b'M THE GARDENER. [l)i:c. 



kinds, there are few of the more highly cohnired red or ruby-tinted 

 varieties that surpass Dr Sharpe as an early flower, although Progne 

 beats it in colour later in the season, and has, moreover, a delicate 

 perfume. Anent Dr Sharpe, I wish to say how much it resembles the 

 coloured plate in Ckirtis's * Botanical Magazine,' vol. x. p. 327, there 

 called C. indicum — perhaps wrongly so, since C. indicum seems to 

 have belonged to the small-flowered race, or Pompone kinds. This 

 plate and our Dr Sharpe are identical (both showing a fair double 

 crimson-})ur])le flower with quilled florets) — rather interesting, seeing 

 that the plate in the 'Magazine' was published as long ago as 1796. 

 This curious coincidence is suggestive. Has this old variety lived 

 through all the cultural vicissitudes of nearly a century 1 Or has 

 it been recently "raised" over again from seed, and sent out as 

 "new" by some modern grower? In other words, who was the 

 raiser, sponsor, or distributor of Dr Sharpe — who " sent him out ? " 



When in London a few weeks ago, I visited Messrs Low's Clapton 

 nursery, and there saw such a collection of Orchids as "made my mouth 

 water," — if I may be permitted to use so expressive and familiar a 

 quotation. The Phalaenopsis house, a low span-roofed structure of large 

 area, is crowded with — I was going to say £5 Bank of England notes, 

 but I mean with what is pretty much the same thing after all — 

 established plants of Phalaenopsis in the most sturdy health and 

 vigour of growth and flower-spikes. Taken in the mass, P. Schiller- 

 iana is most largely represented. Would that the genial Orchid-loving 

 old consul could just now peep in at Clapton to see his namesake in 

 such healthy profusion ! How his thoughts would travel back to the 

 time when a tiny plant opened its spike of two flowers in his collection 

 at Hamburg for the first time ! There are also the varieties casta, 

 and leucorrhada; even a plant or two of Veitchii has bloomed in 

 this batch, and the variation of leaf, outline, and markings is so 

 diverse that one irresistibly longs for a cheque-book or a supply of 

 the aforesaid Bank of England paper, so that a few of the most 

 " taking " specimens might be ours. 



P. amabilis is another kind largely represented, together with other 

 species less common. To attempt to describe these plants is useless ; 

 and speaking from experience, I advise all Orchid-growers, amateurs 

 or otherwise, to accept Mr Low's published invitation to go and see 

 for themselves. Of other Orchids the following may be especially 

 noted as being represented in quantity. Of Odontoglossum Alexandras 

 and 0. Pescatorei I am afraid to say how many thousands I saw here : 

 to say that several large houses are entirely filled with its bulbs in all 

 stages of growth is but little more satisfactory. As near as I can 

 judge, however, and supposing that the plant was hardy in our climate, 

 (as it pretty nearly is), there are now as many at the Clapton nursery 



