Fc-I)ruary, 1914-] 



THK ORCHID WORl.I). 



pure white, with basal markings of rich 

 purple. Carmania being" a hybrid from a 

 white-lipped Lucasianum gives the lip to the 

 hybrid. The usual forms of it are heavily 

 marbled on the sepals and petals, as in most 

 Harryanum descendants, but this one has 

 assumed the ground colour of that species. 

 The heavy colouring of Vuylstekei has 

 overlaid it and produced the solid mass ( f 

 colour. 



Vuylstekei, containing almost all good 

 species' qualities, I consider one of the finest 

 that we have of the early hybrids for working 

 with for a future. M. Ch. Vuylsteke deserves 

 our gratitude for raising it so soon. 



de B. Crazvshay, Rosefield, Jan. i§th, igi f. 



Cypripedium bellalulum. 



CYPRIPEDIUM BELLATULUM. 



THE above illustration shows one of 

 many excellent plants of this hand- 

 some Cypripedium flowering in the 

 collection of Col. Stephenson R. Clarke, C.B., 

 Borde Hill, Cuckfield, Sussex. The plants 

 are under the care of Mr. E. Johnson, who 

 sends the following interesting note: — 



" In my opinion, the ideal place for this 

 elegant subject is suspended from the roof of 

 the Cattleya house, at the coolest and shadiest 

 corner, preferably over the side staging, where 

 it can easily be attended to. The receptacles 

 should be ordinary shaped pots, with small 

 holes for inserting wire suspenders. There 

 will then be room for a good depth of 

 compost with ample drainage material. The 



compost should consist of two-thirds fibrous 

 loam, the remaining third made up of equal 

 parts chopped osmunda fibre and sphagnum 

 moss. If limestone is used I prefer it broken 

 rather small, as large pieces cause an uneven- 

 ness in the moisture retaining properties of 

 the compost. 



" I am inclined to think that under artificial 

 cultivation these jilants recjuire much more 

 water than we are told they receive in their 

 native habitat. When the compost is almost 

 covered by the foliage of the plant, and any 

 doubt arises as to whether it requires water, 

 a sure and safe test is to slightly bend the 

 leaves upwards. If dry a number of wrinkles 

 will appear in the bend, these being entirely 

 absent when the leaves are sufficiently 

 supjjlied with moisture. 



" My interest in Cypripedium bellatulum 

 commenced during my term of employment 

 with the late Foster J. Alcock, m whose 

 collection the celebrated Exhim's variety then 

 flowered. This was one of the darkest and 

 most densely spotted varieties ever seen, and 

 it was cultivated under very similar conditions 

 to those stated above." 



MANCHESTER NOTES. 



THE recent meetings of the Manchester 

 Orchid Society have been very 

 consoling" to its members. For more 

 than a year meeting after meeting" has been 

 successful. On December i8th, when one is 

 thinking more of vegetation being in its sleep 

 than at its best, over 1,000 well-grown 

 Orchids appeared to greet the arrival of the 

 members who fortnightly come to the Coal 

 Exchange to feast on their favourite flowers. 



The Lancashire Orchid growers have been 

 accused of commercialism, but without justifi- 

 cation. Where does the commercial spirit 

 find root in those amateurs who month after 

 month spend their money and time in putting 

 up large groups of their choicest Orchids 

 without any further reward than the edifica- 

 tion and gratitude of their fellow members 

 who attend the meetings? It cannot be the 

 gate-money, for there is none. Nor do 



