June, 1914.] 



THE ORCHID WORT.D. 



flowered this hybrid between L.-C. 

 bletchleyensis and B. Digbyana. 



Brassocattl.elia Endymion. — The 

 result of crossing B.-L. Digbyano-purpurata 

 with C. Warneri. Raised by Messrs. 

 Charlesworth. 



L^LIO-CattLEYA DeCIATA. — By crossing 

 L.-C. Decia with L. purpurata Messrs. Flory 

 and Black have produced a useful addition to 

 this section. L.-C. Bellata (L.-C. Bella x L. 

 purpurata) has also been recently flowered in 

 their nursery at Slough. 



Odontioda Nellie Hunter. — The 

 result of crossing C. Noezliana with O. 

 Stewartianum. Flower of good size, some- 

 what resembling Andersonianum in shape, 

 due to the influence of that hybrid in the 

 parentage. Sepals and petals brick-red, hp 

 scarlet with yellow crest. Raised by Mr. 

 Alwyn Harrison, Watford. 



CattLEYA R. Prowe. — A pleasing hybnd 

 shown at Chelsea by Messrs. Sander and 

 .Sons, and named in honour of Mr. Rud. 

 Prowe, Moscow. The parents are C. inter- 

 media alba and C. Suzanne Hye de Crom, 

 the flower being ynire white and of thick 

 texture. 



New Hybrids. — The following new 

 hybrids were included in Messrs. Sander 

 and Sons' Chelsea Show group: — Odonto- 

 glossums Fortuna (Arlequin x Harryanum), 

 Albion (percultum x Rossii), Helicon (armain- 

 villierense x Royal Monarch), Herodotus 

 (nobile x Thompsonianum), Iconium (cirr- 

 hosum X Fascinator), Isidorus (cirrhosum x 

 Rio Tinto), Iris (Fletcherianum x Lawrence- 

 anum), Julius (Royal Monarch x Vulcan), 

 Irene (nobile x Vulcan), and Milo (Adrianae x 

 Wilckeanum) ; Odontiodas Picardie (Odm. 

 armainvillierense x Ota. St. Fuscien), Leda 

 (C. Noezliana x O. Rio Tinto), and Leonatus 

 (C. Noezliana x O. Thompsonianum) ; Cypri- 

 pedium Julius (Rothschildianum x Lowii) ; 

 Miltonia Isabel Sander (Roezlii x Hyeana) ; 

 Cattleya Magali Sander (Dusseldorfei Undine 

 X Mossia? Wagneri) ; Laelio-Cattleyas Gold 

 Star (L.-L. Ariel x C. Mendelii) and Joy 

 Sander (L.-C. luminosa x C. Schroderse) ; and 

 Brasso-Cattlaelia Everest (L.-C. Cnnhamiann 

 X B.-C. Mrs. Leemann). 



THE FLOOR OF AN ORCHID 

 HOUSE. 



SL'RELY there is no importance to be 

 attached to the floor of an Orchid 

 house. What difference can it make 

 to the plants, which are grown on the staging 

 several feet above? More than one amateur 

 lias thus e.xpressed himself, and many others 

 never give the matter one moment's thought. 

 Practically every amateur cultivator will 

 eagerly consider the question of applying 

 water to the compost, but as to the moisture 

 in the ground beneath — well, that must take 

 its chance. 



1 he question of expense always has the 

 consideration of the trade grower, and this is 

 the principal reason why he selects the 

 cheaply made paths which are in general use 

 in his houses. Concrete and fancy tiles mean 

 a heavy expenditure, and although they give 

 a finishing touch to the conservatory and 

 show house their cost renders them pro- 

 hibitive. But here we have one of the secrets 

 of the trade grower's success. In his so-called 

 cheap paths he has a valuable asset, for in 

 them one of the most natural and beneficial 

 methods of construction has been adopted. 

 If amateurs would dispense with their 

 concrete and tiles better cultural results 

 would be obtained. 



Clinkers and cinder ash are excellent 

 materials to use, and if a few fresh ashes are 

 occasionally scattered over the surface a neat 

 and lasting path will be maintained. Another 

 method is to construct a lattice floor, placed 

 a few inches above the ground, and to keep 

 the under soil in a rough and frequently dug 

 condition. But it matters little which method 

 is used, the benefits in both cases being alike. 

 The ground holds a constant supply of 

 moisture and forms the only natural floor 

 that can be devised. 



Some of our successful growers are great 

 believers in the beneficial properties given off 

 from the soil in a gaseous condition. P'or 

 this reason the soil in the house is frequently 

 turned over, and each year it is removed to 

 ;i depth of about six inches and replaced 

 by fresh loamy soil from outside. Some 



