in honour of our artist, Mr. John Nugent Fitch. It is the result of a cross between 
Cypripedium Hookere and C. barbatuwm; it is a very free grower, and also a prolific 
blooming plant, thoroughly distinct, both in foliage and flower, from any other kind 
known to us. 
Cypripedium Fitchianum is a distinct and pretty variety, and compact in its — 
habit. The leaves are oblong acute, from four to six inches in length, by about 
one and a half inches in breadth, and prettily variegated; the ground colour is 
greyish green, marbled and spotted with deep olive-green. The scape rises well above 
the foliage, and bears a single large and handsome flower. Dorsal sepal somewhat 
ovate cuneate, white, conspicuously veined with bright green, the lower sepal being 
similar in colour, but smaller; petals long and strap-shaped, with blunt ends, green 
towards the base, the apical portion and the margins being suffused with deep 
red, and bearing a few black hairy warts on the edge; lip large, dull red, veined 
in front with green, the inner surface profusely covered with dots and spots of red. 
It blooms in the winter months, and continues in perfection for fully six weeks. 
We think this variety of Slipper Orchid thrives best in the East India house, 
as may have been anticipated by a knowledge of its parents, which are both natives 
of warm places in the east, but we find that this, and the majority of the other 
members of this genus, succeed best when shaded from the direct rays of the sun 
during the hotter part of the day, although they enjoy full exposure to the light, 
and we have recently observed great improvement in the health of the plants in 
one or two collections, where these plants have been subjected to a greater amount 
of shade from the sun than was formerly given them. Perfect drainage is essential 
to the health and well-being of Cypripediums, as during growth they enjoy copious 
supplies of water to their roots, which, however, requires to be passed away quickly ; 
a slight syringing overhead in the morning, and again in the afternoon during the 
growing season, will be found highly advantageous. The potting material should 
consist of good peat fibre, and living sphagnum moss. These plants do not 
require a lengthened period of rest, but during this time syringing must cease, and 
a considerable reduction made in the quantity of water supplied to the roots, but 
even at this season they must not be dried, or evil results will follow. 
Insects should be carefully watched for, and speedily destroyed if they make - 
their appearance on the Cypripediums, or their leaves will quickly become marred 
and disfigured, and the plants fall into a sickly condition. Black thrips and red 
spider are amongst their worst enemies, but these may be effectually kept in 
abeyance by steaming the house occasionally with tobacco juice from the 
Thanatophore. 
