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^■■^^^p^v 



May 25, 1912.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



349 







■ 



Great interest was taken in Orchids in those 

 years, and goodly numbers of fine species were 

 in gardens, but the number available for exhibi- 

 tion on any date was necessarily limited. 



Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons had already pro- 

 duced some fine hybrids — Calanthe Dominii, C. 

 Veitchii; Cattleya Dominiana, C. hybrida, C. 

 Manglesii, and a few others, but the only hybrid 

 Orchids at the 1866 show probably were the two 

 natural hybrids Laelio-Cattleya elegans and L.-C. 

 Schilleriana, shown as Cattleya and Lselia. 



Passing to the Orchid Exhibition and Confer- 



ence of the Royal Horticultural Society in 188 

 and be it remarked all these great events were held 

 in the month of May — we find that great progress 

 had been made in the meantime with respect to 

 species and varieties of species, and that the 

 first demonstration setting: for the 



ance 



vided. 



350 



of the home-raised hybrid 



import- 

 was 



pro- 

 Of the species, 57 genera and about 

 species and varieties of species were 

 staged. Cattleyas, Lselias, Odcntoglossums, 



Cochlioda, namely, rosea, sanguinea, and vul- 

 canic* were then available, but not the scarlet C. 

 Noezliana. At that time no one had the slightest 

 idea of the satisfactory part which the genus, 

 and especially the last-named species, would play 

 in the evolution of brilliant garden plants when 

 mated with the different species of Odontoglos- 

 sum. Miltonia vexillaria, then called Odontoglos- 

 sum vexillarium, had been well known in gar- 

 dens since 1873, but was still regarded as a very 

 difficult plant to grow, and likely always to be 

 rare. Nowadays those who, as at Westonbirt, 

 understand its requirements have no trouble in 

 producing great masses of it covered with bloom, 

 and its hybrids, M. Bleuana and others, are even 

 more amenable to cultivation than the species. 

 But the greatest event of the 1885 show, as 

 the sequel proves, was the attention called to the 

 question of raising hybrids. There was to be 

 seen not only what had been done, but also some 

 foreshadowing of what was to be accomplished. 

 This section was well represented by Mr. 



^^M^^^B^^HMMi^M^Bv 



- 





Fig. 



172. — L£WISIA HOVVELLIi: FLOWERS EUFF-YELLOW, STREAKED WITH CRIMSON 



and . Cypnpediums formed the bulk of the ex- 



1 11 i. The first group of M asdevallias showed 

 jell the variety and beauty in this pretty genus. 



« was staged by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., and 

 included M. Chelsonii, and one or two other of 

 ~ne earlier hybrids of Masdevallia, some 48 

 Pecies and varieties being represented. At this 

 snow what are called " botanical Orchids " com- 

 manded considerable attention, and the love for 

 wem still continues. Bulbophyllums, Brassias, 



wL T • Dendrob iura and Cirrhopetalums, 

 ere well in evidence, one of the most admired 



man!i- Pr °!? abl y bein S the Luddemannia Leh- 

 mannn Wlth two spikea> for ^^ ^ ^^ 



1SK %°* re ° eived a Fir st-class Certificate. By 

 eSu* I V f neties of Odontoglossum crispum had 

 thet ! hed . fchem *elves firmly in gardens, 



The kt^p ireme c nt L 3 bein S at last understood, 

 tificat * f T Sc ^° der reCeived Fi "t-clase Cer- 

 and s! n /° r tW ° fine ly -Notched forms-Veitchii 

 a w f nUm ' and the ^^1 form shown as 

 natural kT^ appeared in several collections, 

 ^uckein y bnds beir >g also shown as O. c 

 k6nanum and 0- excellcns. Three soecios of 



sum 

 1866 



years 



and varieties 



up 

 and 



1912 



case as 

 so far 



Harry J. Veitch, who staged a small collection 

 of hybrid Orchids in bloom and also Orchids in 

 fruit, which were very interesting. 



To sum ud the case as between the 



as the species 

 of species are concerned, it 

 must be said that immense strides have been 

 made, and even in the matter of variety in 

 species we are in an exceptionally satisfactory 

 position. The number of large-flowered Cattleyas 

 has been doubled ; the requirements of Odonto- 

 glossums have become thoroughly understood, 

 so that the flowers which they produce under 

 cultivation are quite equal to those which occur 

 in their native habitat, whilst most of the other 

 showy genera have been developed and popu- 

 larised. Fashion in Orchids, as in all other 

 classes of plants, has played its part, and the 

 favourites of the olden time, such as Vandas, 

 Aerides, and Saccolabiums, no longer occupy the 

 place they did in the esteem of orchidists. The 

 glory of the Masdevallias and Dendrobiums has 

 also waned ; but why, it is difficult to say, for 

 they are equal to anv in point of beauty. 



Since 1885 especially, the hybrid Orchids have 

 been paramount in the estimation of orchidists, 

 and the reason is evident. The variety of form 

 and colour obtainable by hybridisation is prac- 

 tically inexhaustible, and, although all combina- 

 tions are not desirable from the florists' point of 

 view, or profitable commercially, yet cross-breed- 

 ing offers the best prospects of good results for 

 the clever and thoughtful operator. To glance 

 at a few of the beautiful subject » which the 

 hybridist has raised since 1885, we find that most 

 of the showy genera have received his attention. 

 For example, the union of Brassavola Digbyana 

 with many of the showy Cattleyas and Lselias has 

 produced a wonderful series of handsome and 

 fragrant flowers, one section or another blooming 

 nearly all the year round. This perennial blos- 

 soming is, indeed, one of the greatest benefits 

 gained by the hybridist, who has succeeded in 

 producing forms which flower in intermediate 

 seasons, and especially in winter, when flowers 

 are scarce. 



The Cochliodas are among the most lovely 

 of Orchids, their brilliant red or rosy-red 

 flowers being unlike anything known before their 

 production. Hybrid Cattleyas and Lajlias and 

 crosses with the scarlet Sophronitis are a host in 

 themselves, all beautiful and easy to grow. One 

 of the great points in this section is the produc- 

 tion of new colours, such as yellow, bronzy-red, 

 and various tints of Indian yellow and purple. 

 Odontoglossums were very fractious at first, and 

 it was said to be next to impossible to do much 

 with them by hybridising, but now almost every- 

 one has mastered them, and endless variety has 

 resulted, the spotted forms rivalling the blotched 

 varieties of 0. crispum. 



In the genus Cypripedium the most extensive 

 and varied work has been done. The genus is 

 such a favourite that some orchidism almost con 

 fine their attention to hybrid Cypripediums, and 

 no matter how enthusiastic they may be, the yet 

 unworked combinations give full assurance that 

 their desire for novelties will continue to be 

 supplied. 



Dendrobiums also are represented by a large 

 number of hybrids, and regarding the work of 

 the hybridist generally it may be said that he 

 has increased the supply, variety, colour, and 

 duration of Orchids in a marvellous degree. 

 James O'Brien. 



LEWISIA HOWELLII. 



Plants of the white-flowered 

 folia have been 



L. 



oppositi- 

 grown. in gardens as L. 

 Howellii, but the former species is quite distinct, 

 *s indicated by its loose, spreading habit. The 

 true L. Howellii (see fig. 172) was collected by 

 Mr. Carl Purdy, California, who sent specimens 

 to Kew in January, 1911. In the autumn, large 

 consignments were received in this country, and 

 plants in flower were exhibited by Mr. Prichard 

 at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 on April 30. The best plant was a fine specimen 

 carrying nine inflorescences, each with about 30 

 flowers, and it well deserved the Award of Merit 

 bestowed on it. L. Howellii is found on the 

 Moony Mountain, in Josephine County, Oregon, 

 and is closely allied to the beautiful L. Coty- 

 ledon, which was illustrated in the Gardeners 9 

 Chronicle, May 30, 1908, fig. 151. It forms the 

 same kind of rosette, but the leaves are narrower, 

 and spathulate, with undulated or crisped mar- 

 gins. They are about 3 to 4 inches long, 

 and about £ inch broad at their widest parts, 

 also very thick and fleshy. The flowers are 

 1 inch in diameter: the petals are of buff-yellow 

 colour streaked with crimson or pink lines. The 

 plant, potted in sandy loam, has survived the 

 winter at Kew in a cold frame. Others planted 

 out in the rock garden in sunny crevices and 

 sheltered positions in the late autumn are equally 

 healthy. L. Howellii is the eighth member of 

 this attractive genus introduced into cultivation, 

 all being natives of Western North America. 



W. I. 



