JUNE 141 



a cool, rather moist border exposed to the sun, increas- 

 ing into large clumps. One of these hybrids is supplied 

 by some nurserymen under the name of the Kilmar- 

 nock orchis. The longer one has it, the more highly 

 one learns to esteem it. 



Habenaria conopsea, a less showy species with 

 crimson flowers and sweet scent, prefers drier ground 

 than those mentioned above; and so does the bright 

 rose (Orchis pyramidalis), for the welfare of which 

 lime or chalk must be provided. 



But the queen of British orchids is Our Lady's 

 Slipper (Cypripedium calceolus), often miscalled Ladies' 

 Slipper, whereby the pious fancy of our pre-Reforma- 

 tion forebears is obscured. Never did I invest capital 

 to better account than when, some thirty years ago, I 

 bought the whole stock of this orchid from one who 

 was leaving his home in Surrey and had a score of fine 

 clumps to dispose of. They have flourished ever since 

 in a border well treated with lime, an ingredient which 

 this fine plant imperatively demands. Every succeed- 

 ing month of May they send up through their ample 

 foliage sheaves of stems 18 inches high, some carry- 

 ing a brace, others only one, of the great flowers. A 

 couple of these stand before me as I write. A blossom 

 carefully measured proves to be 4f inches from tip to 

 tip of the twisted side-petals. Persons seeing it for the 

 first time will scarcely believe that it is a British wild- 

 flower, so outlandish is the effect of the spreading petals 

 of deep maroon set round the inflated 'slipper' of 

 lemon yellow. 



British but is it so any more ? Mr. Reginald Farrer 



