-May  14,  19C3. 
JOURNAL  GF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
421 
The  Week's  Cultural  Notes. 
May  has  ahvays  been  regarded  as  the  month  of  flowers,  and  it 
may  also  with  justice  be  termed  the  month  of  Orchids,  for  at  no 
other  time  are  so  many  beautiful  subjects  at  their  best.  This 
naturally  calls  attention  to  the  care  of  the  plants  while  in 
blossom  and  the  conservation  of  the  flowers.  It  is  not  always 
wise  to  keep  the  latter  until  they  fade  upon  the  plants  for  reasons 
I  have  given  before  ;  but  that  is  no  reason  why  they  should  be 
spoilt  by  an  improper  atmosphere,  for  when  they  have  reached  the 
^stage  that  they  may  not  longer  be  left  upon  the  plants  without 
injury,  they  may  be  cut  and  enjoyed  in  this  state. 
In  mcst  moderately  large  collections  there  is  a  flowering 
house  set  apart  for  their  reception,  this  being  kept  bright  with 
other  subjects  when  Orchids  are  scarce.  In  such  structures  the 
trouble  of  keeping  the  atmosphere  correct  is  much  less  than  in 
others  where  they  have  to  grow  and  flower  in  the  same  house. 
Yet  every  position  has  its  advantages,  and  the  plants  are  far  less 
likely  to  come  tO'  harm  in  their  growing  quarters  than  if  removed 
from  them  at  a  time  when  their  energies  are  reduced  to  a  low  ebb 
by  the  strain  of  producing  their  lovely  blossoms. 
Some  species  are  more  liable  to  injury  than  others  through 
having  the  flowers  left  on  until  they  fade.  An  instance  occur¬ 
ring  to  my  mind  is  Oncidium  macranthum.  Indeed,  one  might 
say  any  of  the  section  of  which  this  is  the  best  known  species. 
Months  are  taken  to  produce  the  long  branching  spikes,  spikes 
which,  by  the  way,  are  often  ruined  in  appearance  by  being 
twisted  around  stakes  in  the  pots  instead  of  being  given  perfect 
freedom.  Then  when  they  bloom  the  strain  is  intensified,  and  is 
.shown  by  the  rapidly-shrivelling  pseudo-bulbs.  The  worst  of  it  is 
that  the  spikes,  when  cut  entire,  will  only  last  a  few  days,  and 
consequently  cannot  be  used  in  their  true  form  for  decoration ; 
but  the  smaller  branchlets  may  be  cut  off,  and  are  excellent  in 
this  way,  lasting  for  several  weeks. 
Imported  Odontoglossums  again  often  throw  up  very  large 
spikes  before  the  plants  are  properly  established.  These,  if 
allowed  to  remain,  would  simply  kill  the  plants  outright,  but  as 
one  naturally  likes  to  .see  the  variety  the  flowers  should  be  re¬ 
duced  to  two  or,  at  most,  three  on  the  spike.  Strong  and  well- 
established  plants,  on  the  other  hand,  e.specially  of  such  kinds  as 
Cattleya  or  Lselias,  may  be  allowed  to  remain  in  bloom  until  the 
flowers  die  off  naturally. — H.  R.  R. 
Phalaenopsis  Youngi. 
This  charming  Orchid  received  a  first-o]a.ss  certificate  in  1895 
when  exhibited  by  Baron  Schroder.  It  is  a  splendid  variety,  with 
broad,  dull  white  petals,  wliich  are  slightly  fringed  with  a  pleas¬ 
ing  rose  hue  at  the  ba.se.  The  upper  sepal  of  the  flower  is  of 
the  same  colour,  while  the  lower  are  of  a  vei'y  pale  rose-maroon 
thickly  covered  with  spots.  Pure  white  and  heavily  spotted  deep 
rO'Se,  forms  the  ground  colour  of  the  lip.  The  flower  is  of  splendid 
form,  and  one  of  the  most  pleasing  of  the  Phalsenopses. 
Terrestrial  Genera. 
Terrestrial  Orchids  produce  fleshy  and  fibrous  roots  that  are 
confined  to  the  soil,  and  partake  more  of  the  nature  of  ordinary 
roots.  As  many  of  these  plants,  are,  however,  deciduous,  losing 
their  leaves  in  the  autumn,  and  as  many  do  not  produce  perennial 
stems,  they  obviously  need  some  store  of  strength  for  another 
season.  This  i.s  provided  by  the  tubers,  which  numbers  of  our 
British  species  produce,  such  as  the  familiar  Orchis  mascula. 
Hints  on  Culture. 
The  Phalsenopses  may  be  now  taken  in  hand.  Those  that 
require  more  root  room  should  receive  it  at  once,  or  if  the  material 
in  which  they  are  growing  has  become  decomposed,  it  should  be 
replaced  with  fresh.  In  removing  the  plant  into  larger  baskets 
great  care  must  be  taken  in  separating  the  roots  from  whatever 
they  may  be  clinging  to,  so  as  not  to  injure  them.  When  well 
cultivated,  few  Orchids  are  more  admired  than  these,  and  thej^ 
certainly  deserve  all  the  care  that  can  be  bestowed  upon  them. 
.  Pleiones  are  now  growing  freely,  being  suspended  in  a  sunny 
imsition  in  intermediate  temperature.  They  are  fond  of  plenty 
of  water  at  the  root,  and  should  not  be  allowed  to  get  dry  ;  syringe 
them  at  least  once  a  day.  Sobralias  are  now  showing  for  flower, 
and  if  at  all  pot-bound  with  roots  will  be  helped  by  an  occasional 
watering  with  weak  liquid  manure.  The  Auguloas  will  now  be 
growing,  and  fast  sending  up  their  flowers,  which,  when  fully 
developed,  are  both  attractive  and  interesting.  These  plants 
may  be  repotted  either  immediately  they  commence  to  grow,  or 
when  they  have  done  flowering. 
Anguloas  are  free  rooting  plants,  hence  they  .should  have  con¬ 
siderably  more  material  to  grow  in  than  the  majority  of  Orchids 
require.  Fill  the  pots  half  way  up  with  clean  broken  crocks,  then 
cover  the  drainage  with  a  layer  of  moss,  using  as  a  compost  two 
parts  peat,  one  good  fibrous  loam,  and  the  remainder  chopped 
sphagnum.  During  active  growth,  and  until  the  bulbs  are 
thoroughl3’^  matured,  give  plenty  of  water,  and  an  occasional 
Phalaenopsis  Youngi. 
supply  of  weak  liquid  manure  will  be  beneficial.  When  growth  is 
completed,  gradually  diminish  the  supply  of  moisture  at  the  root, 
just  enough  being  given  to  prevent  undue  shrivelling. — (•'  The 
Orchid  Review.”) 
“  Sparrers.” 
By  the  “  Man  Who  Serves  the  Kitchen.” 
Though  mighty  pleesed  as  I  am,  Mr.  Editor,  at  seein’  my 
little  yarn  on  kattylogs  in  print  in  tli’  jernel.  I  ain’t  puffed  up 
into  thinkin’  myself  a  Rudyard  Kiplin’  or  anything  o’  that  kind; 
and  I  don’t  know  as  I  should  ha’  written  agen,  but  I’ve  had 
pre.ssure  brought  to  bear  on  me.  The  fact  is,  I  happened  to 
mention  to  my  missus  that  I  was  the  writer  o’  that  artikel,  and 
since  tfien  I  ain’t  had  no  peace.  “  I’m  proud  on  jmr.  Jim,”  she 
said  alter  readin’  it,  and  not  content  wi’  showin’  it  to  th’  neebors, 
she  slipped  th’  jernel  into  her  pocket  when  she  went  to  chappil, 
and  I’m  told  she  fairly  lorded  it  o’er  Lucy  Thatcher,  whose 
’usband  is  a  Prudential  agent,  and  supposed  to  be  no  end  of  a 
skolar.  “  You  mun  write  agen,  Jim,”  she  said,  “  ’cos  your 
reputashon’s  made,  and  it’s  nowt  unless  it’s  kept  up,”  so  bein’ 
in  a  manner  o’  speakin’  forced  to  do  it,  I  puzzled  my  brains  to 
think  of  a  subject. 
Bein’  only  a  kitchen  garden  man,  yer  see,  my  skope  i.s  sort  o’ 
limited,  and  I  ain’t  the  kind  o’  chap  to  get  my  copy  out  o’  books, 
same  as  some  of  ’em  do,  at  least  so  I’m  told.  I  have  it,  thinks 
I,  as  I  was  bucklin’  my  bas  on  afore  startin’  for  work  one  mornin', 
for  an  insperashon  struck  me.  It’s  sparrers,  I  said  to  mjcself, 
and  if  any  man  inside  a  kitchen  garden  or  out  o’  one  for  the 
matter  o’  that,  knows  a  thing  or  two  about  sparrers  that  man’.s 
me,  though  I  may  say,  afore  I  go  any.  further  that  wot  I  know 
about  ’em,  as  is  good  ain’t  much,  eksept  in  the  form  of  a  pie,  and 
sparrer  pie,  .spechully  when  my  missus  has  the  makin’  o’  th’  krust, 
ain’t  easily  beaten. 
When  I  went  to  skule,  which  worn’t  for  very  long,  I  was  tort 
amongst  other  things  as  worn’t  o’  very  much  good  to  me,  that 
all  things  in  Natur’  filled  some  useful  purpose,  and  o’  course, 
being  tort  that,  I  wos  bound  to  beleeve  it,  but  ever  since  then 
I’ve  bin  tryin’  to  find  out  wheer  the  good  o’  sparrers  conies  in, 
and  I  ain’t  suckseeded  yet,  ekst>pt,  a.s  I  said  before,  in  the  wav 
o’  pies,  and  then  a  good  deal  depends  on  th’  krust  and  th’  bakin’. 
