Plate 21. 



TRICHOPILIA FRAGRANS. 



In sending to us a plant of this beautiful and rare orchid, our esteemed friend, Mr. James 

 Backhouse, of York, says : "No characteristic or even decent figure of it exists that we know 

 of ; the one in the Botanical Magazine so called, is possibly Trichopilia albata ; it has green 

 instead of white sepals and petals, and the leaf half the size ; it often blooms with two stems 

 (one on each side), and the stems have three to five flowers each." 



" This genus," says Mr. B. S. Williams, in his Orchid Growers Manual, " contains some 

 very handsome and distinct plants ; their flowers are curious in form, and are produced from 

 the base of the pseudo-buds ; they are dwarf evergreen plants, and are best grown in pots with 

 peat and good drainage, and should be elevated above the rim of the pot on account of their 

 drooping flowers, which proceed from the base of the bulb. Too much water at the root at 

 any time is highly injurious to them. They will do best in the Mexican House, and are 

 propagated by dividing the plant." 



Trichopilia fragrans is a very lovely orchid, the colour being a pure white with a small 

 yellow spot on the petals ; it is also, as its name implies, sweet smelling, and we are sure 

 that orchid-growers will agree with us as to its being a desirable plant to add to collections 

 of these lovely flowers. 



Plate 22. 

 AMARYLLIS— OLGA. 



It is to us somewhat surprising that this beautiful class of plants is not more exten- 

 sively cultivated, for their culture presents no great difficulty, and their gorgeous beauty 

 cannot be questioned. We are enabled, through the kindness of C. Iveiser, Esq., of Brox- 

 bourne, who is an ardent and excellent grower of amaryllids, to figure this very beautiful 

 seedling, named by permission after Her Majesty The Queen of Wwrtemberg, and also to add 

 the following note with which he has been kind enough to furnish us : — 



" The Amaryllis in their dormant state are kept in a temperate house on or underneath 

 a stage, without a drop of water. Early in spring they ought to be repotted in loam mixed 

 with some well-rotted leaf-manure (sifted), the pots well drained, all offsets (large enough) 

 removed, taking care not to remove the outer skin, however loose; they are then placed in 

 a temperate house near the glass, without watering, till they appear to move, and then only 

 sparingly, but when in full force of vegetation they require plenty of water. 



" As they are required for blooming they are put into a temperate or warm house. 

 After blooming they require no artificial heat, but all the light, sun, and air possible, with 

 occasional watering according to the vigour of their growth. When they have done blooming 

 water should be withheld, and they placed in their winter resting-place." 



Such is the treatment which produces the fine plants exhibited at the Eoyal Horticul- 

 tural Society ; but Mr. Keiser is also a raiser of seedlings, and Olga is the result of a cross 

 between Akermanni and Rubra Calamistrata. It is a very delicately marked flower, of good 

 form and substance, and has received a first-class certificate from the Eloral Committee of 

 the Eoyal Horticultural Society. 



