December 20, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



473 



and when bnlbs, except Roman Hyaoinths and a few early 

 Tulips, have not awakened from their summer's sleep. 



December is proverbially a dull month. The weather is 

 often dull, trade is often dull, and gardens are generally dull 

 during the few weeks preceding the great national festival of 

 Christmas. The country I know is dull at that time, and I 

 did not find the town particularly lively. The streets were 

 greaBy and the atmosphere was murky ; even that dull structure, 

 Temple Bar, looked duller than usual, for I found the pre- 

 parations for its demolition, or at least removal, had just com- 

 menced. I found too, of course, a crowd watching the pro- 

 ceedings — a real London crowd that is notorious for good 

 humour ; but the crowd even was not true to its character, for 

 not a joke did I hear, not a smile did I see, as I elbowed my 

 way through the solemn or sullen multitude. I arrived at " the 

 office ;" here at any rate it was not dull, for publishing hap- 

 pened to be in progress, and boy-loads, and man-loads, and 

 truck-loads, and van-loads of Journals were being dispatched. 

 " Holloa !" was the greeting. " What ! you here ! A dull 

 time for visiting London." " But I'm off to Veitch's ; it isn't 

 dull there, is it ?" " No ; at least they came out well at Ken- 

 sington the other day. But go and see for yourself and let us 

 know what's going on." I went. The greeting was again 

 pleasant, yet — shall I write it ? — dull, for the first words of the 

 courteous official were half apologetic. " Come in, but I'm 

 afraid we have not much to show you ; it's a dull time, you 

 know." I b3gan to think the dulness was chronic, and that 

 December had not its name for nought. But dulness after all 

 is a relative term. What Mr. Taylor, who lives amidst flowers, 

 may consider dull others may deem cheerful, and certainly I 

 found sufficient to cheer at Veitch's. 



The collection of Orchids was first inspected. Here, summer 

 •or winter, there is always something to attract notice. I saw 

 the grand Cattleya exoniensis, of which I had read such glow- 

 ing accounts, and found it more beautiful than I anticipated ; 

 brilliancy and chasteness are combined in this remarkable 

 variety. Its flowers, however, are now fading. A few other 

 Cattleyas are also flowering, including a fine variety of C. Mossia?, 

 but none of them are equal to C. exoniensis. Wherever such 

 plants are grown there this Cattleya should be. Very conspi- 

 cuous are the Butterfly Orchids, Phalffinopsis grandiflora and 

 amabilis. Their large pure white flowers are exceedingly 

 beautiful, and are among the choicest of the choice for Christ- 

 mastide decorations. P. Schilleriana is showing strongly ; 

 even without the flowers the plant is attractive by its hand- 

 some marbled leaves, with them it is Buperb. In contrast with 

 the larger forms of this genus the smaller-flowered P. Parishii 

 is noticeable. Where sufficient heat can be afforded these 

 plants are highly worthy of a good share of it. No Orchids 

 are more free, for even tiny plants in thumb pots throw up 

 their spikes readily. That remarkable Orchid Angracum ses- 

 quipedale ia in fine condition, and is showing several flowers. 

 It is one of the plants of which the firm cannot get enough of. 

 In remarkable contrast is the still more rare A. citrinum. No 

 wreath can be imagined more perfect than that formed of the 

 two rows of small creamy white pink-suffused flowers arranged 

 with the greatest exactitude on the slightly arching stem. 

 Those who have this plant will treasure it, those who have it 

 not may be excused for coveting it. Another white-flowered 

 Orohid now in beauty is Cymbidium eburneum. The massive 

 texture of this flower and its great purity places it very high 

 in the scale of beauty ; indeed, Mr. Denning places it in the 

 highest position, for I once heard that well-known cultivator 

 remark that if he was compelled to name what he considered 

 to be the most beautiful flower in creation it would be Cym- 

 bidium eburneum. The Australian Dendrobium Johannis is 

 flowering, but it is more curious than beautiful, yet its dark 

 twisted sepals render it distinct. Really and unquestionably 

 beautiful, however, is Laslia autumnalis. This is a most 

 valuable December flower. It is represented by several varie- 

 ties, ranging in colour from pale lilac to purplish violet. It 

 grows and flowers freely, and must be ranked as one of the 

 finest of its season. Somewhat of the same pleasing colour, 

 and in growth and flowers resembling a miniature Gladiolus, 

 is Bletia hyaeinthina, half a dozen plants of which in a 7 or 

 8-inch pot produce an attractive effect. Vanda tricolor com- 

 mands notice by the health of the plant, the size of its spikes, 

 and the beauty of its. flowers ; it is very fine. Attractive also 

 are the elegant racemes of Saccolabium giganteum. A few 

 Oneidiums contribute their deeper and brighter colours to the 

 general display. 0. varicosum is fading, but the more per- 

 sistent 0. Barkeri continues fresh and cheerful. It has a 



fine spike and numerous flowers, the predominating colour 

 being pale primrose. In contrast with it is the deep oinnamon- 

 brown 0. crispum and the still brighter and finer 0. Forbesi, 

 the yellow fringe of which renders it very gay ; and erect and 

 stately is the darker-flowered 0. purpuratum. The good old 

 Orchid Zygopetalum Mackayi is in excellent condition, having 

 luxuriant spikes of its finely marked flowers. It is a valuable 

 " back-row " plant for this period of the year. Epidendrnm 

 ciliarum is noticeable, not however so much on account of its 

 beauty as for its remarkable lip, whioh is fringed like delicate- 

 textured lace. 



In the " cool houses " a few plants aBsert their winter decora- 

 tive value. The well known and deservedly popular Odonto- 

 glossum Alexandras is showing freely, and the plants are 

 remarkably fresh and sturdy. So popular is thiB Odontoglot 

 that it has to be grown by the thousand to meet the great 

 demand. 0. Rossi majus is also flowering ; it is dwarf and 

 attractive. More stately is 0. Pescatorei ; and finer still, indeed 

 exceedingly beautiful, is 0. cirrhosuin. A more valuable and 

 important Orchid than this has not been introduced for many 

 years past. It possesses every quality to render it popular. 

 It grows and flowers freely in a moderate temperature, produc- 

 ing fine branching spikes and flowers of remarkable beauty. 

 It has been imported, too, in such large numbers that it can be 

 distributed at a cheap rate, and now that it is within the reach 

 of so many who possess houseB in which it can be grown satis- 

 factorily I would suggest that, if possible, it be figured, for 

 although it has been distributed so largely and is well known 

 to Orchid growers generally there are yet many lovers of De- 

 cember flowers who are as yet unacquainted with this, one of 

 the very best of them. Another Orchid — more lowly than 

 those named, yet much more bright, perhaps even the brightest 

 of all — is also flowering, Sophronitis grandiflora. This dwarf 

 epiphyte is growing on cork, but only a few of the plants are 

 in beauty ; their rich scarlet flowers are extremely telling. 

 Masdevallias are cool Orchids of great value and easy culture. 

 M. tovarensis, the distinct and charming Columbian species, is 

 highly attractive. The habit of the plant is dwarf and com- 

 pact, and the flowers are of the purest white and continue 

 fresh for a long time. Equally distinct is the bright golden 

 yellow M. DaviEii, whioh is about expanding. Other fine sorts 

 are M. Lindeni, magenta purple ; M. Harryana, rich violet 

 crimson ; and M. Veitchiana, orange scarlet shot with purple. 

 These dwarf and beautiful Orchids cannot be too "highly 

 commended." 



A notice of this class cf plants would be incomplete with- 

 out allusion being made to the Calanthes. No " December 

 flowers " are more useful than these. Although destitute of 

 foliage during the flowering period ihey are yet valuable for 

 associating with other plants — convenient too, for they can 

 be placed amongBt " foliage " plants without crowding. They 

 are extremely cheerful; indeed one cannot be dull even in 

 " dull December " where well-grown Calanthes are. They are 

 very serviceable too for cutting, the spikes having an excellent 

 effect in vases, while the individual flowers are the "very 

 things " for button holes. The new variety recently noticed 

 in your Journal, C. Sedeni, is now fading. It represents a lucky 

 cross by Mr. Seden, who has been fortunate in transferring 

 the rich blotch of C. vestita to the centre of M. Veitchii. It is 

 a remarkable example of the potency of artificial fertilisation. 

 Besides the two UBeful Calanthes named — vestita and Veitchii, 

 white with a chocolate blotch, and rosy purple respectively — 

 C. vestita lutea, white with a yellow blotch, and C. vestita 

 alba, pure spotless white, are flowering freely. The last-named 

 variety is particularly chaste ; the flowers are of excellent form 

 and very attractive. These valuable and easily-grown plants 

 are yearly increasing in public favour, and it is necessary to 

 increase them largely to provide an adequate supply. 



Yet another family of Orchidaceous plants merit special 

 attention as " December flowers " — namely, Cypripediums. 

 These plants flower freely at other periods, but they never 

 show to greater advantage than now. The Bkill of the 

 hybridiser has been richly rewarded by a succession of new 

 and distinct varieties, some of which are not yet in commerce. 

 Amongst those flowering now are 0. Harrisianum, a fine dark 

 flower ; C. Arthurianum, brighter and much spotted ; C. mar- 

 morophyllum, distinct by a suffusion of mauve, rosy stripes, 

 and fine marbled foliage ; C. Schlimii, a lovely light variety ; 

 C. pardinum, heavily spotted sepals ; C. venustum, a similar 

 yet darker flower ; and the valuable and- luxuriant C. Sedeni. 

 The last named is an established favourite. Another variety 

 of sterling merit is C. insigne Maulei. The typical species is 



