Dcccnil)c'r, 1915.] 



rni{ ORCHID wori.d. 



53 



Calypso borealis. 



CALYPSO BOREALIS. 



THE above photograph of two flowers 

 of this charming httle member of the 

 Orchid family was taken on the 7th 

 of May last, from plants flowering in a moist 

 border of a cool, shady greenhouse. Here I 

 grow also Shortia galacifolia and S. uniflora, 

 Schizoehodon, Pyrola uniflora, Epiga;a repens, 

 various hardy Cypripediums, and a few other 

 treasures, either too dwarf or too susceptible 

 to drought to be treated in the rock garden. 



Calypso is a native of swamps of the 

 northern hemisphere, of northern America, 

 as well as of N. Russia, Lapland and Finland, 

 and is what is called a monotypic genus. I 

 believe that it has no near allies. I see that 

 M. H. Correvon (Album dcs Orchidccs dc 

 r Europe Centra le et Sefientrionalc) writes 

 that it used to occur in the north of Scotland. 

 I can find no authorit\- for this statement. 



My plants are growing in chopped 

 sphagnum, sifted leaf-soil and silver sand, 



with a surface of living sphagnum moss. The 

 bulb must not be deeply planted. Like 

 Lipans Lneselii and Malaxis, Calypso likes 

 its bulb to be not more than half buried. 

 The plant must never be allowed to get 

 really dry. For a few weeks towards the 

 end of summer just enough water to keep 

 the sphagnum alive will be sufficient, and 

 will help to send the plant to rest ; but in the 

 autumn, when pushing up its solitary leaf 

 (October), and also in the spring, when the 

 flower spike rises, it will need plenty of water. 



During the winter, as my greenhouse is 

 unheated, I keep everything fairly dry. Slugs 

 are very fond of the tender young leaf ; I find 

 Sanitas powder, dusted into crevices where 

 the pests may hide, is effective, but it has to 

 be frequently renewed, as long as overhead 

 watering is going on. I should be glad to hear 

 from other growers of this plant, whether the 

 leaf always withers before the flower opens, 

 as is the case with me? — W. H. St. Qiiiniin, 

 Scmnfston Hall, Rillingion, York. 



VOL. VI. 



8 



