“24 -_THE ORCHID. REVIEW. [JANUARY, 1915. 
COS 
Seo 
ORCHIDS AT CHELTENHAM. 
RECENTLY had the pleasure of spending an interesting and profitable 
afternoon in the famous Nurseries of Messrs. Cypher & Sons, at 
‘Cheltenham. In all there are about 20 houses devoted to the culture of 
Orchids, and of course at this season Cypripediums occupy a prominent 
place, and few plants can equal them in regard to their lasting qualities. 
To say that there was a fine show is only a moderate estimate, for they 
were here by the hundred, as a matter of fact Mr. Cypher had the blooms 
counted, and they reached a total of over 3,500, without the numerous buds 
_just ready to expand. 
The best forrns of Cypripedium insigne are largely grown, and the 
beautiful variety Sanderz contributed to the varied display with upwards 
-of 200 of its primrose yellow and white blooms. C. insigne Harefield Hall 
also was conspicuous with about 150 flowers, and the same remark applies 
to the varieties Sanderianum, Cobbianum, Ernestii, Kathleen Corser, and 
Oddity, of which latter the curious blossoms appeal to many. Other 
desirable Cypripedes noted are Euryades, the charming Boltonii with many 
twin-flowered scapes, aureum in variety, which gave promise of a fine — 
display later on, the distinct fulshawense, Eboriacum, of the Harefield 
Hall type, the true Prospero majus with its delicate flowers, Mr. F. Sander, 
‘Curtmani, the richly-coloured Tityus superbum and Milo with twin- 
flowered spikes, the exquisite Niobe Westonbirt var., Mme. Jules Hye, the 
fine Thalia Mrs. F. Wellesley, and the closely-allied Elatior, Minos Youngii, 
-and a host of other good things too numerous to mention. 
To one like myself who is interested in seedlings, alarge batch blooming 
for the first time attracted considerable attention. Many will be seen at 
the exhibitions as they become stronger and fully developed, and a few 
most promising crosses were: Leeanum Clinkaberryanum xX Clio, a fine 
flower with massive bold dorsal sepal; nitens magnificum xX A®son 
giganteum, which has a large number of reddish spots on the white ground 
of the dorsal sepal; Niobe x Fairrieanum, like a good edition of the 
former, and Earl of Tankerville x Euryades, also a notable hybrid. 
In another division I saw the popular Cypripedium Leeanum in great 
variety, especially fine being the varieties Clinkaberryanum, the true Corona, 
Gratrixiz, and giganteum. There were many large specimens on view, each 
with 16 or more beautiful flowers. Then the different forms of C. Actzeus 
¥ 
-called for notice, particularly the distinct Mrs. Page, with a large area of | 
white on the slightly incurved dorsal sepal, the pale Milky Way, A. J- 
Balfour, and Drewett’s var., all excellent in their way. One grand feature 
