Sbptbmbbb 1, 1888.] 



THE GABDEXEBS' CHBONICLE. 



235 



order to fix all the properties essential for strong 

 a:id pungent Tea. The rest of the preparation is all 

 done by machinery, and great care is taken to have 

 good leads and packages. 



In China there is an indifference to the selection 

 of proper soil, so that in seasons of drought there is 

 a deficiency of sap. Old Tea bushes are rarely 

 replaced. Manuring, removal of under-growth, and 

 pruning, are all done in a happy-go-lucky fashion, 

 with no idea that system and method are all essential 

 if the growers wish to get as much Tea off an acre 

 as is produced in India and Ceylon. 



There is the same want of care and of system in 

 the manipulation of the Tea leaf in China as there 

 is in the growth of the plant. Every operation is 

 done by hand only. Instead of bruising the leaves by 

 rolling, the Chinese half dry them in the sun, and 

 then place them in bags, which are trodden until a 

 greenish viscid fluid exudes, which may contain some 

 of the best elements of the Tea leaf. Days may 

 elapse between the time of picking and of ferment- 

 ing the leaf. It often happens, too, that the grower 

 instead of picking the leaves when they are fresh 

 and in perfection, will deliberately wait for them to 

 grow larger, in order that their weight may be in- 

 creased. It is stated that the late picking of 1887 

 made the crop 20 per cent, worse than it need have 

 been. Lastly, in China there is not the same care 

 in packing that there is in India. The remedies 

 proposed for improving this unfortunate state of 

 things in the Hankow Tea trade are threefold : — 

 1st, the reduction of supply ; 2nd, the adoption of 

 a better system of cultivation and preparation ; and 

 3rd, the abolition or reduction of taxation. 



Another remedy it is said has also been suggested, 

 namely, to drive Indian Tea out of the market by 

 sending a lecturer through England to preach a 

 crusade against it, and to proclaim its unwholesome- 

 ness and the danger arising from drinking it. 



Whatever might be the result of a better system 

 of cultivation and preparation, the last proposition 

 would probably hasten its decline, by advertising, and 

 consequently increasing the sale of, Indian Tea. 



ORCHID CULTURE. 



The following cultural notes are extracted from 

 recent numbers of Messrs. Warner and Williams' 

 Orchid Album: — 



Schomburgkia undulata is au evergreen plant, with 

 fusiform stems, a foot or more high, bearing lively 

 green leathery leaves, which are from 6 to 8 inches 

 In length. The spike is terminal, from 2 to 5 feet 

 long, and bearing near the upper part a somewhat 

 dense raceme of flowers. The sepals and petals are 

 purplish-brown, much undulated, and the lip of a 

 rosy-purple hue. It blooms in March, and the 

 flowers continue in perfection for several weeks. This 

 plant succeeds best when grown in a hanging basket, 

 and roots freely in the atmosphere; it also thrives 

 well on rafts or blocks of wood, but under these 

 conditions it requires more attention to keep it sup- 

 plied with moisture. The growth commences after 

 the flowers have faded, and during the formation of 

 new bulbs it should be syringed twice a day in warm 

 weather, in order to encourage it to grow vigorously, 

 and thus to produce white blossoms. This is usually 

 considered a shy-flowering species, but if grown with 

 full exposure to the light there need be little fear 

 but that it will bring forth its flowers annually. In 

 a state of Nature this plant is found growing upon 

 trees and on rocks in exposed situations, where it is 

 subjected to a decided dry and rainy season, the 

 latter being its time of flowering and growing, at 

 which period it requires great care and attention to 

 keep it properly supplied with moisture ; but after 

 growth is completed, just a moderate quantitv only 

 is requisite in order to keep the bulbs and leaves 

 from shrivelling and becoming impoverished. We 

 rind the temperature of an intermediate-house to 

 suit it admirably, and that it does not appear to like 

 much soil about its roots; this should be the same 

 is we have previously recommended for Cattleyas. 

 Tkndrohium Fytchianum rosevm is a distinct and 



pretty deciduous variety. The stems are slender, 

 cylindrical and erect, from 1 foot to 1.5 inches high ; 

 the young growths appear about the same time that 

 the flowers begin to show upon the leafless stems of 

 the previous year, so that, although the plant is 

 deciduous, the flowers are accompanied by the green 

 leaves of the new shoots. The flowers are produced 

 both on terminal and lateral racemes, and are of a 

 delicate rose colour, the throat being of a darker hue. 

 It blooms during the months of February and March, 

 and continues in beauty some considerable time. 

 This variety, like the species, is best grown in the 

 East India house, suspended from the roof, in such 

 a position that it may obtain the full influence of the 

 light, but it will require a little shade at mid-day, 

 when the sun attains its greatest power. We find 

 small pans or baskets admirably adapted for this and 

 similar small and tender plants. It requires but a 

 small amount of material about its roots, and this 

 should consist of rough fibrous peat and living 

 sphagnum moss, which should always be kept in a 

 sweet condition by good drainage — stagnant material 

 about it often causes sudden death, but more often 

 leads to an uuhealthy condition, in which the plants 

 gradually dwindle away. It requires a liberal 

 supply of moisture during its growing season, and 

 also slight syringing in the morning and again in the 

 afternoon. This assists in keeping away red-spider, 

 which frequently attacks these small tender-leaved 

 plants. 



Cattlet/a Harrisonits violacca, is achirming evergreen 

 variety, resembling the typical plant somewhat in its 

 growth, but is sometimes taller. It also has the 

 peculiar habit of making two growths in one season, 

 aud often flowers are produced upon both growths, 

 thus its seasons of flowering may be said to be in 

 April and May, and again about July, August, and 

 September, lasting iu full perfection for about four 

 weeks. It is a very useful plant, both for home 

 decoration and for public exhibition purposes. The 

 sepals and petals are of a rosy-purple ; lip same 

 colour, stained with yellow in the centre. This 

 Cattleya thrives well when placed at the coolest end 

 of the intermediate-house, where it can obtain full 

 exposure to the light, but it requires shading from 

 the sun during the hottest part of the days iu summer. 

 The material we use for this plant is the same as 

 that of the majority of Cattleyas ; that is, a good 

 fibrous peat and sphagnum moss. It may be grown 

 in either a pot or basket, but must have perfect 

 drainage. A moderate supply of water is necessary 

 during active growth, and when that is completed, 

 just enough moisture to keep the bulbs and foliage 

 in vigorous condition is ample. When the plant 

 shows signs of renewed growth, increase the water 

 supply, to induce the formation of new roots, and 

 thus the growths will become stronger. 



Houllctia Brockkhurstiana is a handsome and 

 showy species, growing to upwards of 2 feet in 

 height, and has a conical furrowed pseudobulb, which 

 bears a single broadly lanceolate light green leaf. 

 The flower-spike proceeds from the base of the bulb, 

 and is erect, some 12 inches in height, bearing 

 numerous very fragrant nodding flowers, which are 

 nearly 4 inches in diameter. Sepals and petals rich 

 sienna-brown, spotted with dark purplish-brown; 

 lip vellow, profusely spotted with the same colour as 

 the other portions of the flower. They are de- 

 liciously sweet, aud continue in beauty about a 

 fortnight. This species is of free growth, and 

 thrives well in an intermediate or Cattleya-house, 

 but it grows equally well with us in the Odonto- 

 glossum-house, where it flowers abundantly. The 

 bulbs of this plant should be well matured ; this is 

 of special importance if good results are expected. 

 Let the plant have its growing season at the proper 

 time, and encourage it as much as possible to throw 

 up new growths, which should appear about the time 

 of flowering. During active growth it requires a 

 moderate supply of water to its roots, but when the 

 growth is completed withhold water, and allow the 

 plant to have a thorough rest, always being careful 

 to avoid distressing it. When the flower-spikes and 

 young growths begin to show, gradually supply water 



regularly, in order to assist the blooms and enable 

 it to make good growths for another season. This 

 plant requires shading from the hot sun, but this 

 must be done with a very thin material, as it likes 

 good exposure to the light. We find rough fibrous 

 peat and living sphagnum moss a fine compost for 

 it, adding some nodules of charcoal, and draining 

 well. The roots enjoy a great deal of freedom, there- 

 fore elevate the plant well above the rim of the pot, 

 to encourage them to ramble. 



Vanda la.iiie.la.ta. Boxalli. — This small-growing 

 Vanda, like several others which we have already 

 figured in the Orchid Album, requires more care than 

 some of the larger-growing kinds which we have 

 enumerated above; that is to say, it thrives best 

 when grown in baskets or in pots suspended from the 

 roof near the glass, or if not suspended the plants 

 should be arranged upon the side tables, where they 

 may obtain an abundance of light. A thin shading 

 in order to break off the sun's rays will be, however, 

 necessary for the well-being of these plants, but the 

 shading should never be down when the sun is not 

 shining ; attention to these few remarks will tend to 

 produce strong and robust growth, and a profusion 

 of flowers. On the other hand, if they are too heavily 

 shaded, the foliage becomes weak, the growth does 

 not ripen, and consequently has not strength to 

 flower ; besides this it often causes the bottom leaves 

 to fall off, and thus the plants lose much of their 

 ornamental appearance ; for a well-grown Vanda is 

 an extremely beautiful object, even without its 

 blooms. This plant, being a native of the Philip- 

 pine Islands at no great altitude, requires the heat 

 of the East India-house, and enjoys a moderate 

 supply of water during its growing season, which is 

 in the summer months. In the autumn and winter 

 less water will be necessary, but as these plants are 

 growing more or less all the year round, aud have 

 no thick and fleshy pseudobulbs to support them 

 through a period of drought, the material must 

 always be kept in a moist condition. We find living 

 sphagnum moss the best material iu which to grow 

 this plant, and the pots or baskets must be well 

 drained 



Dendrobium maerophyllwm. — This plant grows 

 naturally in the jungles of Java, in situations where 

 it is both hot and moist nearly all the year round, 

 consequently the warmest end of the East India- 

 house will be found the most suitable place in which 

 to cultivate it. Whilst growing, it must be abun- 

 dantly supplied with water ; after the growth is 

 finished it must not be kept entirely without 

 moisture, but just enough to keep the plant from 

 shrivelling, and to ensure healthy foliage, will be 

 sufficient, and in the spring of the year its flower- 

 spikes will be developed. This plant begins to make 

 new growth soon after it has flowered, and this is 

 the proper time to repot it, if requisite. Xever 

 allow stagnant soil to remain about its roots ; if the 

 plant should fall into bad health, it should be 

 shaken out of the old soil, or the roots washed, and 

 any decaying or decayed parts should be cut away, 

 repotting in sweet fresh material with good drain- 

 age. It requires but little soil to grow in, and we 

 find good fibrous peat and sphagnum moss the best 

 material for it. Shade is very essential to this plant 

 during the summer, as doubtless in a wild state it 

 obtains partial shading from the surrounding trees. 

 This plant does not like being much disturbed, and 

 if it is in a healthy condition there is really no 

 necessity to do so. 



Ci/pripaliiiM Amesiauum. — As before remarked, 

 this plant thrives best when grown in the Odouto- 

 glossum-house, in a temperature ranging from 45^ to 

 50° of heat, during autumn and winter ; indeed, the 

 same temperature during the whole season as that 

 given the Odontoglossumsof the Alexandra (crispum) 

 tvpe, with a good supply of moisture to the roots 

 during the growing season (which is nearly all the 

 year round), suits this plant exactly. A slight 

 syringing overhead during the spring and summer 

 will also be found advantageous. In order to pro- 

 duce strong or healthy foliage, the plant should be 

 exposed to the full light, but it requires to be shaded 



