398 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 6,1890. 
As to varieties, your correspondent, “Iv.,” mentions several 
that I have discarded, because superseded by better. S. variolaris 
gives way (o that beautiful Lancashire hybrid S. Wrigleyana, the 
pitchers of similar shape, but larger, and the marking much 
brighter; and so does S. psittacina to that charming sort, S. Courti, 
the handsomest and most highly coloured amongst the dwarf grow¬ 
ing varieties. 
S. rubra is recommended by “ K.” for the fragrance of its 
flowers, but its pitchers are too small to be interesting ; they are 
also wanting in colour. 
The varieties below mentioned ought to be in every collection, 
because of the immense size and beautiful markings of their 
pitchers. S. Williams?, pitchers 15 inches high, of a light green 
colour, with wide spreading mouth, ornamented by a lid 5 inches 
in width, with gold and crimson venation, a very handsome variety. 
S. Flambeau, a very highly coloured variety, the upper part of the 
pitchers of an intense crimson, with darker reticulation, the lid 
partially turned over the mouth ; its height is about 15 inches. 
S. Maddasoni, of similar size and shape to the preceding, with green 
pitchers, and beautifully veined with crimson. S. Tolliana, 
pitchers green, with large open mouth, and correspondingly large 
lid, crimson and gold markings, height about 18 inches. S. Stevensi, 
another very handsome variety, pitchers about 20 to 24 inches, 
dark shining green, and heavily marked, with crimson venation, 
narrower at the mouth, has a large wide spreading lid, also beauti¬ 
fully marked. S. Fildesi.—This is unquestionably the largest and 
handsomest of the tall growing sorts, pitchers 20 to 30 inches high, 
of a light, green, and richly marked with crimson, very wide 
1 mouthed pitcher, the lid of which I have measured 6 inches across. 
—A. J. A. Bruce, The Nurseries, Chorlton.cum-Hardy, Manchester. 
This subject is one which is not thoroughly understood by all 
gardeners, though it is of the greatest importance to everyone 
interested in Orchid culture, and it is, moreover, a subject upon 
which very little has been written. Probably a few remarks may 
therefore be useful to some readers of the Journal. 
It has often been asked, What becomes of all the Orchids that 
are annually imported to this country ? Many thousands of plants 
from various parts of the world find their way into the English 
market from the numerous collectors employed by the leading 
nurserymen, such as Messrs. Yeitch, Bull, Williams, Hugh Low 
and Co., Sander & Co., St. Albans, and many others, besides 
private gentlemen and others. Then it is again asked, What 
becomes of all these ? The question has been answered by many, 
and by all in the same way—namely, that more Orchids are killed 
than are grown. Before Orchids were so well understood as they 
are at present thousands of valuable plants were killed owin" to 
the collectors not furnishing the growers with sufficient informa¬ 
tion with regard to the temperature, climate, and altitude where 
the plants were found growing in their native habitats. If they 
came from the tropics it was thought they all required the same 
treatment, but experience has proved this to be a fallacy. 
The trade that is known as Orchid-importing is rather a critical 
one, subject to great fluctuations and disappointments. It is very 
disheartening to both employer and collector, when a very valuable 
importation of Orchids has been received, to find on opening the 
cases that there is scarcely one living plant. The condition in 
which Orchids are received depends in a great measure on the 
time in which they are collected. This may be considered 
the most important point, for if the plants have abundant young 
growths the chances are against their arriving in this country 
safely. The best time for sending the majority of Orchids to 
England is when the season’s growth is completed, and they have 
been subject to a certain amount of drying or ripening ; but no 
rigid rule can be laid down for the guidance of collectors ; much 
depends upon their own skill and judgment. Packing is another 
very important matter, for if Orchids are not well and securely 
packed they present a miserable appearance when taken from the 
cases. Each collector has his particular style of packing plants as 
certain genera require to be packed quite differently from others. 
I need not go into details with regard to packing, for there is so 
much to be said in connection with it that a whole chapter may be 
written on it. 
When Orchids are newly imported they present at the best of 
times a rather sickly appearance ; but with a little kind treatment 
they soon revive provided there is sufficient life and vigour in 
them to make fresh growth. Many are under the impression that 
when Orchids are newly imported all that they require is to be 
potted, placed in a high temperature, and given plenty of water to 
“ freshen ” them up ; but it may be here remarked that nothing 
proves more fatal than such treatment. When the plants are 
received they should be thoroughly examined, taking care to 
remove any loose or decayed matter they may have about them. 
Of course different genera require different treatment, and I will 
take some of the principal that are of most importance to horti¬ 
culturists, and give a few particulars respecting each. 
Aerides. —These are all epiphytes, and may be grown in either 
pots or baskets, baskets being preferable for many species. The 
present genus includes several very showy species, of which the 
following will be fair samples :—A. crispum, A. Fieldingi, A. japoni- 
cum, A. odoratum, and A. quinquevulnerum. They are always 
imported in dry boxes or cases. If the plants arrive in the best 
possible condition they have a slightly shrivelled appearance. 
Much depends on the time they have been coming. They should 
immediately be spread out thinly in a cool stove for a short time,, 
placing them so that the foliage will not come in contact with any 
wet material. They should remain in this position for a few days 
until the foliage is becoming a little plump. Little or no water 
will be required on their roots or leaves, as the plants will take up 
sufficient from the atmosphere. Shade is essential to all newly 
imported plants. After the plants have plumped a little they may 
then be potted, using only broken potsherds and sphagnum. After 
they have commenced growing a top-dressing of sphagnum will be 
beneficial, watering them raiher sparingly till they commence, 
rooting. 
Angr^ecum.— Angneeums of the A,, eburneum type are rather 
difficult to import, for they generally lose a large number of their 
lower leaves. I find it a good plan to hang them up for a time to 
enable the leaves that remain to become firmer in texture, after 
which the plants may be placed in potsherds and sphagnum, water¬ 
ing rather sparingly till they begin to form fresh roots. A. ebur¬ 
neum and A. sesquipedale are the two most showy species, but 
there are several others that are extremely pretty and well worth 
growing.—L. C. 
(To be continued.) 
GREEN-LEAVED DRACLENAS. 
In those establishments where indoor decorations are carried 
out on a fairly extensive scale, green-leaved Dracaenas take a pro¬ 
minent part in the display. Excepting perhaps the Indiarubber 
plant (Ficus elastica) Aspidistra lurida variegata, and a few Palms, 
no other plants that are used for this purpose withstand the 
rather rough usage better than the green-leaved Dracaenas. They 
have also a very ornamental effect, and few plants look more grace¬ 
ful on the dinner-table than either well-grown plants of D. gracilis 
or D. congesta. Dracaena rubra may also be used for the same 
purpose, and with some people is a great favourite. For effect in 
the conservatory, what is more elegant than a well-grown specimen 
of D. indivisa Yeitchi ? D. cannaefolia, as its name implies, has some 
resemblance to the well-known Canna, although the style of growth 
is typical of a Dracaena. Either of the plants named may be 
grown in a cool conservatory or cool fernery, although ivhilst in a 
small state we grow them in an intermediate temperature to force 
them into size. Unlike other Dracaenas the plants will retain their 
foliage for a lengthened period in comparatively small pots for tho 
size of the plants. I kept a plant of D. gracilis in a rather dark 
part of a sitting room for upwards of nine months without the 
loss of a single leaf, much less colour, so this is evidence of the- 
good qualities of the above named plants. When kept in a sitting 
room for a lengthened period watering must be carefully attended 
to, and the foliage sponged occasionally to keep it from dust, which 
injures plants as much as anything. 
Although the propagation is somewhat different from that gene¬ 
rally practised for the higher coloured varieties, there need not be 
the least difficulty on this point. D. rubra and D. congesta are 
propagated from the roots, or rather underground stems. To secure 
these the plants should be turned out of the pots, when the under¬ 
ground stems should be removed with a sharp knife. These could be 
cut up into lengths, and inserted singly in small pots or placed in 
fibre in a propagating frame, where growth will soon take place. 
In our own case we have several planted out in large baskets, 
when the underground stems push out all around. These are cut 
off when about 2 inches in length, and inserted in small pots. Wo 
have numbers which were taken off in the spring, and are now 
useful plants in 48-sized pots. 
We have not the least difficulty in keeping up a good stock 
of D. gracilis. The tops taken off tall plants root readily if 
