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THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



good collection of Orchids was exhibited from the Royal Botanic Garden, 

 Calcutta, together with a grand plant of Stauropsis gigantea and a well- 

 arranged collection of Phalaenopsis from Seth Dooly Chand, also a choice 

 collection of Dendrobiums and a magnificent collection of Phaius from the 

 Hon. Mr. A. A. Apear. The Orchids were arranged with ferns and foliage 

 plants. We have not space for a full report of the show, on the success of 

 which the promoters must be congratulated. 



LEAF-MOULD FOR ORCHIDS. 



A very fine group of Odontoglossums from the collection of N. C. Cook- 

 son, Esq., is figured in the Gardeners' Chronicle for April 23rd (p. 261), and 

 affords an excellent illustration of what leaf-mould culture can do. On the 

 preceding page is a very interesting note by Mr. H. J. Chapman, which it may 

 be interesting to reproduce :— " A great deal has been written both for and 

 against the use of leaf-soil as an ingredient in the potting compost. Many 

 cultivators I know have not found the success they expected from its use, 

 and have concluded that no advantages are to be obtained from it. I do 

 not suppose there is a trade collection in the country where plants have 

 been propagated to the extent they are at Oakwood. As these results are 

 produced by the inclusion of a considerable proportion of leaf-soil in the 

 potting compost, there can be no doubt that its use is advantageous. 

 Success or failure with it depends almost entirely upon the treatment 

 afforded the plants by those having charge of them. No one should adopt 

 leaf-soil cultivation for Orchids who is unable to afford root waterings with 

 discretion and care. It is a difficult matter to get young gardeners to give 

 sufficient attention to this matter ; a large collection of plants can only be 

 partly overlooked by the " responsible head." Where the use of leaf-soil 

 is properly understood there is little fear of its being discarded. Not only 

 does it save using so much peat, but the labour in potting and general 

 attention is so greatly diminished that a man can attend to nearly twice 

 the number of plants that he could manage under the old system. 

 Complaints are made as to the quality of the flowers, many contending 

 that with leaf-soil in the potting compost there is an absence of texture 

 which affects the durability of the flowers. This also depends upon the 

 treatment given the plants. With the greater amount of compost the 

 plants obtain more feeding matter, and the larger pseudo-bulbs take so 

 much more ripening than small ones that considerably more light is 

 necessary properly to mature the growths. Unless proper ripening is 

 effected, unsatisfactory results are, as a natural course, bound to occur. 

 The plants in the illustration will show that satisfactory results are 

 obtained, even as far north as Newcastle-on-Tyne, from the inclusion of 



