Cypripedia. ^ i q 



Royal Botanic Society last May, in which was the following reference to 

 C caudatimi, perhaps the most remarkable species of the Cypripedium 

 tribe : — 



" Foremost among the orchids was a plant of Cypripedium caudatiitn, 

 bearing a dozen great brown-stained, greenish-yellow blossoms, from which 

 hung ribbon-like tails quite two and a half feet in length." 



Messrs. James Veitch & Sons in a recent letter speak of a fine plant 

 of C. Iccvigatiim coming into flower, which fully maintains the high opinion 

 formed of it last year. This species will be found figured and described 

 in Curtis's "Botanical Magazine" for 1865, plate 5508 ; and C. Stoiiei in 

 same journal for 1862, plate 5349. 



Of the cultivation of tropical Cypripedia, the Messrs. Veitch write as 

 follows : — 



" We devote a compartment in our extensive range of orchid-houses to 

 the exclusive cultivation of Cypripedia ; and in their management we have 

 been most successful. In this house, the temperature ranges from 60° 

 Fahrenheit in the winter to 80° and 85° in the summer. The soil we use 

 is a very fibrous peat, mixed with a little sphagnum moss and sand ; and 

 we believe a great point is to give the plants plenty of moisture, both at 

 the roots and overhead, during the summer-time, and keep only moderately 

 damp in the winter." 



The special mission of every plant is to produce flowers and seeds ; but 

 my C. Schlimi has departed this life without fulfilling its destiny. I had 

 vainly hoped for a spike of its brilliant flowers before it went out of exist- 

 ence. However, it may serve a benevolent purpose in possibly contribut- 

 ing to the future glory of some indigenous cypriped ; for the leaves of plants 

 as they perish are transformed into vegetable mould indispensable to the 

 life of plants. In vegetable nature, death prepares for new life ; and they 

 together form the "mysterious circle of organic life which has neither 

 beginning nor end." 



My C. Lowii, which is a superb, vigorous plant, with long, broad leaves, 

 is throwing up a fine flower-stem, and will soon be in full bloom. This 

 stately species I have not before seen in flower. A plant imported at the 

 same time with mine, belonging to a gentleman in this vicinity, has a flower- 

 stem up six or seven inches, bearing five flower-buds. 



