1878.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



135 



series at Albany, the first plant I noticed was 

 Vanda ccerulea in a suspended basket, and with 

 tlu-ee spikes, six and nine blooms respectively. 

 Cymbidium Mastersiihad three spikes of expand- 

 ed flowers. Cypripedium hirsutissimum — a very 

 shy bloomer, especially in the case of small 

 plants — had several large waxy flowers, and a 

 specimen of C. Roezlei had four spikes — one a 

 branched one, and several blossoms. Many 

 plants of Odontoglossum grande were growing 

 like weeds, and several of them had three and 

 four spikes of immense flowers. O. Insleayii, 

 and 0. I. leopardinum, were also exceptionally 

 thrifty and in bloom. Mr. M. prefers pot to 

 basket culture for most of his orchids, and I ob- 

 served most of his Odontoglossums were grown 

 in earthy compost. He also distributed his or- 

 chids amongst his general collection of other 

 plants, because he dislikes the formality of an 

 isolated mass of Orchideee. Mr. Corning has an 

 immense collection of orchids ; indeed, as far as 

 I know, it is by far the largest in the country. 

 He has many fine specimens, and his Phalsenop- 

 sis — particularly Schilleriana, are large and 

 healthy. Oncidium tigrinum was prettily in 

 bloom, as was likewise the showy O. Rogersii. 

 O. ornithorhyncum displayed some very hand- 

 some spikes, and the white flowering variety, 

 of it — very scarce — was also in bloom. Large 

 plants of Angrtecum eburneum showed several 

 bold spikes, and a very fine specimen of Anselia 

 Africana promised a speedy reward. Odonto- 

 glossum grande and Insleayii were both in 

 bloom, and, too, in excellent health. O. Rossii 

 majus was also in flower. Mr. Gray, the gar- 

 dener, told me that he has difliculty in growing 

 O. Phattenopsis. I also noticed some of the red- 

 flowering Masdevallias in bloom. 



General Rathborne has a select and valuable 

 collection of orchids, but not nearlj' so many 

 kinds as Mr. Corning has. The general's plants 

 • however, are the very pictures of health and vigor, 

 cleanliness and ripeness, and many of them, es- 

 pecially Vandas, are large specimens. Two 

 plants of Vanda cctrulea were in flower, each 

 having ten blooms on a spike, and they were 

 lovely. Angrfecum ebm-neum with several long 

 spikes was bursting into bloom, and if I remem- 

 ber rightly it was here I saw A. sesquipedale 

 with two spikes of long-tailed flower-buds. A 

 white PhaUeuopsis was in bloom, and the many 

 neighboring spikes that were appearing prom- 

 ised early wealth. Saccolabium giganteum liad 

 one developed spike, and Cymbidium Mastersii 



had three with more to follow. Cypripediums 

 were in great profusion, particularly venustum, 

 one specmien of which had several dozens of 

 flowers. 



No shadings whatever are used during the 

 winter months, and the robust sturdiness and 

 flower-promising look of the plants, bespeak 

 their appreciation of the short-day sun. 



The general drew my attention to diseased 

 spots in the leaves of some of his Phala^nopsis 

 Schilleriana, and which were spread along the 

 upper surface like large and deep pock-marks. 

 When in England last summer he had a talk 

 with Dominy at Veitch's, about this disease, and 

 he expressed the opinion that he believed it to be 

 the work of parasitic fungi, and recommended 

 the application of powder-sulphur, which the 

 general has applied. Of course the sulphur can 

 only prevent fungoid growth, and not restore to 

 good the evil already done. The general also 

 spoke to me about diseased spots sometimes ap- 

 pearing on the leaves and flowers of his orchids 

 during the summer months. I recommended a 

 little fire-heat by night throughout the whole 

 summer, even if the ventilators be kept open 

 night and day, This is to provide a sweet and 

 constantly circulating atmosphere, and my expe- 

 rience in the United States has proved it an 

 excellent plan and more than worth the money. 



RALPH AND FANNY GERANIUMS. 



BY MR. WM. WHITE, SXJPERINTENDENT OF ELLIS 

 PARK, CHICAGO. 



In the last number of your valuable Monthly 

 you notice two Western Geraniums, Fanny and 

 Ralph, raised by John Goode, Esq., of this city. 

 Will you allow me to say a few words in their 

 favor ? I have grown Fanny for three years, and 

 tested it thoroughly, both as a pot plant and a 

 bedder, with the most satisfactorily results. As 

 a pot plant (in my opinion) it is unsurpassed, 

 always in bloom, Summer and Winter. The 

 flower is a rich salmon color, of fine form and 

 substance, the finest I have ever seen on a 

 bronze Geranium. 



Ralph is also a very fine Geranium ; it is a very 

 robust grower, habit first-rate, and as a bloomer 

 it is simply immense. A bed of it last season in 

 Ellis Park attracted a great deal of attention, 

 both from florists and the public ; the flowers are 

 a peculiar shade of crimson, trusses very large 

 and carried well above the foliage, and has the 

 property of holding its center until the whole 

 i truss is fully expanded. I grow 150 of the 



