THE ORCHID REVIEW. 53 
ORCHIDS AT ELMFIELD, SELLY OAK, BIRMINGHAM. 
ELMFIELD, the residence of H. W. Elliott, Esq., J.P., has not hitherto been 
famed far and wide for its Orchids, and a visitor may therefore feel a little 
surprised at finding there a comparatively complete and well grown col- 
lection, having but few equals in the: neighbourhood. There are four houses 
devoted mainly to Orchids. 
The East Indian house is a low-built, span-roofed house, containing 
many plants of exceptional merit, among which may be mentioned a fine 
batch of Phalenopsis Schilleriana with healthy glossy leaves, one fine plant 
being already in bloom. There is also a very fine useful lot of Cypripediums, 
such as C. Spicerianum, a fine batch, C. Stonei, in bloom, and grand 
plants of C. philippinense, x De Witt Smith, Lawrenceanum, Mastersianum, 
x Harrisianum, callosum, cenanthum superbum, Charlesworthii, x 
Charles Canham, superbiens, Curtisii, Chamberlainianum, and, among 
Tropical American kinds, C. caudatum, xX Schroedere, x cardinale, x 
grande, X Ainsworthii, &c. Two specimens of Miltonia spectabilis 
Moreliana were particularly fine, seeming perfectly at home growing on 
trunks of wood set up endways in pots. Nice healthy plants of the winter 
blooming Angraecum sesquipedale were noted in flower; also a fine plant of 
Catasetum Bungerothii, which I was informed is in the habit of producing 
nine flowers on a spike. 
Another department, known as the Stove, the temperature of which 
resembles a Warm Intermediate house, contains a splendid lot of healthy 
plants of Lelia purpurata, with beautiful dark green foliage, and fine plants 
of Coelogyne cristata, C. Massangeana, Lelia anceps, L. Perrinii, Lzlio- 
cattleya x elegans, a noble looking type which usually bears seven and 
eight flowers on a spike. 
In the next house, an Intermediate one, may be seen splendid healthy 
specimens of Cymbidium giganteum and C. eburneum, a good collection of 
Cattleyas, C. Trianz alba and C. Percivaliana being now in flower, good 
examples of Miltonias vexillaria, Aerides crispum, Lelia glauca and L. 
Digbyana, Vanda suavis, Odontoglossum citrosmum, O. Rossii, O. 
pulchellum majus, Sobralia macrantha, Sophronitis grandiflora, also a nice 
batch of Masdevallia tovarensis, looking pleased with their position on a 
shelf. Perhaps the most delightful sight here was an exceptionally robust 
specimen of Cattleya Warscewiczii (gigas). It is a shy flowering species, 
hence no doubt to some extent the secret of its enormous pseudobulbs, and 
broad, thick, green, leathery foliage and roots, which nearly cover the 
outside of the pot. The bulbs can be counted back for many years, but 
none has ever bloomed. It will probably soon do so, when it will be 
interesting to watch. 
