March 12, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
215 
Descending still lower in the scale as regards size, we come to the 
Angrrecum hyaloides, a diminutive gem of much interest. One plant in 
a pot inches in diameter has seven spikes clustering closely round the 
stem ; the flowers are very small, not half an inch across, white, and of 
a peculiar semi-transparent texture. Several plants of the fragrant 
Dendrochilum glumaceum are here bearing their elegant and odorous 
flowers in profusion, and the long-lasting Saccolabium giganteum, with 
two handsome racemes of white and purple flowers, add their charms to 
those of their neighbours. 
PHALJENOPSIS HOUSE. 
The fogs that are usually so prevalent in London seldom permit the 
Phalsenopsids in the metropolis to develope their flowers, and though the 
show of buds is often most satisfactory, a few hours of the dense smoky 
fogs is sufficient to spoil the best promise. This is frequently seen at 
Chelsea, but it is attended by a compensating advantage, since the plants 
grow strongly, proiucing broad handsome leaves, such as are seldom 
seen upon Phalrenopsids which flower excessively. This season, though a 
establishment of imported plants and similar purposes. Butwe must hurry 
on through the range leading at right angles to the one just noticed. 
In the first division of this, Dendrobiums of the Ainsworthi type are the 
special feature. The original D. Ainsworthi is in grand condition, flower¬ 
ing most abundantly, and filling the house with its delightful fragrance. 
Near to it is seen the Chelsea hybrid, of similar parentage, called D. splen- 
didissimum, which, however, differs from D. Ainsworthi in possessing 
larger flowers, the sepals and petals tinged with purple instead of being 
pure white as in the older hybrid ; the blotch in the lip is also broader, and 
tbe flower altogether has a bolder appearance, but is equally fragrant 
with its relative. A house of Vandas adjoining this will shortly present 
a remarkable display, as there are 132 spikes showing on the numerous 
strongly grown plants of V. tricolor, V. suavis, V. teres, and others which 
this house contains. Passing grand hanks of Dendrobiums, such as D. 
speciosum, D. Farmeri, D. dtnsiflorum, D. thyrsiflorum, D. Devonianum, 
D. chrysotoxum, D.infundibuliforme, D. Jamesianum, and several varieties 
of D. nobile, including album and Ruckerianum, the Cypripedium house 
is reached, where a dozen or more species and hybrids are now bearing 
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Fig. 37.— Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons’ Great Cattleta House. 
few buds have been lost, sufficient remained to produce a good display, 
and there are numerous panicles expanded now bearing their charming 
flowers. P. Schilleriana is largely represented, several of the forms being 
highly coloured and the flowers large. P. Stuartiana is very fine, and 
varies in the size of the flowers and the spotting on the lip. P. grandi- 
flora, with its handsome white flowers, and P. amabilis, equally beautiful, 
are grown in scores, and the majority are hearing their flowers. In 
addition to those named, a beautiful and distinct form is now flowering, 
named P. Porteana, which is not so well known as it deserves to be. The 
flowers are of moderate size, with pure white sepals and petals, a bold 
nearly triangular lip of a rich crimson purple—a fine contrast to the 
purity of the other parts of the flower. The leaves are plain green, and 
the spikes few-flowered. 
Several other houses are passed in this range, one devoted to a large 
batch of Cattleya Trianse and its delicately tinted variety rosea, while 
another is filled with Lycaste Skinneri, of which there are hundreds of 
flowers expanded, differing surprisingly in colour, from those with a rich 
crimson flush suffusing the petals and lip to the pure white and valuable 
alba. Still others are devoted to miscellaneous tropical Orchids, to the 
their flowers freely, togethei with the beautiful Coelogyne cristata and its 
delicate variety Lemoniana, with those from Chats worth and Trentham. 
All these possess considerable attraction, and deserve fuller attention. 
But we are now approaching the leading feature in the nursery at the 
present time, and to this must be devoted a few words of description. 
THE GREAT CATTLEYA HOUSE. 
This magnificent structure is one of the largest ever devoted to 
Orchids, and now that it is filled with healthy well-flowered plants the 
effect produced is superb, and can only he fully realised by an inspection,- 
though the engraving (fig. 37) will convey some idea of its appearance. 
The length is 132 feet, the width 22 feet, and the height 11J feet to the 
lantern, so that abundant “ head room ” is allowed for the plants, and it 
had at one time been thought that this would be a disadvantage, hut it 
has proved quite otherwise, as the plants have made a most satisfactory 
growth. The heating is effected by six rows of 4-inch pipes round the 
sides under the stages, and four rows of the same size under the middle 
stage. They are, however, conducted into the house at one side near the 
centre, so that when it is necessary to clean or paint the house a division 
