MAY. 97 



ORCHIS LONGICORNU. 



Though certainly not a Florist's flower, we think our readers 

 Avill not be displeased with us for furnishing them this month 

 with a faithful representation of this delightful plant, more 

 especially as we have given a coloured plate of a Dahlia in 

 addition. Every one, whether Florist or not, must have ad- 

 mired the beautiful Orchises of our meadows. They are, in- 

 deed, as much associated with our boyhood's days as the Wild 

 Pansy, the Primrose, or the Cowslip. Our hearts are imbued 

 with a love of Orchises from early youth, and therefore we 

 shall be the more ready to receive with favour this charming 

 addition to our gardens. It is not a new plant, for we find 

 that it was cultivated with success by the late Mr. Anderson, 

 in the Botanic Garden, Chelsea, nearly forty years ago ; but 

 it has been lost sight of for many years, and we are certainly 

 indebted to Mr. Barnes of the Camden Nursery, Camberwell, 

 for re-introducing it, as it were, to public favour. It is said 

 to be a native of the coast of Barbary, and probably of Sicily, 

 where many other beautiful varieties are to be found. 



As regards its cultivation, Mr. Barnes (at whose Nursery 

 we had an opportunity of figuring the plant, and who has 

 many fine young ones now on sale,) speaks as follows : 



" In growing it, the grand secret is to pay it the greatest attention 

 when in a dormant state ; keep it then quite dry and cold ; for it is 

 one of the southern species and subjected to the hot rays of the sun 

 at the time when it is in full growth, and it receives little or no 

 moisture when at rest. My first bulb came from Algiers, and I 

 treated it as follows : I broke a quantity of light fibrous peat up 

 roughly, adding half the quantity of well-decomposed leaf- mould, 

 and a fourth part of good sharp sand with a few clean and broken 

 potsherds intermixed with it. Having my compost mixed in this 

 manner, I then prepared some nice clean dry pots ; the size entirely 

 depends upon the taste of the cultivator ; but what I have generally 

 used are five-inch pots (or 48's) for single bulbs, or I put three 

 bulbs into six-inch pots (or 32's), four bulbs into a seven-inch pot 

 (or 24' s), and five bulbs into an eight-inch pot (or 16's), always 

 placing the largest bulb in the centre, in order that its strength 

 might induce it to throw its spike of bloom above the others. Great 

 care must be taken to drain the pots well by placing in the bottom 

 about two inches in depth of broken potsherds and rough charcoal. 

 Upon the top of that I place some of the most fibrous peat from the 

 mixture, and then the soil, planting the bulb about an inch deep, and 

 not pressing it down too hard, as it delights in a porous soil. When 

 potted, I place them in a cold frame or pit, never allowing frost to 



NEW SERIES, VOL. III. NO. XXIX. K 



