206 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [JULY, 1922. 
THE WARNHAM COURT COLLECTION, HORSHAM, epee 
“MOR over forty years Orchids have been cultivated in the ee and 
f beautiful garden of C. J. Lucas, Esq., at Warnham Court, Horsham, 
‘Sussex. Although the collection is not quite so large as in the pre-war 
‘times, it will not be long before its former glories return. In fact, ee 
-by the rapid way in which the plants are recovering their former vigour, _ 
past records will be beaten in the near future. No matter how ce or sma 
the plant, almost without exception a most encouraging revival of ope 
growth and root formation is to be seen. Most of the larger plants have 
been divided, or have had their back bulbs removed, the newer portions 
then take on a new lease of life, and in the course of a couple of years are 
‘sufficiently strong to carry substantial spikes of bloom. 
One of the chief causes of the renewed vigour here in evidence is the 
‘manner in which the interior construction of the houses has been altered in 
accordance with present-day knowledge of the plant’s requirements. In 
place of the heavy and solid staging of by-gone days, everything is so 
arranged that a light and genial atmosphere is maintained. The hot wae 
pipes are at a distance of several feet beneath the staging, while a few 
inches above them is a tray-like covering on which shingle or other moisture- 
holding material is placed. The staging itself is composed of narrow laths 
-of wood, which are arranged so that the shorter sides are top and bottom. 
This method allows the pots to be so arranged that the drainage hole in ane 
bottom is always uncovered and thus allows free ventilation to the interior, 
Lath roller blinds are used for shading the cool houses, and during the 
hottest period of the year an additional tiffany blind is placed some six or 
nine inches above, leaving ample room for a current of air to pass between. 
The lath blinds are so arranged that the laths are parallel with the sash 
bars ; they can then be easily rolled up by hand, no cords or pulleys being 
required. 
The Odontoglossum house is well filled with a varied collection ot 
species and hybrids. Among the former are to be seen many of the finer 
varieties of O. crispum, including a pretty xanthotic variety named Dainty 
Maid that came from the Walton Grange collection at Stone, Staffs. Other 
meritorious varieties of this well-known species are distinguished by the 
names Angel and Rosy Morn, while O. crispum Eric produces flowers of 
unusually good shape and thick texture. The Odontoglossum hybrids are 
on the whole more floriferous, and many remarkable spikes of bloom have 
been produced on some of the plants in this collection. Mention should 
also be made of O. eximium Eric and of the Warnham Court variety of this 
hybrid, both being of outstanding merit, the latter having received a First- 
class Certificate at the Royal Horticultural Society, April rst, 1913. Not 
