January 18, 1908 



HORTICULTURE 



61 



Cypripedium Fairrieanum Hybrids 



Ci'PKIPEDlLM X NiOBE. 



Few hybrid cypripediums are so interesting as the 

 Fairrieanum hybrids, which, nntil qiaite recently, were 

 almost the only representatives of the much talked of 

 "Lost Orchid" in cultivation. Some three years ago 

 an interesting note appeared in Horticulture by E. 0. 

 Orpet, in which the possibilities of the habitat of Cypri- 

 pedium Fairrieanum being rediscovered were discussed. 

 Mr. Orpet was optimistic and cited the case of Cattleya 

 labiata which was also "lost"' for quite a while. Within 

 a .«hort time the news came that Fairrieanum had been 

 found, causing a great deal of newspaper comment and 

 excitement in the orchid world. The coincidence 

 l^assed without comment. 



The accompanying illustration gives a good idea of 

 tlie beautiful hybrid X Niobe which resembles its pollen 

 parent and has much of the vigor of the seed parent ; 

 also, like many hybrids, has a better constitution than 

 either. The Fairrieanum hybrids, although compara- 

 tively rare at the present time, will, during the next 

 few years become plentiful, as Cypripedium Fairrie- 

 anum is now being imported and grown by thousands 

 and strange to say has not as yet exhibited any tendency 

 to sicken and die as was expected. 



The fact that its habitat and environs are now known 



has much to do with this as no doulit many plants of 

 former importations died because they were grown too 

 hot and close. Coming from a high altitude a cool airy 

 treatment is necessary. 



An interesting circumstance has come to light since 

 the rediscovery of this famous cypripedium. Cypripe- 

 dium hirsutissimum which was introduced at the same 

 time as Fairrieanum has been for years grown and cher- 

 ished by the family of Mr. Fairrie as Fairrieanum. 

 They only discovered their mistake wlien illustrations 

 of the rediscovered plants appeared. 



The seed parent of the subject of our illustration, 

 Cypripedium Spicerianum, succeeds best under some- 

 what cool treatment. The hybrid, however, is best 

 grown in the warm' East Indian compartment. All the 

 Fairrieanum hybrids are free flowering and may some 

 day rival C. insigne and C. Leeanum as commercial 

 varieties. In Niobe the habit is good, stem long, dorsal 

 sepal white, veined and partly suffused with rich purple, 

 lip brownish, petals whitish green ribbed with brownish 

 purple, staminode greenish white with dark red centre. 



Some of the best Fairrieanum hybrids are vexil- 

 larium, Juno, Arthurianum, Baron Schroder, H. Ballan- 

 tyne, Edwardii and Amesiana. As a seed parent Fair- 

 rieanum has not been much used. The records give 

 only two, Constableanum and Aaseni, which are not 

 common. The possibilities of the future, however, are 

 unlimited. 



Salvia Zurich 



Anyone growing salvias should try this splendid va- 

 riety which was recently introduced. We have found it 

 preferable to the older standards in our last year's trials 

 and so have some other members of the cr&ft here and 

 we have all discarded Bonfire and Lord Fauntleroy, 

 which we grew up to the present time. Salvia Zurich 

 bloomed much earlier, though the cuttings were not 

 nearly so old and kept on blooming just as long as the 

 rest. As our stock last season was limited we used it 

 for our particular customers who must have a scarlet 

 sage bed every year and they were well pleased to have 

 them in bloom so early in June where other years the 

 Ijeds made little show before the end of August. It 

 does not grow as tall as the older kinds and seems to 

 bloom freer, and is just as scarlet as it can be. We rec- 

 ommend to our brother florists a trial. It is no more 

 experiment ; we have tried it and know it is good. 



Toledo, 0. 



^. ^.A/^^:.-i£4,^^. 



