THE ORCHID REVIEW. 55 
D. Bensoniz is considered a very difficult plant to cultivate for many 
years, but I have grown it for eight years and at the end of that period had 
finer bulbs than those imported. I believe many or nearly all are lost by 
having too much water during winter or early spring, and even when the 
new growths are several inches long they should receive very little water. 
Red spider also has a particular fancy for it, and soon injures the young 
growths, if not kept in check, which should be done by sponging the under 
side of the leaves with weak Fir-tree oil and water. 
D. Falconeri is also subject to the attacks of red spider, and should be 
carefully watched. I find it grows best when kept rather cool and shaded 
during summer, and well saturated with water. More light should be given 
in autumn, to mature the growths, and during the winter it should be kept 
dry, to induce it to bloom freely. It is no doubt one of the handsomest 
Dendrobes when in bloom, and well repays any care bestowed on its culti- 
vation. 
No doubt the nobile section is the easiest to cultivate, and all are 
beautiful when in bloom, especially D. nobile nobilius, D. n. Cooksoni, D. 
n. pendulum, D. n. Hardyanum, D. n. Cypheri, &c. 
It is not necessary to have a house specially devoted to Dendrobes, as 
any one having a warm plant-stove may cultivate many varieties to perfec- 
tion. I have often noticed better specimens in ordinary plant-stoves tham 
in a mixed house of warm Orchids, or in houses specially devoted to 
Dendrobiums ; and they produce a beautiful effect, hanging in bloom from 
the roof of any plant-stove. 
CYPRIPEDIUM POYNTZIANUM. 
A flower from the type plant of the above in the collection of Reginald 
Young, Esq., Sefton Park, Liverpool, sets at rest the doubtful point as to 
its identity (supra, ii. p. 54). It is the Siamese form of C. Bullenianum 
mentioned last month (p. 20), whose history was previously so obscure. 
As the geographical representative of the Bornean C. Bullenianum it is a 
very interesting plant, and it is rather singular that the two should be so 
much alike in the flower, yet so dissimilar in foliage. The original type 
has the leaves very handsomely tessellated, while the Siamese variety 
Appletonianum has the markings obscure and sometimes nearly obliterated. 
One cannot help thinking that it is something more than a mere coincidence 
that in each geographical area the foliage should so much resemble that of 
the species with which it grows—in Borneo C. Hookere, and in Siam C. 
callosum—but facts have not yet come to light which would warrant the 
suggestion that it is a case of mimicry or protective resemblance. 
R. A. R. 
