ilarch  5,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
197 
( 
Zygopetalum  crlnitum  caeruleum. 
Our  figure  of  this  very  distinctive  form  of  the  type  was  secured 
at  the  Drill  Hall  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on 
Tuesday,  February  24,  Avhen  it  was  shown  by  Messrs.  Charles- 
worth  an  Co.,  of  Heaton,  Bradford.  Z.  crinitum  cserulum  is  one 
of  the  noblest  and  most  charming  representatives  of  its  class, 
and  those  who  know  Z.  crinitum  will  be  able  to  estimate  the 
merits  of  this  greatly  improved  variety.  It  has  both  size  and 
rich  colouring  in  its  favour.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  chocolate- 
brown  over  bright  emerald  green,  narrow  in  form,  and  spreading. 
The  large  lip  is  veined  with  bright  violet-purple  over  white, 
the  edge  being  also  white.  It  was  awarded  a  First  Class 
Certificate. 
Tlie  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
There  is  no  such  thing  in  Orchid  culture  as  perfect  immunity 
froni  insect  and  other  pests,  and  a  constant  war  has  to  be  waged 
against  them  to  keep  the  plants 
in  health.  Now  that  the  young 
growth  on  so  many  species  is 
advancing,  very  frequent  atten¬ 
tion  is  required,  for  when  once 
the  tender  leaves  are  marked  by 
thrips,  scale,  or  other  insects 
they  never  again  attain  the 
fresh,  healthy  appearance  they 
have  lost.  Fumigation  with  the 
modern  methods  now  in  vogue  is 
a  very  different  matter  to  the 
old  style  of  burning  tobacco, 
paper,  rags,  and  other  materials 
we  formerly  had  tO'  depend 
upon ;  but  even  now  the  work 
must  be  judiciously  carried  out, 
or  injury  may  accrue  to  the 
young  growths  mentioned  above. 
Light  vaporising  on  two  or 
three  nights  successively  is  far 
better  than  one  strong  dose.  A 
rather  higher  temperature  than 
usual  is  an  advantage  at  the 
time,  or  rather  before  the  opera¬ 
tion,  as  this  induces  the  insects 
to  leave  their  hiding  places  in 
the  enfolding  bases  of  the  leaves 
or  in  the  soil,  and  the  deadly 
fumes  reach  them  more  easily. 
Excepting  the  one  variety,  the 
stock-seed  scale,  this  family  is 
not  much  incommoded,  let  alone 
killed,  by  fumigation,  and  care¬ 
ful  sponging  of  the  plants  leaf 
by  leaf  is  the  only  safe  method 
of  extermination.  In  the  case  of  Cattleyas  and  other  plants 
that  the  small  white  scale  affects  so  much,  the  rhizomes  must  be 
searched,  and  a  pointed  stick  used  to  dislodge  them.  The  same 
method  is  necessary  for  the  small  brown  scale  that  attaches 
itself  so  tightly  to  Saccolabiums,  Vandas,  Cymbidiums,  and  other 
Orchids  of  this  class. 
Where  there  are  numbers  of  spikes  of  Oncidium,  Odonto- 
glossum,  or  Brassia  advancing,  aphides  are  often  troublesome. 
Fumigation,  of  course,  kills  these  insects  readily,  but  it  is  not 
always  convenient  to  fumigate,  and  if  a  small  piece  of  sponge 
is  kept  near  by  and  lightly  passed  over  the  spikes  daily,  these 
will  be  kept  clean  with  a  minimum  of  trouble.  If  allowed  to 
remain,  the  fly  over-runs  the  blossoms  at  once,  quite  marring 
their  beauty. 
In  the  Cattleya  house  the  spring-flowering  C.  Warneri  will 
be  active,  and  must  be  encouraged  by  frequent  moistening  and 
a  light  position.  The  little  spurious  growth  of  C.  dolosa,  too, 
upon  which  its  flowers  occur  will  soon  be  apparent,  and  this 
too  will  need  encouragement.  Lselia  purpurata  will  be  starting, 
and  I  have  always  noticed  that  plants  of  this  fine  species  kept 
dormant  until  now  are  more  healthy  and  free-flowering  than 
others  that  have  been  growing  in  winter.  C.  Mendeli  and  a 
few  others  are  advancing  for  flower,  while  C.  Percivaliana  and 
Ck  Trianse  are  getting  over,  and  should  be  treated  accordingly, 
the  former  encouraged,  the  latter  allowed  a  slight  rest  until 
■  growth  recommences. — H.  R.  R. 
Ornamental  Trees  and  Shrnbs. 
The  great  fault  of  most  shrubberies  is  too  thick  planting  and 
the  monotonous  repetition  of  a  few  things,  such  as  Lilacs,  Rhodo¬ 
dendrons,  and  Laurels.  The  first  consideration  in  the  laying 
out  of  a  shrubbery  is  the  preparation  of  the  ground.  This  should 
be  done  in  a  thorough  manner,  trenching  at  least  two  .spits  deep, 
at  the  same  time  incorporating  plenty  of  well  decayed  manure  and 
leaf  soil.  In  preparing  new  ground  I  should  prefer  to  bastard- 
trench  it ;  one  thus  avoids  bringing  the  raw,  unweathered  sub¬ 
soil  to  the  surface,  where  it  would  be  in  direct  contact  with  roots 
of  the  newly-planted  trees  and  shrubs.  Having  prepared  The 
ground,  the  plants  should  be  planted  in  bold,  irregular  masses, 
running  into  each  other,  taking  care  that  ample  space  is  left  for 
the  ultimate  development  of  each  individual  group.  At  the  same 
time,  plant  at  intervals  some  of  the  smaller  flowering  trees,  as 
the  smaller  Pyrus,  and  Prunus ;  also  some  of  small  fine-foliaged 
trees,  such  as  Aralia  spinosa.  The  above  is,  I  think,  a  much 
better  way  than  the  tiresome  repetition  of  single  plants  of  a. 
sort ;  the  resulting  nooks  and  bays  in  the  front  will  just  be  right 
for  groups  of  the  smaller  shrubs,  or  single  plants  of  some  of  the 
choicer  subjects.  Many  of  our  best  flow'ering  .shrubs  should  be 
given  a  position  on  the  lawn,  either  as  .single  specimens,  or  in 
beds  of  a  sort.  By  this  means  some  charming  effects  can  be 
obtained,  the  beds  being  carpeted  with  some  of  the  smaller  bulbs. 
To  give  one  in.stance,  a  beautiful  colour  effect  can  be  obtained 
with  a  good  bed  of  Forsythia  suspensa,  carpeted  with  Chionodoxa 
Luciliae.  Very  pretty  also  is  a 
good  planting  of  Lavender,  vdth 
the  pretty  autumn  flowering 
Crocus  zonatus. 
Among  the  Pyrus  family  we 
get  some  very  fine-flowering 
trees.  In  Pyrus  baocata  we  have 
a  beautiful  tree,  which  doubly 
repays  us  during  autumn  with 
a  brilliant  display  of  its  highly 
coloured  fruits.  We  must  by  no 
means  overlook  Pyrus  Botry- 
apium  (or  Amelanchier  cana¬ 
densis)  ;  it  is  one  of  the  earliest 
to  flower,  and  again  in  autumn 
its  dying  foliage  furnishes  choice 
colouring.  Or  what  again  could 
be  better  than  a  small  group  of 
Pyrus  floribunda,  or  some  of  its 
choice  varieties?  Pyrus  Maulei 
somewhat  resembles  Cydonia 
japonica,  but  is  a  better  subject 
for  massing;  it  is  not  so  strong 
growing,  and  its  beautiful  orange 
scarlet  flowers  are  smaller. 
During  autumn  its  crop  of 
golden  coloured  fruits  are  very 
attractive ;  they  are  beautifully 
perfumed,  and  make  an  excel¬ 
lent  jelly  or  conserve.  In  the 
wilder  parts  of  the  grounds 
Pyrus  Aucuparia,  the  Mountain 
Ash,  should  be  freely  planted 
for  the  sake  of  its  brilliant 
scarlet  fruit. 
In  the  genus  Prunus,  we  get 
several  very  choice  subjects,  .such  as  P.  divaricata,  which  during 
spring  is  a  mass  of  lovely  white  flowers ;  also  P.  Pissardi,  valuable 
alike  for  its  rich  coloured  foliage  and  lovely  pink  blossoms.  But 
possibly  the  best  is  Prunus  Davidiana  and  its  var.  alba.  P.  triloba, 
fl.  pi.,  makes  a  nice  shrub  in  the  open  bed  or  border,  but  is  seen 
to  best  advantage  when  grown  on  a  south  wall,  which  it  will 
cover  to  a  height  of  10ft,  and  when  its  long  arching  shoots  are 
wreathed  with  flowers  it  is  worth  going  some  distance  to  see. 
After  flowering,  it  should  be  cut  hard  back,  when  it  will  make 
long  shoots  which  next  season  will  be  wreathed  with  flowers.  I 
would  call  special  attention  to  this,  as  several  times  I  have  seen 
it  pruned  during  winter,  and  of  course  if  that  is  done  there  will 
be  no  blossom,  flowering  as  it  does  like  a  Peach,  on  the  previous 
year’s  wood.  A  good  group  of  P.  persica  vulgaris,  and  some  of  its 
fine  varieties,  should  be  planted  in  a  sheltered  position ;  they 
show  up  beautifully  against  a  dark  background  of  Yew  or  Holly. 
Robina  Pseud-acacia,  of  which  there  are  a  good  few  varieties 
is  a  tree  that  does  well,  and  should,  I  think,  be  more  largely 
used  for  street  planting  than  it  is,  for  it  will  thrive  in  poor, 
dry  soil  where  most  things  would  have  a  struggle  to  exi.st.  Robinia 
hispida  (Rose  Acacia)  is  very  pretty,  and  only  grows  about  12ft 
high,  but  should  have  a  sheltered  position,  as  its  branches  are 
very  brittle.  Another  pretty  Leguminous  tree  is  Sophora 
japonica,  producing  its  panicles  of  cream  coloured  flowers  during 
August  and  September.  Very  ornamental  also  is  the  Judas  tree, 
Cercis  siliquastrum. — J.  C. 
Zygopetalum  crinitum  ceeruleum. 
