January 14, 1891.] 



Garden and Forest. 



17 



were not unlike those of C. speciosissima, now called C. Ludde- 

 manniana, which blooms in October. Certainly I have seen 

 in C. Warocqneana forms of most exquisite beauty, quite 

 as striking and attractive as any of that section of the Labiatse 

 group to which it belongs. The geographical point referred 

 to in M. Linden's note cannot be taken for much alone, as the 

 distribution of C. Loddigesii, of C. Doiviana, with its sub- 

 variety aurea, and of C. superba, indicates. Slight variations are 

 certain to occur in different localities. It is only in the case of 

 Orchids that these slight differences are seized upon as good 

 specific characters. 



A Hybrid Stanhopea. — The first hybrid in this genus has 

 been raised in Germany by a Mr. Weber, who crossed 5. ocu- 

 lata with 6". tigrina, the result being a hybrid intermediate 

 between the two parents and inferior to S. tigrina. The Stan- 

 hopeas are all interesting and good garden plants, but they 

 do not find much favor in England. This may be partly 

 owing to the fugacious character of the flowers, although they 

 last quite as long as the flowers of many popular Orchids. 



by all except those who consider grossness of quality in a 

 flower the acme of perfection. What is perfection in a flower ? 

 To some. florists it is rank heresy to speak disparagingly of 

 double flowers or big flowers or over-formal flowers. The 

 bigger or more double a flower, the better it must be. The 

 late Mr. Hibberd used to say, "Let this class go their own way; 

 they have their own ideas of perfection, and in their efforts 

 they do an enormous amount of good work which is easily 

 separated from the bad." Even double and huge-flowered 

 Begonias have a special interest as showing the wonderful 

 power to vary inherent in all plants, which requires cer- 

 tain simple conditions to bring it out. Mammoth turnips and 

 cabbages are only a few examples of what cultural skill will 

 achieve when its aim is to produce size. It is only when size 

 is repulsive that objection is strong. With regard to double 

 flowers I am of the opinion that except in a few cases they 

 are less attractive than their single-flowered progenitors. 

 The Carnation, the Chrysanthemum, the Gardenia, the Al- 

 mond, and, of course, the Rose, are the exceptions. 



Fig- 3- — A Hybrid Calanthe. — See page 16. 



Such species as S. tigrina, S. insignis, S. platyceras, S. grandi- 

 flora, S. Devoniana and S. Bucephalus are worth a place in 

 every good collection. They are very easy to cultivate, they 

 bloom annually, their flowers are large, fragrant and richly 

 colored, whilst structurally they are more remarkable than 

 most Orchids. A picture of Mr. Weber's hybrid is given in 

 the December number of Gartenflora. 



Cymbidium Traceyanum. — This plant was sold by auction 

 last week, and realized seventy-five guineas. It was bought 

 by Mr. Sanders, of St. Albans, who sent a flower to Kew for 

 determination. Mr. Rolfe considers it is only a variety of C. 

 Hookerianum, the C. grandiftoriim of Wallich. The only dif- 

 ference between the type and this high-priced plant is one of 

 size, the flowers of the latter being nearly an inch wider than 

 those of the former, which are five inches in diameter. Here 

 is an instance where size makes a difference of seventy 

 guineas in value. 



Florists' Flowers.— The editorial remarks in Garden and 

 Forest (iii., 569) with reference to the "improvements" made 

 by florists in the size and form of flowers are endorsed here 



Ouercus tinctoria. — Mr. Anthony Waterer has forwarded 

 some leaf-branches of his " Knap Hill " variety of what he 

 calls Scarlet Oak. He also states that " the leaves are still 

 hanging thick upon the trees." As this was written on Decem- 

 ber 17th, after a fortnight's severe frost and fog, it is clear that 

 Mr. Waterer's Oak is an unusual one. Q. tinctoria as repre- 

 sented at Kew has been leafless for some time. Of course 

 there is a great difference between these Oaks as grown on the 

 poor gravelly soil at Kew and in the famous Knap Hill Nursery, 

 where the soil is exceptionally deep and rich and the situation 

 sheltered. At the same time it is risky to attempt to name an 

 Oak of this character from leaves alone. The rich chocolate 

 crimson of the leaves of Mr. Waterer's Oak, together with 

 their persistency in frosty weather, give it an exceptional value, 

 in England at any rate. After comparing the leaves with 

 specimens with the help of Mr. Nicholson I am driven to own 

 that the Knap Hill Scarlet Oak may be Q. tinctoria or Q. coc-. 

 cinea or a hybrid, or something else. [The Knap Hill Scarlet- 

 Oak is Querats coccinea. — Ed.] 



London. W. WatsOrt. 



