February 2, 1907 



HORTICULTURE 



125 



Masdevallia tovarensis 



One of the best, if not the very best of the masdeval- 

 lias, is the exquisite, dainty, sweet little tovarensis, a 

 native of Tovar, Colombia. Its pure white, fragrant, 

 pretty flowers attract the attention of almost everyone 

 who sees it. For decorative work where small plants 

 are desired it is unexcelled. Unfortunately, it is not 

 adapted for cutting as its flowers are borne on scapes 

 which are persistent for a long time carrying several 

 crops of flowers. 



In the accompanying photograph the scape shown at 

 the extreme left is now flowering for the third time. 

 It matured its first flower in August, another in Octo- 

 ber and is now carrying two. The old bracts, in the 

 axils of which the flowers appear, are plainly seen in 

 the picture. It is one of the hardiest, very easy to 

 grow, requiring similar treatment to M. coccinea, M. 

 Veitchii and other popular species of the gems. In a 

 previous note I advised that all masdevallias should have 

 a warmer winter treatment than is generally advised. 

 This is the secret of their successful culture. At pres- 

 ent all our masdevallias are making strong, healthy 

 growths and will be in a suitable condition to with- 

 stand the hot humid weather in summer, whereas un- 

 der the old treatment of keeping cool and dry they 

 would scarcely have commenced to grow before the hot 

 weather was upon them. 



The editorial page of the issue of Horticulture, 

 Dec. 29th, contains a quotation from Dr. Lindley aptly 

 quoted to show the value of orchids for decorative pur- 

 poses. The whole of Dr. Lindley's remarks, however, 

 are not strictly true, as a good many orchids do secrete 

 honey, and I think that M. tovarensis is amongst the 

 number. About this same subject Kerner says: 



"Several orchids, especially species of Twayblade 

 (Listera) exhibit a channel swollen with sweet sap, 

 similar to the Martagon lily, each perianth leaf of 

 which is transversed by a channel studded with bands 



or ramified swelling and filled to overflowing with the 

 abundant nectar secreted in it. In the perianth of the 

 Helleborine (Epipactis) the lip is deeply grooved and 

 resembles a boat filled with honey. In Epipogium the 

 perianth leaf corresponding to the lip is arched like a 

 lielmet or cap and covers the abundant honey there pro- 

 duced. In many other orchids the lower lip of the 

 perianth is produced backward and in the expansion 

 (called the spur in descriptive botany) a quantity of 

 honey is usually hidden." 



Cycles of the Amaryllis 



(Continued from Page 5.) 



The first of the cycles of the amaryllis extended from 

 1710 to about the year 1800. Belladonna was intro- 

 duced 1712, Eeginse 17:20, equestre 1710, and psittaci- 

 num as early as 1677. Up to this period, owing to the 

 very few greenhouses there were in all Europe and the 

 limited opportunities for cultivation, and the small 

 demand for flowers, comparatively few plants were 

 grown. 



The second and a most important cycle extended from 

 1780 to 1830, during which time several species were 

 introduced, notably pulverulentum 1819, aulica, two 

 forms, 1820, and stylosum 1821, and numerous very 

 beautiful hybrids were raised between the species Ee- 

 ginae, vittata and aulica, and these hybrids — as Johnsoni 

 and Ackermanni — really opened the way to the rais- 

 ing of the many beautiful varieties of that period. It 

 was in this decade that Dean Herbert, Curtis, GrifBn, 

 Ker, and the elder Garraways so ably championed and 

 aided these, their favorites, to a position they so richly 

 deserved. 



The greatest cycle, however, is the one from 1830 to 

 1870. During that time the species ambiguum 1836, 

 solandriflorum 1839, pyrrochroum 1863, pardinum 

 1866, Leopoldi 1869, were introduced, the two latter 

 particularly giving such an impetus to the raising of 

 seedlings, especially those raised by the Messrs. Wil- 

 liams and Veitch. It is from these collections, either 

 directly or indirectly, that a very large majority of all 

 the finer varieties we are now cultivating were obtained 

 and this brings me to the point where, with all the con- 

 fidence I am possessed of I assert that we are now on 

 the verge of a cycle when the amaryllis will take its 

 place as the most brilliant and effective of decorative 

 plants for all purposes. It hardly seems necessary to 

 call attention to the many forms of treatment to which 

 the amaryllis is adaptable, whether singly in pots, or 

 in pans or placques, or in baskets of from five to a 

 score or more, as plants, or in vases and other recep- 

 tacles, as cut flowers. 



The superb coloring, of all shades, from the most 

 intense crimsons to the tinted flesh colors, is only to 

 be found in this beautiful family, and when we con- 

 sider the certainty of having them in flower when 

 wanted, as, either by retarding or forcing they may be 



