228 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[July, igi2. 



and receive only a slight shade between the 

 hours of twelve and three. Frequent 

 synngmg of the plants and the staging mam- 

 tains a very moist atmosphere, and greatly 

 assists the plants m making their new bulbs. 

 Many specimens have made bulbs twice the 

 size of those formed in the preceding year. 



A very unique collection of Dendrobium 

 Phalaenopsis is grown in this house, Mr. Lee 

 being a great admirer of their graceful flowers. 

 Of the many excellent varieties mention must 

 be made of two albino forms, one having a 

 pink tinge in the throat, and the other having 

 a greenish throat. Dendrobium Sanderee 

 finds a comfortable growing place in this 

 house, and the rare D. Ashworthias seems 

 equally at home. Besides D. Wardianum 

 album there are many good plants of the 

 ordinary type from a recent importation. D. 

 nobile Hardyana is a large specimen. The 

 yellow flowering Dendrobes include chessing- 

 tonense and Dalhousieanum luteum. D. 

 plumptonense is a hybrid with very large 

 flowers of a rich purple colour. The Gold 

 Medal of the Manchester Orchid Society was 

 awarded to Mr. Lee, March 15th, 1892, for a 

 magnificent collection of Dendrobiums. 



The collection of Odontoglossums is of a 

 very high standard, Mr. Lee having lately 

 added several unique specimens. The 

 elegant Od. Ceres magnificum was the subject 

 of a coloured illustration in the ORCHID 

 World, February, igi i. The Plumpton Hall 

 variety of the same is equally distinct and 

 beautiful. Od. illustrissimum, a hybrid 

 between Lambeauianum and ardentissimum, 

 is of a very bright colour ; it obtained a First- 

 class Certificate at the Manchester Orchid 

 Society, Sept. 8th, igio. Od. Rouge Dragon, 

 obtained by crossing Phoebe with ardentis- 

 simum, is a large flower which has inherited 

 the long-tailed petals of cirrhosum. Od. Thais 

 is a very remarkable flower of thick substance ; 

 it obtained the high honour of a First-class 

 Certificate at the Royal Horticultural Society, 

 Nov. 2 1st, igii. Od. Chione, equally good, 

 received a similar award on the same day. 

 Od. Ajax, probably the largest flower yet 

 obtained, was awarded F.C.C., M.O.S., Dec. 

 15th, igio. One of the finest varieties is to 



be seen 111 Od Charmian, the rich reddish- 

 pjiple blotches being of excellent form. Oa. 

 ctispum White Star is a very beautiful white 

 flower of thick substance and lasting qualities. 

 The above are only a few of the choice 

 hvbrids in the Odontoglossum house at 

 Plumpton Hall. The others, too numerous to 

 mention, have been greatly admired whenever 

 exhibited at the principal horticultural 

 Societies. 



Odontiodas, now so popular on account of 

 their scarlet-red flowers, are well represented. 

 In Odontioda .Schroderi, obtained by crossing 

 Bradshawias with crispum, we have one of the 

 most recent advances in the production of a 

 large scarlet Odontoglossum. It obtained a 

 F.C.C., M.O.S., March 2 1 st, 1 9 1 2. Odontioda 

 Queen Mary, a remarkably fine hybrid which 

 cbtained a First-class Certificate when 

 exhibited by Messrs. Charlesworth and Co., 

 at the Royal International Horticultural 

 Exhibition, has since been added to the 

 Plumpton Hall collection. 



Sophronitis hybrids include two plants of 

 a very bright coloured S.-C. Mrs. F. Wellesley, 

 and most of the well-known varieties. Sophro- 

 nitis seedlings although difficult to raise fre- 

 quently produce more than one new growth 

 from the same bulb, and propagation is often 

 practised by dividing the plant. Many of the 

 plants in other collections are propagated 

 pieces from some scarce original seedlmg. 



Of the many trophies won by Mr. Lee for 

 the excellence of his Orchids, mention must 

 be made of the 100 guinea "Robson" Cup, 

 won for the second time, and now his 

 property ; the superb " Charlesworth " Cup, 

 figured in the ORCHID WORLD, July, igii ; 

 Mr. Ashworth's Silver Trophy, and many 

 Gold and Silver-gilt Medals. 



Mr. Lee is also a lover of horticulture in 

 many of its branches. Besides the Orchid 

 houses, so capably managed by Mr. Branch, 

 there is an extensive garden and a range of 

 glass houses devoted to the culture of plants 

 and fruit, the whole forming a most interesting 

 and pleasurable pursuit. Mr. Lee was one 

 of the Orchid Jurors at the Royal Inter- 

 national Horticultural Exhibition, 191 2. 



G. W. 



