August  27,  1903. 
188  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
which  are  being  constantly  made,  and  as  far  as  possible 
regulate  our  practice  by  such  advanced  knowledge. 
Some  men  are  naturally  of  such  a  practical  turn  of  mind 
as  to  have  the  knack  of  making  the  fullest  use  of  every  atom 
of  knowledge  they  do  possess,  while  others  are  studious  and 
thoughtful,  but  are  not  “  men  of  action  ”  in  that  sense  which 
causes  them  to  gain  knowledge  only  for  the  purpose  of 
putting  it  into  action.  Most  of  us  have  heard  of  the  ancient 
gardener  who  was  a  great  authority  on  all  matters  connected 
wiuh  his  calling,  especially  in  regard  to  Grape  growing.  His 
employer  was  one  day  visiting  a  neighbouring  place  where 
the  gardener  was  quite  a  humble  individual,  but  grew  grand 
Grapes.  The  employer  in  question  w^as  so  struck  with  their 
superiority  over  those  grown  in  his  own  establishment  that 
he  engaged  the  modest  Grape  growei*,  and  dispensed  with 
the  services  of  the  “  great  authority.” 
The  vital  point  to  bear  in  mind  is  that  with  the  majority 
of  employers  a  gardener  is  judged  by  the  results  he  achieves. 
They  require  plenty  of  flowers,  fruit,  and  vegetables 
throughout  the  year,  and  like  the  gardens  kept  in  as  fine  a 
condition  as  the  resources  at  command  will  allow,  and  the 
man  who  succeeds  the  best  under  the  circumstances  is  held 
in  the  highest  esteem.  When  there  has  been  no  cutting 
down  of  labour  and  other  expenses  this  method  of  esti¬ 
mating  the  capabilities  of  a  gardener  is,  of  course,  perfectly 
fair,  but  unfortunately  sometimes  a  man  is  expected  to  do  as 
well  as  his  predecessor  when  great  reductions  have  been 
made.  And  this  is  where  a  great  deal  of  unfairness  comes 
in.  In  either  case,  however,  the  man  who  possesses  a  tem¬ 
perament  in  which  thought  and  action  are  w’ell  balanced, 
will  invariably  succeed  better  than  one  in  whom  either 
quality  predominates  at  the  expense  of  the  other. 
Now  that  so  many  schools  of  horticulture  have  been 
started,  and  so  many  opportunities  exist  for  all  to  obtain 
instruction  in  the  theory  of  gardening,  it  is  quite  possible 
for  the  young  to  overlook  the  necessity  for  action — constant 
endeavour — in  practical  work  ;  and  although  I  have  always 
been  a  consistent  advocate  for  scientific  knowdedge  in  con¬ 
nection  with  gardening,  yet  I  also  know  full  w'ell  that  the 
highest  honours  obtained  in  theory  will  bring  the  winner  but 
little  success  along  the  thorny  path  of  practice,  which  leads 
to  posts  of  responsibility,  unless  the  successful  student  has 
also  that  untiring  energy  that  makes  constant  activity  a 
pleasure.  To  the  man,  and  perhaps  woman  too,  who 
studies  closely  to  keep  up  with  the  times,  and  who  wdll  also 
work  with  the  thoroughness  of  the  gardeners  of  old,  there 
are  to-day  hosts  of  opportunities  ;  but  for  those  who  'know 
so  much  and  do  so  little,  the  twentieth  century  will  prove  a 
barren  desert  to  traverse. — Onward. 
Wallflowers. 
Old-fashioned  Wallflowers,  growing  almost  Avild,  were  the 
admiration  of  our  fathers,  and  often  one  has  seen  them  among 
the  ruins  of  some  old  castle,  their  fragrance  and  brilliant  colours 
giving  a  romantic  touch  to  the  surroundings.  Seeds  soAvn  over 
walls  produce  plants  in  the  creA’ices.  One  marvels  at  the  ad¬ 
vancement  that  has  been  made  in  the  size  of  bloom  and  richness 
of  colourings,  while  still  retaining  the  delicious  fragrance  of  the 
original.  Being  useful  for  pot  culture  or  AvindoAV  boxes,  making 
splendid  beds  or  borders,  or  used  for  naturalising  in  shrubberies, 
ditch  bank.s,  AA’ild  gardens,  &c.,  they  are  adaptable  to  almost  any 
use;  Avhile  for  cutting  at  a  time  Avhen  floAvcjrs  are  none  too 
plentiful  they  are  invaluable.  It  is  not  everyone  Avho  is  ac- 
cjuainted  with  the  Auriety  of  shades  of  colour  noAv  obtainable, 
as  one  does  not  often  see  any  but  the  ordinary  blood  red  and 
yelloAv  kinds.  Among  the  lesser  known  may  be  mentioned  as 
worthy  of  cultivation  the  folloAving  few  varieties : 
Ruby  Gem  is  a  shade  of  rich  ruby  Auolet,  AAuth  a  satin-like 
sheen ;  planted  in  masses  it  gives  a  very  fine  effect.  Eastern 
Queen,  c]uite  distinct,  a  charming  apricot  shade  that  changes  to 
a  light  salmon  red  as  the  floAver  becomes  full.  Vulcan,  a  new 
dwarf  groAving  A’ariety  producing  very  large  flowers  of  an  ex¬ 
ceedingly  rich  velvety  crimson  hue,  which  Avill  undoubtedly 
become  a  great  favourite.  Primrose  Dame,  sulphur  coloured,  of 
dwarf  habit,  being  very  useful  AA’here  a  pale  yelloAA'  is  recjuired. 
For  an  effectir^e  yellow  Pure  Gold,  a  rich  golden  shade,  is  unsur¬ 
passed.  Another  good  yellow  is  Cloth  of  Gold,  the  flowers 
being  large  and  colour  pleasing.  Golden  Monarch  is  a  new 
yellow,  a  deep  golden,  its  bold  spikes  contrasting  well  with  the 
equally  rich  Vulcan.  Harbinger  is  a  favourite  red  of  a  bright 
shade.  The  Moor,  a  dark  brown,  is  a  compact  grower,  which 
may  be  treated  as  an  annual  if  soAvn  early  in  the  year,  or  Avhen 
soAvn  late  in  the  season  aaIII  come  into  bloom  in  FebruarA'. — 
J.  W.  J.,  OsAvestry. 
The  Travels  of  an  Orchid  Hunter. 
The  matter  hereunder  printed  is  taken  from  Albert  Millican’s 
book  entitled  “  Travels  and  Adventures  of  an  Orchid  Hunter,” 
and  Avas  published  in  1891  by  Messrs.  Cassell  and  Co.  We  re¬ 
viewed  the  work  at  some  length,  and  on  taking  the  book  from 
a  shelf  recently,  it  .seemed  to  us  that  some  passages  AA-ere  of  keen 
interest  and  value  to  the  practical  cultivator ;  hence  the  excerpts. 
In  his  work,  the  author  describes  his  exploration  of  the  valley 
of  the  Magdalene  River,  and  to  Bogota,  the  capital  of  Colombia, 
in  South  America.  Bogota  is  set  high  up  in  the  Andes,  and  is  a 
most  enticing  city. 
“  The  next  place  of  interest  in  the  neighbourhood  is  the  village 
called  La  Palma.  This  is  tAVO  and  a  half  days’  journey  on  mules  from 
the  emerald  mines  in  a  north-Avesterly  direction,  being  situated  much 
loAver  than  the  Odontoglossum  crispum  district.  The  adjoining  hills 
produce  most  splendid  forms  of  Cattleya  WarseeAAuezi.  The  ride,  is 
most  enjoyable,  the  track  lying  through  most  beautiful  scenery, 
especially  along  the  banks  of  one  small  stream,  AA'here  the  trees  are 
literally  covered  Avith  Cattleya  labiata.  When  I  passed  that  Avay  a 
large  number  of  them  were  in  floAver,  presenting  a  sight  of  inde¬ 
scribable  Orchid  beauty.  Further  along  I  met  Avith  a  pretty  delicate 
variety  of  Comparettia  hung  on  the  very  tips  of  the  branches  of  a 
kind  of  WilloAV  overhanging  thcAvater,  so  near  that  in  the  rainy  season 
they  must  be  submerged,  Avhile  the  majority  of  them  must  ahvays 
be  Avet  with  spray.  The  A'illage  of  La  Palma  is  one  of  the  best  of  the 
old  Spanish  style,  most  curiously  situated  in  a  holloAV  of  the  tops  of 
the  mountains,  Avhich  look  like  extinct  volcanoes.  The  people  are 
remarkably  hospitable,  and  receive  all  travellers  Avith  the  grptest 
kindness.  Unhappily,  the  magnificent  A’arieties  of  WarseeAviczi  have 
been  cleared  aAvay  from  the  neighbourhood  long  ago,  and  noAv,  as  in 
other  parts,  the  Orchid  collector  must  take  a  jouimey  of  at  least  tAVO 
days  into  the  heart  of  the  forest  to  get  his  plants,  or  send  someone 
and  Avait  three  weeks  in  idleness  and  suspense  in  a  ‘  monotonous 
village.  The  track  into  the  forest  is  miserably  bad,  and  to  reach  the 
plants  is  even  dangeroAis  ;  but  those  Avho  have  seen  them  in  their 
forest  home  in  all  the  glory  of  Cattleya  WarsecAviczi  Avill  admit  Avith 
me  that  the  sight  is  Avorth  all  the  trouble  of  forest  life.  When  I  say 
that  the  sight  of  the  plant  in  floAver  is  very  beautiful.  Orchid  fanciers 
at  home  Avill  imagine  that  large  quantities  are  to  be  seen  in  bloom  at 
once.  This  is  not  generally  the  ease  Avith  any  class  of  Orchids  I  have 
seen  in  their  natiA’e  Avoods  ;  it  is  rare  to  see  a  tree  with  more  than 
four  or  five  plants,  and  these  perhaps  not  all  in  floAver  at  once  ;  but  in 
the  good  districts,  before  the  plants  Avere  taken  aAvay  so  much,  almost 
every  tree  and  ledge  of  rock  Avould  have  some  one  or  more  specimens 
in  bloom,  so  that  a  large  quantity  might  be  seen  in  the  course  of  one 
day. 
“Near  La  Palma,  but  on  higher,  cooler  ground,  I  found  a  feAV 
small  plants  of  Miltonia  Phalsenopsis,  and  in  another  locality  quite  a 
clump  of  Oncidium  Kramerianum,  as  Avell  as  Chysis,  Bolleas,  and 
varioiAS  Oneidiums.  The  Aucinity  of  Muzo,  near  the  emerald  mine, 
is  Avhere  I  haA’e  found  the  largest  quantity  of  the  glorious  Blue 
Butterfly  (Morpho  Cypris),  some  of  them  measuring  7in  across  the 
Avings,  of  a  radiant  blue  that  few  artists’ pencils  can  depict.  Although 
Cattleya  WarsceAviczi  is  exported  largely  from  La  Palma,  it  is  also 
found  groAving,  mixed  Avith  Cattleya  Dowiana  aurea,  in  the  State  of 
Antioquia.  I  have  collected  Odontoglossum  Peseatorei  in  the  hills 
near  to  Ocana,  in  the  Department  of  Santander;  but  it  Avould  be 
Avearisome  to  my  readers  to  enumerate  all  that  oceiArs  in  the  tiresome 
ten  days  of  riding  oA’er  the  Andes  from  the  toAvn  of  Buearamanga  to 
the  Peseatorei  grounds.  On  the  top  of  one  of  the  high  mountains  on 
the  way,  near  a  village  called  Caehiri,  near  Bogota  in  Colombia,  at  a 
height  of  10,000ft  above  the  sea-level,  1  passed  on  the  side  of  the 
track  thousands  of  Masdevallias,  chiefly  of  the  Harryana  variety.  On 
another  hill,  tAVO.  days’  journey  further  along,  but  much  loAver,  the 
trees  are  hung  to  croAvdingAA'ith  the  dainty  little  Oncidium  eucullatum. 
Any  future  novice  Orchid  hunter  in  search  of  Odontoglossum 
Peseatorei,  will  find  it  by  leaving  the  toAvn  of  Ocana,  passing  across 
the  magnificent  plains  called  La  Savanna  de  la  Cruz,  and  entering  the 
chain  of  the  Andes  on  the  Avestern  side.  Here,  amongst  the  matted, 
moss-groAvn  A'egetation,  Peseatorei  is  groAA'ing  side  by  side  Avith 
Odontoglossum  triumphans,  Avhile  the  creeping  rhizomes  of  Odonto- 
glossom  eoronarium  cover  the  roots  of  the  same  trees.  I  have  seen 
the  curious  Anguloa  CloAvesi  and  the  pretty  Ada  aurantiaea  here  as 
well,  Avhile  in  the  cooler  parts  that  choice  little  Odontoglossum 
blandum  groAvs  in  profusion  in  a  peculiar  mist  Avhieh  reminds  one  of 
a  continual  Turkish  bath.  It  is  all  A’ery  well  to  see  this  fastidious 
little  Orchid  in  its  natural  beauty,  but  it  is  quite  another  thing  to 
succeed  in  bringing  it  home  to  England  alive.  Many  of  the  plants  die 
before  they  leave  the  coast,  many  more  before  they  pass  the  West 
Indies  ;  a  fcAv  reach  the  Azores,  and  fcAver  still  arrive  in  England 
safely. 
