﻿September, 1904.J THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



267 



CULTURE OF DENDROBIUM VICTORIA- REGIN A. 



At page 132 of our May issue we alluded to a fine plant of this beautiful 

 species, which was seen growing on a raft suspended from the roof in the 

 Odontoglossum house at Burford, its beautiful violet-blue flowers being 

 very striking. It appears from a note in the Gardeners' Chronicle (1904, i. 

 p. 228) that such a situation is the one in which it succeeds best. When 

 originally described in 1897 it was said to grow at 6,000 feet elevation, 

 which statement, it is remarked, " ought to have indicated that it was not a 

 hot-house plant. Nevertheless, the plant was generally grown with other 

 Dendrobiums, and the result was not often satisfactory. A few cultivators 

 took the hint and secured better results, but the best example of its culture 

 in quantity which we have seen is in the collection of Elijah Ashworth, Esq. 

 (gr. Mr. Holbrook), Harefield Hall, Wilmslow, where a goodly number of 

 sturdy plants are growing suspended from the roof of the cool Odonto- 

 glossum house, where they have been increasing in strength for some years. 

 The pseudobulbs branch and produce aerial roots, and the flowers now on 

 them are larger, and the intensity of the dark blue of the outer halves of the 

 segments is more intense than any we have seen before. The plants are 

 dwarf and bushy, and bear shorter pseudo-bulbs than they did when 

 imported. It is a very beautiful and remarkable plant." Dendrobiums 

 suitable for the Cool house are not numerous, and it is satisfactory to find 

 that they include this beautiful plant, whose flowers are almost if not quite 

 unique in the genus for their remarkable violet-blue colour. 



ANGLESEY CASTLE SALES. 



The balance of the contents of the Marquis of Anglesey's garden were dis- 

 posed of recently, and the total proceeds were under £50. A round dozen 

 would probably cover the number of purchasers. The only feature of even 

 ordinary interest in the sale was a collection of Orchids, and these went at 

 a literally ruinous sacrifice. For example, a lot of fifteen Oncidiums were 

 knocked down to Mr. Griffin, of Haydock, for 5s. It was afterwards said 

 that £5 would not have bought them in the open market. Mr. Griffin's 

 was the only bid for this lot. The same purchaser secured eight Zygo- 

 petalums for 5s., and a group of six Maxillaria for 5s. A pot of Cattleya 

 and two pots of Laslia were sold for 5s. A hanging box of Stanhopeas and 

 a pot of the same went for 4s. Three pots of Lycaste realised 3s. A pot of 

 Ccelogyne and another of Cymbidium went for 5s., twenty-four Cypripedium 

 for 2s., and eighty Calanthe for 9s. A keen fight between two bidders 

 resulted in Mr. Speed, of Bangor, securing twelve large Dendrobiums for 

 4 6s.— Journal of Horticulture. 



