338 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 28, 1881. 
Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Guinea, the Society Islands, Japan, 
and China possess typical forms of more or less beauty, but they 
constitute the minority, for the headquarters of the Dendrobes is 
that first mentioned, and thence we have obtained the majority of 
cultivated forms. 
The cultural requirements of Orchids so widely dispersed must 
necessarily vary to some extent, but still this variation is not so 
great as might be imagined. Nearly all the species require a 
moderately high temperature and a very moist atmosphere in 
which to make their growth, with sufficient exposure to the sun to 
thoroughly mature it, and cooler quarters during the resting 
period. Pots, pans, baskets, and blocks are employed, some 
species succeeding under each system, while others require special 
treatment, which will be noted when describing them. As a rule 
the stronger-growing forms succeed best in pots or shallow pans, 
the baskets and blocks being appropriated chiefly to the service 
of the more delicate. The majority thrive satisfactorily in the 
East India house, but a few need a cooler temperature than is 
maintained in that structure. With but few exceptions Dendrobes 
are of easy culture, and give very satisfactory results if ordinary 
intelligent care is bestowed upon them, and there are several among 
them which rank high with the most useful Orchids in cultivation. 
In so large a genus some system of classification is needed, and 
this Bindley supplied. He arranged all the Dendrobes then 
known in ten groups, distinguished by their habit and the modes 
in which the flowers are produced. The first three include only a 
few little-known species ; but the fourth, which was named Eu- 
dendrobium, contains a large proportion of the most attractive 
forms. This is characterised by long stems, erect or pendulous, 
with the flowers in lateral pairs, threes, or sometimes singly—that 
is, produced from the nodes or joints of the stems. It is found 
convenient to further divide this group into two sections—one in 
which the labellum is undivided, and the other in which it is three- 
lobed, the former being much the larger section of the two. In 
noting the finest of the genus we will first take the Eudendrobium 
group, commencing with the species having undivided labellums. 
Dendrobium Pierardi .—One of the oldest known forms of the 
genus ; and though surpassed by many in richness and brilliancy 
of colouring, its flowers possess a delicacy of tints which still 
render the plant a favourite. Specimens were first sent to Dr. 
Roxburgh at the Calcutta Botanic Garden by M. Pierard, who 
collected them at Chittagong and in the Delta of the Ganges, 
where the plant is chiefly found. In 1825 the Hon. and Rev. 
W. Herbert included a plant in his collection which was said to 
have been received from Dr. Carey several years previously, 
accompanied by the following interesting note—“ It is cultivated 
at Calcutta by tying it on a smooth branch of a tree, water being 
constantly conducted to it by a string through a small aperture in 
a vessel above, that so treated it hangs down the length of 6 feet 
covered with flowers after the leaves decay.” The stems are gene¬ 
rally pendulous, bearing the flowers from their nodes either singly 
or two or three together, each about 1^- or 2 inches in diameter, 
with narrow elliptical creamy-white or purple-tinted sepals and 
petals, the lip being pale lemon yellow, fhe base rolled closely 
round the column forming a kind of tube. The flowers are pro¬ 
duced in the early spring months, and a succession of plants will 
maintain a display for some time. There are several varieties 
differing from the type in the size and colouring of the flowers, 
one of the best being D. Pierardi latifolium. Basket culture suits 
the species very well, the usual East Indian house affording the 
quarters best adapted to its requirements. 
D. cvcullatum .—Though not so beautiful as its close ally D, 
Pierardi, this deserves a word or two of description. By some 
it is considered a variety of the species named above, but it is 
principally distinguished by the lip being more ovate in form 
and more open at the base, the sides not being rolled round 
column to half the extent they are in D. Pierardi. The flowers 
are H to 2 inches in diameter, suffused with a pale pink tint, the 
lip being pale yellow ; in other respects it resembles its nearest 
relative very closely in habit, foliage, and manner of flowering. 
D. Bensonice .—An extremely handsome Orchid from Moulmein, 
whence it was sent by Colonel Benson to Messrs. Yeitch & Sons 
fourteen or fifteen years ago. The stems attain a length of several 
feet, are round and pendulous, with the nodes well marked, but 
not swollen as in the two following species. The leaves are 2 or 
3 inches long, linear, and produced on the young non-flowering 
stems. The flowers are 2 inches or more in diameter, and are 
borne in pairs or triplets from the joints of the old stems. The 
sepals are oblong ; the petals similar in shape but broader, and 
both are white, the lip being broad, rounded, and of bright golden 
colour, with purple blotches near the base. Though by no means 
common, this is now included in most of the best collections, and 
is deservedly admired by all growers. One of the finest specimens 
I have seen was that in Mr. W. S. Leach’s garden at Fallowfield 
a year or two since, and which under Mr. Swan’s judicious care 
flowered most profusely in 1878. Like the preceding this Orchid 
succeeds well in a basket with a little peat and moss. 
D. nodatum .—A pretty species very nearly resembling D. 
crassinode in habit, but with more slender stems, and the 
nodes are not so strongly marked, though more prominent than 
in most other forms. It is very pretty when in good condition, 
but unfortunately it flowers rather shyly, though free in growth 
and easily managed. Were it not for this defect it would deserve 
more general attention, but probably there is some little pecu¬ 
liarity of culture necessary which has not yet been observed. 
The flowers are produced singly from the nodes of the old stems, 
the sepals and petals being pale yellow, an orange-coloured lip 
tipped with white or yellow and blotched at the base with deep 
red. The column presents a curious contrast with these tints, the 
base being spotted with purple and green, and the apex (the 
anther case) bright blue. The plant was sent from Moulmein 
by Mr. Parish some years ago, and it may be satisfactorily grown 
under similar treatment to D. crassinode. 
D. crassinode .—One of the most remarkable species in the genus, 
and also one of the most beautiful when in such condition as is 
represented in the woodcut (fig. 77), which faithfully portrays a 
plant recently growing in one of Messrs. Yeitch & Sons’ Orchid 
houses at Chelsea. It was in one of the pans which have been 
often referred to as so well suited to many epiphytal Orchids, and 
from the health of the plant and the freedom with which it was 
flowering when the drawing was taken it is evident that better 
results could not be obtained under any other treatment. It is 
astonishing how the plant with the roots in such a small space 
could support growths of so great a length and such numerous 
flowers. The species is a native of the Arrakan Mountains, where 
it has been observed at an elevation of 2500 feet. It was first found 
by Mr. Parish, but plants were sent to Messrs. Veitch and to Kew 
by Col. Benson about twenty years ago, and they flowered simul¬ 
taneously at both establishments several years later. The manner 
of growth is so well indicated in the engraving that description is 
not required, and the single flower is also good, but the upper 
sepal is usually more obtuse than is there shown. In colour the 
sepals and petals are white tipped with rosy purple, and the lip 
has a bright yellow centre. There are several varieties, one of the 
best being D. crassinode Barberianum, which has much larger 
flowers than the ordinary form, the colour being much richer ; 
indeed it hfts been not unreasonably considered to resemble 
D. Wardianum. Other lighter-coloured varieties are album and 
albiflorum, the former having been exhibited by Sir Trevor 
Lawrence in excellent condition, and certificated by the Royal 
Horticultural Society.—L. Castle. 
(To be continued.) 
LECTURE ON THE AURICULA. 
[Delivered by the Rev. E. D. Horner at South Kensington on the 19tli inst.] 
HISTORY {Continued from page 308.) 
The earliest known varieties of Auriculas were Rule Arbiter, 
a green edge, and Hortaine, a white edge ; these can be traced 
back to 1757, Potts’ Eclipse following ten years later. As years 
rolled on there were other Eclipses, notably Cockup’s, and from 
this some better flowers were raised. All the green edges ot that 
early period were of a pale colour and often bare in the dust or 
farina. Taylor’s Victory was a highly prized green in 1776 ; but 
of all the principal varieties of that time only Jingling Johnny, 
a green of inordinately broad edge, Lord Lee, a lovely carmine 
flower but without meal, and Pillar of Beauty, a stiff and starched 
old white, are in existence now. Improvements were patiently 
carried on until in 1821 we begin to find some flowers that are 
good or familiar names at present. Col. Taylor and Booth’s 
Freedom appear upon the scene, two green edges of which a 
grower with good specimens would not be ashamed to-day. In 
grey edges Kenyon’s Ringleader appears, the ancestral flower of 
that grand family in the greys in which Lancashire Hero, George 
Lightbody, and Richard Headly are flowers of such high mark. 
At that time Taylor’s Glory was a first-prize flower, along 
with Lee, Bright Venus, and others ; and the best seifs were 
Whitaker’s True Blue, still extant, Grime’s Flora’s Flag, and 
Redmayne’s Metropolitan. I remember the last being sold 
for 24 s. a plant, but half a century ago it grew in garden s 
borders and might be had for 2d. a head. Ten years later— 
1831—the green edges were a stronger class by several flowers 
still to be found in old collections. Such were Pollitt’s Highland 
Laddie and Standard of England, but nearly all the first prizes 
that year fell to Col. Taylor. To the greys were added Sykes’ 
