November 21, 190S 



HORTICULTURE 



Laelio-Cattleya Digbyana-Mendellii 



671 



Our illustration shows a beautiful 

 hybrid, the result of crossing Cattleya 

 Mendellii with the pollen of Laelia Dig- 

 bvana. This is one of the < ■< .n i |>;i r:it ivi-l\ 

 few cases in orchid hybridization where 

 the best qualities of both parents have 

 been transmitted to the offspring. The 

 flowers are intermediate in color and 

 form; the size of the seed parent, and 

 the extraordinary large lip of the pollen 

 parent have been retained, forming a 

 combination far more beautiful than 

 either of the parent species. The vigor 

 of the hybrids is not the least of the 

 good qualities obtained by the hybridist. 



The flowers are large, sepals and petals 

 pale lavender in color. The lip is very 

 large, the basal portion folded over the 

 column, forming a long tube, the throat 

 of which is purple with bright yellow 

 lines, which radiate outward and become 

 lost in a zone of bright yellow which 

 towards its outer margin merges into 

 white. The outer edge of the lip is pink- 

 ish lavender, very wavy and crisp, cut into a broad 

 fringe. Hybrids obtained with the pollen of Laelia 

 Digbyana are all desirable. They are more generally 

 known under the name of Brasso-Cattleya, as the pop- 

 ular name for Laelia Digbyana is Brassavola Digbyana. 

 Our subject flowered in the collection of Major G. M. 

 Laughlan, Woodland Eoad, Pittsburg, Pa., Herbert 

 Price, gardener. Mr. Price is an orchid enthusiast and 



has got together a fair collection containing many 

 choice hybrids. The chief feature in the collection is 

 the Dendrobiums which are the finest, healthiest lot 

 the writer has ever seen. 



The Naturalization of Flowers 



(Continued from Page 633) 



When we begin our operations for naturalizing such 

 subjects as daffodils or narcissi, we must keep clear of 

 anything which may approach formality, so that the ar- 

 rangement as a whole may be free and natural ; in fact 

 the more unconventional it is the better they will look 

 when flowering time comes round. The best plan to 

 follow if we wish to achieve this result is to scatter the 

 bulbs broadcast, in rough irregular masses, and to jdant 

 them wherever they may happen to fall. 



Who has not heard of the Poets' narcissus, so slender, 

 so graceful, so unobtrusive in its breath of subtle per- 

 fume, and wax -like beauty ? Its very name suggests 

 to us its proper environment. There are two varieties 

 of the Poets' narcissus. Poeticus ornatus and the old 

 garden Poeticus which flowers somewhat later. Both va- 

 rieties make capital subjects for naturalizing and make 

 splendid effects. in almost any situation. In the accom- 

 panying illustration ( p. 633 ) they have been used on the 

 sloping bank of a pond, under the shade of the over- 

 hanging trees, and the effect when in flower was simply 

 a revelation of good taste and natural simplicity. What 

 is possible with Poeticus is equally possible with a great 

 many other varieties if we bear in mind to keep each 

 distinct, to avoid overcrowding and not to have each 

 mass in too close proximity to one another. Varieties 

 which succeed well on a rather wet location are, among 

 others, Cyclamineas, Sir Wat kin, Emperor, Duchess of 

 Westminster and Empress. For planting in grasslands, 

 or in the semi-wild garden, a good selection would in- 

 clude Queen of Spain, Mrs. Langtry, Sir Watkin, 

 Barrii Conspicuus, P. E. Barr and Horsfieldii. 



While on this subject we must not forget the snow- 



drops and the crocuses, the flowers of our childhood. 

 How often I wonder does a glimpse of those simple 

 little flowers take one's memory like a flash back 

 through the mists of a lifetime to the days of our child- 

 hood. It is perhaps this peculiar something 

 which makes them so popular and so necessary in our 

 scheme of naturalizing. Both crocuses and snow- 

 drops, may be planted almost anywhere and they will 

 never look out of place. 



Two other old-world flowers which we must include 

 in our garden to give it that touch of poetical attractive- 

 ness are the wild violet, and the old English primrose. 

 What could be more beautiful than the pert little violet 

 peeping in bold masses from beneath its covering of 

 dark green leaves? Where could we find anything so 

 chic, so delightfully pretty as the primrose? No won- 

 der poor old "Dizzy" (Lord Beaconsfield) used to wor- 

 ship them ! Can we wonder that the poets should rave 

 over them ? 



One could fill a book with the flowers of spring and 

 their beauties. Lei us not forget, however, the beau- 

 ties of the chionodoxas, the grace of the wood ane- 

 mones and tin sweetness of the scillas. Then again in 

 the grove, on the slopes of the wild garden, or nestling 

 at the foot of the trees, nothing would be complete with- 

 out the feathered hyacinths (Muscari). Truly for a 

 simple effect these flowers have no equal. But then all 

 flowers are beautiful no matter what their color may 

 be. if they are planted in the right place. 



Let us trv and make them feel at home. 



North Easton, 

 Mass. 



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