March ^29, 1893.] 



Garden and Forest. 



145 



Tlie petals are white, without any trace of blue or pink and the 

 stamens are a very deep yellow or orange. The flowers have 

 a star-like appearance, owing to the slender or narrow shape 

 of the petals, and they have a pecuHar habit of standing twelve 

 or fifteen inches above the surface of the water. N. gracilis is a 

 native of Mexico, and, though not taking rank with the Zanzi- 

 bar Lilies for beauty, is attractive on account of the novelty of 

 its color in this class. It blooms in the day-time, 

 Los Angeles, Cai. E- D. Stiirtevant. 



Cultural Department. 



Cypripediums. 



IT may be safely presumed that Cypripediums are sure to 

 be represented in even the smallest collection of Orchids 

 by one or more of the very many kinds now in existence, and 



continually. But, perhaps, the greatest incentive to the cul- 

 ture of Cypripediums is the ease with which seedlings can be 

 raised and flowered. Some of the best work in this field lias 

 been done by amateurs, and one often finds promising lots 

 of young seedlings coming on in the hands of botii profes- 

 sional and amateur growers. 



Newly imported plants of this family establish themselves 

 rapidly from nice plants. A single growth of C. Chamber- 

 lainianum obtained last June has, since that time, become estab- 

 lished, and produces four promising young growths. A lot of 

 C. insigne, obtained as imported plants in the fall of 1891, are 

 now fine plants in six-inch pots, and will flower freely next 

 winter ; many were strong enough to flower last winter, but 

 as we desired to obtain strong plants they were kept in a warm 

 house and they did not stop to flower, but kept on growing all 

 the time. Many Orchids, when newly imported from their 



Fig. 25. — Cypi'ipedium Rothschildianum (reduced). — See page 144. 



the taste for this easily grown class of plants is rapidly devel- 

 oping, both here and in Europe. There are several reasons 

 why cultivators, once interested, go on from small beginnings 

 to the larger collecfion of species and hybrids, the principal 

 one being that the flowers last many weeks in perfection with- 

 out apparent injury to the plants ; indeed, it is quite possible 

 to have flowers of Cypripedium insigne lasting, in good condi- 

 tion, from Christmas till Easter. The plants themselves are hand- 

 some when not in bloom, even to the casual observer. Of all 

 the known kinds at present in cultivation, there are but very 

 few that can be called poor growers, and it is safe to say that 

 Cypripediums are the safest of all Orchids as an investment 

 for beginners. There is no difficulty in meeting their de- 

 mands, chief of which is a plentiful supply of water, as they 

 need no season of rest, but should be kept moist at the roots 



native country, are best kept out of pots until they show signs 

 of life and begin to root, but Cypripediums are best when 

 potted up at once, as they start quicker and the foliage begins 

 to freshen up from this time forward, while if the plants have 

 but few live roots they may be placed in pots with small pieces 

 of broken pots to keep them in position until they begin to 

 make roots, when a little Fern-root and moss may be placed in 

 the pots over the crocks. 



If plants at any time become unhealthy they may be taken 

 out of the old soil and the roots and leaves thoroughly cleansed 

 with tepid water. The live portions should be placed in 

 crocks like newly imported plants and kept moist by frequent 

 syringing, and in this way they may be speedily brought round 

 to a healtliy growing condition. It is quite possible to repot 

 Cypripediums at any season if care is taken not to mutilate the 



