24 



IRISH GARDENINC^ 



Calanthes. 



By T. W. Briscoe. 

 The Calauthes are a valuable group of oi'chids to 

 supply a succession of bloom throughout the 

 winter and early spring months. The principal 

 species are C. rosea, rubens, dark red, and the 

 various forms of vestita, the type being creamy- 

 white with a coloured eye, which varies in colour, 

 thus the variety known as gigantea is larger, and 

 has an orange-red spot on the lip ; C. luteo- 

 oculata has a lij) with yellow eye ; C. rubro- 

 oculata has a red-i)urple blotch on the disk of the 

 lip ; C. Turner is white, with a rose-colovired eye ; 

 while the late-flowering C. Regnieri is. also 

 white, but the lip is a i)leasing shade of rose- 

 pink. This is a splendid kind for growing near 

 large towns, because the fogs have disappeared 

 before the flowers open, and it is very useful to 

 follow on after the other varieties quoted above. 



Numerous hybrids have been raised, and some 

 of them are indispensable where the best flowers 

 are desired. One of the lirst hybrid orchids to be 

 I'aised was C. Veitchii, which was secured by 

 Dominy in 1850 from the intercrossing of C rosea 

 and C. vestita. It is still largely grown, and is 

 rather variable, but usually a rich rose colour. 

 C. Harrisi is a beautiful white Calanthe, and 

 ('. William Murray is a strong growing plant with 

 })ure white sepals and petals and a crimson lip. 

 C. bella is also a line hybrid with bright rose 

 sepals and petals and a dark carmiiuj lij). 



Calanthes are terrestrial orchids which are 

 divided into two sections — deciduous and ever- 

 green ; and those dealt with in the present article 

 belong to the former. They have well defined 

 pseudo-bulbs, often 8 or 9 inches high, which bear 

 broad plicate leaves. These usually fall about 

 the same time as the flower scapes push up, 

 which vary in height from 20 to 30 inches. 



Cultural Details. — Calanthes have been 

 successfully grown in such structures as a plant 

 stove, the warmest orchid house, ciu-umber house, 

 and ])ine stove — in fact in almost any kind of 

 house where the necessary heat can be maintained. 

 Annual re])otting is advisable, and this operation 

 should be carried out in early spring, as soon as 

 they begin to start into growth. If )iot already 

 done, remove the pseudo-bulbs from their old re- 

 ceptacles, shake away the exhausted soil, and cut 

 off the dead roots, except a little tuft at the base 

 of each bulb, whi<;h will serve to hold it in position. 

 Calanthes enjoy generous treatment, and the soil 

 should consist of the best fibrous loam two- 

 thirds, and one-third peat or osmunda fibre. A 

 few i)artly decayed oak leaves rubbed through a 

 i-inch mesh sieve, and a s])rinkling of silver sand 

 or finely crushed crocks, may be added with 

 advantage. Some growers include dried cow 

 manure, but this is only necessary when the 

 loam is of poor quality. As a general rule the 

 pseudo-bulbs are i)otted singly, ajui large pots are 

 not used, because if reciuired fhey can be shifted 

 into others of larger dimensions later on. A full- 

 sized bulb generally requires a O-ineh or 'A2 size 

 flower pot, and fi'om this statement an aiiuitcur 

 or beginner can usually gauge the pot needed for 

 his own particular bulbs. Some of the varieties 

 of C. vestita, such as rubro-oculata, have sub- 

 erect or nodding scapes, and they are well adapted 

 for large ])ans where there is sufficient si)ace for 

 three or four bulbs. Whether pots or pans are 

 chosen they nuist be filled one-third of their dei)th 

 with drainage, upon which is placed a thin layer 



of sphagnum hioss or fibrous loam. The com])Ost 

 is pressed moderately firm, and when the re- 

 ])otting is completed the soil ought to be half an 

 inch or so below the rim, while the new growth 

 should rest u])on the siu-face, and the base of the 

 old ])ulbs slightly embedded to keep it firm. 

 Directly the repotting is done, remove the i)lants 

 to a warm moist house, where the temperature 

 does not fall below 65° F. For several weeks very 

 little water is necessary, but when the new growth 

 begins to root freely the sui)i)ly of water at the 

 base can also be increased, and from this stage 

 frequent and liberal waterings must be api>lied 

 till the foliage begins to decay. 



When the rece])tacles are well filled with roots, 

 it is a custom with many cultivators to give weak 

 liquid cow manure once a week, and no doubt in 

 many cases it proves most beneficial, not only by 

 increasing the size of the bulb, but also intensifies 

 the colour of the flowers. A little ventilation is 

 essential occasionally, both from the top and 

 bottom ventilators, and enough shade nuist be 

 jirovided to ])revent the foliage being injiu'ed by 

 the sun's rays. Asthe new iiseudo-bulbs apiiroach 

 maturity, and the leaves show signs of turning 

 coloiu', the surroundings ought not to be kept so 

 moist, water will be needed less frequent, the 

 shading can be dispensed with, and a little more 

 ventilation given. The spikes will then soon 

 appear near the base of the current pseudo-bulbs, 

 and till they are removed the i)lants should be 

 kept just moist at the base. 



After flowering, water nuist be entirely with- 

 held, and the pseudo-lnilbs kejjf dormant through 

 the winter months by ])lacing them on a shelf 

 where the temjjerature fluctuates between 55° 

 and 00° F. If the space is required, the bulbs 

 may be taken out of their jJots as described above, 

 and stored in a box with a lilt le silver sand around 

 the tuft of old roots. 



Insect i)ests are not very trouljlesouu-, and if 

 any are seen, the leaves should be carefully 

 sponged with a weak solution of some reliable 

 insecticide. Regarding vai)orising the house, it 

 must be done rather on the weak side, as the 

 foliage may be damaged if the vapour is strong ; 

 therefore the safest plan is to fumigate lightly two 

 nights in succession. 



Bulbs in Bowls. 



By II. M. Pollock 

 To those to whom the luxury of a greenhouse is 

 denied, and whose garden is not of sulliciently 

 large ])roportions to pUow of the growing of such 

 ])lants as (Jari'y? elliptica, Chimonantlius fragrans, 

 the commo)! willow, with its silvei-y (i^tkius. and 

 others, and where the shigs and other destructive 

 <-reatiu'es are so aljiuidaut, that to grow early 

 Irises is only waste of nu)ney — even I. stylosa is 

 not immune from the ravages of caterpillc'rs — 

 there can be little doubt that bulbs grown in 

 fibre ?re most welcome. 



In an issue of Irish (iAiJDENiNc; which appeared 

 in the autumn some reader remarked that one 

 heard a great deal about what to plant in the 

 way of bulbs, and how to i)lant, but one never 

 heard of any resiilts. I have grown bulbs in 

 bowls now for four successive years, and I have 

 never yet been disapixunted with them. This 

 autumn I took the advice of a well known 

 gardener, and i)Ut some of the bowls when i)lanted 

 immediately into the light. This " i>()sition " 

 was a. very sm?ll frame situated in the warmest 



