August  20,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
165 
Phaio-Calanthe  x  Sedeniana. 
This  bigeneric  hybrid  obtained  a  first-class  certificate  in  1894 
■when  staged  by  Baron  Sir  Henry  Schroder.  Messrs.  J.  Veitch 
^ind  Sons,  Ltd.,  were,  however,  the  raisers  of  it,  and  tlie  name 
of  its  hybridist  is  conveyed  by  this  variety.  The  parents  were 
Phaius  grandifolius  and  Calanthe  Veitchi.  The  flowers  are 
creamy  white,  tinted  pale  rose,  and  are  borne  in  tall  spikes. 
Cypripedium  leucorrhodum. 
Although  an  excellent  likeness  of  this  Cypripedium,, the  figure 
on  p.  119  may  mislead  amateurs  unacquainted  with  the  charming 
set  of  hybrids  to  which  it  belongs.  The  pose  of  the  flower  is  very 
like  that  of  the  single  flowered  scape  as  seen  in  Cypripediums 
generally,  whereas  in  C.  leucorrhodum,  as  in  C.  Sedeni,  its  near 
relation,  several  flowers  are  produced  on  a  spike.  These  are 
among  the  most  useful  and  beautiful  in  the  genus,  almost  always 
in  flower,  and  of  delicate  and  charming  tints  of  colour.  No  one 
who  grows  Orchids,  if  ever  so  few,  can  afford  to  do  without  the 
Schlimi  and  longifolium  section  or  the  hybrids  from  it. — H.  R.  R. 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
Where  the  Mexican  section  of  Lselias  are  kept  b5'  themselves 
in  a  light  and  practically  unshaded  house  or  compartment,  they 
will  by  now  be  getting  well  hardened,  and  in  some  at  least  the 
flower  spikes  will  be  showing.  But  in  the  case  of  plants  growing 
in  company  with  Cattleyas  and  other  Orchids  that  require  more 
shade,  some  attempt  must  be  made  to  get  them  well  up  to  the 
roof  glass  in  quite  an  unshaded  position.  They  must  not  be 
shifted  direct  from  one  extreme  to  the  other,  but  given  moderate 
shade  at  first,- removing  this  by  degrees  until  it  can  be  dispensed 
with  entirely. 
Most  of  the  plants  will  have  been  potted  in  the  early  months 
of  the  year,  and  will  by  now  have  taken  a  firm  hold  on  the  com¬ 
post  and  baskets  or  rafts  in  which  they  are  grown.  Consequently, 
they  will  be  taking  water  very  freely,  and  the  free  ventilation 
will  dry  them  up  rapidly.  This  is  the  kind  of  treatment  theq^ 
delight  in,  being  quite  soaked  out  with  moisture  one  day,  the 
next  quite  dry,  and  plants  so  treated  will  always  be  far 
healthier  than  others  moving  along  in  a  compost  never  really  dry. 
Free  rooting  can  always  be  insured  by  these  means,  as  the  roots 
are  put  forth  to  look  for  moisture  not  caused  by  it. 
It  may  be  well  just  now  to  draw  attention  to  the  fact  that  it 
is  almost  impo.ssible  to  overwater  pseudo-bulbous  Orchids  when 
the  bulbs  are  fini.shing.  In  spring  it  is  different ;  the  bulbs  are 
storehouses  of  nutriment,  and  this  is  given  off  to  the  young  growing 
shoots  at  a  time  when  they  are  tender,  so  that  overwatering  then 
is  dangerous  as  well  as  unnecessar5'.  But  now  the  bulbs  are 
storing  this  nutriment  while  roots  and  leaves  are  solid  and  strong, 
not  at  all  likely  to  be  damaged  by  an  overdose.  The  course  then 
is  quite  plain,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to  err  on  the  side  of 
abundance  with  deciduous  kinds  as  long  as  the  leaveis  are  fresh 
and  the  weather  fine. 
Catasetums,  Cycnoches,  Dendrobiums,  Chysis,  Anguloas,  and 
all  such  sorts  must  be  fed  in  late  summer  if  they  are  to  produce 
strong,  healthy  bi'eaks  in  spring.  When  Dendrobium 
chrysanthum  has  practically  finished  growing,  and  there  are  no 
signs  of  the  flower  nodes  swelling,  too  great  light  and  air  must 
be  avoided,  as  it  is  apt  to  dry  the  stems  and  imprison  the  flower 
buds,  but  as  soon  as  these  are  well  away  the  ripening  may  proceed, 
the  somewhat  drier  conditions  serving  to  keep  the  plants  from 
growing  unseasonably. — H.  R.  R. 
- - 
Carnations  at  Keevil  Manor. 
For  many  years  Keevil  Manor,  near  Trowbridge,  has  had  a 
local  fame  for  its  Carnations,  Sir  John  Wallington  being  a  keen 
enthusiast  and  a  true  lover  of  the  florist  flower.  Keevil  Manor 
dates  from  the  fifteenth  century,  and  is  a  fine  and  well  pre¬ 
served  example  of  that  early  period.  In  the  garden  are  clipped 
Yews,  designated  the  twelve  Apostles,  and  which  afford  the 
place  quite  an  historic  bearing.  How  many  years  these  trees 
have  been  planted  is  beyond  the  capacity  of  existing  memory'. 
Though  the  garden  has  so  long  produced  its-  annual  crops, 
there  is  still  a  wonderful  freedom  in  almost  everything  planted, 
whether  it  be  fruit,  vegetable,  or  flower;  and  Carnations  cer¬ 
tainly  grow  and  flower  with  wonderful  perfection,  given  normal 
seasons.  They  are  usually  planted  in  beds,  and  in  flowering 
time  are  protected  with  sunshades  stretched  over  a  framework 
fixed  for  the  purpose.  This  year  a  circumstantial  misfortune 
which  overtook  the  stock  in  winter  so  reduced  them  that  a 
Jarge  portion  of  the  plants  remaining  were  confined  to  pots,  and 
at  flowering  time  accommodated  in  the  greenhouse. 
An  invitation  is  extended  to  anyone  interested  by  Sir  John 
W  allington  to  inspect  them  when  in  bloom.  An  investment  in 
the  newest  introductions  is  made  each  year,  older  ones  and  those 
of  lesser  merit  being  discarded  from  time  to  time.  Only  the 
very  best  will  satisfy  this  veteran  grower,  and  his  standard  is 
a  very  rigid  one.  A  bed  of  seedlings  grown  from  the  best  pro¬ 
curable  strain  that  is  offered  failed  to  produce  one  worthy  of  a 
commendable  note  from  him,  because  they  fell  short  in  some 
degree  of  the  florist’s  standard. 
At  the  time  of  my  visit  many  of  the  flowers  had  been  cut 
and  others  passed  their  best;  but  a  few  remained,  suflF«iient,  at 
any  rate,  to  prove  that  the  reputation  of  Keevil  Manor,  so  long 
maintained,  is  based  on  quality  of  the  highest  class,  and  is 
varied  from  year  to  year  by  newer  introductions.  A  few  of 
those  noted  include  Amphion,  a  magnificent  flower  of  the  Fancy 
or  Picotee  section,  having  a  yellow  ground  with  a  bright  rosy 
edge  and  markings ;  Lacly  Audrey,  Sir  Bevys,  a  fine  crimson 
self;  Gaston  de  Foix,  Chas  Martel,  a  Fancy  with  creamy 
ground,  striped  and  margined  with  scarlet  ;  Baniiar,  a  good 
scarlet  self ;  Nox,  the  darkest  of  the  maroons ;  Seymour 
Phaio-Calanthe  x  Sedeniana. 
Cochran,  Jocelyn,  Barras,  bright  scarlet  ;  Bendigo,  the  nearest 
approach  to  a  blue  Carnation;  Countess  of  Verulam,  Bertie,  a 
very  pretty  Picotee;  Almoner,  a  fine  yellow.  Helmsman  and 
Henry  Faulkner  are  two  good  hardy  varieties,  and  Cecilia,  the 
finest  of  the  yellow  seifs,  have  been  grown  outdoors  to  4Jin 
diameter,  the  colour  clear,  and  the  pods  non-bursting. 
These  are  only  a  tithe  of  the  number  of  varieties  grown,  but 
many  more-  will  be  added  for  another  season’s  display.  Though 
Sir  John  W  allington  has  passed  the  allotted  span  of  life,  and 
has  some  time  since  celebrated  his  golden  wedding,  he  is  still 
as  enthusiastic  and  active  among  his  favourite  flowers  as  some 
many  years  his  junior.  Seldom  does  he  leave  home  without 
his  favourite  coat  flower.  The  Malmaison  does  not  appeal  to  his 
sympathies,  but  the  hardy  border  Carnation  he  stands  by  as 
being  the  best  of  all. — W'.  S. 
- ■  I - 
Injurious  Insects. 
Twelve  insects  will  cost  the  United  States  £70,000,000  thi.s 
year.  The  chinchbug  will  draw  £20,000,000  of  this  amount,  the 
grasshopper  will  take  £18,000,000,  and  the  Hessian  fly  will  call 
for  at  least  £10,000,000  more.  Three  worms  that  attack  the 
cotton  plant  will  asses.s  the  farmers  for  a  total  of  £12,000.000, 
and  the  Potato  bug  will  eat  2,000,000  worth  of  his  favourite  kind 
of  garden  products.  Two  million  pounds  worth  is  a  moderate 
estimate  of  the  injury  that  will  be  done  by  the  Apple  worm,  and 
the  caterpilar  that  iiiakes  Cabbages  its  speciality,  will  destroy 
£7,000,000  worth  of  crisp  green  heads. 
