JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 10, 1883. ] 
pin’s head, and may he found on both leaves and berries, but 
is best seen on the latter, the most likely period for its appear¬ 
ance being from a week or two after the berries are set to the 
time of their having stoned. It is always well to keep a sharp 
look-out for it even in vineries where it has not been known to 
previously exist, and if taken in hand early, and is not allowed 
any longer time for further development, it may be got rid of 
for the season with comparatively little trouble. Once, how¬ 
ever, let it get firmly established, and all hopes of any present¬ 
able Grapes for the season may be abandoned. 
For its prevention and cure flowers of sulphur is used in 
various ways by many practitioners with success, its applica¬ 
tion invariably being in the form of dusting over the affected 
parts of both leaves and bunches, and also by painting the 
pipes or flues when quite hot, skimmed milk or water being 
used to the sulphur of the consistency of paint, with a little 
hot lime added thereto. The latter plan, it ought to be men¬ 
tioned, may in the hands of unskilful persons prove far worse 
than the evil ; it ought, therefore, not to be adopted by either 
amateurs or novices. In the writer’s opinion dusting the 
leaves and bunches is very objectionable, owing to the disfigure¬ 
ment caused to the latter themselves, and rendering them very 
unsightly. By most seedsmen “ mildew compositions ” are 
now sold, and may be used for the disease with far greater 
safety and better results than sulphur in its raw state. We 
have found, afiter many years’ experience of the same, “ Ewing’s 
Mildew Composition” to answer its purpose admirably, a wine- 
glassful being mixed with a gallon of water at a temperature 
of about 80° Fahrenheit. Syringe the Vines when the young 
shoots are about 3 inches long, and also after the berries are 
set and thinned the first time. The only objection to its applica¬ 
tion in this form is in its turning quite brown whatever wood it 
comes in contact with (i.e, if painted white). It may—so 
directions for use say, though we have not tried it—be used in 
another way—viz., by mixing with lime and painting over the 
pipes when quite hot. I would further add that if the bunches 
are badly attacked a solution of the above in a 10-inch flower 
pot, in which to immerse the bunches, is a capital plan to 
adopt, the hole in the bottom of the pot being corked up. 
Wherever and whenever the disease appears it ought not to be 
given any quarter whatever.— Et Cetera. 
NEW, CHOICE, AND RARE ORCHIDS. 
So many new and beautiful members of the great Orchid family 
are now annually introduced, that those who have not the oppor¬ 
tunity of visiting the chief London nurseries and amateurs’ esta¬ 
blishments, or of attending the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
meetings and the Royal Botanic Society’s shows, can have little 
idea of the rapid advance that is being made. Many races or 
families of plants have at times become popular in a more than 
ordinary degree, but Orchids seem to be destined to obtain a much 
more lasting and extensive share of public favour than has hitherto 
been accorded to any others if the undisputed queen, the Rose, be 
excepted. Collections of Orchids can now be counted by the score 
where a few years ago they could not be numbered by dozens; 
and though some old collections are disposed of at times, many 
others make their appearance, of smaller extent individually, but 
collectively much greater. There is an indefinable charm about 
an Orchid—a kind of mystery which, together with the brilliance 
and beauty of their flowers, has given them a secure hold upon 
popular fancy, which rapidly increases to enthusiasm as expe¬ 
rience is gained. The supposed difficulties attending Orchid¬ 
growing have, too, been almost entirely removed; and it is now 
understood that a large proportion of the most useful and hand¬ 
some Orchids can be grown with no more expense or trouble than 
thousands of other plants, and considerably less than is necessary 
to insure success with some hardwooded plants and Heaths. In 
the neighbourhood of large towns the increase in the number of 
Orchid growers is most noticeable, and particularly in the suburbs 
of London, where there are dozens of first-rate collections, not all 
so extensive as that at Burford Lodge, but yet including repre¬ 
sentatives of the best genera and the choicest and rarest species 
in the most improved varieties. The wonderful collections of 
Messrs. Veitch, Williams, and Bull also seem to increase, notwith¬ 
standing the numerous demands they have to supply, and altogether 
Orchids may now be considered to be in the zenith of their popu¬ 
larity, a position which they are likely to occupy for many years. 
Having opportunities of seeing all the best of the novelties and 
377 
the most noteworthy of the rare or curious species, I intend to 
occasionally submit a few notes of observations upon them, with 
a view to directing amateurs’ attention to the plants most likely 
to give them satisfaction. Readers of this Journal, too, who have 
or observe any Orchids of remarkable interest will perhaps also 
aid in the record. 
ODONTOGLOSStTM CORDATUM, VAR. 
Flowers of a handsome variety of this Orchid were recently sent 
from a Lancashire correspondent, and one of these is shown in the 
woodcut, fig. 88. It is somewhat like a variety known as superhum, 
which was first shown at Manchester about sixteen years since by 
A. Turner, Esq. of Leicester, and it appears to resemble that also 
in its vigour and floriferousness, the spike from which the specimen 
engraved was taken having borne twenty-seven flowers. The species 
was, I believe, first introduced by Mr. G. Barker of Birmingham 
about 1838, and in 1847 a figure of a good variety was given in 
“ Paxton’s Magazine of Botany.” This represents a form with 
broad yellowish petals and lip, having a few transverse rich brown 
bars, the sepals narrow, greenish, also with brown bars. The 
variety shown here has longer sepals, and the colour is much 
darker, the lip being finely marked. 
LYCASTE HARRISONYE ALBA. 
In the handsome group of choice and well-grown Orchids staged 
by Mr. B. S. Williams of Upper Holloway at the South Kensington 
meeting on April 24th, especially noteworthy was the above-named; 
an extremely distinct and beautiful variety of a well-known Orchid, 
which also bears the generic names of Maxillaria and Bifrenaria. 
As the varietal name implies, it is distinguished from the specific 
type by the sepals and petals being pure white. The lip also is 
much lighter, with fewer streaks than are usually present. It 
possesses a powerful fragrance, but a little less strong than the 
species. The first-class certificate awarded for it signified the 
Floral Committee’s appreciation of its beauty, and I understand 
that the plant has now been added to Sir Trevor Lawrence’s Bur- 
ford Lodge collection. No doubt that, like its darker x-elative, it 
will succeed equally well in a cool house and prove as lasting. 
