August 3,1882.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 107 
it is it will take them some time to mature. The others not so 
forwarded will be too late ; those forwarded by starvation will 
also be in time. 
To some extent a knowledge of these facts may help us, still it 
is so much a question of climate we hardly know when preparing 
the soil what to do. I prepared for a hot dry summer, for till 
now such, in my experience, has always followed a mild winter. 
The consequence is most of my crops, Peas especially, are so 
strong that though I grow only medium sorts I can hardly 
keep them up. Outdoor Tomatoes are just the same ; they grow 
strongly but the produce is very late. I suppose everyone knows 
that poverty causes precocity in Tomatoes. 
Now, if someone could tell me a year before the event what 
the weather was to be I would know how to act. Even as it is 
the knowledge gained will not be lost, and these remarks are 
penned in the hope of setting your readers thinking, and may be 
they will profit too. Neither mulching nor liquid manure is 
needed this year, except in a few instances, such as for giving 
Cauliflowers a start before they take on a stunted habit and 
“ button.” In ordinary years these practices will make amends 
for soil not very rich to commence with, and help to maintain a 
growth that threatens to be too precocious.—N. B. 
ODONTOGLOSSUMS. 
( Continued from page 60.) 
In so large a genus as that now under consideration it would 
be unnecessary to give descriptive notes of all the species in cul¬ 
tivation, though the majority possess attractions that well entitle 
them to notice. In few, however, besides the collections at very 
large private establishments, at nurseries where Orchids constitute 
a speciality, and in some botanic gardens, will a large number of 
species be found, and there is an increasing tendency to grow a 
number of plants each of a few really useful and beautiful species 
in preference to one or two specimens of a great many distinct 
forms. In a strictly practical point of view—that is to say, where 
a really imposing display is required at one time, and where 
Orchid flowers are in demand for decorative purposes, this plan is 
an excellent one, particularly if the accommodation for such as 
need different treatment is much limited. 
Eesuming the review of the chief species, one that now deserves 
notice is 
0. Peseatorei .—A charming New Grenadan Orchid, which 
when in good condition is surpassed by few members of the genus. 
This is especially the case with some of the best varieties now in 
cultivation, which are greatly superior to the older type in the 
form, size, and colour of the flowers. Undoubtedly, however, that 
of which a flower is represented in fig. 18, p. 103—viz., O. Peseatorei 
Fig. 19.—Odontoglossum Cervantesi decorum. 
Yeitchii, is the finest that has yet been introduced, and the fact 
that certificates have been awarded for it by the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural and Botanic Societies during the present year is a good 
indication of its distinctness and merits. In the ordinary forms 
the sepals and petals are white with a tinge of rose, the lip being 
white with rose and yellow, but in the one now being noticed the 
flowers are of beautiful form, the sepals and petals broad and 
heavily barred with rich purple, presenting quite a unique appear¬ 
ance in comparison with the other forms of this species. It was 
-k. -■ .—— 
introduced by Messrs. J. Yeitch k Sons of Chelsea, who first ex¬ 
hibited it at Kensington on March 28th of the present year. 
0. Cervantesi .—A Mexican species of dwarf habit that thrives 
admirably in small pans or shallow pots suspended from the roof 
of the cool house, where it blooms freely in spring and early 
summer. Like so many other Orchids several varieties have now 
been obtained that greatly surpass the old forms, and in a gar¬ 
dener’s view the difference between a poor form and 6uch a superb 
variety as 0. Cervantesi decorum is greater than exists between 
many species as far as external form is concerned. The last- 
named is a very handsome variety, and as the accompanying 
woodcut (fig. 19) shows it is most peculiarly but prettily marked. 
The sepals and petals are white, of semi-transparent substance, 
Fig. 20.—Odontoglossum Halli nigrum. 
upon which the concentric lines and bars of rosy purple or deep 
crimson stand out most distinctly. The margins of the petals are 
usually slightly waved, and this adds rather to the pleasing 
appearance of the flowers. The bloom represented was obtained 
from Mr. B. Warner’s collection at Chelmsford, and though not so 
large as some others it was specially remarkable for the rich 
colouring at the lower part of the floral divisions. 
O. Halli .—Quite different from the last is O. Halli, which forms 
with a few others, such as O. luteo-purpureum, a distinct section 
of the genus in a horticultural point of view. Its long racemes of 
large flowers render it very prominent in a mixed collection, and 
the dark-coloured varieties are especially remarkable when 
arranged with the lighter-tinted Odontoglots. Early in the pre¬ 
sent summer, when Mr. W. Bull’s collection of cool Orchids at 
Chelsea was in good condition, the Odontcglossums, and particu¬ 
larly some very dark forms of 0. Halli, were very noticeable. Of 
the latter the darkest by far was that appropriately named 
0. Halli nigrum, of which a flower is represented in fig. 20. This 
is an extremely handsome Orchid of bold appearance, the racemes 
long and the flowers large. The petals have a buff yellow ground 
being heavily spotted with dark reddish brown almost black, the 
sepals are brownish towards the upper half, and marked similarly 
to the petals at the base. The lip has somewhat of purple in the 
spots, the ground being yellowish, inclining to white at the base ; 
it is deeply but neatly fringed, and the waved margins of the 
sepals and petals are also very pleasing.—L. C. 
NEWCASTLE FLOWER SHOW. 
The Durham, Northumberland, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne Incor- 
orated Botanical and Horticultural Society held their annual Exhi- 
ition on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday the 2(ith, 27th, and 28th 
of July, in the Leazes Park, Newcastle-on-Tyne. This is one of the 
oldest societies in England, and in the last few years has been im- 
