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PAXTON'S FLOWER GARDEN. 



We saw this noble plant growing in the open air in Messrs. Veitch's nursery. It has a stiff hard- wooded habit, 

 with downy branches. The leaves, which sit close together on the stem, are hard, like those of an evergreen oak, from two 

 to three inches long, dark green, oblong, nearly sessile, heart-shaped, with shallow toothings at the edge ; on the under 

 side they are covered with a close short felt. The flowers are about as large as a small Camellia, and grow singly in 

 the axil of the uppermost leaves. In his correspondence, Mr. Lobb, who sent the plant to Messrs. Veitch, speaks of 

 it thus :— " The Eucryphia is much like Quercus Ilex, and I think will prove hardy. When I left San Carlos it 

 was in full bloom. It is the most showy tree of the country. The hardiness of plants greatly depends on the nature 

 of the wood ; for instance, the Eucryphia rordifolia is a hard-woorled tree, and would probably stand the winter 

 without injury ; while those of a soft-wooded nature, such as Drymds cMensw, Lauras aromatica, and others from 

 the same locality, would be muoh injured, if not killed." 



Vanda Hookeriana. G. ReicJienbach, f. The exquisitely beautiful flowers of 



this Orchid have at length made their appearance. After being in the country a good 

 many years, it bloomed, during the autumn of 1882, almost simultaneously in several 

 collections, notably those of Sir N. de Rothschild, Tring Park, and J. S. Bockett, Esq., 

 Stamford Hill ; the latter specimen we had an opportunity of seeing. The habit of the 

 plant is so much like that of the well-known V. teres, that when out of flower it would be 

 taken for that species in a less vigorous state than usual; the leaves assume the same 

 cylindrical shape, but are somewhat smaller, and of a pale yellowish-green colour. Most 

 likely it will produce its charming flowers as freely as V. teres, now that its cultural 

 requirements are better known. V. Hookeriana requires plenty of moisture when growing, 

 with close proximity to the glass in a light hous3, and full exposure to the sun by a 

 total absence of the shading which, until recently, has been by many cultivators supposed 

 necessary for all species of Orchids ; acting on which erroneous idea, it is often used to the 

 extent of excluding much of the light, so essential not alone to their flowering, but to 

 their existence in a healthy condition. Like V. teres, V. Hookeriana does best when 

 attached to a stout piece of wood fixed in the pot in which it is grown, for its aerial roots 

 to cling to. A little sphagnum moss over the crocks with which the pot is partially filled 

 is requisite to keep the lower roots moist. It requires syringing overhead two or three 

 times daily in the growing season, with a regular admission of air in the middle of the day. 

 It is a native of Borneo, and must have plenty of heat, such as is required by other species 

 of Orchids from hot countries. 



Sepals rather unequal. The odd one cuneate oblong, wavy, and appears to be bent over the column. Lateral 

 ones nearly of the same shape, but much larger, the medium nerve projects on the outside beyond the margin 

 in a subulate apiculus. Petals spathulate, oblong, blunt, and undulated. When fading, all these organs, which 

 are bent in an elegant manner, are cream-white, with a few crimsondilac spots. When first I saw them they had 

 a light lilac hue. Auricles of lip nearly triangular, with a thick triangular area, bordered by callous lines. Two 

 blunt calli stand in front of the mouth of the small acute spur. Lip blade large, transverse, trifid, side lacinise 

 semi-oblong, a little retrorse at the apex, anterior lacinia semi-oblong, all undulate and even lobed. Lip whitish 

 with a light hue of lilac, and covered by numerous fine dark purple-lilac spots, which look exceedingly fine. Column 

 hairy under the fovea, white with a few purple-lilac lines on the back and on the androclinium. The pollen 

 apparatus is that of V. teres. — Gardener's Chronicle, N.S., vol. xviii., p. 488. 



