JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
190 
[ March 10, 1881. 
stow in 1878 in Mr. R. Scott's collection of Orchids, and in honour 
of that gentleman it has received its name. 
A. pellvcidum .—A species from Sierra Leone, whence it was 
obtained by Messrs. Loddiges, and in their nursery it flowered 
in November, 1842. The plant is of rather bold habit, with large 
bright green leaves frequently exceeding a foot in length. The 
flowers are white, of a delicate semi-transparent texture, having a 
finely fringed labellum, and are produced closely on racemes of 
moderate length. Like the majority of species it usually flowers 
during the winter months, and thrives either on a block or in a 
basket suspended from the roof of a warm house. Though not 
by any means common it is fairly well known, and is included in 
most of the large trade collections. A coloured plate of it was 
published in the “Botanical Register” thirty-seven years ago, or 
about two years subsequent to its first flowering at Hackney. 
A. pertvsvm .—Like the last-mentioned this is a native of Sierra 
Leone, but I do not know to whom is due the credit of first 
introducing it to England. It appears, however, to have been in 
cultivation several years before A. pellucidum, as it was sent to 
Kew about 1850 by Messrs. Jackson of Kingston, but had pre¬ 
viously flowered with Messrs. Loddiges, for it was noticed in 
Paxton’s “Magazine of Botany” in 1840. It is a very distinct 
form, with long narrow dark green leaves, and slightly nodding 
racemes 6 to 7 inches long of small closely placed creamy white 
flowers, which in their mode of arrangement are suggestive of 
Dendrochilum glumaceum. The spurs are comparatively short, 
and with a well-marked yellow tinge, which gives a peculiar 
appearance to the inflorescence. 
A. Chaillvanum .—Named in honour of M. Du Chaillu, by whom 
specimens were first sent to Kew from Gaboon. Another traveller 
in the same district also sent some to Kew, where a plant flowered 
in May, 1866, and from that an admirable plate was prepared for 
the “ Botanical Magazine.” The genus is still rare, and the only 
London nursery in which I am aware it is grown is that of Messrs. 
Veitch at Chelsea, where it has flowered several times, but owing 
to its scarcity it is necessarily expensive. The plant is rather 
dwarf in habit, but moderately strong compared with some of its 
delicate allies. The leaves are 6 inches in length, 1^ inch broad, 
slightly wavy and two-lobed at the apex, being arranged in an 
imbricate manner. The flowers have narrow acute white sepals 
and petals, and a yellow spur 4 inches or more in length, the 
raceme being sometimes 8 inches long and elegantly drooping. 
It is a handsome species, and deserves to become more generally 
known. It may be grown on a block. 
A. distichum .—This is very interesting owing to the peculiar 
form and arrangement of the leaves, and the diminutiveness of 
the plant. It affords a very striking contrast compared with A. 
sesquipedale both in the size of the flowers and general appearance. 
While the latter has the largest flowers 
in the genus and order and is of bold 
habit, A. distichum possesses unusually 
small flowers, certainly among the 
smallest of the order ; and the short 
stems in tufts, with closely imbricated 
dark green leaves, still further add to 
its distinctiveness. In the habit of the 
plant there is little to suggest affinity 
with the Angraecums to casual observa¬ 
tion, but there is a family likeness in 
the small white spurred flowers, which 
are produced from the axils of the 
leaves. However, by some authorities, 
for instance the younger Reichenbach, 
I understand that it is considered suffi¬ 
ciently distinct to be assigned to another 
genus — namely, Aeranthus, but the 
older name is still retained in the chief 
collections, the other, Aeranthus dis- 
tichus, being simply given as a syno- 
nyme. The plant is found growing 
upon the bark of trees in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of Sierra Leone, whence it 
was first imported by Messrs. Loddiges 
about 1835 ; so that it is an old inhabi¬ 
tant of our gardens, though by no means 
well known, perhaps owing to its being 
more curious than beautiful, though the neatness of the plant 
will always ensure it some admirers. The annexed woodcut re¬ 
presents a branch of the natural size with the flowers near the 
apex, and conveys a good idea of the chief characters of the plant. 
A. cavdatum.- -Another of Messrs. Loddiges’ introductions from 
Sierra Leone, and first appeared in this country about the same 
time as the one just described. It cannot be considered as hand¬ 
some, but it deserves a brief notice from its singularity. The 
leaves are pale green, 10 inches long and slightly drooping ; the 
raceme is a foot in length, bearing several flowers with narrow 
acute greenish sepals and petals, a rounded white lip with a cut 
margin and green terminal point, and long pale green spur 
frequently 9 inches long and 2-lobed at the lowest portion. It 
usually flowers in the autumn, but is rarely seen in good condition. 
A.falcatum .—A dwarf and pretty species, which is especially 
interesting from its extending the geographical range of the 
genus to Japan, a locality widely separated from what might be 
termed the headquarters of the species. It was originally known 
under the name of Limodorum falcatum ; that is before the genus 
Angrmcum was established, and under that name it was figured 
in the “Botanical Register” in 1818. The specimen there repre¬ 
sented flowered a month or two previously at Wormleybury in 
the collection of Sir Abraham Hume, who had obtained it through 
Dr. Roxburgh. In the following year a plate was also published 
in the “ Botanical Magazine,” prepared from a plant in the Hor¬ 
ticultural Society’s garden. The plant was first observed by 
Thunberg in Japan on the hills amongst bushes, but he did not 
record whether it was terrestrial or epiphytal in habit, though 
probably the latter is the case, as it resembles the other species, 
and at all events such treatment suits it better in cultivation. As 
already stated it is dwarf, compact, with narrow leaves, white 
fragrant flowers of medium size, and an upeurved spur 2 or 3 
inches long. Messrs. Veitch exhibited a specimen at one of the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s meetings in 1868, and were awarded 
a certificate. 
A. fragrant .—As the only species which possesses any known 
economical value this may fittingly conclude the list of chief 
Angnecums. It is a native of Mauritius and other islands in that 
latitude, and is also said to be found in India. In the former it 
bears the name of Fahum or Phaum, and owes its utility to the 
fragrant foliage, said to have “the odour of the Tonka Bean and 
the flavour of Bitter Almonds.” An infusion is employed as a 
medicine to assist digestion, and is reputed to be efficacious in 
cases of pulmonary consumption. The plant has been introduced 
to France, where it is known as Isle of Bourbon Tea, and has 
been successfully employed in medicine. No doubt some collec¬ 
tions in England may include specimens of this plant, but I have 
not seen it in a living state. 
The foregoing notes will suffice to give some indication of the 
range of variation in this peculiar genus ; but only some of the 
most remarkable or best known species have been selected, as 
the genus is rather large, and has been increased in recent years 
by the discovery of several forms which are either not in culti¬ 
vation at present or extremely rare. Among these are A. articu- 
latum, A. Hildebrandtii, A. hyaloides, and A. Christyanum, which 
have all been noticed in the “ Gardeners’ Year Book ” since 1872. 
Some of these scarce species are undoubtedly attractive, and will 
probably sooner or later find their way into cultivation.— 
L. Castle. 
PARAFFIN CASKS. 
The best method of cleansing paraffin casks to render them suit¬ 
able for converting into plant tubs, is by burning the insides. If 
one end is removed and an armful of dry shavings is set on fire, 
the wood, being saturated with oil, willTeadily ignite. As soon as 
the oil has been sufficiently burnt out, the flames may easily be ex¬ 
tinguished by turning the cask upside down, or by placing a damp 
sack or piece of matting over the top. The charcoal thus pro¬ 
duced on the inside of the cask will assist in keeping the soil 
sweet when used for plants, and in purifying the water if used 
for store casks. Paraffin is very searching and quickly penetrates 
every part of the wood, and no amount of washing will remove it, 
because the water will not mix with it and cannot penetrate into 
the crevices. When burning is objectionable the casks should be 
well scoured out with boiling water, in which a quantity of soda 
crystals or potash has been dissolved (soapsuds will partially 
answer this purpose), and when thoroughly dry two or three coats 
of good paint can be applied ; this will have the effect of prevent¬ 
ing the oil oozing out for a time, but the moist soil will eventually 
cause the paint to peel off, when the oil will be sure to appear 
again.—J. H. S. _ 
AVe have here ten of these tubs in use containing the following 
plants—Two Cytisuses, two Myrtles, and six Agapanthuses, all 
of which have done remarkably well in them. The plan we adopt 
to cleanse them is to place a bundle of straw inside the tub and set 
fire to it. We do this as soon as received and before they are cut 
through the middle. When we think they have burned suffi¬ 
ciently without injuring the tub we turn them upside down, 
Fig. 45. 
Angrascum distichum. 
