jo8 
THE ORCHID VVORLb. 
not one has been so much praised as the mar- 
vellous variety named Diana. The illustra- 
tion is of a single flower, life size, from a 
painting by Lamont. The petals are two 
inches in breadth, and the deep crisped edging 
of the whole flower gives it a trul\- lovel\- 
appearance. 
A crispum without spots on the lip is ra/el)' 
found, but the variel)- known as the Hon. Mrs. 
Brook has m addition the extia charm of 
having the sepals and petals blotched with 
purple. 
A \ ery fine form of crispum is known to ail 
orchid growers b\- the name of xanthotes 
W bite's \ ariety. 
Many excellent varieties of the sciU'ce 
natural h\brids known as Wilckeanum and 
Looch/istiense are jiromising well for flower, 
nnd large plants of e.xcellens and knnibeauia- 
iiuiii continue to increase in si/.e. 
In a house where seedling Odontoglossums 
are grown one may spend many an interesting 
hour, for there are now several thousands of 
the various crosses, among which the following 
are worth recording : O.Rossii majus x crispo- 
Har/yanum, crispum Brittania x Lambeauia- 
num, Edwardii x triumphans, crispum Angela 
X crispum Leonard l^erfect, and many Coch - 
lioda crosses. These seedlings are potted m 
equal parts of Osmunda, peat, moss and sand. 
Some of the earliest raised jilants will soon 
be large enough to flower. 
In an adjoining house is a large number of 
crispums whicli, although above the average 
t\-pe, are not up to the standard of being- 
named. On the centre staging are several 
fine plants of Odontoglossum Edwardii, 
and a few specimens of Oncidium macran- 
thum with long flower-spikes ; and at 
the end some specially good varieties 
of Odontoglossum Harr\anum and a nice 
batch of Oncidium sarcodes. A pretty cris- 
inim aureum and some h\'brids between Odon- 
toglossum Polyxanthum and O. Hallii are in 
flower. O. luteo-purpureum has been crossed 
w ith O. ardentissimum Sibyl, the pod being 
ncarl)- ripe ; and Cochlioda Noezliana carries 
a pod resulting from having been fertilised 
with Oncidium macrantlium. 
Another span-roof house contains duplicates 
and back bulbs of all the finest named varieties 
in this collection, and also some recently 
acquired plants of choice things which have 
not yet flowered at Arddarroch. From the 
roof are suspended many health)- plants of 
O. Rossii majus. Among other plants are 
several good varieties of ardentissimum, in- 
cluding Doris, Sibyl, and the Chillingham 
var.ety, a nice piece of O. luteo-purpureum 
Wiylstekeanum, and some free-flowering 
plants of the p/ett\- winter-blooming Masde- 
\allia tovarensis. x\ plant not often seen is 
Oncidium anfractum ; it flowers well in this 
house. 
A smiilar house to the one just described 
contains several hundred plants of Odonto- 
glossum Pescatorei. Although the\- make 
targe bulbs, it has not \'et been found possible 
to entirely prevent the appearance of spotting 
on the leav es. The rare vanet\- of Pescatorei 
named Thompsonii receives special attention. 
On these three last houses the rol'.er-blinds 
are run on rafters laid from ridge to ridge ■ this 
method admits of a very free circulation of 
cool air between the glass and the blinds, and 
the houses are kept remarkabl\- coo! during 
the hottest season of the year. On the Catt- 
le\-a houses tiffany blinds are preferred. 
]\Ir. J. Smith, who has charge of this collec- 
tion, has had man}- years of experience in 
(Tchid culture. He acquired his first know- 
ledge of these plants f/om Chas. Canham 
when engaged at Messrs Veitch's nurser\-. 
Subsequentl}' he accepted situations in the 
employ of Mr. Joseph Chamberlain at Bir- 
mingham, and with Mr. R. I. Measures at 
Camberwell. When asked as to his opinion 
of the local atmospheric condition for orchid 
growing, he said that in many ways it was 
excellent, but it requi/ed careful attention, 
for the temperature is apt to change very 
rapidly, sometimes a difference of ten degrees 
being recorded in the space of a couple of 
hours. 
In conclusion, there is one tiling to be said, 
and that is that the condition of the whole 
collection reflects great credit to ]\lr. Smith s 
al)ilit\- and careful attention. 
