18 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETT. 



Habenaria, Aceras, Serapias, Goodyera, Por/onia, Liparis, Calypso, 

 Orchis, and Ophrys. Cypripedium must take the first rank ; G 

 macranthum, C. pubescens, and G spectabile are the most showy, 

 and G. calceolus particularly interesting as being British. The 

 whole of them, with the exception of G. calceolus, delight in a rich 

 fibrous peat. If grown in the open ground, the foot of an east wall 

 is the best situation to make the bed. The ground must be ex- 

 cavated two feet deep, a layer of brickbats or other rough material 

 placed at the bottom to ensure good drainage (as the plants re- 

 quire much water when in a growing state, but not stagnant), over 

 which must be placed 18 inches of fibrous peat. The plants 

 should be set 4 to 6 inches deep and 12 inches apart, as it must 

 be kept in mind that the whole family are very impatient of being 

 removed or divided when once established ; and I would advise 

 any one who has these plants doing well to let well alone, as I 

 have seen fine plants destroyed from taking a piece off for a friend. 

 The protection of a cold frame in winter is very beneficial, parti- 

 cularly if filled with dried fern — as the plants, in their native home, 

 are for the most part covered with snow in winter, so as to exclude 

 the frost. 



If well advanced they will require water daily during the 

 growing-season ; but when at rest they should merely be kept 

 moist. Gypripedium calceolus differs from the others of the genus 

 in its dislike to peat or any soil except good strong loam well im- 

 pregnated with lime, and prefers an eastern or north-eastern 

 aspect, as it is invariably found in its native home in situations 

 facing the east. 



I have gathered this plant more than once in one of the northern 

 localities of Castle Eden Dean, or, more correctly, in Shotton Dean, 

 Durham, and have also seen it in a wood in Cleveland, York- 

 shire, and have had specimens sent from Lancashire. 



I believe it is not generally known that, when the seed of Gypri- 

 pedium calceolus falls from the capsules, it seldom vegetates, if it 

 reaches the ground, but prefers the axils of the leaves of grass or 

 other plants to perform the process of germination, assuming in 

 the first instance the habit of an epiphyte, after which it falls to 

 the ground and becomes a terrestrial plant. 



"When grown in pots, large pots in proportion to the plants 

 should be used, so that they may not require shifting for several 

 years. The pots should be half-filled with crocks, and the peat full 

 of fibre, if possible. 



