THE ORCHID REVIEW. 133 
AN AMATEUR’S EXPERIENCES. 
By Eustace F. CLARK, B.A., TEIGNMOUTH. 
(Continued from Page 104). 
Amoncst the plants added to my collection in 1894, and which passed with 
very little injury through the very trying cold of January and February, 
1895, were such Intermediate house plants as Cypripedium barbatum, C. 
Boxallii and C. X Crossianum, Trichopilia tortilis (a plant received in 
place of the one killed in 1894), Vanda Kimballiana, Lycaste Skinneri, 
Maxillaria grandiflora, a Zygopetalum, probably intermedium, Odonto- 
glossum Harryanum, Oncidium Saintlegerianum, O. incurvum and O. 
unguiculatum, Lelia anceps, and Lelia Dayana. The three plants last 
mentioned and also Odontoglossum pulchellum were in flower during much 
of the cold weather. 
Though, during this long frost, the thermometer fell on one occasion as 
low as 16° outside (on 6th February), and the temperature in the green- 
house, in spite of the new boiler, ranged for several nights between 39° and 
34° (the lowest reading being about 33° on the 1st February, when the fire 
went out in the early morning), nothing worse resulted than the loss of one 
or two developing flower spikes of Odontoglossum triumphans and O. 
Pescatorei, and the partial discoloration. or spotting of a few leaves, 
particularly of Ada aurantiaca, Maxillaria grandiflora, and Trichophilia 
tortilis. A flower spike of Lelia anceps that was all right when in the 
greenhouse could not, when picked, stand the short journey in the cold air 
from the greenhouse to the house, but it had been out nearly three weeks. 
The Oncidium unguiculatum opened during the cold weather, and continued 
to produce its beautiful blossoms for some time after. 
During the following summer, my plants, to which numerous additions 
were made from time to time till they occupied nearly the whole of the stage 
at one side of the large division, continued to thrive. Some, as Cypripedium 
barbatum, Trichophilia tortilis, Zygopetalum Mackayi, and Ccelogyne 
cristata, enjoyed having pans of water under the inverted pots. 
Some of the cool Odontoglossums may have found the warm south 
house (though lightly shaded) rather trying in the summer, but in the 
winter the light probably assisted their ripening. Masdevallia Harryana 
throve beautifully, and flowered well in a sunny position, and its leaves were 
of a dark olive-green tint, without any black spots. I cannot say I have 
found any of my Masdevallias do so well in my present cool north house ; 
they have suffered from thrip, and their leaves have become paler. I am 
inclined to think there is not now enough sunlight in winter except in a few 
favoured positions. 
Great encouragement was given me by an article in the Garden of June 
