242 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



will name a few as they flower each month. While the season can 

 be prolonged or retarded a few weeks, it is not wise to do so if 

 the future welfare of the plants is consulted, neither are the present 

 results so satisfactory. With Mr. Ames's large collection he can 

 have Cattleya Percivaliana in bloom in December, and some even 

 in Februar3'^ or March. The same is true of the varieties of 

 Cattleya Triance; also of Lcelia anceps and varieties, Dendrobiums, 

 Odontoglossums, Coelogynes, Cypripediums, etc. 



In the months of January, February and March, the following 

 named varieties of Lcelia anceps may be seen — Daivsoni, a charming 

 variety, properly called the Queen of all Laelias ; Scottiana, Win- 

 niana, Protheroiana and Sanderiana ; also Cattleya Percivaliana., C. 

 Lawrenceana, and C. Schroederoe, all in variet}' ; of C Trianoi and 

 varieties, including the brilliant splashed form, Backhousiana, the 

 immense flowers of C Triance Leeana, of which Mr. Ames owns 

 part of the original plants ; the varieties Ehoracensis and Dayana, 

 which in form are unequalled ; alha^ delicata^ chocoensis, etc. All 

 are chaste and beautiful ; and in a collection of two hundred 

 plants of C. Triance there are scarcely two which do not vary in 

 some slight degree, but the varieties above named are all recog- 

 nized as among the finest extant. 



Of Dendrobiums the following are particularly worthy of notice : 



D. Wardianum, a superb variety having sepals and petals white, 

 with the upper portion bright rich magenta, broad, thick, wavy ; 

 lip large, white above, rich orange in the lower part, with two 

 deep eye-like spots of crimson magenta. 



D. nobile is the oldest species in cultivation, and the best known 

 orchid grown ; undoubtedly if only one orchid could be had this 

 would be the one above all others, that would be selected. 



Of D. nobile nobilius, Mr. W. H. Gower in " The Garden," 

 London, January 18, 1890, says: "In its growth it exactly 

 resembles the typical plant, the sepals and petals are a rich ros}' 

 purple, the petals much the darker, and far darker towards the 

 tips ; lip large, considerably over an inch across, the base of the 

 lip is very dark purplish black. In front of this is a zone of 

 white, the apical portion recurved and of a rich deep amaranth 

 purple, the flowers being thick and flesh}- in texture ; it is a variety 

 which cannot be mistaken, and it is without doubt the finest 

 extant for depth of color." 



D. euosmum is cream colored, marked purple, and powerfully 

 Bcented ; it is a hybrid between D. endocharis and D. nobile. 



