above  the  soil 
some  weeks  earlier,  and  should  have  some  twigs  placed  in  the  pots  for 
them  to  cling  to.  I  place  out  early  in  May,  the  plants  then  generally  being 
fi  or  8  inches  above  the  soil.  Some  that  were  treated  in  this  way  last 
spring  grew  to  the  top  of  a  9  foot  wall  (north  aspect),  and  bloomed  in 
September.  Last  year’s  growth  survived  the  winter  and  started  afresh 
4  and  5  feet  from  the  ground,  and  in  a  short  time  will  be  a  mass  of  bloom. 
Some  few  pieces  of  roots  planted  by  the  side  of  my  cottage  last  March  are 
•only  now  making  their  appearance,  which  shows  what  an  advantage  there 
is  in  giving  them  a  start  in  pots.  My  experience  is  that  this  plant  does 
best  in  a  free,  open  soil,  and  where  there  is  no  danger  of  stagnant  water 
about  its  roots. — R.  I. 
“Familiar  Wild  Flowers.” — This  useful  book  has  now  reached 
midstream,  and  we  still  find  the  same  general  excellence  in  text  and 
•coloured  plates.  Parts  12  and  13  comprise  Yarrow,  Charlock,  Forget- 
me-not,  yellow  Loosestrife,  Coltsfoot,  Stonecrop  or  IVall  Pepper,  Fever¬ 
few,  yellow  or  Mountain  Poppy,  Wall  Pennywort,  Pimpernel,  Corn 
Marigold,  Kidney  Vetch,  Sainloin,  Nipplewort,  common  Rock  Rose, 
Moneywort,  Field  Scabious,  yellow  Water  Lily,  Meadow  Saxifrage, 
and  Thrift. 
SHOWS. 
OXFORD. — June  20th. 
The  annual  show  of  the  Royal  Oxfordshire  Horticultural  Society  was 
held  in  the  beautiful  gardens  of  Trinity  College.  Instead  of  single  or 
sets  of  specimens,  groups  covering  a  specified  number  of  superficial  feet 
have  been  substituted  this  year  in  the  framing  of  the  Oxford  schedule, 
and  appear  to  meet  the  popular  taste.  The  plants,  flowers,  fand  fruit 
filled  two  large  tents,  representing  an  area  of  something  like  5000  super¬ 
ficial  feet  of  staging  space,  the  whole  of  the  vegetables  being  ranged 
outside  on  the  shady  side  of  the  south  lawn.  The  exhibition  was  regarded 
(says  the  “  Oxford  Chronicle  ”)  as  altogether  superior  to  any  held  in 
recent  years,  the  non-competitive  exhibits  greatly  conducing  to  that  end. 
Among  the  specially  noticeable  productions  was  the  180  feet  of 
tabling  filled  with  rare  and  choice  plants  from  the  Chelsea  nurseries  of 
J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  the  collection  embracing  good  examples  of  Gloxinias,  the 
yellow Calla  Elliottiana,  Acalypha  hispida,  Caladiums,  Draemnas,  Strepto- 
carpus.  Crotons,  Nidulariums,  and  Orchids,  first-class  certificates  being 
awarded  to  a  collection  of  blooms  of  the  Rhododendron  javanico-jasmini- 
florum.  The  above  were  included  in  the  group  to  which  a  very  high 
cultural  commendation  was  awarded.  Messrs.  Tucker  &  Sons  staged  several 
floral  designs,  and  were  commended  ;  the  Oxford  Fruit  and  Nursery 
Company,  wreaths  and  other  designs  of  cut  flowers,  and  Messrs.  Perry, 
Banbury,  exhibited  bouquets  and  wreaths.  Messrs.  E.  Webb  and 
Sons  showed  Sweet  Peas  arranged  in  neat  vases.  Mr.  C.  Turner, 
Royal  Nurseries,  Slough,  sent  a  collection  of  named  seedling  border 
Carnations,  securing  a  cultural  commendation.  Mr.  T.  Whillans,  Blenheim 
Palace  Gardens,  presented  Malmairon  Carnations,  and  a  si  edling  variety 
named  Oxford  Yeoman  of  a  deep  crimson  colour.  A  double  white 
tuberous  Begonia  was  staged  by  Mr.  F.  Clarke,  gardener  to  Mr.  M. 
Wootten,  Cross  Ways,  ot  a  snow  white  colour,  circular  outline;  an 
attractive  flower  raised  by  the  exhibitor. 
In  the  competition  open  to  all  England,  the  groups  of  stove  and 
greenhouse  plants,  arranged  for  effect,  proved  centres  of  much  attraction, 
the  allotted  area,  220  feet,  being  tastefully  set  out  with  rare  and  valuable 
plants,  the  £12  prize  going  to  Mr.  Cypher,  Cheltenham,  whose 
arrangement  comprised  a  large  central  Kentia,  surrounded  by  Bamboos, 
neat  Cocos,  Aralias,  and  flnely  coloured  Crotons,  the  outer  portions  of 
the  design  forming  four  arches,  on  which  were  arranged  Orchids  and 
fine-foliage  plants,  with  a  groundwork  of  Ferns,  Orchids,  Crotons, 
and  Tuberoses.  The  second  prize  group,  from  Leamington,  was  well 
furnished  with  choice  plants,  and  possessed  a  large  amount  of  artistic 
skill.  Groups  of  (Orchids,  filling  72  feet  superficial,  were  immensely 
attractive,  Mr.  Cypher  leading,  the  chief  kinds  being  Lmlias  purpurata 
and  tenebrosa,  Cattleyas  Meudeli  and  Mossise,  Oncidium  sarcodes. 
Fig.  121.— Odontoglossum  crispum  augustum. 
Odontoglossum  crispum,  0.  Pescatorei.  Miltonia  vexillarium,  and 
Dendrobiiim  Dalhousianum.  Mr.  Bever’s  second  prize  exhibit  was  a 
lovelv  collection  of  choice  forms. 
The  displays  of  Roses  were  generally  admired,  the  taste  observable 
in  the  group  sent  from  Blenheim  Gardens  being  most  noteworthy.  The 
second  and  third  cards  fell  to  very  attractive  arrangements  largely  com- 
fiosed  ol  Tea  Rose  buds.  Tuberous  Begonias  were  shown  best  by  Mr. 
Johnson  of  Garsington,  whose  group,  covering  96  superficial  feet,  was 
notable  for  the  general  good  quality  of  the  blooms  and  bright  colours. 
The  tables  "‘decorated  and  laid  as  for  dinner”  proved  a  good  class,  the 
premier  arrangement,  having  a  miniature  Cocos  as  a  centre,  pale  rose- 
coloured  Sweet  Peas  and  grass  with  trailing  Smilax ;  the  second  card 
went  to  a  very  thowy  design,  its  centre  a  neat  feathery  Cocos  set  in  a 
mound  of  Orchid  blooms.  Rose  buds,  and  Fern  fronds  ;  the  third  prize 
being  a  pretty  arrangement  of  yellow  Spanish  Iris. 
