May  12,  190  k 
jdurxal  of  horticulture  and  cottaqe  uardexer. 
401 
Dendpobium  Thwaitesse,  Veitch’s  variety. 
The  parentage  of  this  handsome  novelty  are  the  well-known 
species,  to  wit,  D.  splendidissimum  grandiflornm  and  D. 
Wigauise ;  and  it  is  a  most  distinctive  flower.  The  sepals  and 
petals  ai’e  bnff  apricot,  the  edge  of  the  lip  the  same,  with 
blackish-crimson  centre 'and  base.  The  variety  received  a  first- 
class  certificate  of  merit  when  staged  by  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and 
Sons,  Ltd.,  before  the  Orchid  Committee  of  the  Royal  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society  on  April  19. 
Cultural  Notes. 
The  weather  now  is  proverbially  fickle,  and  the  orchid  houses 
need  mnch  of  watching  by  day  to  keep  a  regular  temperature. 
But  even  more  than  by  day,  the  night  temperature  has  a  great 
deal  to  do  with  success  or  otherwise.  Orchids  of  all  kinds  like 
a  restful  state  at  night,  with  a  decided  drop  from  the  day  figure, 
and  this  must  be  kept  in  mind  when  closing  the  houses  and 
banking  the  fires  for  the  night.  It  is,  as  a  rule  fairly  easy  to 
tell  what  the  night  will  be  like  by  about  ten  p.m.,  but  not 
always.  Sometimes  when  bright  and  clear  at  night,  with  every 
appearance  of  frost  before  morning,  it  comes  down  muggy  and 
dull,  with  the  consequence  that,  provided  the  fires  were  well 
banked,  the  temperature  will  have  risen  during  the  night. 
This  is  very  bad  for  the  plants,  and  should  be  avoided,  as  it 
can  be  by  keeping  the  pipes  just  warm,  and  leaving  a  chink  of 
air  on  the  top  of  the  house,  this  to  be  closed  in  the  morning  or 
opened  still  farther  according  as  the  temperature  is  high  or  low. 
Damping  round  all  floors  and  stages  the  last  thing  at  night  is 
also  very  helpful  in  keeping  the  atmosphere  right,  and  if,  when 
entering  the  house  in  the  mornins,  the  moisture  can  be  seen 
standing  on  the  plants  in  the  form  of  dew,  they  will  be  all  the 
better  for  it. 
Disa  grandiflora  is  now  throwing  up  new  growths,  and  must 
be  kept  very  cool  and  moist.  This  plant  is  rather  awkward  to 
grow,  for  the  reason  that,  although  liking  cool,  moist  condi¬ 
tions,  it  also  needs  plenty  of  air  blowing  about  it,  and  in 
summertime  it  is  very  difficult  to  admit  air  without  driving  out 
the  moisture.  It  is  too  late  now  to  be  pulling  these  plants  about 
at  the  roots,  and  any  that  have  not  been  attended  to  must  be 
left  another  season.  If  the  pots  or  pans  are  full  of  crowns  and 
roots,  a  very  free  supply  of  water  will  be  required,  but  less  is 
needed  for  newly-potted  specimens.- 
Some  of  the  hybrid  Disas,  especially  D.  Veitchi,  are  much 
more  satisfactory  under  cultivation,  and  grow  freely,  xjroviding 
plenty  of  offsets  for  x^ropagating  and  flowering  freely  annually. 
But  to  my  mind  none  are  so  striking  and  showy  as  the  above 
named,  and  every  effort  to  do  it  well  should  be  made.  D.  race- 
mbsa  again  is  a  charming  and  readily  grown  species,  and  anyone 
having  a  small  compartment  of  a  house  or  pit  could  have  a  very 
interesting  and  beautiful  collection  at  a  small  expense  of  time 
and  money.  Freedom  from  thrips  is  a  very  imx^ortant  phase  of 
their  culture. — H.  R.  R. 
Ecclesall  Grange,  Sheffield. 
Though  with  no  preten.sions  to  a  “  show  ”  place,  Ecclesall 
Grange  is  one  of  those  delightful  spots,  charmingly  secluded, 
and  surrounded  by  Nature’s  beauties,  and  from  its  well-kept 
lawns  grand  views  of  the  moors  and  countryside  can  be  seen. 
On  a  recent  visit  here  we  found  Mr.  Clarke,  the  courteous  gar¬ 
dener,  in  the  conservatory,  surrounded  by  a  wealth  of  floral 
beauty  at  once  pleasing  and  attractive.  A  grand  batch  of 
Calceolarias  of  good  form  and  substance  met  the  eye.  They  are 
Fisher’s  .strain,  beautifully  blotched,  and  of  robust  habit.  All 
shades  of  colour  were  here,  and  they  make  a  fine  show.  In  one 
corner  is  a  Diplacus  glutinosa  with  a  profusion  of  orange-tinted 
flowers.  Azaleas,  Cinerarias,  and  a  fine  piece  of  Dendrobium 
Paxtoni  is  attractive;  and  there  is  also  a  fine  collection  of 
Geraniums,  including  Dr.  Nansen,  Madame  Bonderviile,  Mrs. 
Julia  Creighton,  and  a  host  of  others.  In  the  Peach  hou.se  the 
prospects  are  decidedly  good.  In  the  Rose  house  there  has  been 
a  wealth  of  blooms,  and  Hydrangeas  and  other  plants  are  now 
prepai'ing  for  siiccession.  In  the  stove  the  attraction  is  a  very 
fine  Begonia  (President  Carnot  t)  almost  covering  one  side,  and 
Avith  its  largo  sprays  of  bright  flowers  it  is  a  charming  and  use¬ 
ful  acquisition.  It  is  making  tremendous  growths,  and  bids 
fair  to  entirely  cover  one  side  with  a  profusion  of  bloom.'  Here, 
too,  is  a  wonderfully  fine  lot  of  Eucharis  amazonica  in  12in  x^ots, 
and  some  exceptionally  fine  pieces  of  Adiantum  Farleyense,’ 
better  than  any  I  have  yet  seen  in  this  district.  In  the  fernery’ 
too,  can  be  seen  some  fine  examxties  of  A.  AVilliamsi,  a  grand 
basket  of  A.  gracillimum,  and  fine  pots  of  other  varieties,  whicli 
Avould  hold  their  own  in  the  exhibition  tent.  The  vinery  is 
looking  Avell,  some  good  bunches  swelling  nicely.  The  frames 
are  all  filled  with  useful  stuff  for  the  ax^x^uoaching  season.  A 
large  batch  of  tremendous  x^ots  of  ImantoiDhyllum  Milneri  major 
is  noticeable.  This  is  a  variety  raised  by  Mr.  Jiuner,  and  there¬ 
fore^,  of  course,  a  favourite.  Outside  we  notice  a  fine  collection 
of  Narcissus,  including  many  of  the  best  varieties,  and  of  Sweet 
Peas  there  are  some  thirty-five  varieties  being  groAvn.  Fruit 
trees  look  particularly  xn’omising.  On  the  laAvn  facing  the 
house  the  beds  are  gay  Avith  \v  allfloAA’ers,  Tulips,  and  other 
spring-flowering  subjects.  One  noticeable  feature  here  is  a 
splendid  specimen  Cedrus,  some  40ft  or  50ft  in  height,  and  about 
40ft  in  diameter  at  its  base,  and  evenly  furnished  from  base  to 
XAoint.  Near  to  is  a  Chestnut  avenue,  Avhich  will  shortly  form 
a  pleasant  retreat.  Mrs.  Milner,  the  A^enerable  and  esteemed 
Dendrobium  Thwaitesae,  Veitch’s  var. 
mistress  of  Ecclesall  Grange,  may  well  be  fond  of  its  seclusive 
and  pleasant  surroundings,  and  Mr.  Clarke  must  be  compli¬ 
mented  on  the  clean  and  orderly  condition  of  the  Avhole  of  the 
grounds  under  his  charge. — .  L. 
- - 
Blossom-time  in  the  Vale  of  Evesham. 
In  one  short  Aveek  the  Vale  of  Evesham  has  been  trans¬ 
formed.  The  bare  trees  have  burst  into  leaf  and  blossom,  and 
the  Vale  is  noAv  almost  in  its  full  glory  of  blossom-time.  The 
blossom,  Avhen  the  sun  is  shining  on  it,  is  not  quite  so  dazzling 
as  in  some  x^ast  years,  for  the  delicate  green  leaf  has  apxjeared 
before  the  bloom,  but  this  has  pleased  the  gardener,  for  the  leaf 
affords  some  protection  against  the  frosts  Avhich  yet  may  come. 
There  are  many  miles  of  Plum  trees  in  bloom,  and  the  air  is 
SAveet  Avith  varied  xJOi’f'imes — above,  the  Plum  blossom ;  beloAv, 
acres  of  Gillyflowers  and  Narcissi.  There  is  every  prosx^ect,  says 
“  Jackson’s  Oxford  Journal,”  of  a  good  fruit  croxA  this  year. 
The  bloom  i.s  abundant  and  healthy  ;  and  it  is  late,  and  so  more 
likely  to  eseaxAe  damaging  frosts.  Last  year  the  trees  Avere  in 
full  bloom  fully  a  month  earlier,  and  before  this  date  seAmre 
frosts  had  killed  the  blossom.  Bush  fruit  is  promising,  particu¬ 
larly  Gooseberries,  Avhich  are  clean  and  healthy-looking,  and 
free  from  red  spider.  The  Black  Currant  trees  on  some  groTinds 
are  infested  Avith  that  my,sterious  disease  knoAA'n  as  “  big  bud,” 
Avhich  seems  to  be  sxAreading  iiA  all  parts  of  England.  Some  gar¬ 
deners  state  that  the  old-fashioned  sorts  of  Black  Currants  are 
practically  free  from  this  di,sease,  and  that  it  is  the  taste  for 
much-advertised  American  varieties  Avhich  has  led  to  the  intro¬ 
duction  of  so  much  “  big  bud  ”  into  the  country. 
