7° THE ORCHID REVIEW. MARCH, 1907- 
ORCHIDS AT THE GRANGE, SOUTHGATE. 
As arule one finds in a collection of Orchids some speciality which stands 
out‘as the main feature, and identifies that collection as being different 
from others. When recently visiting the collection of J. Bradshaw, Esq., 
The Grange, Southgate, the impression conveyed to me was that albino 
Cattleyas are here the speciality—the piéce de résistance among the feast of 
other good things. This collection embraces a large number of many kinds 
of Orchids, which I shall presently hastily survey, but the great feature is 
the albino Cattleyas of the labiata group, of which Mr. Bradshaw has been 
an ardent collector for some years, and there is now in the collection a 
remarkable series of these choice and lovely plants. Albino Cattleyas of 
the labiata section are not regarded among Orchid growers as of easy 
- culture, nor can we look upon Southgate as being one of the best localities 
for growing them, as it is only something like nine miles from Charing 
Cross, yet Mr. Whitelegge, who has charge of the collection, has been 
eminently successful with them, plants of C. labiata alba imported many 
years ago being still perfectly robust, and the propagation of them from 
back bulbs and by division goes steadily and successfully on. Although far 
enough out to escape many of the London fogs, the winter months are still 
dull when compared with districts further away, but the anemia which one 
associates with town-grown plants is little in evidence here. 
With regard to culture, Mr. Whitelegge has no stiff rules as to the time 
_of potting. When the last made bulb is throwing out its roots is the time 
they are taken in hand. Some C. Triane and C. labiata were repotted or 
surfaced in the autumn, and some during the winter ; others will be done in 
the spring. The fine specimen of Cattleya X Mantinii inversa which was 
shown in the Gold Medal group at the R.H.S. meeting held on November 
6th, and which also received a Cultural Commendation, was divided into 
three pieces in December, and the largest piece promises to become again 
equal to the original plant in size when it has made its growth this year- 
The compost used is now two-thirds peat and one-third: moss, to which is. 
added a mere sprinkling of Belgian leaf-soil after the finer particles have 
been sifted out—the leaf-soil used being but a fraction per cent. of the 
whole. Mr. Whitelegge made some experiments a few years ago with con- 
siderable quantities of leaves in the compost, but has now entirely 
discontinued the use of English leaves. Crocks and not peat rhizomes are 
used for drainage. 
METHOD OF PROPAGATION.—At the end of a very oa house a casé 
for propagation has been made, by closing in the front of the pipes and 
placing above them wire netting, on which has been made a bed of | 
sphagnum moss. The back pieces of Cattleya are tied to stakes and — 
