March i6, 1892.] 



Garden and Forest. 



129 



noted is the finest. Over one hundred Hewers of D. Schnei- 

 derianum make a mass of white golden yellow and purple, which 

 proves it one of the most striking of hybrid Dendrobiums. It 

 is of easy culture and quickly makes a specimen. Varieties of 

 D. nobile were abundant, among them many plants of Cook- 

 soni, the true Nobilius, and Arnoldianum, with its distinct 

 broad purple stripe on the lower sepals. Schroeder's variety 

 of D. Wardianum bears to the type the same relation which 

 the variety nobilius does to D. nobile, and its flower is strik- 

 ingly beautiful and rich in color. The rare D. MacFarlanei 

 shows fine clusters of its peculiar white blossoms, and D. 

 micans, a hybrid between D. Wardianum and D. lituiflorum, 

 bears masses of flowers. The hybrid D. chrysodiscus, D. 

 Goldei, from Australia, and many plants of D. Phalpenopsis 

 Schrcederianum are all noteworthy, especially a rich-colored 

 form of the latter, which is much admired here. In this house 

 is a group of choice Cypripediums in bloom, among them the 

 hybrid C. Calypso, Low's variety of C. villosum, C. nitens, C. 

 Godseffianum, C. Petri, C. Niobe, C. oenanthum superbum, C. 

 Measuresianum, C. Aylingii and C. leuchorhodum — all in ad- 

 mirable condition and many of them noble specimens. 



In another house four hundred flowers of Odontoglossum 

 Pesctorei and the same number of O. Alexandras make a brave 

 show, and in the same house are quantities of Coelogyne cris- 

 tata and its variety Lemoniana. The most remarkable Orchid 

 in the whole collection is here, the rare Miltonopsis Bleui 

 splendens, a most beautiful hybrid, between Miltonia vexillaria 

 and M. Roezli. It has two spikes of blossoms, which meas- 

 ure individually four inches across. The petals at the base 

 are suffused with rosy purple, and the centre of the flower re- 

 sembles a reversed coronet in fine bronzy purple. Zygo-Colax 

 Veitchii, another interesting hybrid, shows sixteen flowers, with 

 sepals and petals lemon-green, profusely spotted with black- 

 ish purple. Several plants of the white Lycaste Skinneri were 

 flowering, and included a fine form named Chantinii, with 

 flowers of remarkable size. 



Among other choice Odontoglossurns, a first-rate plant of 

 the variety Dellense of O. tripudians, carried a dozen of its 

 yellow and chocolate spotted flowers ; the rare O. Pescatorei 

 excellens shows as many more. Candidulum, a white-flow- 

 ered variety of O. nebulosum, is opening large white blooms 

 with an orange-yellow crest ; a distinct form of O. ramosissi- 

 mum, named Xanthinum, is beautifully decorated with yellow 

 and violet spotted flowers. Here, too, are the rare O. Leeanum 

 and O. Chestertoni, while O. Rossii is represented in great 

 variety and abundance. 



Masdevallias delight in the cool moist corner allotted to them 

 in this house. Here are several distinct hybrids, including M. 

 Measuresiana, with white and pink blossoms ; M. Hincksiana, 

 with yellow flowers when first expanded, becoming paler in 

 the centre with age ; M. Courtauldiana, with blossoms of a 

 soft rose color with yellow tails, and a new one, obtained by 

 crossing M. ignea rubescens with M. Lindenii. The flowers 

 of this hybrid are as large as the last-named, lilac in color, with 

 the conspicuous stripes of M. ignea. 



There is no need of specifying any other individual plants, 

 although scores are to be seen here which would add materially 

 to the value of any collection in the world. Many of the plants 

 are matchless specimens ; all are thrifty and happy, and bear 

 witness to the exceptional care and skill with which they are 

 managed. . r,- / 



New York. A. Dlvimock. 



Orchids in Flower in New York City. 



SEVERAL interesdng plants are now flowering in the col- 

 lecfion of Mr. Hicks Arnold, in Eighty-fourth Street, and 

 at this dull season they are doubly welcome. It would be 

 difficult to find elsewhere such a variety of Orchids in one 

 structure, many of them ranked among the stove Orchids, 

 thriving so vigorously, and attaining such dimensions, in so 

 short a time. Very little shading is used here. The Cypripe- 

 diums are grouped on the north side of the house, and pro- 

 duce annually a rich display of bloom. The Cattleyas, Lselias, 

 Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, etc., receive the brightest position 

 where air is admitted in abundance during their period of 

 active growth. 



At this season the Cattleyas form a leading feature, espe- 

 cially those of the Trianse class, among which are many ele- 

 gant varieties. One of these is strikingly beautiful, having 

 flowers measuring eight inches across, with a broad, open, in- 

 tense purple lip, finely fringed. Here also is a true albiino 

 form, with snow-white flowers and orange throat. There are 

 many so-called Albas, which, on close examination, show 

 traces of pink ; but the variety here is noted for its purity. 



Laelia cinnabarina is flowering well, and so is a fine speci- 

 men of the true Dendrobium crassinode album, and the 

 pretty Lycaste Youngii,a charming form of L. Skinneri, with 

 salmon-colored flowers. 



Dendrobium luteolum reminds one in color of the Eng- 

 lish Primrose, and near it is a fine specimen of D. nobile Ar- 

 noldianum. This is the largest plant of the variety in cultiva- 

 tion. Its blossoms are quite distinct, with a broad dark purple 

 stripe on the basal half of the lower sepals, the lip being fur- 

 nished with a very rich maroon centre, and the whole flower 

 showing the same rich color as is found in D. nobile nobilius. 

 Hill's variety of Lcelia anceps, and near it a fine example of 

 Spathoglottis Kimballiana, its golden yellow blossoms greatly 

 resembling a Phalasnopsis, are both well flowered. D. dicu- 

 phum, a rare plant from Australia, here shows elegant sprays 

 of white flowers. 



In the centre of the house is a fine specimen of Ansellia Af- 

 ricana carrying a spike of over one hundred blossoms, and the 

 now popular Dendrobium Phalasnopsis Schrcederianum fully 

 justifies all that has been written in its praise. One spike had 

 produced seventeen elegant flowers, which were large and flat, 

 and fine rosy purple, with a lip of intense purple. They are 

 arranged gracefully on a long stem. The plants here receive 

 as much light as possible, and are growing freely suspended 

 from the roof. One of the finest Orchids in the whole collec- 

 tion is a specimen of the rare Phajus Cooksonii, a beautiful 

 hybrid obtained by crossing P. Wallichii with P. tuberculosus. 

 This season it has produced on two spikes twenty-six perfect 

 flowers, which are light bronze in color, the lip yellow, with 

 numerous purple markings running the full extent of the throat. 



The Phalasnopses are just past flowering, but the ivory- 

 white blossoms of P. tetraspis and the cream-yellow flowers of 

 the rare P. Micholitzii still remain. Vanda teres and dozens of 

 Lycastes and Oncidiums make a very attractive show. Among 

 the Cypripediums is a specimen of C. Schroederae splendens, 

 showing three strong spikes of richly colored blossoms ; the 

 pretty C. microchilum, with an unusually large pouch ; C. 

 Hera, a bold-flowered hybrid ; several plants of C. Lathami- 

 anum, a cross between C. villosum and L. Spicerianum, are 

 flowering finely. Here, too, are C. nitens, the pretty C. 

 Schlimii, several fine specimens of C. callosum, a handsome 

 specimen of C. grande, and the rare hybrid C. macropterum, 

 one of the best in the group, bearing its handsome marked 

 blossoms on a long stem. Other noteworthy Cypripediums in 

 flower are C. Petri, Smith's variety of C. Dayanum, the beauti- 

 ful hybrid C. radiosum, its broad dorsal sepal suffused with 

 numerous lines of rosy purple; C. euryandrum, with five 

 spikes ; C. Sedenii candidulum, with four spikes ; C. ver- 

 nixiuiTi ; several distinct forms of C. insigne, and a striking 

 form of C. Boxallii. C villosum is abundantly represented, 

 while a great variety still promise flowers, and for several 

 weeks to come there will be plants in bloom to interest all 

 lovers of this fascinating genus. 



New York. D. 



Correspondence. 



A Small Conservatory. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — I have a small conservatory without roof-light and not 

 reached by the sun till after one o'clock. The heat is obtained 

 from adjoining rooms, and in cold days the temperature often 

 falls below sixty degrees, and well below fifty degrees at night. 

 Still, the collection is now in a fairly thrifty condition, and some 

 plants are flourishing. 



A conservatory, with no greenhouse to draw from and with 

 other drawbacks to contend with, must be carefully managed 

 to succeed, and this letter is written, in part, to draw out ex- 

 perience from others, who may have solved problems that I 

 have not. The first mistake likely to be made, supposing the 

 plants to be well potted and thrifty, is to leave them out in the 

 fall till they have suffered from cold weather. They should 

 be brought inside before chilly nights come on, especially Be- 

 gonias and other tender sorts, and the windows of the house 

 should remain open as long as the weather permits. The 

 flowers and often the leaves of many species will drop if 

 brought in late and denied fresh air. 



December and January are the trying months for winter- 

 growing plants. February, even if cold and cloudy, aftbrds 

 many more hours of daylight than either of the two months 

 preceding, and March is sure to be partly warm and sunny. 



Set all tender plants on the upper shelves and away from the 

 cold, exposed corner of the conservatory, and place the hardiest 

 ones near the floor. Many desirable species will thrive on low 



