■270 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[September, 1912. 



SACCOLABIUMS. 



THE Saccolabium genus contains be- 

 tween 50 and 60 species, all natives of 

 Eastern Asia, where they are found 

 growing on the branches of trees. The flower 

 spikes, some erect, others pendulous, fre- 

 quently produce many elegant and highly 

 interesting blooms of various colours. They 

 enjoy considerable heat and moisture when 

 growing, but a decided rest is necessary to 

 produce the finest flowering results. The 

 majority are best accommodated in baskets 

 suspended in a good light position, or in pots 

 which are elevated fairly close to the glass. 

 Sphagnum moss and plenty of crocks will be 

 found sufficient for their culture, although 

 several growers have obtained excellent 

 results by including a small quantity of good 

 fibrous peat or osmunda in the compost ; this 

 latter method is more likely to prove the 

 better of the two, for it produces a mixture of 

 longer lasting property. 



The temperature from March to the end of 

 October should be 70 to 75 degrees during 

 the day, allowing it to rise to 80 or even 85 

 degrees in sunny weather. During the winter 

 months a minimum temperature of 60 degrees 

 should be maintained. On all bright days the 

 plants will enjoy plenty of atmospheric 

 moisture, and the foliage may be frequently 

 sprayed with rain-water of the same tempera- 

 ture as the house. During the dull winter 

 months a considerable decrease in the 

 moisture of the atmosphere should be allowed 

 to take place, for any excess is likely to 

 produce the much dreaded disease known as 

 spot. 



Propagation of the species is comparatively 

 slow, and very seldom undertaken, it being 

 much better to purchase strong plants which 

 will give good flowering results every year. 

 However, there are instances when the dupli- 

 cation of a rare specimen is desirable, and 

 very often profitable. The stems should be 

 cut into suitable lengths, allowing each piece 

 to have several leaves and one or more good 

 living roots. These should then be placed in 

 a shady and moist part of the house, or they 

 may be suspended, and frequently syringed. 



After a few weeks young growths will appear 

 from one or more of the eyes on the stems, 

 which were previously dormant, and, unless 

 the old stem is exceedingly strong, it will be 

 advisable to only allow one young plant to be 

 produced. As soon as new roots are produced 

 this may be placed in a small pot or basket 

 and given a growing place along with other 

 members of the genus. 



Old specimens, which have become too tall, 

 or have lost their bottom leaves, should have 

 the lower portion of the stem removed and be 

 repotted in fresh compost, the new roots pro- 

 duced from the upper portion of the stem will 

 then be more likely to enter the compost, and 

 increased vigour will be the result. 



S. ampullaceum is very floriferous, so much 

 so that the spikes should not be left on too 

 long for fear of the plant exhausting itself. 

 The flowers are coloured various shades of 

 magenta-pink, the sepals and petals somewhat 

 equal in shape, the hp with a spur longer than 

 the sepals. The leaves are invariably mottled 

 with brown. This Indian plant is found 

 growing wild at Sylhet and Sikkim. 



S. bellinum produces long-lasting flowers 

 which open during the months of February 

 and March. The oblong sepals and petals are 

 straw-coloured, blotched with large patches of 

 dark brown ; the saccate lip is fleshy, white 

 with mauve-purple spots, having on each side 

 a number of filiform processes. One of the 

 best Orchids. 



S. curvifolium has a short erect stem from 

 six inches to one foot in height, with narrow 

 deflexed leaves, and an erect spike of crowded 

 cinnabar-red flowers. A free flowering 

 species from the East Indies. The variety 

 luteum has clear yellow flowers, and is 

 extremely rare. 



S. Hendersonianum, a small compact grow- 

 ing species from Borneo, produces spikes with 

 numerous small bright rose-coloured flowers, 

 the lip and spur almost white. It does not 

 appear to have any certain flowering season. 



S. dasypogon has bright yellow sepals and 

 petals spotted with brownish purple, the lip 

 white except a patch of yellow with minute 



