378 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



tAT 11, 1912, 



THE WESTFIELD ORCHIDS. 



Many years ago Mr, Francis Wellesley. 

 J. P., of Westfiekl, Woking, had a very 

 interesting collection of orchids, and this 

 collef*tion include<l a large niimber of rare 

 and beautifid hybrids and varieties. About 

 the same time Mr. AVellesley had one of 

 the finest collections of show carnations and 

 picotees to be found in the country, and 

 his wonderful successes on the show tiible 

 with these flowers is well remem}>ered. 

 Then came a time when the owner of West- 

 field, acting on medical advice, entered 

 his orchid houses but rarely, and, as it is 

 difficult to maintain enthusiasm over things 



Wellesley is a famous variety well repre- 

 sented, and the remarkable C. Royal George 

 is growing finely. This latter gained a 

 First-class Certificate from the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society on October 10, 1911. just 

 before it passed into the Westfield collec- 

 tion from Messrs. Armstrong and Brown's 

 establishment at Tunbridge Wells. It is a 

 marvellously fine hybrid, as the accom- 

 panying illustration indicates. Shape, 

 size, pose, and colouring all go to make 

 this one of the very finest of cypripediums. 

 The w^hite dorsal sepal is rather over three 

 inches broad, beautifxiUy tinted with rose 

 and veined with purple, while the broad 

 petals are greenish-yellow and purple- 

 brown. C. Harrisianum superbum and C. 



promises well for the future. Smaller but 

 of exquisite shapeliness and colouring, is 

 C. Little Gem; this and C. Wellesleyte are 

 great favourites with Mr. Wellesley. The 

 last-named is the result of crossing C 

 Venus with C. insigne King Edward, and 

 as may be imagined, it is a very refined and 

 chaste flower. C. Duke of Argyll is a bol<l 

 and striking hybrid from C. Leeanuni 

 giganteum and C. Druryi, and one that 

 ranks with the best. C. Lady NorthclifFe, 

 from C. Hera Burford' var. and C. Ville de 

 Parisj should become famous, as it is a verv 

 distinct hybrid. It would he an easy mat- 

 ter to give a catalogue of notable cypri- 

 pediums to be found at Westfield, all in 

 capital condition^ under the care of Mr. W. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM ARMSTRONGiE. 

 A unique odontoglosfcum with bluish-purple markings. It is of unknown parentage ; in the Westfield collection. 



ic cannot see or enjoy, the r 

 IS disposed of. 

 Fortunately, after a few 

 edical taboo was removed. 



the 



interesting plants. 



years, 

 ^ and Mr. Wel- 

 lesley immediately entered once more into 

 the cultivation of orchids, and gradually 

 formed a new collection of these most 



Mr. Wellesey's enthu- 

 siasm for orchids has steadily increased^ but 

 it is tempered with excellent judgment and 

 a keenness of discrimination that have 

 made the present collection more valuable, 

 interesting, and beautiful than the 

 vious one. 



Cyprip€M^liums are especially fine at West- 

 fiohl. and one has to oome here to see many 



of tlu' finest that have yet been raised in 

 til Ls [K)piiln r genus. C. insigne Francis 



Minos Youngi were the parents of this 

 wonderful hybrid. 



Of C. Thalia, Mr. Wellesley has some 

 splendid varieties, notably the handsome 

 C. T. Mrs. Francis Wellesley and C. T. The 

 Baron ; indeed, of high-class hybrids with C, 

 Fairrieanum parentage there are many fine 

 plants at Westfield. C. Baron Schroder is 

 in capital condition, and C. Elatior, a cross 

 between C. Baron Schroder and C. Lee- 



anum, produces fine flowers, 

 one of the largest of 



pre- 



C. Waterloo J 

 cypripediums, is 

 thriving at Westfield, and when in flower 

 its big white, purple-based dorsal sepal is 

 most effective. The beautiful C. Octseus 

 Langleyensis is growing apace, and the 

 very fine C. San-Actseus Westfield variety 

 flowered splendidly this last season, and 



Hopkins, the skilful head gardener, but 

 these must suffice for the time being- 

 There is one plant, however, that beats 

 Mr. Hopkins, and it is a tiny seedling ot 

 C. Fairrieanum parentage. It is al>out ten 

 years old, has three wee leaves and one 

 growth, and has been in much the sanie 

 condition as at present for many years, 

 seems to resent special care and attention, 

 threatening to die if disturbed, but when 

 left severely alone it just keeps alive, an 

 so, because of its extraordinary behaviour. 



it is allowed to live. , ^ 



Besides cypripediums the cattleja 

 are a goodly set at Westfield, the varietie^ 



of C. Mendeli being super b. c. M. w*^: 



Majesty is one of the finest, and one p^^^ 

 of the original ' plant was presented 



