March 20, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
223 
do the others. Can anyone give me any information about this 
plant ? I had the name from the late Mr. Spyers, but neither 
he nor anyone I have hitherto inquired of knew anything of the 
flowers. The bulbs of the Thunias may be cut into lengths and 
placed in sand or peat fibre, in which they seldom fail to strike 
root. 
Bletias. —The Japanese B. hyacinthina should now be 
pushing up its growths, and if kept in a frame or greenhouse 
near the glass they will be strong and produce flowers freely. As 
a rule this plant is grown in too much heat. It is almost hardy 
in this country, and therefore is never happy in a warm house. If 
potted in a mixture of peat and loam and kept rather moist at 
all times except during midwinter, feeding it a little now and 
again with liquid manure during its growing season, this species 
may be left in the same pot for several years. I have found 
that shaking the plants out of the old soil and repotting them 
has a bad effect on their health. B. Sheplierdii, a large purple- 
flowered species from Jamaica, requires much more warmth than 
the Japanese one. We wintered ours along with the Thunias, 
and find them now plump and promising. The mixture advised 
for the Thunias suits also this Bletia, which after potting should 
be placed in the Cattleya house, where it will soon develope both 
leaves and flowers. The latter are as large as a Lselia pumila 
flower, and are very handsome. 
Phaius grandifolius. —This is now in flower, its large- 
flowered spikes towering up above the lower plants and showing 
themselves with fine effect. P. Wallichii is also blooming in the 
same way. Both these plants are great favourites with us, 
although in many good gardens they are looked upon as weedy. 
It would be difficult to find a more ornamental plant than a 
large well-managed specimen of either of these with half a 
dozen strong spikes of flowers. To lovers of good old plants I 
would recommend a few large pots of these two plants if they 
do not already possess them. Planted in loam and cowdung in 
large roomy pots, and placed in a vinery or Peach house to make 
their growth, they will by the autumn be strong enough to 
produce spikes 4 feet long. Both plants are very accommo¬ 
dating as regards position. They will grow anywhere where 
there is heat and moisture, though, of course, a moderately light 
position suits them best. In the tropics they are used as bed¬ 
ding plants, much as we use the Cardinal Lobelia. We have 
P. luridus from Ceylon now showing its flower spikes. This 
species we grow in the tropical house. The handsome P. tuber- 
culosus we do not at present possess, though from what is said 
of it there can be little doubt of its merits. 
Disa grandiflora. —Is tobacco smoke injurious to these 
plants P Up to last week our plants were in every way satis¬ 
factory, strong, healthy, and without a spot or a brown tip ; but 
a day or so after a mild fumigating in the house where the 
Disas stand the tips of the leaves turned brown, and they are 
now looking a little sickly. Green fly is fond of this plant—so 
fond, in fact, that unless some antidote is frequently applied 
they are certain to gain a strong footing. It is not always easy 
to find out whether tobacco smoke does harm, and I am inclined 
to believe that its ill effects are not unfrequently attributed to 
some other cause. For instance, what causes many Masdevallias 
to turn black under the leaves and look so very unsightly P A 
friend suggested that it was most likely the effect of tobacco 
smoke on the leaves when young, and that the marks did not 
show until the foliage ripened- Most growers fumigate their 
Masdevallias more or less often, and very few, if any, growers 
can show old plants unaffected by black spot. Of course this 
suggestion may be quite wrong, but to me, with my experience 
of what smoke will do, it seems not unworthy of consideration. 
—W. W. 
Oncidium concolor. —A very pretty and useful Orchid for 
cutting. I find it does best when grown in baskets hung close to 
the glass in the Cattleya house, or in any structure that is kept 
at an intermediate temperature. 
Sophronitis grandiflora. —This Orchid is often recom¬ 
mended to be grown in a cool temperature, but I have found it 
to succeed best in pots placed in a basket and hung in an inter¬ 
mediate house. The blooms are brighter in colour and twice the 
size than when grown in a cool house. 
L.elia autumnalis. —Many gardeners find a difficulty in 
growing the above useful plant successfully. I have found it 
best when in a cool house close to the glass and without shade. 
The same treatment suits Laslia majalis admirably.—A Grower. 
Oncidium barcodes. —About a year and a half ago I 
received direct from Brazil a box of Orchids, among which was 
the above variety. They were packed in wood shavings and 
nearly dried up. I potted them, and now they are healthy 
plants. Oncidium sarcodes has a spike of bloom on it nearly 
4 feet long.—H. _ 
Cutting Down Dendrobiums. —At page 204 I notice that 
“B.” states he has been very successful in cutting down Den¬ 
drobiums ; but this is so different from my own experience and 
that of many other growers who have tried the experiment, that 
it would be very interesting if he would favour us with par¬ 
ticulars as to his mode of treatment. Does he remove all the 
old pseudo-bulbs? If so, when are they cut down, and how 
long has he practised the system ?—C. 
Orchid Sale. —Last week Mr. J. Stevens held a large sale 
of Orchids at King Street, Covent Garden, over 400 lots being 
entered. Cattleyas, Odontoglossums, and Dendrobiums were 
numerously represented, and some good prices were realised. 
Some of the best varieties of Cattleya Trianse were sold for 
sums varying from £3 to £16 according to their quality. 
Varieties of Odontoglossum Alexandre realised from £3 to 
£10, one exceptionally fine form with large pure white flowers 
being sold for £16 5s. A plant of the Trentham variety of 
Odontoglossum Rossi majus was sold for £13 2s. 6 d. Plants 
of O. Andersonianum, O. Halli, and O. triumphans fetched 
four to five guineas each. Some unnamed Odontoglossums 
were included in the sale, and one dark-flowered form realised 
£17, others being sold at proportionate prices. A rosy-flushed 
variety of O. Pescatorei, very beautiful and distinct, was knocked 
down at £7 17s., while a small plant of Lycaste Skinneri alba 
was sold at ten guineas. The majority of the plants were in 
flower, and some in very fine condition, a display of great 
interest being formed; indeed these Orchid sales increase in 
interest, and are assuming the proportions of exhibitions. 
Messrs. Protheroe & Morris held a sale of imported Orchids 
at their rooms, Cheapside, on the Friday following. The plants 
offered included Odontoglossum polyxanthum, which was sold at 
moderate prices, some of the best realising three or four guineas. 
O. ramosissimum, a difficult Orchid to import, was in very good 
condition, and the prices were similar to the preceding. Nanodes 
Medusae was mostly promising, and fair prices were realised for 
the best. 
SIEBOLD’S PRIMROSE. 
During a somewhat varied experience of hardy plants I have 
often been asked to give a reason for the disappearance of this 
plant, without in many cases any apparent cause. This, combined 
with a wide spread belief that the plant is not thoroughly hardy, 
has tended to bring it into bad repute with gardeners. The plant, 
however, is perfectly hardy, and if given a proper soil and situation 
none will produce a more brilliant and varied display than this and 
its numerous varieties. 
This member of the genus Primula has been somewhat un¬ 
fortunate as regards its name, various authorities having called it 
P. cortusoides amoena (Hook.), P. amcena (Hort.), P. Veitchii (Rob.), 
P. Sieboldi (Lehm.). The two former might be discarded on the 
ground that it is perfectly distinct from either, the latter plant not 
being as yet in cultivation, and P. Veitchii having to yield to 
Lehmann’s name on the score of priority. This plant Avas introduced 
into cultivation by the late Mr. J. G. Veitch from Japan. It produces 
its flowers in April and May on slender stalks about 1 foot in height, 
bearing an umbel of from six to twelve flowers each on its own little 
pedicel. In the type the colour is a rich rose with a white eye, but 
this is very variable. The corolla is from 1^- to 2 inches in diameter, 
The capsule is grooved, and the seeds roundish and flattened._ The 
leaves are ovate acute, occasionally cordate at the base, about 3 inches 
in length by 2 in breadth, coarsely toothed and hairy. Being of 
a delicate texture they are apt to be broken when exposed to rough 
winds. 
To insure success Avith this plant all that is necessary is to secure 
a place moderately shaded from the direct rays of the midday sun 
and well drained, taking out the soil to a depth of 9 to 12 inches, 
and placing a layer of broken pots or stones, if necessary, to prevent 
the stagnation of water around the roots. A mixture of ordinary 
garden soil and leaf mould in equal proportions, with a little sand if 
too heavy, as in this case it is better to have the mixture too light 
than the reverse, will be all that is necessary. But the Avhole secret 
of success lies in the manner in which they are planted, which 
cannot be too carefully attended to. Unlike most Primulas, this 
plant forms a series of prostrate stems, from the under surface of 
Avhich the fibrous roots are emitted, each stem branching off in 
various directions, each one having a bud at its extremity. These 
branches should be carefully divided about this season just as they 
are commencing to make their annual groAvth, and planted in such a 
manner that the stem rests flat upon the surface, or so nearly that 
