THE ORCHID REVIEW. 107 
DENDROBIUMS FROM CHELTENHAM. 
A SPLENDID series of Dendrobiums has been sent from the establishment 
of Mr. J. Cypher, of Cheltenham, which shows how thoroughly he has. 
mastered the cultivation of these beautiful plants. Of seedlings raised by 
Mr. Cypher there are various good forms of D. X Cybele, D. x Ainsworthii, 
and of the secondary hybrid raised between the latter and D. nobile, of 
which the original form is known as D. X Rubens. The latter shows a 
remarkable amount of variation, and affords an opportunity for the selectiom 
of some sterling forms, some being very richly coloured, while one has the 
sepals and petals nearly white, and is very beautiful. D. nobile nobilius is 
a splendid example, 4+ inches in diameter across the petals, and the latter 
14 inches broad. Other charming forms are D. x Wiganie, D. x rhodo- 
stoma, and D. X Aspasia. There is also a fine raceme of D barbatulum, 
and a striking form of D. atroviolaceum haying widely spreading petals: 
which are more narrowed at the base than the typical form, and thus 
forming a rather marked contrast with it. Mr. Cypher’s houses are a 
picture of loveliness at this season. 
It may interest some of our readers to know the methods by which such 
successful results have been obtained, and the following notes of a paper 
read by Mr. Cypher before the Birmingham and Midland Counties 
Gardeners Association in 1895 will probably prove useful. 
Mr. Cypher remarked:—‘‘In_ the successful cultivation of Dendro- 
biums there are several important points which must be strictly adhered to, 
especially the use of.small pots, pans, or baskets in which to grow them, as 
many growers fail through having too much material about the roots. Plenty 
of heat and moisture should be given during the growing season, and ne: 
plants must be kept perfectly free from insect pests, especially thrip and 
red spider, both of which are very destructive and soon disfigure and 
weaken the young growths. During hot weather, the plants should be 
thoroughly syringed twice daily, taking care to get to the under side of the 
leaves, where the insects usually attack them. 
“The best compost I have found to consist of good fibrous peat and 
fresh sphagnum, in equal parts, with a liberal addition of broken crocks 
_ and charcoal, and the soil should in most cases be renewed annually, as the 
roots will not enter sour material. Good drainage must always be a? 
and new clean pots or pans, using them as small as possible, according to 
the size of the plants. I generally use pans in preference to baskets, - 
they are easily broken when the plants require shifting, but it is pie 
impossible to get plants out of baskets without injuring many of the tender 
Toots, while if the old basket is:placed inside a new one, the old compost 
becomes exhausted. 
