,68 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



Mr. William Matthews, of Utica, New York, after speaking of the large 

 amount of water that has to be used, even in winter, and the absolute 

 necessity of a porous though firm potting material, states :— " About two 

 years ago I purchased some plants of Lselia Jongheana, already potted in 

 the Belgian style. They were placed with other Laelias, and after six weeks' 

 trial I found they were doing poorly. On examination, I discovered that 

 instead of having good root action, the roots were badly decayed. I at once 

 shook out all the plants, potted them a la American — fern roots well shaken 

 out to about the consistency of coarse horse-hair, with plenty of drainage, in 

 4 inch pots ; potted firmly; and after a few weeks again potted them in the 

 same material in 4 by 6 inch pans. The plants have roots all through the 

 pots, and are now showing finely for flowers later on. 



I have just had the same experience with Oncidium varicosum and 

 Odontoglossum citrosmum. Neither of these seems to thrive except on 

 fern root. This I use for all kinds of Orchids — except terrestrial ones ; as 

 I have no time to coddle or experiment with Orchids, and am perfectly 

 satisfied that they all can be grown in good clean fern root, without much 

 care, I think that the best method to pursue. 



Regarding the use of manurial fertilisers, I have never found any benefit 

 from it ; good rest and preservation of the roots are the main points in 

 Orchid culture, and if you want to perpetuate the plants do not give them 

 s °ggy potting material." 



ARACHNANTHE MOSCHIFERA. 



Under the heading, " Orchid notes from Alipur," Indian Gardening for 

 May 8th speaks of the above plant (which it will be remembered was 

 figured at page 88 of our March issue) as follows (p. 327): — " Arachnanthc 

 moschifera. This, as its name implies, is as like a coloured spider as it is 

 possible for a flower to be. It comes to us from Java. The flowers are 

 large, lemon coloured, spotted and barred purple, and for all the world like 

 huge spiders. They are delicately scented like musk. It is one of the rare 

 Orchids. The Superintendent of the gardens has crossed it with Renanthera 

 ccccmea, and the seeds, when gathered, will, if they germinate, produce an 

 interesting hybrid." 



The other Orchids mentioned as flowering in the gardens of the Agri- 

 Horticultural Society of India, at Alipur, are, Dendrobium formosum (the 

 true plant) flowering profusely, Aerides odoratum and Fieldingii, Saccolabium 

 guttatum and S. Blumei, Phalamopsis violacea, Bletia Shepherdii, 

 Rodriguezia secunda, Cypripedium niveum and C. exul. The latter is 

 called a " new species, unnamed," a remark which we do not understand, 

 for the name is given, and the species has been known for ten years. 



