ORCHID NOTES FROM ST. ALBANS. 



165 



fringed and several ridges run through its center com- 

 posed of hairy appendages. C. Trnceyanum is said to 

 be somewhat like the very beautiful C. Hookerce and 

 C. giganleuin . These latter species, however, are very 

 rarely flowered in this country, and have not been seen 

 by many persons. The plant was exhibited by Mr. 

 Tracey at the Royal Horticultural Society on December 

 gth, and was awarded a first-class certificate ; it was 

 afterwards sold by auction and brought seventy-live 

 guineas. It is an open secret that the plant found its 

 way into the orchid establishment at St. Albans, where 

 it is highly valued. C. Traceyanmii grows under the 

 same conditions as C. Lo-uianum . 



New Hybrid Cypripediums. — During the past year 

 many new cypripediums have been given to horticulture 

 by the hybridizers, many of which are excellent. The 

 following are a few of those raised in the St. Albans es- 

 tablishment : 



Cypripediiiin Castlcaiuiiii. — This is a lovely hybrid be- 

 tween C. Iiirsiilissitmitii and C. siip^i I'lnii, and is doubt- 

 less one of the most distinct cypripediums of the year. 

 It is pale purple in all its parts, with the exception of the 

 dorsal sepal, which is dark purple, getting faintly lighter 

 near the margins. 



.-Ihides. — The result of crossing iiistgne with C. 

 hirsiitissiiiiitiii . It is a very handsome flower and shows 

 the characters of both parents in a very marked degree. 

 The flower has a waxy appearance, and is pale green, 

 generally with a suffusion of rose throughout the entire 

 bloom. The dorsal sepal is decidedly that of C. insigne, 

 with perhaps fewer markings, and of a more refined 

 quality. The petals are precisely the same shape and 

 size as those of C . hii-suiissiiunm, and at each tip of the 

 petals is a pretty pink marking. The slipper is that of 

 C. insigne, with a rosy tint included ; several darker col- 

 ored veins running throughout, Therostellum is a rich 

 yellow with numerous dark hairs dotted over its surface. 

 The lower sepal is a pale green, with lines of darker 

 green running through it. This plant is justly consid- 

 ered an acquisition to the ever-increasing genus of 

 cypripediums. 



C. PiilUitianuin. — In this we have perhaps the most 

 lovely hybrid yet flowered. It is the production of a 

 cross between C. calopJiyllmn and C. cvnanthiiiii , var. sit- 

 perbu?>i. It bears a large amount of the latter parent's 

 qualities. The flower is very beautiful, and the predom- 

 inating color is crimson purple. The dorsal is large 

 and is lined perpendicularly with dark crimson; the apex 

 and margins are white, affording a fine contrast with the 

 body of the sepal ; the petals are almost entirely com- 

 posed of the same color, the higher portions being very 

 rich crimson, while on the lower part close against the 

 rostellum are two pale yellow spots ; the petals are also 

 profusely dotted with black spots ; the margins of the 

 petals are covered with minute hairs ; the slipper is 

 large and well formed, and consists of the same dark 

 color as the other segments ; the folds of the "slipper" 

 are much paler and are studded with brick red spots. 



Orpheus. — Another very distinct hybrid raised from 

 C. vemtsittm and C. (alL'siini. The plant is very hand- 

 some, the flower being chiefly crimson in color and in- 

 termediate between the two parents; the petals are droop- 

 ing as in C. calloswu, and of a somewhat paler color than 

 the other parts of the flower ; both the lip and the dorsal 

 sepal bear out the characters of C. vcnuslmn in their 

 green mottling. Though not quite so showy as the others, 

 this plant is a desirable addition, 



C. Alaynardii . — For this plant we are indebted to 

 Charles Maynard, who is in charge of the cypripediums 

 at St. Albans. The parents are C. piirpnia/mii and C. 

 itpuci ia)iniii. the characters being well borne out, espec- 

 ially those of C . purpuratitiii . The dorsal sepal is deci- 

 dedly that of C. Spui'i iamim , with a deep crimson line 

 running through the center ; there are two paler lines on 

 either side of this, a character not found in C. Spiceri- 

 anitin ; the upper portion of the dorsal sepal is neatly 

 reflexed, and at the basal portion there is a band of pale 

 green about half an inch in diameter. The petals are 

 those of pitrMiratum, gracefully arching and slightly 

 undulate at the margins ; they are of a coppery hue, ex- 

 cept at the portion from which they spring, the color 

 here being pale green ; a dark line runs through the 

 center of each of these segments, which, in addition to 

 the more prominent one in the dorsal sepal, give the 

 flower additional character ; numerous dark brown spots 

 pervade the whole of the petals ; the rostellum is pret- 

 tily formed, and very richly colored with a metallic red ; 

 there are a few green marks in the center where the di- 

 vision takes place; the "slipper" is large and well 

 shaped, coppery brown in color, with numerous darker 

 reticulations throughout ; the lower sepal is pale green, 

 with darker green stripes. To this plant, when exhib- 

 ited, a great deal of homage was paid, and it was eagerly 

 sought after by orchid fanciers. There is no doubt that 

 it is a plant which will forever retain its popularity on 

 account of its great beauty and distinctness. 



C. liycniianiamiin . — A very handsome hybrid produced 

 by crossing ('. Sftiio iauiiiu with C. baylialiiiu, var, graudi- 

 floritiu. It is a very pure and distinct plant, and it has 

 exceptional charms on account of the contrariety of its 

 parents. The plant now noted is — as most hybrids are — 

 intermediate in character, the strongest bearing to C. 

 ItarlxitiDii perhaps being in the foliage ; the dorsal sepal 

 also partakes freely of the same character, but with the 

 rich line of C. Spicerianum running through it ; coming 

 to the petals they resemble the latter species in their 

 length, shape and undulations ; the lip is that of C. 

 Spucrianuni in shape, but with the coloring of C. bar- 

 baluin. This pretty hybrid received an award of merit 

 from the R. H. S., and it was named after J. Eyerman, 

 Easton, Mass. 



Cypripediiiin Youngianuiii . — -Oh\.'&\'a&A by crossing C. 

 sHperbiens with pollen of C. Koebelenii, and given an 

 award of merit by the R. H. S. on July 8 last. As 

 the parentage of this plant is so decidedly opposite, it 

 naturally follows that the plant is very distinct. The 

 foliage takes after C. Koebelenii , and is nearly a foot in 



