458 
JOUBNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  November  19,  1903] 
ideal  tree  is  one  ■which  has  plenty  of  fibrous  roots  and  a 
moderately  large  head,  with  short-jointed,  well-ripened 
wood.  A  tree  with  a  small  head  and  plenty  of  good  roots 
is  greatly  to  be  preferred  to  one  having  a  big  top  and  a 
lew  long,  strong  roots. 
If  the  right  type  of  tree  was  more  generally  planted, 
there  would  be  fewer  discussions  as  to  -whether  it  is  better 
to  cut  the  shoots  hard  back  the  first  year  after  planting,  or 
allow  them  to  go  unshortened  for  a  year.  The  badly  rooted 
tree  cannot  make  much  progress  the  first  year,  whether  it 
is  cut  back  or  not.  For  planting  in  private  gardens,  Avhere 
the  soil  is  rich,  trees  three  or  four  yeairs  old  have  their 
advantages — always  provided  they  have  been  shortened 
annually  to  get  sturdy  branches,  and  have  also  been  trans¬ 
planted  the  previous  year.  Such  trees,  under  good  manage¬ 
ment,  begin  to  bear  quickly,  and  in  dry  seasons  means  can 
generally  be  found  to  water  them  at  critical  times.  For 
planting  on  a  large  scale  for  market  purposes,  a  different 
type  of  tree  is,  however,  necessary,  as  the  soil  is  usually 
less  rich,  and  the  close  attention  given  in  private  gardens 
cannot  be  practised.  Trees  two  or  three  years  old  are  there¬ 
fore  the  favourites  with  the  market  men,  because  they 
become  quickly  established,  and  can  be  formed  by  pruning 
into  the  desired  shape. 
Standards  are,  of  course,  the  best  types  for  planting  on 
grass,  and  large  quantities  are  needed  annually  for  that 
purpose,  but  it  is  somewhat  surprising  that  this  form  of 
tree  is  still  very  often  largely  planted  on  cultivated  land. 
Presumably  the  reason  is  that  standards  leave  a  greater 
space  for  small  fruits  between  than  bushes  do  ;  but  the 
bush  form  for  Apple  trees  has  so  many -advantages  that  I 
believe  the  time  will  come  (and  the  sooner  the  better)  when  - 
the  bulk  of  these  fruits  seen  on  our  markets  will  be  grown 
on  bush  trees  and  worked  on  the  Broad-leaved  Paradise 
stock.  The  more  I  see  of  trees  on  this  stock,  the  better  I 
like  thein.  It  seems  to  be  usual  to  recommend  Pears  to 
be  grown  as  pyramids :  the  reason  often  advanced  is  that 
a  tree  of  that  form  is  so  designed  as  to  catch  the  greatest 
number  of  the  sun’s  rays.  That  point,  I  believe,  no  one  will 
dispute,  but  the  weak  point  about  a  true  pyramidal  shaped 
tree  is  that,  in  order  to  keep  it  shapely,  the  strong-growing 
branches  near  the  top  have  to  be  pruned  hard,  and  there¬ 
fore  send  out  hosts  of  other  strong  shoots.  And  how  often 
do  we  see  beautifully  shaped  trees  which  seldom  produce 
fruit  near  the  top  because  of  this  hard  cutting  back  ;  yet  it 
IS  at  the  top  of  a  tree  that  some  of  the  best  fruits  should  be 
grown.  I  am  strongly  in  favour  of  the  open  bush,  both  for 
Apples  and  Pears.  After  the  central  leader  has  reached  a 
height  of  from  two  to  three  feet,  remove  it  and  leave  the 
centre  of  the  tree  open.  The  result  is  that,  as  the  main 
branches  all  spring  from  the  central  stem  within  a  couple 
of  feet  of  each  other,  they  are  pretty  equal  in  vigour.  A 
well-balanced  head  is  thus  obtained,  and  the  fruit,  having 
full  exposure,  colours  well. 
With  regard  to  trained  trees  for  covering  walls  quickly, 
the  various  forms  of  cordons  are  making  headway,  and 
deservedly  so  ;  for  by  their  use  several  years  are  gained  in 
covering  a  moderately  high  wall.  The  reason  for  this  is 
that  with  a  cordon  it  is  never  necessary  to  cut  back  a 
leading  shoot  to  originate  an  additional  branch ;  hence 
their  advantage  over  other  forms  of  trained  trees.  While 
writing  of  cordons,  I  am  not  referring  to  single  cordons 
only.  I  have  great  faith  also  in  the  two,  three,  and  six 
branched  cordons.  In  each  case  the  number  of  branches 
required  have  already  been  originated  when  the  trees  are 
purchased.  The  leaders  can,  therefore,  be  trained  right 
a'way  to  fill  their  allotted  space  quickly,  the  only  shortening 
necessary  being,  when  through  any  cause,  they  grow  too 
weaklp^.  There  is  a  fine  oiDportunity  on  our  English  mar¬ 
kets  for  growers  of  good,  clean  samples  of  Pears,  and  by 
growing  cordons  on  walls  and  fences  a  quick  return  can  be 
secured.  This  year  we  must,  of  course,  write  against  the 
Pear  crop  the  ugly  -vvord  "failure,”  but  Ave  shall 
undoubtedly  have  good  times  for  Pears  again. 
In  regard  to  planting  of  all  descriptions' — if  the  rain  will 
only  keep  off  for  a  time  to  allow  the  surface  to  dry — the 
soil  will  soon  be  in  a  better  condition  for  such  work  than 
it  has  been  for  years,  because  the  subsoil,  having  been 
thoroughly  moistened,  will  hold  in  reserve  a  supply  of  mois¬ 
ture  for  the  roots  to  draAv  upon  in  times  of  need.  I  am,  of 
coimse,  referring  to  soil  which  has  good  natural  drainage, 
or  has  been  drained  by  artificial  means.  Water-logged  lane! 
is  outside  the  province  of  the  fruit  groAver. — H.  I). 
Oncldium  pumilum. 
Tins  A^ery  distinctiA-e  and  interesting,  though  not  particularly 
attractiA-e  Orchid,  is  not  found  in  many  collection,s.  All  the 
same,  it  is  fairly  Avell  knoAvn,  and  those  who  do  cultivate  it  have 
no  difficulty,  so  far  as  Ave  knoAV,  in  getting  it  to  flower.  The 
inflorescence,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  illustration,  forms  a  dense 
scape,  and  the  colour  is  yelloAv,  the  sepals  and  petals,  moreover, 
being  spotted  with  brown.  The  leaves  are  2in  to  4in  high,  stiff, 
erect,  and  AA'ithout  pseudo-bulbs.  They  are  nicely  marbled.  The 
plant  is  a  native  of  Brazil,  and  requires  an  intermediate-house 
temperature. 
Cyprlpedium  insigne  at  Ugbrook  Park. 
Growing  in  a  cool  house  in  TJgbrook  Park  Gardens,  I  recently 
,  saAv  one  of  the  best-  batches  of  this  Orchid  I  have  come- across. 
It  is  not  that  the  plants  Avere  of  huge  size,  but  it  Avas  the  free¬ 
dom  with  which  they  were  flowering  in  exceptionally  small  pots 
that  impressed  me.  Plants  furnished  with  abundant  leafage, 
and  carrying  from  six  to  eight  full-sized  blossoms  in  3in  pots,  I 
thought  were  deserving  of  comment.  Such  material  cannot  fail 
to  he  extremely  useful  for  room  decoration. — E.  .M. 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
The  genus  Lycaste  has  much  to  recommend  it,  the  plants 
being  extremely  free  floAvering  and  very  handsome.  Tlie  popular 
L.  Skinneri  will  by  now  have  finished  its  groAAdh,  and  the  flower 
buds  Avill  soon  be  appearing  about  the  base  of  the  bulbs. 
'"Although  less  Avater  Avill  noAv  be  needed,  the  roots  must  not  bo 
entirely  dried  up,  or  the  plants  aaIII  suffer.  The  more  roots  a 
specimen  has,  and  the  better  it  is  established,  the  easier  it  is 
to  cater  for  it  as  a  mistake  either  Avay  in  Avatering  does  little 
harm.  It  is  the  badly-rooted  plant  that  suffers  most,  because 
if  overwatered  the  roots  are  not  able  to  take  it  up,  Avhile  drought 
still  further  Aveakens  the  pseudo-bulbs,  that  OAving  to  the  scarcity 
of  roots  are  weak  to  begin  Avith. 
Although  Aveaker  in  growth  than  the  preceding,  those 
charming  little  species,  L.  cruenta  and  L.  aromatica,  are  easily 
kept  in  health.  The  enormous  number  of  flowers  produced  by 
ev-en  very  small  plants  constitute  a  great  strain  upon  them,  and 
at  no  time  must  the  roots  be  really  dry,  or  the  pseudo-bulbs 
Avill  suffer.  Noav  is  the  very  quietest  time  in  their  year’s  work, 
but  even  noAv  they  need  a  little  sustenance,  L.  lanipes,  L. 
Barringtonise,  and  L.  Deppei  all  need  similar  treatment,  the 
last  named  being  the  weakest  grower. 
When  Cattleya  BoAvringiana  has  been  groAvn  warm  the  flowers 
will  by  now  be  getting  past,  and  any  plants  that  are  needing 
attention  at  the  roots  must  hav-e  it  without  delajq  or  the  young 
tips  Avill  be  injured  in  the  process.  It  is  an  operation  requiring 
the  greatest  care  to  repot  plants  of  this  description  after  they 
have  started  rooting,  and  it  must  not  under  any  consideration 
be  left  to  careless  or  unskilful  assistants.  Before  placing  any 
of  the  new  compost  a  little  damp  sphagnum  moss  must  be  gently 
Aveund  about  the  base  of  the  last-formed  bulbs,  Avhere  the  roots 
are  emitted,  and  Avhile  firmly  fixing  the  rest  of  the  compo.st  no 
pressure  must  be  brought  on  this.  It  is  Avorthy  of  note  in  pass¬ 
ing  that  not  only  is  this  beautiful  plant  more  healthy  in  a  AA’arm 
house,  but  the  earlier  date  at  Avhich  it  floAvers  under  these  condi¬ 
tions  renders  it  practically  safer  from  the-  fog.  The  autumn, 
flowering  C.  labiata,  too,  may  require  attention,  but  here  indi- 
A’iduals  AA'ill  vary  greatly,  some  commencing  to  root  before  the 
flcAvers  are  past,  others  remaining  some  time  after.  Plants  of 
this  and  others  that  shoAv  no  disposition  to  root  should  be  kept 
Avcl!  on  the  dry  side.  C.  DoAviana  aurea,  for  instance,  kept 
moist  often  refuses  to  root,  but  a  week  or  two  of  dry  treatment 
is  conducive  of  ac-tivity. — H.  R.  R. 
Orchids  from  the  “  Harefiald  Hall”  Collection. 
From  the  catalogue  of  the  two  days’  sale  (November  4  and  C) 
of  duplicate  Orchids,  the  property  of  Elijah  Ashworth,  E.sq., 
Harefield  Hall,  W'ilmsloAv,  Cheshire,  we  take  the  folloAA'ing  para¬ 
graphs  ;  — 
Odontoglossum  “  Star  op  Heaton.” 
A  beautiful  and  distinct  Odonto,  Avith  full  floAvers,  sepals  and 
petals  broad,  ground  colour  AAdiite,  petals  and  lip  blotched  with 
a  rich  brown  colour  (of  |th  of  an  inch  area),  marked  with  a 
number  of  small  spots  of  a  blue  tinge  round  the  edges  of  the 
sepals,  petals  also  blotched  with  broAvn  spots  (|th  of  an  inch). 
From  Messrs.  Charlesvvorth  and  Co. 
Dendrobium  Williamsianum. 
A  fine  plant.  Last  year’s  bulb  measured  26in,  and  the  two 
leading  bulbs  12Jin,  Avell  leaved.  A  distinct  and  handsome 
species  from  New  Guinea ;  it  has  large  floAvers  with  pure  white 
