386 



JOUENAL OF HOETIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDBNEB. 



[ June 10, 1869. 



when placed in water does not become a soapy mase, but wiU 

 bear to be squeezed in the hand, and when liberated will return 

 to its otiginal form. Such will retain moisture, and (he roots 

 will cling to the peat, and pass through it freely. If it give off 

 inky or black water on being immersed and then squeezed, it 

 is wholly unsuitable. The other ingredients should bo one 

 part of cocoa-nut fibre refuse (that which from age has become 

 very brown or blac);, and is so reduced as to resemble peat, and 

 is lumpy), and one part of sphagEum chopped up. These ma- 

 terials form the staple of the compost, the peat being torn np 

 with the hands, and any pieces of the roots or stems of Heath 

 removed. If cocoa-nut refuse cannot be had, one-half part 

 more of sphagnum may be substituted, chopping it up rather 

 small, but the refuse is better. Add half a part of silver sacd, 

 half a part of crocks broken rather small, and one part of 

 charcoal in pieces from the size of a pea or hazel nut to that 

 of a walnut. The whole of the materials should be well mixed. 

 This compost will grow almost all Orchids, but a few require 

 a closer soil, and of such particular note will be made when 

 treating of the kinds suitable for cool temperatures. 



In cool houses Orchids do not succeed on blocks of wood, or 

 btit few ; there are some, however, tbat may be so grown, and 

 for the blocks notbing answers so well as cork, though any kind 

 of hard wood, as oak or ash, answers very well. Eesinous woods 

 should be rejected. Orchids also succeed admirably on portions 

 of the stems of tree Feins. The blocks should be covered with 

 a thin layer of fresh sphagnum free from insects, then with a 

 little fibrous peat, p'acing the r< o's on that, covering them with 

 moss, and securing firmly with copper wire. 



Baskets are sometimes used, and are indispensable for Stan- 

 liopeas. Preference is mostly given to thofe made of wood, as 

 they can be broken to pieces, or will have decayed by the time 

 the plants require re-basketing ; but those known as rustic 

 cement baskets are good — tbo plants grow in them as well as, if 

 ■not better than, in these of wood ; they do not harbour insects, 

 and have a much better appearance. The baskets should be 

 lined with sphagnum or moss, and the above compost employed 

 for filling, then surface with moss. 



. As respects pots. Orchids require large pots for the size of 

 the plants. Some cultivators prefer pots having holes in the 

 sides, and others consider those formed of galvanised wire, or 

 baskets made in the form of clay pots, and called crinoline 

 pots, are better. Clay pots or even pans made in the ordinary 

 way answer very well, and are everything needful, except for 

 very large specimens ; then tubs may be substituted, and they, 

 as Mr. Temple informs ns. page 219, answer every purpose of 

 a pot or basket, " being cheaper, lighter, and more easily re- 

 moved than pots, and less liable to breakage." 



Whether grown in pots, pans, or tub?, these need not 

 exceed 1 foot in depth, and of that depth half should be de- 

 voted to drainsge, not forgetting tbat there must be holes in 

 the bottoms of the pots or tubs to allow of the water passing 

 away freely. The drainage should consist of crocks or broken 

 pots, putting the rougher at the bottom, and the finer upper- 

 most, covering it with a thin Inyer of sphagnum or cocoa-nut 

 fibre, the waste from the rope and mat manufactories. The 

 pot is then to be filled with the compost, so that when the 

 plant is ictroduced, and the roots placed on the compost, and 

 covered with moss or sphagnum, there will be a cone 3 or 

 4 inches above the rim for small plants, and 6 inches or more 

 for large plants. The compost should be comnressed rather 

 firmly. 



In repotting, as much of the old compost as possible should 

 l)e_ removed, and that without injury to the roots, the pots 

 being cleaned inside as well as outside previous to potting. 



Of the following species and varieties, those marked with an 

 asterisk (*) are most suitable for a cool temperature, and may 

 1)8 kept in winter in one of from 40° to 4.5° ; those not so dis- 

 tinguished are only suitable, as far as I have experience, for a 

 winter temperature of from 45° to 50°. 



AcixETA HuMBOLDTH. — The flowers are prodnced ou pendent 

 branched racemes, and are large, pnrphsh brown or chocolate, striped 

 and spotted. It requires to be grown in a basket, the flowers growing 

 through the bottom. It flowers in May, or early in sammer. Vene- 

 zaela and New Granada. 



AEErDES .irrrsE. — Eacemes pendent and branched ; flowers whitish, 

 shaded with rose colour, and spotted with rosy purple. It flowers in 

 summer. Sylhet. 



A. AFFDJE EOSEHM.— The flowcrs arc larger than those of the pre- 

 ceding, and more brightly shaded with rose, otherwise it is veiv 

 similar. 



A. cRispoi.— Sacemes of delicate white flowers, rose lips, floweiing 

 in May, or early in summer. East Indies. 



A. cRispiTM Warneri. — A fin© variety of Aerides crispum, with 

 larger and better-coloured flowers. 



A. ODORATUM. — Racemes of white fragrant flowers, produced m 

 summer, about August. East Indies. 



A. posEi^M. — Racemes short aud dense; flowers rose-colotured, pro- 

 duced from June to August. East Indies. 



The Ainides, although natives of the East Indies, mostly 

 grow in the mountnin regions at considerable elevations, and 

 consequently succeed in a comparatively cool temperature, bnt 

 they should have the warmest, least airy, and most humid 

 situation. 



•AcROPERA LouDiGEsn (Gongora galeati). — Pendent racemes of 

 dull jellow flowers, very sweet. It flowers in July or August, and may 

 be grown in baskets or in pots. Mexico. There ie a variety with 

 yellow or pale ornnge flower.^, distinguished by being spotted. It is 

 named Acropera Loddigesii luteola. They are not particularly de- 

 sirable in collcctious limited iii number. 



*Akguloa Clowesu. — Flowers on erect stalks, large, yellow and 

 white, not unliltc those of a Tuhp. May and June. Columbia and 

 New Granada. 



*A. unifi.ora. — Flowers cream-coloured, and as the name implies 

 solitai-y. May and June. Pern. 



•A. UNiFLORA superba. — Flowers pink, bnt it is sometimes con- 

 founded with A. superba, with crimson and purple flowers, which is 

 from Mexico. May and June. 



The Anguloas require to be kept cool and dry in winter, and 

 when flowering need to have a good heat and dry atmosphere, 

 or the flowers spot. 



Angwloa Ruckeri, with yellow and crimson flowers, would probably 

 succeed in a cool house. It does exceedinglv well in a warm vinery. 

 May. 



•Barkeria elkgaxs. — Eacemes of light rose-coloured flowers, 

 produced in July. Mexico. 



*B. LiNDLEYANA. — Purple and white flowers in October or No- 

 vember. Costa Rica. 



*B. Smnneri. — Racemes erect; flowers rose-coloured, in sammer. 

 Guatemala. 



*B. SPECTABILIS. — Racemes of lilac flowers, large, sometimes 3 inches 

 across. It flowers in summer (July). Mexico aud Guatemala. 



The Barkerias may be grown in shallow baskets, or in pots, 

 well elevating the compost above the rims of the pots. 



BiPRENARiA ■\TrELLiNA. — Deep ycUow flowers, with a chocolate 

 blotch on the lip. The flowers are small, but produced in clusters. 

 Juue to August. Rio .Janeiro and Venezuela. It may be grown in 

 pots, well raising the compost above their rims, or in baskets. 



Blf.tlv verecunpa — Clusters of purple flowers on longish stalks. 

 March and April. West Indict. It requires no sphagnum in the 

 compost, bnt succeeds in equal parts of peat, cocoa-nut flbre refuse, 

 and old diy cow dung, top-dressiug with tbo last named, and adding a 

 few pieces of charcoal and crocks to keep the soil open. Good drainage 

 should be given, as abundant waterings are required. 



*Brassu ^xbbucosa. — Pale green, brownish flowers, and sometimes 

 whitish flowers, on spikes. It flowers in March. Guatemala. Like 

 the preceding Bletio, it should have a more substantial compost than 

 that used for most Orchids, aud may have turfy loam in lumps added 

 with advantage to the compo.=it recommended for the Bletia. Water 

 very freely when grooving, securing good drainage, and keeping the 

 plant dry when at rest. 



Brassavola glauca. — Flowers yellow, in March. Vera Cmz. 

 Grows best on blocks of wood, but may be grown in pots. 



Bkoughtonia sanguinea. — Deep ciimson flowers in clusters. Au- 

 gust. Jamaica. Succeeds on blocks of wood without moss, or in pots, 

 if well raised above the rim. 



Caeanthe "sToRATBrFOLiA. — SpikcB of white flowers in AprU. Java 

 and New South Wales. 



C. \'ESTiTA. — Spikes of white flowers with yellow or crimson centre. 

 It flowers in winter, from November to February. Java and Burmah. 



C. VESTFTA LUTEA. — Flowers yellow, with rose-coloured centres. It 

 also flowers in winter. 



For the above Calanthes, to the compost named at the com- 

 mencement of this paper, add one part of old cow dung, and one 

 part of fibrous loam (in lumps), top-dreseing with old cow dung. 

 Water freely when growing, keeping C. veslita and C. vflstita 

 lutea dry in winter, but C. veratrifulia dry at no time. Afford 

 them abundance of air, and keep them near the light, of which 

 they cannot have too much in winter. 



Cattleya AcLANDLi;. — Blotched sepals and petals, rosy purple hp. 

 July. Brazil. 



C. AiiEMBERGn. — Largo Ulac flowers. July. Brazil. 



C. CRISPA. — White waxy flowers, crisped purple-tipped labellnm. 

 September. Brazil. 



C. ciTRTNA. — Yellow or citron-coloured flowers, pendent and showy. 

 April. Mexico. 



C. ELEGANS. — Cinnamon pui-ple flowers, with white and deep crimson- 

 purple lip. Brazil. 



C. Harrisont?e. — Rosy lilac flowers, with yellow and white lip, iK 

 clusters of from thi'ec to five. AprU. Brazil. , „ EiStaafefl 



