HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 01 



CYPRIPEDIUM INSIGNE AND VENUSTUM. 



Although it is not my intention to meddle too much with Orchids, yet 

 these two Lady's Slippers are plants, comparatively speaking, of such a hardy 

 character and easy culture, and withal so interesting when in bloom, that I 

 cannot help introducing them to the notice of your readers, more especially 

 such as have only limited accomodation for growing plants. The soil in which 

 I have found them to succeed best has been three parts good peat and one 

 part good turfy loam, broken up roughly, and mixed liberally with silver 

 sand ; potsherds broken small and charcoal dust may also be intermixed 

 with advantage, in order to keep the materials open. In potting, care must 

 be taken to secure good drainage, by means of plenty of potsherds in the 

 bottoms of the pots, covering them with a layer of dry moss. 



Propagation is effected by division, i. e., by parting the plant into as many 

 pieces as have roots attached to them. Pot in the first instance in 5-inch 

 pots, and plunge the plants in a pit, where a gentle bottom-heat and a warm 

 moist atmosphere can be kept up ; the temperature may rise to 70° or even 

 °80 with advantage. Shade in bright sunshine, and the plants will soon 

 establish themselves and make rapid progress. Give a shift into 6-inch pots 

 as soon as it is found that the roots have penetrated through the ball of the 

 ear h. Remove the plants into their former position for a short time, after 

 which they may be removed to some warm part of the greenhouse. Give 

 water as it may be found necessary until the approach of winter, when it 

 should be gradually witheld, in order to induce a state of rest. Soon after 

 they have begun to grow again, flowers will begin to make their appearance. 

 The plants may then be moved to the conservatory or show-house, where, if 

 the atmosphere is congenial as regards heat and moisture, they will bloom in 

 perfection over a period of at least two months. 



Should large specimens be wanted, the plants after flowering may be re_ 

 potted into larger pot3, using the same materials for the compost as before. 

 Place them again in a gentle bottom-heat, and secure a moderately high at- 

 mospheric temperature. In bright weather, shade whenever necessary, and 

 syringe daily to secure a moist growing medium. When growth is again com- 

 pleted, remove them to the greenhouse, and rest them ; fine large plants will 

 now be formed, which will bloom profusely the following season. Pursue 

 this treatment until you have got plants enough, when the use of pits and 

 bottom-heat may be altogether dispensed with, as C. venustum, with its black 

 blotched leaves, and C. insigne are, as I have said, very hardy, and will 

 succeed and bloom freely in a common greenhouse. — Alpha, in Grard. Chron* 



