JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
256 
[ March 30, 1882. 
species very well with the compost recommended in previous 
remarks. When it is desired to encourage the plants, or they have 
become so large that it would be inconvenient to shift them into 
larger pots, weak liquid manure may be advantageously supplied 
occasionally, but that as well as the water given when they are 
grown should be tepid—not cold, as that gives a serious check to 
the growth. Mr. Bardney grows this Orchid very well, and his 
method detailed in the Journal, May 6th, 1880, deserves the 
attention of all who wish to obtain the best results. 
D. nobile is an old inhabitant of our gardens, having been 
introduced from Macao by Reeves in 1836, and since that time 
several very beautiful varieties have been obtained. One of the 
best of these is coerulescens, which has flowers of moderate size, 
but very deeply coloured with rich purple. The flowers are 
charming for button-holes and bouquets. Doubtless, however, the 
best of all is that in the collection at Burford Lodge, Dorkmg, 
which has been named D. nobile nobilius by Professor Reichen- 
bach. I recently had the pleasure of seeing this superb variety, 
which well merits the high encomiums it has received. The 
flowers are of great size and excellent form ; but its chief charac¬ 
teristic is the remarkable colour, the richest purple, extending 
throughout the flower. I am informed that it was originally 
included in Rollisson’s collection, and Mr. James of Norwood 
obtained it from them. A small but pretty form is intermedium, 
the flowers being very neat but not very rich in colour. The 
fragrance of this species is variable but pleasing. 
Very large specimens are frequently seen at metropolitan exhi¬ 
bitions, one of the finest being Mr. J. Douglas’s well-known spe¬ 
cimen, which is about 5 feet in diameter; but the finest I have 
any knowledge of was a specimen grown at Rushton several years 
ago which had 140 growths, some nearly 6 feet long, and one 
season bore over 1200 flowers. 
D. Bensoni^e.— A handsome species and a great favourite with 
Orchid growers. It is adapted for culture either in a pot or on 
a block, but its pendulous habit especially suits it for the latter 
mode. A warm and light position in the East Indian house 
appears to meet its requirements, with liberal supplies of water 
during growth ; and a well-marked season of rest in a cooler 
position will induce it to flower freely. 
It is a native of Moulmein, where it is found growing upon the 
branches of trees in exposed localities. The stems are 1 to 2 feet 
long, pendulous, and bear a few linear leaves, the flowers being 
produced two or three together near the extremity of the stems. 
They are usually 2 or 3 inches in diameter, of fine substance ; the 
petals broad, and, with the sepals, are white ; the lip being rounded 
margined with white ; the centre a deep orange, and two blotches 
of rich purplish crimson. The woodcut (fig. 49, page 255), well 
pourtrays the form of the flowers and the position of the blotches 
upon the lip. 
This fine species was introduced by Lieut.-Col. Benson, and is 
named in honour of his wife. The flowers are produced in the 
summer months, and the plant continues attractive for about 
three weeks, so that it is by no means a fleeting beauty. 
Dendkobium Pierardi. —One of the oldest known forms of 
the genus ; and though surpassed by many in richness and bril¬ 
liancy of colouring, its flowers possess a delicacy of tint which 
still render the plant a favourite. Perhaps the best indication 
of its merits is to be found in the fact, that though known in 
England for nearly seventy years, it still holds a foremost position 
in collections. Indeed, well-grown plants with stems several 
feet long clothed with flowers, as they are in the early spring 
months, cannot be despised. 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 generally 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, the base rolled 
closely round the column forming a kind of tube. The flowers 
are produced in March and April, and a succession of plants will 
maintain a supply 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. Devojjianum. — This is justly entitled to high rank amongst 
its allies, and though scarcely meriting the designation “King 
of the Dendrobes,” which some enthusiastic orchidists have be¬ 
stowed upon it, it is unquestionably very handsome, well deserving 
the favour it receives. It was introduced from India—the Khasya 
Hills—about the same time as D. nobile, and named in honour of 
the Duke of Devonshire. The flowers are of moderate size, the 
sepals and petals white slightly tinged with rose and tipped with 
purple ; the lip being of delicate texture, white blotched with 
orange, and having the margin beautifully fringed as shown in 
the annexed woodcut (fig. 50, page 257). 
This also succeeds either in a basket or on blocks in the East 
India house, and needs an abundant supply of water both in the 
air and at the roots. It is not difficult to grow, and when in 
flower during May and June it is very attractive. The stems are 
slender and frequently exceed a yard in length, the flowers being 
produced in pairs from the nodes on the upper portion, sometimes 
clothing half the length of the stems. 
D. crassinode. —One of the most remarkable species in the 
genus, and also one of the most beautiful when in its best con¬ 
dition. It thrives well in small shallow pans at Messrs. Veitch’s, 
Chelsea, and 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. Baskets and pots are also employed with 
satisfactory results, the chief point needing attention being to 
have the peculiarly knobbed pseudo-bulbs well developed and 
matured after flowering. 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. 
Yeitch and to Kew by Col. Benson about twenty years ago, and 
they flowered simultaneously at both establishments several years 
later. The flowers are produced from the nodes of the stem, 
usually in early spring. 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 has been not un¬ 
reasonably 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. 
D. Buymerianum.— In singularity of floral form this is pro¬ 
bably unsurpassed in the whole genus, for though there are several 
forms with the lip slightly fimbriated, no other has the margin so 
deeply and strangely cut as this. When several flowers are ex¬ 
panded together, as with the plant recently shown by Mr. Salter 
of Streatham, the effect is very peculiar and striking. The rich 
golden orange colour of the flowers also renders them attractive, 
though in a strictly ornamental or utilitarian point of view the 
species cannot be compared with some other forms. It is, how¬ 
ever, a handsome curiosity, and wherever space can be afforded 
for the peculiar forms of the vegetable world this should certainly 
have a place. 
The woodcut (fig. 52, page 265) represents a single flower ad¬ 
mirably, the strange laciniated or fimbriated margin to the lip 
being especially well shown. This fringe is sometimes nearly 
2 inches long, and would appear to serve some purpose in attract¬ 
ing insects, probably to insure fertilisation. It is an interesting 
study for botanists or anyone who finds pleasure in such curiosi¬ 
ties. Plants were, it is thought, first introduced in a collection of 
Burmese Orchids several years ago, and it was named in honour of 
W. E. Brymer, Esq., of Dorchester. Messrs. Yeitch & Son, Chel¬ 
sea, exhibited a plant on April the 9th, 1879, when a first-class 
certificate was awarded for it. The species is by no means abun¬ 
dantly represented in Orchid collections at present; it is only in 
a few of the largest that specimens can be seen, and I am not 
aware that it has been imported in any quantity. 
It succeeds very well in well-drained pots, and requires a posi¬ 
tion in the East Indian house.—L. Castle. 
(To be continued.) 
LABELS. 
There is a very important difference between Mr. Garner’s 
label and mine, which I desire to point out. Mr. Garner does not 
give the strength of his galvanised wire upright, but to manipu¬ 
late it as he does it cannot be very strong. The strength of mine 
is No. 6. This is strong enough to allow it to be kicked over or 
trodden upon when upright without bending, and I know by ex¬ 
periment that nothing weaker than what I use is sufficient. I at 
first used perforated thin hurdle bar iron, but this was more 
ponderous and more expensive than necessary, and by trying 
