6 
THE ORCHID WORLD. 
plants grown by being suspended from the 
roof, or grown m pots on an open wood 
staging not too far from the glass. Clean 
fresh sphagnum moss, Osmimda and Poly- 
podium fibre in equal parts, addmg a good 
sprinkling of clean crushed crock and charcoal 
to keep the whole porous is the best rooting 
medium. This should be employed over good 
drainage, pressing the material moderately 
firm about the roots, and finishmg off the 
surface with a thin layer of clean picked 
sphagnum. 
Perhaps the best time tO' repot any plants 
needing fresh rooting material is when the 
roots show signs of renewed activity, which 
usually occurs about the month of March. 
From this time up to the time they have 
finished flowering and the season's growth 
completed they should be kept moderately 
moist at the root, after that a less supply of 
water will suffice, affording sufficient only to 
keep roots and foliage in a plump and healthy 
condition. 
If in any way possible a house should be 
devoted to this one orchid, but this ideal 
condition can of course only be obtained 
where large quantities are grown ; and in a 
smaller collection the grower should try his 
plants in every possible position until he finds 
out where they flourish best. 
In the Walton Grange collection may be 
seen a small batch of plants growing admir- 
ably and flowering well on a shelf in the cool 
Cypripedium-house, and it should be stated, 
just underneath a ventilator. 
Those who paid a visit to the establishment 
of Monsieur Dallemagne in Rambouillet 
some years ago when the orchids were under 
the care of Mons. ChoUet, or who care to visit 
Messrs. Sander and Sons' establishment in 
Bruges where this skilful cultivator now 
grows their orchids, and where five large 
specially designed houses are entirely devoted 
to their cultivation, will know what extra- 
ordinary results can be achieved in the 
growing of this blue orchid, which had 
previously been considered impossible to 
be kept growing for many years. 
At Rambouillet, from small imported pieces, 
he grew houses full of fine plants that carried 
two and three spikes of flowers year after year. 
Monsieur Chollet was, so to speak, the pioneer 
cultivator of Vanda ccerulca, and he considers 
his success to be entirely due to careful and 
rational cultivation, which depends of course 
entirely on local conditions, bearing in mind 
that this plant requires as much fresh air, 
light, and moisture when m growth as can 
be reasonably given. 
Although discovered so long ago as 1837, 
it was not certificated by the Royal Horticul- 
tural Society until Aug. 13th, 1895, when a 
fine form was exhibited by E. H. Woodall, 
Esq., and received a First-class Certificate. 
Y . c. Foivlcriana was shown on the same 
day. It was a noble plant, bearing four 
racemes of large very dark flowers, some forty 
in all, to which a First-class Certificate was 
given. 
V. c. Rochfordiana received an Award of 
Merit on Oct. 12th, 1897, being a pretty, 
nearly white form, tinted with pink on the 
V. c. C harlcsworthii, this is the first true, 
wholly pure white albino of the species to be 
shown, without the slightest trace of colour 
even in the labellum. This is remarkable, 
as the colour of the lip' in the normal type is 
very pronounced. First-class Certificate, Oct. 
27th, 1908. 
V. c. var. R. Chollet, a very large bright 
blue form tO' which a First-class Certificate was 
given when exhibited by Messrs. Sander and 
Sons, on Nov. 24th, 1908. 
V. c. var. Dreadnought, a fine form, the 
flowers being very large and beautifully netted 
and tinged with bright blue, with a violet lip. 
From Messrs. Sander and Sons. Award of 
Merit, Aug. 17th, 1909. 
F. c. Westonbirt var. A First-class Certi- 
ficate was unan mously awarded to this variety 
on Aug. 1 6th, 1 910, when exhibited by Eieut.- 
Col. Sir George Holford, K.C.V.O. It is the 
finest form of this species ever shown, the 
flowers being five inches in diameter, perfectly 
circular in outline, and with equally broad 
segments heavily veined with deep indigo- 
blue, the lip being dark violet. 
