I )ci-cinl)cr, 



'I'lii-: oRciiii) woi^iij). 



53 



proluscl)' llic lollowin^- sununcr. liulcpcii- 

 dcntl)' of its peculiar flowers the small narrow 

 leaves of this plant readily distinguish it from 

 all other species of this ^cnus which have, as 

 yet, taken u[) tlieir abode in our stoves." 



|J 



CaLANTHE BkANCHII.— Tlic ScK-iilihc 

 Committee of the Ro\al Horticultural 

 Society awarded, November i/th, a Botanical 

 Certificate to this interesting hybrid between 

 the evergreen C. Texton and the deciduous 

 C. Wm. Murray, while the Orchid Committee 

 granted a Certificate of Appreciation to Mr. 



C. J. Lucas, m whose collection at Warnhani 

 Court it was raised by Mr. Branch. 



«.K ?<.^ ?<| 



Dendrobiu.M Tofftii. — Dendrobiums 

 have always been a special feature in the 

 extensive collection of Sir Jeremiah Colman, 

 Bart., Gatton Park, .Surrey, and amongst the 

 rarities that have recently flowered is D. 

 Tofftii, which received a Botanical Certificate 

 fiom the Scientific Committee of the Royal 

 Horticultural Societ)', November 17th, 1914. 

 1 his species was originally described by F. 

 M. Bailey (Synopsis of the Queensland Flora, 

 Supplt. HI., 1890), who gave its habitat as a 

 creek off the Johnstone River. It resembles 



D. undulatum in the habit and form of its 

 leaves. The stems, however, are much 

 compressed, and the flowers are very different 

 in both form and colour. In the dark 

 coloured ribs of the stems it is similar to D. 

 Johannis. Named in honour of Alf. G. Tofft. 



ISE U 



The Orchid World.— The following 

 appreciative note concerning the OrchiI) 

 World was included 111 the journal of 

 Horticulture, November 5th, 1914: — "Our 

 monthly contemporary for November is even 

 more interesting than usual. The standard 

 of production is always very high, but we do 

 not remember an issue in which the illustra- 

 tions were as admirably produced as in the 

 present instance ; the letterpress, too, is 

 splendid." 



A PLEA FOR MORE ORCHID 

 GROWING. 



THERE IS a prevalent idea which 

 obsesses amateurs in geiic-ral th.it the 

 hobby of Orchid growing is a very 

 expensive one. Unless the amateur is going 

 m for rare plants and hybrids such an idea 

 IS somewhat of a fallacy, and many, I am 

 sure, below the status of millionaires could 

 very well take up the hobby if they would 

 but exercise a modest ambition. Upon 

 such a basis I have a word or two to say 

 emphasising my plea for an extension of 

 Orchid growing. 



First of all, there can be no question as to 

 the necessity for less labour and attention 

 being required to look after one's Orchid pets 

 as compared with the ordinary cultivation of 

 the usual garden plants raised from seeds, 

 cuttings, etc. In regard to the latter, the 

 repeated sowing, pricking out, and nursing up 

 cuttings all through the dreary winter and 

 early spring is a task which tries the most 

 enthusiastic amateur. Then the disappoint- 

 ments which ensue after bedding out, etc., as 

 a result of damage in some form or other by 

 our fickle climate is very nearly sufficient to 

 damp the ardour of most of us. Each season 

 such an experience has to be encountered, 

 and is generally pretty mortifying, but being 

 the stolid persevering Britons that we are, we 

 " keep on keeping on." 



But how much more satisfying and satis- 

 factory are the results attainable with a " bit 

 of cool glass,' and some Orchids inside. And, 

 moreover, the main part of the pleasure 

 derivable comes at the most depressing time 

 of the year — late autumn and winter — for it is 

 then that our pets put on their floral uniforms 

 and gratify our eyes. Another big asset — the 

 Orchids get stronger and larger each }ear, 

 and one has not necessarily to start with 

 seeds, pipings and cuttings each spring. 



There are plenty of cool Orchids that can 

 be bought very cheaply, and this brings me 

 to the essence of my plea --Cannot someone 

 in the trade introduce a department into his 

 business for the supply of suitable cool house 

 Orchids at a much cheaper rate than that at 



VOL. V. 



8 



