REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GARDENS. 343 



Harris says it will stay in bloom for ten weeks. The Dendrobes 

 are all very beautiful, and there are in the collection 400 or 500 

 plants in twenty or thirty varieties. 



Calanthe Veitcliii is one of the most beautiful of deciduous 

 orchids. There were many fine specimens, and one in particular 

 is worthy of mention, having six spikes of bloom, each spike aver- 

 aging thirty flowers, which are of a deep rose color. 



Calanthe lutea oculata is a very pretty variety. 



Phalcenopsis grandijlora and P. amabiUs. The latter has been 

 called the " Queen of Orchids." P. Schilleriana is a magnificent 

 species. These plants were in perfect health. The foliage itself 

 is really beautiful, especially that of Schilleriana. The flowers 

 are all very handsome, and continue a long time in perfection, 

 which qualit}^ makes them of more than ordinary value. 



Of Cattleyas, about 500 plants are grown in twenty or thirty 

 varieties. The most noticeable are Mossioi, and its varieties, 

 amethystoglossa, crispa, Triance, and Warnerii. Cattleyas are 

 justly ranked amongst the finest orchids. The flowers are large 

 and elegant, and scarcely surpassed by any genus in brilliant 

 richness and great depth of color, and those who visited Welles- 

 ley last spring undoubtedly remember the beautiful display in the 

 conservatory. 



Three fine specimens of Coelogyne cristata have attracted our 

 attention more than once ; these are grown in pans twenty inches 

 in diameter. This is a magnificent dwarf evergreen species, the 

 flowers being produced from the bottom of the bulb, on a droop- 

 ing spike, six or eight together. The color is pure white, with a 

 blotch of yellow on the lip. 



There are also about 500 plants of Odontoglossum. We have 

 mentioned only a few of the larger specimens that attracted our 

 notice. There are many hundred plants of the choicest varieties, 

 selected with the greatest care, and all in the very best state of 

 cultivation. 



Foliage plants have always received a large share of attention, 

 and the fine displays made at our exhibitions are well remembered 

 by you all. Particularly attractive were the Dracaenas. These 

 handsome plants are deservedly very popular. Some can be used 

 to advantage in the sub-tropical garden, and as house plants they 

 are much to be desired ; but for greenhouse and stove decoration 

 we never saw any that equalled the superb specimens grown at 



