May  9,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
385 
Common  mistakes  in  Fruit  Culture.’ 
Ccelogyne  cristata. 
The  illustration  of  well-flowered  plants  of  this  useful  Orchid  was 
prepared  from  a  photograph  sent  by  Mr.  E.  D.  Wrighton,  head 
gardener  to  Sir  R.  H.  Wyatt  of  Garthynghared,  Dolgelly,  Merioneth¬ 
shire.  Mr.  Wrighton  comments  on  the  plants,  and  says: — “I  have 
much  pleasure  in  sending  for  your  inspection  a  photograph  of  five 
plants  of  Ccelogyne  cristata,  grown  and  flowered  last  month  by  me  in  a 
house  containing  a  mixed  collection  of  Orchids,  in  the  above  gardens. 
There  are  nearly  200  spikes  of  bloom,  each  spike  averaging  five  flowers, 
making  a  total  of  nearly  1000  flowers.  Some  of  the  pseudo-bulbs  are 
nearly  5  inches  in  length,  and  the  foliage  a  very  dark  green.  They 
are  potted  in  bog  peat  dug  on  the  estate,  and  watered  liberally  with 
weak  manure  water  when  growing.”  The  bog  peat  seems  to  suit 
them  well,  as  does  Mr.  Wrighton’s  treatment  generally.  Leaf  mould 
from  Belgium  has  lately  been  much  used  as  a  potting  compost. 
The  fibrous  roots  of 
Beech  trees  take 
the  place  of  good 
peat  in  this  case,  and 
the  leaf  mould  is 
from  leaves  of  the 
same  species  of  tree. 
Helcia  sanguino- 
lenta. 
I  AM  indebted  to 
a  correspondent  for 
a  flower  of  this 
pretty  species, which 
is  not  much  grown  ; 
it  has  indeed  become 
quite  rare,  though 
it  has  been  known  to 
cultivators  for  fifty 
years  at  least,  and 
has  been  imported 
on  several  occasions. 
H.  sanguinolenta  is 
nearly  related  to  the 
Trichopilias,  but  in 
the  majority  of  this 
favourite  genus  the 
column  is  enclosed 
in  the  enfolding 
lobes  of  the  lip, 
while  in  the  species  ' 
noted  it  stands  free  and  nearly  erect.  The  habit  is  dwarf  and  ever¬ 
green,  consequently  the  plants  do  not  need  drying  at  the  roots.  A 
native  of  Ecuador  at  considerable  elevation,  the  cool  house  with 
abundant  atmospheric  moisture  and  shade  in  summer  suits  it  best. — 
H.  R.  R. 
Kew  Orchids. 
Ccelogyne  cristata  at  Garthynghared. 
The  following  Orchids  were  in  flower  in  the  houses  at  Kew  on 
May  2nd: — Gypripediums  Exul,  Williamsi,  Lawrenceanum, barbatum, 
Rothschildianum,  nigritum,  virens,  Deedmanianum ;  Selenipedium 
grande  and  S.  Roezli.  In  the  Odontoglossum  house  were  O.  crispum, 
triumpbans,  Halli,  H.  leucoglossum,  sceptrum,  citrosmum,  Rossi 
maju^,  and  Pescatorei.  Amongst  Dendrobiums  there  were  thyrsiflorum, 
Pierardi,  together  with  Ccelogyne  tomentosa,  Lselias  Schilleriana, 
Latona,  and  cinnabarina  ;  Cattleya  labia’a  Mossiae,  C.  1.  Menaelli, 
C.  1.  Schroderse,  C.  citrina,  and  Lawrenceana.  The  Masdevallias 
were  gay,  including  ignea,  coccinea  Thompsoni,  c.  Lindeni,  c. 
roerulescens,  lidcina,  Pourbaixi,  Peristeria.  The  rather  uncommon 
Satyrium  carneum  and  coriifolium  were  handsome  and  attractive,  also 
Bletia  Shepherdi,  Pleurothallis  longissima,  Epidendrums  ciliare, 
radicans,  and  subpurum.  Yanda  suavis  was  flowering  strongly,  and 
Ansellia  humilis,  Diacrum  bicornutum,  Oncidiums  Barcodes,  altissimum, 
and  concolor  were  likewise  showy.  Cirrhopetalum  robustum, 
Cyrtopodium  Andersoni,  palmifrons,  Myaclinum  leucorhiza,  Maxillaria 
var.,  completed  a  list  of  the  more  conspicuous  species  worthy  of  note. 
The  list  is  sufficient  proof  that  the  Orchid  houses  are  bright  and 
showy.  That  they  are  appreciated  is  evident  from  the  repeated 
views  which  many  of  the  visitors  make  ;  they  tour  the  circle  of 
the  houses  until  the  sight  is  satiated. 
Biography  teaches  us  that  ultimate  success  is  often  the  offspring 
of  repeated  failures,  carefully  looked  into,  and  strenuously  wrestled 
with  ;  and  it  is  allowed  that  we  often  learn  more  from  our  downright 
failures  than  when  all  goes  smoothly,  and  I  therefore  trust  these  few 
negative  remarks  may  be  of  service  to  some  of  the  Fellows  of  this 
society.  One  of  the  most  widespread  errors  in  fruit  culture  is  that  of 
planting  too  deeply  in  the  first  instance,  and  thus  the  useful  and 
fruit  supporting  roots  are  situated  beyond  the  influence  of  sun  and 
air,  and  naturally  perish,  the  result  being  manifested  in  the  trees 
making  strong  unripened  growth,  leading  to  canker  and  unfertile  spurs, 
with  inferior  fruit,  specked  and  cracked  by  fungoid  growths.  As  a 
general  rule,  all  Apples  on  the  Paradise  stock,  and  Pears  on  the  Quince 
stock,  should  be  planted  iD  such  a  manner  that  the  junction  of  scion 
and  stock  shall  be  1  inch  beneath  the  level  of  the  soil.  One  of  our 
best  gardeners  tells  me  that  some  trees  he  had  did  not  progress,  and 
he  found  they  were  planted  wrongly,  but  on  earthing  them  up  with 
rich  old  potting  soil  they  at  once  recovered.  The  new  soil  in  this 
case  probably  induced  the  formation  of  new  surface  roots,  which 
would  account  for 
the  recovery  of  the 
trees. 
Depth  of  Planting. 
Trees  upon  free 
stocks  (Crab,  Pear, 
and  Plum)  should 
be  planted  with 
their  roots  as  close 
to  the  surface  as 
possible,  so  that  the 
upper  fibres  are  just 
covered  by  the  soil, 
and  in  no  case 
deeper  than  they 
have  been  growing 
in  the  nursery.  The 
earth  mark  will  be 
a  safe  guide  for 
planting.  It  will 
sometimes  happen 
in  newly  -  formed 
gardens  that  fresh 
soil,  manure,  &c., 
are  added  to  the 
borders  after  the 
trees  are  planttd. 
This  is  fatal  to  suc¬ 
cess  ;  and  where  this 
is  noticed  the  trees 
should  be  lifted, 
root-pruned,  and  replanted.  We  frequently  see  wall  trees  buried 
almost  up  to  the  branches.  Newly-planted  wall  trees  should  not 
be  nailed  to  the  walls  until  April,  as,  if  the  ground  where  they 
are  planted  sinks,  they  become  “hung-up,”  and  the  newly  formed 
root  fibres  are  destroyed.  Where  Vine  borders  are  otten  heavily 
top-dressed,  the  roots  become  buried  too  deeply  to  get  the  benefit 
of  needful  sun,  warmth,  and  air.  In  this  case  the  surface  should 
be  removed  until  healthy  roots  are  discovered,  when  thy  should 
be  carefully  fed  with  a  thin  layer  of  fresh  loamy  soil.  For,  as  is 
well  known,  “shank”  and  mildew  are  produce!  by  want  of  root 
power,  as  well  as  by  half-ripened  wood.  In  orchards,  trees  are  far 
too  often  planted  by  inexperienced  hands,  and  a  large  hole  may  be 
dug.  which  acts  as  a  water  trap  in  winter;  and  in  heavy  land  the  soil 
cracks  in  summer,  and  the  trees  have  a  hard  struggle  to  live.  They 
should  be  planted,  at  first,  rather  above  the  general  level,  as  they  are 
sure  to  sink  a  little;  and  the  surface  soil  should  be  kept  open  by 
hoeing,  which  will  keep  it  from  cracking,  nor  will  undue  evaporations 
take  place.  In  my  experience  I  can  relate  three  very  bid  examples 
of  this  common  cause  of  failure.  The  first  was  a  landowner,  who,  to 
save  a  few  shillings,  elected  to  plant  the  trees  with  his  farm  men. 
Two  years  afterwards  I  was  called  in  to  advise,  and  found  tney  had 
been  planted  12  to  18  inches  too  deeply.  The  whole  8  acres  had  to 
be  lifted  again;  and,  to  show  the  loss  of  time  that  had  taken  place, 
I  may  say  that  whilst  many  had  died,  the  residue  had  grown  bur. 
1  foot  through  the  heads,  when  in  another  orchard,  planted  at  the 
same  time  by  mv  own  people,  the  trees  were  4  feet,  and  some  of  them 
*  A  paper  read  before  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  on  Nov.  20th 
1900,  by  Mr.  Geo.  Bunyard,  V.M.H. 
