74 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[January, igi6. 



Cattleyas from Penarth. — Since the 

 beginning of last August there has been 

 a continuous display of autumn-flowering 

 Cattleyas in the collection of Mr. J. J. Neale, 

 Lynwood, Park Road, Penarth, which shows 

 how valuable these plants are for artistic 

 decoration. Under skilful cultivation by Mr. 

 H. Haddon many excellent results have been 

 achieved, and the varied assortment which he 

 kindly sends fully proves this remark. We 

 may mention Cattleya Fernand Denis 

 (Aclandiae x Warscew^czii) with a spike of five 

 flowers, an unusual number for either of these 

 parents to produce. The influence of 

 Aclandiae is seen in the fleshy, clavate column, 

 111 the formation of the three-lobed labellum 

 with its bright purple front lobe, and in the 

 slight spotting of the rose-pink sepals and 

 petals. Cattleya Portia, of excellent shape, 

 and C. BrownifP are also worthy of mention. 

 Laelio-Cattleya Lady Rothschild (Perrmii x 

 Warscewiczii) is not only a vigorous grower, 

 but it is one of the best of the Perrinii hybrids. 

 Two other popular Laelio-Cattleyas sent by 

 Mr. Haddon are Aphrodite (L. purpurata x 

 C. Mendelii) and eximia (L. purpurata x C. 

 Warneri) ; both have thick stems and carry 

 large flowers of rich coloration, a sure sign of 

 good cultivation. 



^ U 



CiRRHOPETALUM MYSORENSE. — Mr. 



Haddon also sends from the Lynwood collec- 

 tion flowers of this species, which was 

 originally introduced by Mr. J. O'Brien from 

 the Mysore Hills, South India, and who 

 flowered it in September, 1 891. The flowers 

 are nearly white, with a purple lip, not unlike 

 the better known C. maculosum. A spike 

 of Liparis longipes and Bulbophyllum 

 Careyanum, with coppery-brown flowers, the 

 column yellow, are among other interesting 

 plants recently flowered in this collection, 

 while Cymbidium Bennett-Poe (Tracyanum x 

 giganteum) has produced a fine spike on a 

 plant raised by Mr. Haddon. The first plant 

 to flower of this hybrid was exhibited by Mr. 

 J. T. Bennett-Poe, R.H.S., December 1 5th, 

 1903. 



Orchids in Glass Pots. — Some years 

 ago the late Mr. Law-Schofield placed a few 

 of his Orchids in pots made of transparent 

 glass m order to test what effect light would 

 have upon the roots. More recently Mr. de B. 

 Crawshay, in carrying out similar experi- 

 ments, has utilised two plants of Cypripedium 

 msigne Sanderas, one being grown in an 

 ordinary pot, the other in a glass pot, in each 

 case having the usual hole in the bottom for 

 drainage. Both plants have received similar 

 attention. The ordinary pot with its porous 

 and ever-moist condition has yielded the best 

 result ; the glass pot, although admitting 

 light to the roots, does not present a suitable 

 surface for the roots to cling to, and from the 

 appearance of the leaves the plant does not 

 obtain its requisite nutriment, there being a 

 general look of starvation. 



^■M IS ?J 



Cattleya Dowiana Rosita. — In sending 

 a flower of this beautiful and rare variety, 

 Mrs. Thwaites, Chessington, .Streatham Hill, 

 remarks : " I have never seen another variety 

 with these flat petals of C. Dowiana Rosita ; 

 it is easy to see where Messrs. Flory and 

 Black's Cattleya King George obtained its 

 meritorious shape." Many will long remember 

 this fine hybrid between triumphans and 

 Dowiana Rosita, for it is one of the best, if 

 not the best, of the yellow section, a special 

 feature being the erect and flat nature of the 

 broad petals, which, with the rich coloration 

 of the labellum, fully entitled it to a First- 

 class Certificate on September 28th, 191 5. In 

 C. Dowiana Rosita the yellowish petals have 

 an unusual amount of crimson-rose colour 

 suffused on all but the central area of the 

 petals, while another marked feature is the 

 crimson-coloured blotch on each of the side 

 lobes, this extending right through and being 

 visible on the back ; it corresponds in position 

 to the characteristic yellow blotch seen in 

 C. Warscewiczii. In nearly all cases where 

 C. Dowiana Rosita has been used as a parent 

 this crimson blotch is more or less inherited 

 in the offspring, and, so far as we know, no 

 other species or variety possesses this 

 l^articular feature. 



