486 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE .  AX D  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
June  4,  1903. 
the  genera  of  each  hotanical  district.  So  many  persons  concern 
themselves  with  orchidology  now  that  it  is  worth  while  to  name 
some  instances.  Various  species  of  Epidendrum  have  proved  fer¬ 
tile,  not  once,  but  always,  with  various  species  of  Cattleya, 
Sophronitis,  Ltelia.  Schomburgkia,  and  Zygopetalum ;  of  Sophro- 
nitis  with  Epidendrum.  Lselia,  Cattleya,  Brassavola  ;  of  Sobralia 
with  Cattleya ;  of  Schomburgkia  with  Epidendrum,  Lselia,  and 
Bletia  ;  of  Zygopetalum  with  Epidendrum,  Oncidium,  Colax,  and 
Batemanuia;  of  Brassavola  with  Cattleya  and  Lselia.  The 
great  majority  of  the  crosses  named  have  flowered  and  pro- 
pa.gated,  some  are  common  in  the  market.  Maaiy  have  also 
been  recrossed  among  themselves  or  with  other  species,  and 
alwaj’s  they  breed  with  perfect  freedom.  More  astounding  still, 
American  and  Oriental  genera  united  havn  proved  fertile,  as  Epi¬ 
dendrum  with  Dendrobium  and,  perhaps,  Tliunia  ;  Ltelia  with  two 
East  Indian  Cypripediums.  Several  others  equally  eccentric  are 
reported,  but  in  these  cases  error  is  not  improbable.  It  must  be 
added,  however,  that  such  of  the  offspring  as  have  flowered  ignore 
one  parent  altogether.  This  also  is  inexplicable,  but  there  are 
other  examples.  In  short,  the  recognised  classification  of  Orchids 
is  breaking  down. 
Dendrobium  Wardianum. 
The  plant  illustrated  on  the  second  succeeding  page  is  one  in 
Mrs.  Brooks’s  collection  at  Rothley  Temple,  near  Loughborough, 
Leicestershire.  Her  gardener,  Mr.  J.  Crathorn,  writes  .sajnng 
that  “  Before  it  came  into  Mrs.  Brooks’s  possession  the  plant  had 
travelled  round  the  world.  She  thought  the  iihotograph  might 
be  of  interest  to  some  Journal  readers,  as  D.  AVardianum  is  so 
easily  grown  on  a  block  of  wood,  with  sphagnum  moss.  It  was 
given  to  Mrs.  Brooks  three  years  ago.  and  has  flowered  each 
season.  This  year  it  had  over  one  hundred  well-developed  flowers 
on  four  growths.” 
-  (  t - 
Cactaceous  Plants:  Opuntias.” 
[Continued  from  page  399.) 
The  genus  Opuntia  is  a  vei’j'  large  one,  and  includes  some 
very  fine  species.  They  are  very  variable  in  form;  some  of 
them  are  like  certain  Cereuses  in  habit,  others  are  arborescent 
or  tree-like,  but  the  majority  have  the  peculiar  elliptical 
branches  of  which  the  Prickly  Pear  is  an  example.  Several 
species  are  quite  hardy,  the  finest  of  them  being  Englemanni. 
O.  arborescens,  Englemanni,  fragilis,  and  others  were  planted 
outdoors  at  Holly  Point  two  years  ago,  and  have  stood  the  two 
winters  without  any  protection  beyond  that  of  a  wall.  O. 
crinifera,  called  by  some  authors  senilis,  looks  like  some  kind 
of  animal.  In  young  plants  (seedlings)  the  lower  parts  of  the 
stems  are  quite  concealed  by  soft  white  wool.  O.  ursina  is 
called  in  America  the  Grizzlv  Bear,  owing  to  its  supposed  re¬ 
semblance  to  that  animal.  (I  can  easily  imagine  a  large  clump 
of  this  plant  being  mistaken  in  the  dusk  for  a  bear.)  0.  clava- 
rioides  is  another  imitative  species,  which  resembles  the  human 
hand.  The  crested  forin  of  the  snecies  bears  a  striking  re¬ 
semblance  to  pieces  of  coral.  O.  papyracantha  has  spines  like 
parchment  in  appearance  and  texture. 
It  maj’  intere?!:  readers  to  know  that  the  ordinary  cochineal 
of  commerce  consists  of  dried  insects  allietl  to  the  mealy  bug. 
They  bear  the  naine  of  Coccus  Cacti,  owing  to  their  living  on 
some  of  the  Opuntias.  The  plant  they  are  generally  found  on 
is  Opuntia  (or  Xopalea)  cocchinellifera,  which  is  cultivated 
largely  in  the  Canary  Islands,  Algeria,  and  elsewhere.  It  is 
said  that  as  many  as  4,000  i>lants  are  grown  on  one  estate.  The 
female  insect  only  is  used  for  the  manufacture  of  cochineal,  and 
she  is  wingless,  and  remains  on  the  plant  like  the  scale  in.sect. 
Before  laying'  her  eggs  she  increases  about  four  times  her 
normal  size,  and  is  easily  mistaken  for  berries.  AVhen  the  time 
comes  for  increasing  the  stock  of  insects,  the  females  are 
collected  and  placed  on  pieces  of  rag  or  soft  leaves,  and  these 
are  secured  to  the  plant  by  a  thorn.  In  three  or  four  months 
the  harvest  begins.  The  insects  are  removed  by  the  aid  of  a 
blunt  knife  and  a  squirrel’s  tail,  the  task  being  a  very  tedious 
one,  seeing  that  it  takes  about  70,000  of  them  to  make  a 
pound.  The  insects  are  killed  by  immersion  in  boiling  water, 
and  afterwards  dried  in  the  sun ;  they  are  then  ready  for 
export.  In  the  year  1882,  1.246  tons  were  imported  into  this 
country.  [Chemical  cochineal  colouring  is  now  largely  used. 
— 
Opuntia  Saluriana,  a'native  of  Brazil,  is  remarkable  for  pro¬ 
ducing  stems  on  its  barren  fi'uits.  Whether  the  fertile  fruits 
have  the  power  of  forming  these  growths  I  have  yet  to  learn. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  I  consider  this  a  wonderful  piece  of  work  on 
the  part,  of  Nature.  Owing  to  some  prevailing  conditions  which 
are  unfavourable  to  self-fertilisation  (to  the  absence  of  insect 
agency,  or  to  the  plant  not  being  exposed, .  as  in  its  native 
habitat,  to  the  Avinds),  the  ovary  is  barren.  Nature,  whose 
principal  aim  lies  in  the  reproduction  of  the  species,  is  not  to 
be  done ;  she  retains  the  barren  fruit,  and  causes  a  number  of 
young  stems  to  grow  out  of  it.  The  fruit  and  stems  are 
A  p.Aper  re.rd  at  Manchester  by  Mr.  Arthur  Cobbohl,  Holly  Point,  Heaton  Mersey. 
furnished  with  sharp  bristles.  These  bristles  are  so  sharp  that 
they  attach  themselves  Amry  readily  to  anything  which  comes 
into  the  snglitest  contact  Avith  them  ;  the  fruit  is  thus  carried 
aAvay  from  the  parent  plant,  and  ultimately  falls  to  the  ground 
and  takes  root,  and  so  the  end  is  effected. 
The  fruit  of  Opuntia  AUilgaris  is  known  in  this  country  as  the 
Prickly  Pear.  It  is  cultivated  in  certain  parts  of  Noi'th  Africa, 
and  in  Sicily  it  is  largely  cultiA’ated,  being  said  to  form  an 
important  article  of  food  to  the  inhabitants.  A  friend  of  mine 
assures  ine  that  the  Prickly  Pear  is  A'ery  good  Avhen  freshly 
picked,  but  I  cannot  endorse  his  opinion.  I  tried  one  a  feAv 
years  ago,  Avhich  I  picked  myself,  ancl  the  flavour  of  it  reminded 
me  of  my  first  taste  of  our  old  friend  the  Tomato. 
The  fruit  of  Opuntia  leucotricha  is  the  finest  of  the  Prickly 
Pears.  It  is  much  sought  after  by  tlie  Mexicans,  Avho  call  it 
“the  little  Peach.”  The  Kaffirs  employ  the  Prickly  Pear  plant 
to  make  fences  round  their  kraals,  as  a  protection  against  man 
ancl  bea.st.  These  plants,  though  of  great  service,  are  a-Lso 
torrible  pests.  In  certain  parts  of  South  Africa,  Avhere  they 
haA’e  become  naturalised,  eA'ery  little  bit  of  stem  tlmt  falls  to- 
the  ground  groAvs,  and  no  successful  means  liaA^e  been  found  for 
destroying  them  ;  eA’en  fire  fails.  They  have  become  naturalised 
also  in  Australia,  and  are  so  troublesome  to  the  farmers  that  a. 
roAvard  of  £5,000  Avas  reported  to  haA^e  been  offered  last  year  in 
Queensland,  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  for  a  means  of 
eradicating  them,  the  remedy  not  to  cost  more  than  a  certain 
sum  per  acre. 
- 1  - 
A  Garden  in  the  Isle  of  light. 
West  Hill.  Yarmouth,  Isle  of  Wight,  the  marine  residence  of 
Colonel  Pear.son-C'rozier,  J.P.,  is  charmingly  situated  in  the 
Avestern  end  of  the  island,  the  grounds  extending  to  the  .shore  of 
the  Solent.  Colonel  Pearson-Crozier  is  a  keen  horticulturist, 
posse.'sing  a  knoAvledge  of,  and  taking  great  interest  in.  many 
phases  of  gardening.  His  has  been  no  niggardly  hand  in  the 
expenditure  of  capital  in  securing  a  Avealth  of  beautiful  .subjects 
for  the  adornment  of  his  splenclidly  kept  ground  and  garderns. 
Avhich  occupy  a  nosition  quite  in  the  front  rank  of  the  many  good 
gardens  here.  Recently  the.se  haAm  been  someAvhat  modernised, 
under  the  capable  management  of  Mr.  A.  W.  Kime,  Avho  has  had 
the  adA'antages  cf  a  thorough  training  in  first-class  establishments, 
is  aho  an  old  KeAvite,  ha.s  unbounded  enthusiasm,  an  iniiate  and 
an  ardelit  loA’e  for  his  profession,  the  lack  of  Avhich  attributes  in 
any  gardener,  must  be  strongly  inimical  to  success. 
.  These  gardens  has  long  been  noted  for  the  magnificent  annual 
displays  of  spring  bedding,  and  A'isiting  this  place  at  Easter,  we 
found  its  reputation  fully  sustained.  AA  ith  such  a  profusion  oi 
loA^ely  floAvers  greeting  you  at  eA'ery  step,  it  seemed  that  .stern 
Avinter  must  once  more  haA’e  suffered  dethronement;  but,  alas! 
as  the  sequel  proA’ed,  disillusionment  Avas  speedily^  to  be  ours. 
The  frost  king  again  bound  us  in  icy  chains,  and  that  indhspensable 
tuber.  Solanum  tubero.sum,  has  a  sain  gone  under.  A  egetation 
is  checked  and  injured  generally.  Chances  of  a  good  crop  of  Pears 
are  destroyed  in  this  locality  ;  but  Apples,  unexpanded  flower 
bud.s,  escaped,  and  Ave  must  not  be  too  pessimistic  as  regard 
Plums.  Cherries,  Ac. 
Beds  of  Hyacinths  and  Tulips  at  AA^esthill,  surrounded  with 
greensward  and  a  background  of  eA'ergreen  trees  and  shrubs, 
gave  a  most  pleasing  and  effective  picture.  In  a  large  OA’al  bed 
in  front  of  the  mansion  there  is  a  charming  blending  of 
ornamental  shrubs,  A’arious  trailing  plants,  Avith  groups  of  bulbs 
interspersed.  An  extensiim  design  of  beds  contiguous  to  the 
house,  and  seen  from  the  AvindoAvs,  yields  a  splendid  mass  o, 
colour.  A  superb  strain  of  Polyanthuses  affords  a  groundwork, 
Avhile  Tulips  and  Hyacinths  of  CA’ery  hue  are  also  seen,  and  fine 
bushes  of  Choisva  ternata. 
Turning  to  glass  department,  Zonal  Pelargomuin.s  are  groAvn 
to  perfection,  and  these  afford  a  p'orgeous  display.  Carnations 
are  also  a  specialitv.  thei'e  being  all  the  Malmaison  types, 
of  Mr.  Martin  Smith’s  raising,  and  the  American  A^ariety.  Airs. 
T.  W.  LaAvson.  The  stoves  contain  some  well-groAvn  decorative 
plants.  Ferns  being  represented  bv  specimens  of  Adiantum 
Farlevense.  Some  good  forms  of  Hippeastrum  Ai’ere  also  in 
evidence.  There  Avas  a  good  set  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines. 
Grape  Aine.s  looked  remarkably  AA'ell,  Appley  ToAA’ers  Giape 
(rapidly  gaining  in  popularitv)  shoAvine  eood  biinclip's.  A  number 
of  frames  are  deA’oted  to  Violets,  Princess  of  Wales  being  a 
f  ciT'oxirit  0 
The'thoimht  that  occurs  to  one  after  inspecting  this  beautiful 
place  is,  “  AAJiat  an  ideal  home  is  this'for  a  retired  military  gentle¬ 
man  ”  In  the  grounds  is  a  diminutiA'e  battery  of  brass  cannon, 
Avhilst  scarcely  a  ihile  distant  at  the  Freshwater  forts  there  are 
mounted  some  of  the  heaviest  ordnance  guns  ever  sent  mit. 
Plainly  discernible .  in  the  distance  are  the  famed  rocks,  Jhe 
Needles”  and  the  liahthouse.  By  judiciously  lopping  branches 
from  trees  through  the  undulating,  ornamental  Avood^  sloping  to 
the  shore,  views  of  the  rocks  are  obtained  from  the  grounds.— 
SOTJTnERN  Gaepexer. 
