THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[April, 1914. 



consisted of a large and varied assortment, 

 which goes to prove that, with the exception 

 of the cool varieties of Orchids, nearly all the 

 tropical species may be grown successfully m 

 Calcutta, Lower Bengal. 



I noticed amongst the purchasers the 

 absence of our premier private cultivator, 

 Mr. Dooly Chand. This gentleman had 

 undoubtedl)' the finest collection east of 

 Suez. During the flowering season, which is 

 usually at its best in March, his Orchid 

 houses were opened to public inspection, of 

 which the whole of the flower-lovers of 

 Calcutta and the suburbs took advantage, as 

 the charm and beauty of all the different 

 species of Orchids in bloom at the same time 

 is an event which only takes place once in a 

 year. Thanks to our leading florist, Mr. S. 

 P. Chatterjee, we are still able to enjov a 

 similar privilege now that Mr. Dooly Chand 

 has discontinued the practice of opening his 

 collection to public inspection. Equally as 

 good a sight to look forward to are the 

 Orchids m bloom in the Calcutta Botanical 

 (jardens, which is a credit to our enterprising 

 Curator, Mr. Lane. 



The following species m my collection are 

 now in full bloom, and collectively make 

 quite a decent exhibition: — Dendrobiums 

 Farmeri, nobile, infundibulum, lituiflorum, 

 densiflorum, Pierardii, fimbriatum oculatum 

 and superbum giganteum ; Phalaenopses 

 grandiflorum and Mannii, Eria flava and 

 Phaius Wallichii. — Chns. Power, OrcJii'i 

 Villa, Barrack fore, Calcutta. 



% p 5?^ 



The above-mentioned sale was conducted 

 by Messrs. David Marshall and Co., at 7 a.m., 

 on a Monday morning, the catalogue 

 comprising nearly 400 lots of various Orchids, 

 mostly species of the tropical section. Good 

 plants of Dendrobium superbiens averaged 

 15s. each, the larger pieces making as much 

 as 20s. ; Cattleya species averaged 5s. each ; 

 Oncidium Papilio from 3s. to lOs., according 

 to size ; Oncidium splendidum from 3s. to 

 5s. ; Vandas and .Saccolabiums made good 

 market prices, wlnle brides and Renantheras 

 were comparatively cheap. The Cypripediums 

 included Spicerianum, niveum, insigne. 



venustum, bellatulum, hirsutissimum, and 

 Rothschildianum, the demand for these only 

 being sufficient to bring normal prices. 

 Cattleya hybrids included Mrs. Pitt, 

 Armstrongiae, Atalanta, Fabia, Pittiana, and 

 B.-C. Mrs. M. Gratrix, the prices for these 

 seedlings averaging from 15s. to 25s. each. 

 High figures were obtained for Vanda 

 Sanderiana, Cattleya Trianas alba, Cym- 

 bidium Finlaysonianum, Grammatophyllum 

 speciosum, and Angr^cum Sanderianum. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM URANOSSA. 



cristatum Kegeljani crispum Harryaiium 



crispuin cristatellum crispo-Harryamim nobile 



Urania Ossulstoiii 



L'ranossa. 



The first plant to bloom of this hybrid is 

 additional evidence of the great power of 

 small species, especially if they are pure. The 

 deep blackish-brown of cristatum has been 

 handed down through all the opposing forces 

 against it in the powerful factors with which 

 it has been mixed. 



The sepals and petals, which are of 

 Harryanum form, but more pointed, are two- 

 thirds covered by deep blackish-brown, only 

 broken in the sepals by a couple of irregular 

 bars of yellow, which forms the underground 

 colour, it having the slight green shade always 

 present in Harryanum. The marbling" of the 

 bars on the petals is more pronounced, and 

 the yellow tips extend beyond the further 

 edge of the brown. 



The hp is of clear light yellow, and of fine 

 oblong form, having a central blotch of 

 redder-brown and a few basilar and marginal 

 spots. The influence of nobile is clearh' seen 

 by the panduration of the lip. The column is 

 almost white, but has the influence of 

 cristatum very clearly marked in the deep 

 brown wings and pair of cirrhi pointing 

 forward as in that species. 



I raised this, blooming it last month. 

 de B. Crawshay, Roscficld, March loth, iQi^. 



