Daseml)er 25, 1873. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



507 



in this instance is fingle-flowered. The dorsal sepal is large 

 and broad, the upper portion pure white, purplish brown at 

 the basal part with longitudinal streaks of a deeper shade ; 

 petals standing at right angles, oblong, furnished on the upper 

 edge with numerous black-bearded wart-like protuberances, 

 and purpUsh brown in colour ; labellnm a large dark browu 

 pouch, resembUng the toe of a shoe. It blooms from AprU to 

 the end of July, and continues nearly two months in beauty. 

 Kativo of Malacca. 



C. Loflii. — This fine species is a native of Borneo. The 

 leaves are somewhat thick, carinate below, from 12 to 18 inches 

 long, and 2 inches broad. The scape usually bears three 

 flowers, but I have seen as many as sis ; this, however, is very 

 onusual ; dorsal sepal large, pale green ; petals oblong, the 



CTpripedium Lowii, 



basal portion greenish, with purple spots, the ends wholly 

 rich purple, with ciHated edges. Lip large, light brown, suf- 

 fused with purple. It blooms at various seasons, and con- 

 tinues a long time in fall beauty. 



C. niKsuTissiMUM. — In this species the foliage somewhat 

 resembles that of the fine old wintei -blooming kind, C.insigne. 

 The leaves are from 10 to 15 inches in length, and about 

 1 inch in breadth, of a uniform dark green, saving at the base, 

 where they are slightly stained with dull purple. The scape 

 is erect ; flowers soUtary ; sepals greenish brown ; petals of 

 the same colour at the base, but the upper half is whoUy 

 purple. The lip is moderate-sized, greenish brown, but having 

 in addition a faint tinge of purple. It blooms during spring 

 and early summer. Native of the East Indies. 



C. BCPEBBiENS. — This truly beautiful species is the last I 

 shall introduce into this enumeration. The leaves are from 

 C to 10 inches in length, about 2 inches in breadth ; ground 

 colour light yellowish green, being reticulated with mottlings 

 of dark green, rendering it very handsome and distinct. 

 Scape erect, bearing only a single flower, but that is a very 

 large one ; dorsal sepal large, white, streaked with fine lines 

 of greenish brown; petals broad, ground colour white, spotted 

 and Uned with purplish brown on the edges ; lip large, shining 

 brown, with just a tinge of rose. It blooms from May to July, 

 and continues in full perfection a very long time. Native of 

 the Indian Archipelago. 



cinsis. 



This is a small genus of plants, most of which well deserve 

 the attention of the amateur, and the species here iutrodaced 



is quite indispensable to even a small collection. They are 

 distinguished by their thick fleshy pseudobulbs, which are 

 covered with membranous sheaths, and by their lateral spikes 

 of thick waxy flowers, which are furnished with eight poUeu 

 masses. The species of Chysis are easily grown ; indeed, so 

 are most plants when an interested party has charge of them. 

 They should bo potted upon a cone of peat and sphaguum, 

 and elevated above the rim of the pot. Daring the growing 

 season give them plenty of heat and moisture, but when at 

 rest place them in a cool house and keep dry. Their thick 

 fleshy pseudobulbs enabling them to withstand a long season 

 of drought with impunity. 



C. BRACTESCENS. — Thls is the only species I can introduce 

 here. The pseudobulbs are from 6 to 12 inches long, covered 

 with scaly sheaths, and bearing thin, ribbed, light green leaves, 

 which fall away during the period of rest after growth is com- 

 plete. The spike comes up in spring with the young growth, 

 and bears five or six flowers, which measure nearly 3 inches 

 in diameter ; sepals and petals broad, thick, waxy, and pure 

 white ; lip also white, stained in the centre with lemon or 

 light yellow. It blooms in April and May. Native of Guate- 

 mala. — ExPEKro Crede. 



THE ROYAL HOETICULTUBAL SOCIETY. 



In answer to your anonymous correspondent, " A Life 

 Fellow, E.H.S.," his first paragraph should have run thus : 

 " The old Council was caused to retire by a very small number 

 of votes, and most of them local ones." I believe that there 

 is great writing power in the new Council (it is one comfort 

 that we shall have no slovenly papers), and expect that the 

 forthcoming report will be a masterpiece, putting the very 

 best possible face on a bad case ; but that the Council can 

 pay £2400 a-year reut, according to the Charter (and rent has 

 a way of coming duo), and pay their way without starving 

 horticulture, is, I beliuve, beyond the power of man to show, 

 even on paper. I wish I coiiJd think otherwise ; it would give 

 a hope that our country show-fund money has not been spent 

 after all. 



I do not see how the large sum spent on the gardens aflectg 

 either my argument or myself. Though on the Council eight 

 years ago, it was spent long before my time, and I fear its 

 results would now be only considered as a tenant's improve- 

 ments at their value for the purposes of the present time, and 

 therefore as worth nothing hke the £6000 a-year suggested 

 by "A LiB-E Fellow." He is mistaken in supposing that I 

 suggested that Her Majesty's Commissioners should make 

 building land of the garden. What I said was that either the 

 garden should be made of more use to the public, or, if it 

 were to be kept private, as at present, that the rich neighbour- 

 hood should pay its value, about five times the present rent ; 

 this sum to be applied to public purposes. 



If " A Life P'ellow " inquires, he will find that the two 

 Societies he names are on a totally different footing from ours. 

 The Crown is, I believe, the great landlord in the Itegent's 

 Park. I do not know what rent the two gardens pay directly; 

 they pay a very large one indirectly, as the beauty of the 

 garden at the Botanic, and the continuous show and other 

 attractions at the Zoological, must greatly add to the rental of 

 the vast number of houses owned by the Crown in their 

 neighbourhood. In answer to the next objection, what I sug- 

 gested was that a guinea should be our subscription, and that 

 this should admit only to the Show and Meeting part of the 

 gardens. For the recreation part, those interested would 

 make their own terms with the Commissioners. 



From " A Life Fellow's " point of view he is right in op- 

 posing proxies. If the Kensingtouian rule is to be kept up, 

 cliijuo voting must be continued, and the country still pre- 

 vented from expressing its opinion. Seeing through my hor- 

 ticultural spectacles, I warmly advocate voting by proxy. 



In answer to Dr. Denny, I have only to say tliat he is mis- 

 taken in supposing that the Society's difficulties are due to 

 the " acts of former Councils, of which Mr. Wilson was a 

 member." Dr. Denny is rather a now Fellow of the Society. 

 If he inquires of an " old Fellow," he wiU find that the source 

 of the difliculties was long before my time, and that the Council 

 I joined about eight years ago inherited them as the new 

 Council has. I hope that Dr. Denny will stick to the opinion 

 contained in his last paragraph, that it is wise to give up the 

 lease of the gardens for a fair consideration. I wish every 

 horticulturist could be brought to feel as strongly as 1 do, that 

 as long as our home is in Egypt we shall be in bondage ; as 



