8o 



'IHK ORCHID WORLD. 



[January, 1916. 



it with Cattleya citrina, and, hapi)y to relate, 

 he has met with success m so far as the 

 fertiHsation and seed-raising is concerned ; 

 there are two small pans containing about a 

 couple of dozen seedlings, the tiny leaves 

 showing the light green tint of those of C. 

 citrina. Another promising cross made with 

 this variety of L. tenebrosa has been effected 

 with C. Mossi^ Reineckiana, and one wonders 

 what sort of a L.-C. Martinetti will ultimately 

 be produced. 



Although but little importing is now carried 

 on by anyone, Mr. Phillips has received a 

 large batch of Sophronitis grandiflora and S. 

 violacea. The best varieties are selected for 

 hybridising, and in one instance a specially 

 fine variety had been crossed with another of 

 equal merit, the intention being to raise a 

 batch of superior plants. In the same house 

 is a neat little plant of S. grandiflora 

 Rossiteriana with yellowish flowers. 



The Glebe collection contains a remarkably 

 fine variety of Cattleya aurea, which is only 

 used as a pollen parent, and by this means its 

 full state of vigour is preserved. Cattleya 

 Trianae does not appear to have received as 

 much attention in past years as has been given 

 to other species of the genus, and it is 

 satisfactory to learn that many experiments 

 are being carried out with it in this collection : 

 the x arieties include Mooreana, The Premier, 

 I-.ord Kitchener, Mrs. Phillips, Mavourneen 

 and Mrs. de B. Crawshay, a grand selection, 

 which should yield some excellent hybrids. 



A few Odontoglossums are worthy of 

 special mention, one being O. grande 

 aureum, which carries a nearly ripe seed-pod, 

 the result of being fertilised with its own 

 pollen ; and another is to be seen in O. 

 sandhurstiense(coronarium x Edwardii), which 

 carries two large seed-pods, one obtained with 

 O. splendidum and the other with O. Queen 

 Alexandra. Experience proves that the 

 best time for sowing Odontoglossum and 

 Odontioda seeds is as early in the year as 

 possible, about February ; any seed ripening 

 in the autumn is carefully preserved. 



Of a small batch of Odontoglossum 

 nebulosum, collected near Mexico City, 

 several ha\ e already flowered and prove to be 



the variety candidulum, distinguished by 

 absence of spotting, with the usual yellow 

 crest. Dendrobium thyrsiflorum is grown 

 extensively in a conservatory adjoining the 

 house, and proves an attractive subject when 

 in flower ; last season these plants produced 

 about 80 spikes of bloom. Cymbidiums are 

 also well cultivated, and amongst them is 

 the new C. Hanburyanum (erythrostylum x 

 Tracyanum). 



In every part of this model block of Orchid 

 houses neatness and cleanliness are to be seen. 

 All the pots are periodically cleaned and the 

 plants washed with suitable insecticide, thus 

 almost entirely preventing the appearance of 

 injurious insects. If there is one point which 

 might be alluded to more than others it is the 

 construction of the floor of the houses. The 

 under part has been thoroughly drained, so 

 that no matter how much water is used the 

 soil rarely becomes stagnant, and the 

 atmosphere always has a clean smell, which 

 must assist the plants in making healthy 

 growth. Although a lattice-wood floor is put 

 on the central part, the whole of the soil is 

 made up specially and consists of good loam, 

 with some leaves mixed in it, and a small 

 amount of soot to keep away slugs and snails. 

 This IS not brought into the house until it has 

 been frequently turned over and the smell of 

 the soot has passed away. For potting the 

 plants A I fibre is used with sphagnum moss. 

 Osmunda fibre does not meet with favour in 

 this collection. 



The Stanshawes Court Collection. 

 --Messrs. A. J. Keeling and Sons have been 

 instructed by Mrs. R. N. Hooper, Stanshawes 

 Court, Glos., to sell her entire collection of 

 Orchids for the benefit of the joint societies 

 of The British Red Cross and The Order of 

 the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in 

 England. A catalogue of the collection, 

 which consists of nearly 2,000 well-grown 

 plants, together with particulars of sale, may 

 be obtained post free from Messrs. A. J. 

 Keeling and Sons, Westgate Hill, Bradford, 

 Yorks. We understand that the plants will 

 be sold b)- private treaty. 



