The Scientific Notebooks of German Orchidologist Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Kränzlin

242 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [February 20, 1892.

native of the mountains of Java, at an elevation of from 8,000 to 9,000 feet, and may be serviceable for hybridising purposes.

Hydnophytum Forbesi, t. 7218, is one of those curious plants whose tuberous root-stocks afford a home for ants. The plant does not seem to be injured by the ants, which repay their obligations by keeping off undesirable visitors. The plant in question is cultivated in the Royal Gardens, Kew, where it flowered in 1889 and again in 1891.

Begonia glaucophylla, t. 7219.—A plant of unknown origin—possibly a garden hybrid. In any case, a very beautiful form, with spotted stem, oblong-lanceolate leaves, and pendulous short-jointed clusters of pink flowers. Grown as a basket plant it is very handsome. Kew.

Vicia narbonensis, tab. 7220.—The chief interest attaching to this species is that it has been supposed to be the origin of the common field Bean (Vicia Faba). Judging from the figure here given, those who indulged in that supposition must have had an extraordinarily vivid imagination, for it is scarcely possible to have imagined two plants of the same genus more different in appearance.

Neo-Benthamia gracilis, t. 7221.—A coloured figure of the very singular terrestrial Orchid, described and figured by Mr. Rolfe in our columns in 1891, vol. x., p. 272. It is a native of Zanzibar.

FORESTRY LECTURES: UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. —The Council of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society announce to the members and others interested, that the course of lectures on "Forestry" is about to be resumed in the University by COLONEL BAILEY, R.E., a distinguished forest officer. The Council urge landowners, foresters, and all interested in forest education to take advantage of these lectures, which began on the 10th inst. Landowners would do well to send one or more foresters to attend the course, and they would thus derive immediate benefit by the employment of men instructed both in the art and science of forestry. The Council point out the excellent opportunity which these lectures provide to intelligent youths for acquiring a thorough scientific knowledge of their profession. To enable them to take advantage of the lectures, the Council have arranged that young men who desire employment while attending the course can obtain it in the nurseries, or elsewhere, near Edinburgh, on applying by letter to W. J. MOFFAT, Esq., Secretary and Treasurer, 5, St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh.

GHENT HORTICULTURAL MEETING.—Certificates of merit were awarded at the last meeting for the following plants:—1st, Odontoglossum pulcherrinum ×, a new hybrid of the Alexandræ type, shown for the first time; the form is beautifully rounded, the colour white, the edges slightly yellowish, and the entire flower evenly spotted with brown. 2nd, Odontoglossum Holfordianum leopterum, a rare variety with large flowers, the ground golden yellow with large brown spots. 3rd, Masdevallia ignea perfecta, an entirely new variety, imported from Columbia and flowering for the first time; it has never before been shown. The flower is exceedingly beautiful and very large, in colour purplish flushed with dark blue; this is one of the most beautiful forms of ignea. 4th, Masdevallia ignea aurora, another novelty from Columbia, and flowering for the first time; the habit is very distinctive, the colour flame-orange. 5th, Amaryllis flammea ×, a new hybrid remarkable in habit and form, deep red with very fine wavy lines of white. These five fine novelties were from M. CH. VUYLSTEKE, of Loochristy. 6th, a species of Odontoglossum from M. JULES HYE; a magnificent flower, the ground pink, the sepals and petals fringed, bordered with white, the mid-rib whitish, each sepal and petal having a large brownish-red spot surrounded and underlined with smaller spots of the same shade; the lip has a golden-yellow ground, with tiny spots, the edge white, very finely fringed—the flower is robust. 7th, Odontoglossum Pescatorei album, from the same Orchicist, the flowers very fine, pure white, numerous and very fresh. 8th, Odontoglossum sulphureum,

also from M. J. HYE, flowers sulphur-yellow and very distinctive, the several parts of the flower have a small circular spot of brownish-red, which is repeated on the lip. 9th, Pteris Wallichianum, from MM. DURIEZ FRÈRES, of Wondelghem, a plant interesting among the many novelties recently introduced. Certificates of Merit were awarded for:—1st, Adiantum venustum, to M. SPAE, Vandermeulen, a very pretty species in vigorous health; 2nd, Nephthytis picturata, from the Congo, to M. L. DESMET DUVIVIER, a dwarf plant, with fine leaves of unusual size; 3rd, to MM. E. VERVAET ET CIE, for Cattleya Masereelii, a white-flowered variety. Honorable mention was awarded for:—1st, Cattleya Trianæ, to MM. VERVAET ET CIE., the lip very dark in colour; 2nd, Cattleya Trianæ, to the same exhibitors, the lip fringed—very pretty; 3rd, Miltonia vexillaria, to M. ALF. VAN IMSHOOT, flowers large and dark; 4th, Microlepia hirta cristata, to MM. DURIEZ FRÈRES; 5th, Cœlogyne Lemoniana ? delicata, to M. J. HYE.

ACREAGE OF FRUIT IN GREAT BRITAIN.— Prominent attention has lately been called to the extending cultivation of fruit in different forms in Great Britain. A relatively large advance is now reported in the Agricultural Returns of Great Britain for 1891. The area under small fruits now exceeds that used for Hops, 58,700 acres being returned, compared with 46,200 acres in 1890, and 36,700 acres in 1888, the last year when this form of cultivation was first separately recorded. By the introduction of a newly-arranged table this particular area has been more closely analysed than has hither been possible, and it will be seen that on 23,416 acres small fruit is grown in plots already returned as orchards—that is doubtless under the larger fruit trees; while 22,510 acres in market gardens, and 12,778 acres of ordinary farm land are now returned as carrying Gooseberries, Strawberries, Currants, and other small fruit. The small fruit area has increased in every county of England and Wales, and in some counties by a remarkable percentage, although nearly a third of the English small fruit area is still to be found in Kent. The changes are not so uniform in Scotland, although there also a larger fruit acreage is reported. The ordinary orchard surface in Great Britain in likewise greater, covering, in round numbers, 210,000 acres. The area, ten years back, was given as under 185,000 aceres. A still larger advance appears in the returns of land used by market gardners for the growth of vegetables, and other garden produce. These were reported as covering 46,604 acres in 1881, while the figures for 1891 make the market garden area 81,368 acres.

TOOPE'S FOG-ELIMINATING PLANT-HOUSE.— As suggested in our issue for November 28, p. 650, when making mention and giving a small illustration of Mr. Toope's invention for mitigating, if not altogether eliminating, the injurious effects of London fog on plants, we have made two visits, and on both occasions have had our previously-formed favourable opinion verified. Situated in the corner of his factory-yard, in one of the foggiest districts in London, viz., Stepney Green, Mr. Toope has erected his experimental house in two divisions. Heated on his own plan, fitted with his chemically-charged air-filters, his charcoal-filters for the water used, and a new and perfect plan of ventilation, it must be said that the plants in the houses, which, it will readily be supposed, could not exist under ordinary circumstances, are in the best health, and progressing well, although the experimenter has fairly enough only begun with small, and in many cases, weak specimens, Orchids being the plants chiefly grown. The evidence of the production and duration of the flowers is a great point; and both in November and December a good show for so small a collection was found. Last week we found some Cattleya Trianæ in bloom, C. citrina, showing flower strongly; several Dendrobium Wardianum, a fine D. crassinode, Cœlogyne flaccida, Zygopetalum Mackayii, Odontoglossum Rossi majus, with seven blooms; a fine O. maculatum, which to our certain knowledge,

has been in bloom since the middle of December, and in one corner was a small case in which were plants of Anæctochilus petola and Goodyera discolor, besides others. If regarded only as a system of perfect ventilation, the invention is a good one, and deserves a trial by those who try to grow plants in large cities and smoky manufacturing districts.

SHREWSBURY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.— At the annual meeting on the 11th inst., the Mayor presiding, a balance-sheet was produced, showing the income of the society for the past year to have been £3334 10s., as compared with £2963 in 1890— the highest amount ever reached by the Society in one year. The subscriptions for the year amounted to £428 7s., and the receipts at the exhibition in August last were £2796. The amount of prize-money was £428 7s. 6d.; amusements and fireworks cost £421; bands, £253; and the profits on the year's exhibition was £970. A sum of £500 has been added to the invested capital, which now amounts to £3500. Since the Society started, the annual balances have been expended in the improvement of the public grounds in the Quarry, the Free Library, and some money has been given to the charitable institutions of the town, last year £753 being so expended. The balance in the banker's hands amounts to £747.

BIRMINGHAM GARDENERS' ASSOCIATION.—At the last meeting, and admirable paper on "The Gloxinia, 1739 to 1892", was read by Mr. J. MARTIN (Messrs. SUTTON & SONS), in which the history of its introduction and improvements were sketched, and instructions given as to culture. Anyone who has visited Messrs. SUTTON & SONS' nurseries when the Gloxinias are in flower, will know full well that Mr. MARTIN is an excellent cultivator and crossbreeder of them. On the following evening, the second annual social meeting of members and their wives took place at one of the largest hotels, and about 140 persons were present, Mr. W.B. LATHAM, of the Botanical Gardens, presiding.

THE WEATHER IN THE MIDLANDS.—Mr. J. W. WOODFORD, Atherstone, says that "On February 15, it was snowing hard all day, with gale from north-east, thermometer 26[degrees]; altogether, the most winterly day we have had."

A VENERABLE CAMELLIA.—Probably there is no exotic tree or shrub in West Cornwall with a more interesting pedigree than the Camellia at Penalvern, Penzance, writes the Western Morning News; and, like so many other things with a glorious past, its future is an unknown quantity, except in the rapidity of its decay. It is but a wreck of its former self, and the merest imitation of the blizzard of last March will completely settle it. Half-a-century ago there were scarcely any Camellia trees in West Cornwall, and for a very long period, up to last year, the one in question maintained its reputation as being the largest in the county. When in full bloom, its magnificence could not have been excelled by any single specimen in its native country, Japan. It reached an altitude of nearly 20 feet, and possessed a circumference of nearly three times its height. It was, at its prime, so densely covered with flowers that to photograph it was impossible. The young tree was brought about half-a-century ago by the late Mr. T. S. Bolitho from the gardens of his father-in-law, in North Cornwall, and the vigour with which it grew and thrived in the genial locality of Penzance was little short of marvellous.

"NATURAL SCIENCE."—Messrs. MACMILLAN & Co. announce the publication of a new monthly scientific review—Natural Science—devoted more especially to the interests of biology and geology. The first part of Natural Science will be published on March 1, 1892.

BRUSSELS BOTANIC GARDEN.—A member of the Belgian Parliament has denounced as excessive the sum expended on the Botanic Garden, which sum we believe is ridiculously small. He pro-