232 



77//-; C.IROENER'S MOyTHLY 



\_Asususty. 



nRAZII-rAN I..ELIAS. 



Lcrlin purpuratn. Tliis is a stnmg j^rowinj; 

 plant, with a single dark green leaf on a bulb 

 frdui t*ix inches to a loot long. In growth, it is 

 like Cattleya, as are most of (lie Brazilian 

 J.;e!ias. The flowers in the sepals and petals 

 are from pure white to rose; lip crimson, or 

 purplish crimson ; flowers from two to five, 

 about five inches in diameter, and last four 

 weeks in bloom if kept dry. Blooms from May 

 to August. There are many varieties of this 

 beautiful La^lia, and are called in European 

 catalogues after the one who first blooms them. 

 L. Russelliana, Ij. Brysiana and others, are but 

 sports of L. purpurata. 



Lonlia Perrinii. Rio de Janeiro. Has red- 

 dish bulbs and dark green leaves ; reddish on 

 the back. Blooms in October, with four or five 

 blooms on a stem ; flowers four inches in diam- 

 eter ; sepals and petals light purple, lip crim- 

 son. I have three or four varieties of this 

 beautiful, free blooming La>lia. Some grow in 

 pots, and some on the original wood from Brazil. 



L(tlia elegans. This is also a strong grower, 

 often over eighteen inches high. Has flowers 

 from blush to dark rosy crimson in the sepals 

 and petals, lip purple. There are many varie- 

 ties of L. elegans, but all are fine. It must be 

 a scarce variety even in Brazil, as the price both 

 there and in Europe continues high. 



Lcelia cinnabarina. This has slender bulbs 

 from four to six inches long, with one stiff leaf. 

 The flower stem is about a foot long, with from 

 four to eight reddish orange flowers, about two 

 inches in diameter. It is a very gay flower, and 

 keeps in bloom a long time. It is a very hard 

 variety to import, as if once dried too much 

 they are hard to start. The bulbs are reddish. 



Lcelia crispilabia (Syn.) rupestris. In growth. 

 like L. cinna])arina, but the bulbs are light 

 green; flowers about U inch in diameter, light 

 rosy purple. Has about six flowei's on a stem. 



There are many other species of Brazilian 

 La?lia, but I have not bloomed them : L. 

 pnestans, L. Schilleriana, L. grandis, L. gigan- 

 tea, L. xanthina, L. Stelzneriana, and others 

 are beautiful and well worthy of cultivation. 



ADDITIONAL NOTE ON THE MEALY BUG. 



BY I)K. AVM. F. C IIAXMNG. TROVIDKNCE, K. I. 



Since writing my paper, Mr. W. S. Hogg in- 

 forms me that, in his experience, (according with 

 my own,) a solution of whale-oil soap and hel- 



lebore, while riddmg plants of most irmectSy 

 including scale, mealy l)ug and slug, does not 

 dispose of the green fly. Mr. Hogg wjus, tliere- 

 fore, led to add a very small (piantity of Per- 

 sian insect powder [Pyrethrum 7'()seum), to the 

 above solution. This he finds to be entirely 

 successful, and applies with a hand syringe,, 

 out of doors, to keep his rose bushes clear of 

 all insects. 



DENDROBIUM NQBILE, VERSUS 

 NOVELTIES. 



n\ Mii. .1. H(j()i>. 

 Around us everywhere the New crowds asidb- 

 the Old, notwithstanding that many of the old 

 flowering plants combined the useful with the 

 beautiful in a high degree. Nevertheless, in 

 some localities they have almost entirely dis- 

 appeared ; and yet they seldom have been 

 surpassed, but only fallen under the bane of popu- 

 larity. Possibly it sufliceth that they have been 

 grown, and it became known what season they 

 generally flowered, and what color and character- 

 of flowers they produced, therefore they no- 

 longer possessed that alluring halo of uncer- 

 tainty, that enticing charm of novelty, so pecu- 

 liarly attractive. Amid the many innovations- 

 has there been much real improvement in the 

 direction of flowering plants, or is it the novelty 

 that attracts and not the quality i* A walk 

 through several of the hot-houses of one's neigh- 

 borhood will convince us, and I think our ans- 

 wer would be in the negative. Here are new, 

 high colored Dracienas, beautifully marked and; 

 blotched Marantas, Crotons, Dieflenbachias and 

 a host of others, all of which are undoubtedly 

 beautiful. But where are the old flowering plants,, 

 or where are their superiors ? They are wanting^ 

 What novelty will compare with a well grown 

 and flowered specimen of that old plant Dendro- 

 bium nobile?— equally suitable for the establish- 

 ment of the conservatory, hot-house, or vvarnii 

 fernery, or as a florist flower. It is curious thafc, 

 such serviceable subjects should be neglected 

 when many plant grovirers are cognizant of the 

 fact that there is a steady growing demand for 

 fine flowers — flowers rich and choice; All cannot 

 be accommodated ; but the numerous ihdispen- 

 sible novelties that are annually offered must 

 have room, as not to grow those would certainly 

 be non-progressive. But as the car of progress 

 marches along, its path is sometimes winding,, 

 and its huge wheels frequently run in the mire 

 of extremes ; these extremes-, perhaps, may be ai 



