Dacember 41, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
513 
Bat a description of this must be reserved for my next letter, as 
•this has already-exceeded the limits.— Lewis Castle, 
(To ba continue!.) 
Ctpripedium hybridum Castleanum. 
Mr. R. A. Rolfe of Kew is responsible for the above name 
■which has been bestowed upon a hybrid that has recently flowered 
in Messrs. Sander & Co.’s nursery at St. Albans, and was shown at 
the Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting on Tuesday last. An ex¬ 
perienced Orchid grower says, “ It is one of the most distinct and 
delicately coloured hybrids I have ever seen, and there would be no 
fear of seedling Cypripediums becoming too common if they were 
all as well marked as this.” The following description indicates 
the chief characters fairly well, but it is difficult to convey an 
accurate idea of the peculiar colouring in a verbal description. 
It is a hybrid from C. superbiens (Yeitchi) and C. hirsutissimum, 
and shows a remarkable combination of the characters distinguish¬ 
ing those species. It has a somewhat heart-shaped dorsal sepal, 
1! inch wide by If deep, suffused with a soft delicate bluish purple 
tint, with a few slightly deeper purple streaks, and faint green 
veins underlying the purple suffusion. There are also some dark 
dots at the base running into the veins. The tip is pale green, 
the margin has a number of white downy hairs, and the inner 
surface is also covered with a slight tomentum. The lower sepals 
are small and greenish. The petals are 2f inches long by five- 
eighths inch broad at the widest part near the points. They are 
slightly deflexed, partaking somewhat of the C. hirsutissimum 
character, but very distinct in colour, soft purple, green at the 
base, with fine dark spots at the base, and dark marginal hairs. 
'The lip is suggestive of C. superbiens in shape and colouring, but 
is a distinct shade, and is dotted and suffused with purple. The 
leaves are long and narrow, regularly and prettily marbled on light 
green. The great charm of the flower is in the peculiarly soft 
-and pleasing bluish purple tinting, which is quite unique. 
CYPRIPEDiy.M HYBRIDUM POLLETTIANUM. 
This was also from Messrs. F. Sander & Co.’s nursery, and the 
same authority is responsible for the name. It is a hybrid from 
-C. calophyllum crossed with C. oenanthum superbum, and there¬ 
fore possessing a most interesting parentage, both the forms named 
being themselves hybrids, C. calophyllum from C. barbatum and 
-C. venustum, and C. oenanthum superbum from C. insigne Maulei 
and C. Harrisianum. C. oenanthum superbum is generally regarded 
as one of the finest hybrids ever produced ; but some may probably 
consider the new comer as, in some respects, an improvement upon 
that in richness of colouring and general appearance. The dorsal 
sepal is broad, rounded, margined with white, rich dark crimson, 
with chocolate spots. The petals are very dark, with three dark 
dots on the upper margin, the lower half at the base being of a 
peculiar transparent green with a few dots ; the lip is very dark, 
and the whole surface of the flower has a polished shining appear¬ 
ance that in a bright light is very effective. It is undoubtedly a 
grand acquisition. 
Cypripedium hybridum Maynardi. 
A beautiful hybrid between C. purpuratum and C. Spiceri 
anum, the flowers taking the general form of the latter parent, but 
evidently influenced by other in a material degree. The dorsal 
sepal is rounded in outline, but the lower part is reflexed and white, 
with a deep crimson central vein, and a few lighter ones ; the base 
green. -The petals are short, greenish at the base, dotted with 
purple, purplish towards the tip, edged white, the margin undu¬ 
lated. The lip is dark purplish, with a purple staminode. The 
leaves are about 1| inch broad and 5 to 6 inches long, faintly 
marbled with dark green on a lighter ground. This is from the 
same establishment as the preceding, and we understand bears the 
name of a hybridist who has been working assiduously amongst the 
Orchids for some years. 
Cymbidium Tracyanum. 
An exceedingly vigorous plant of a new Cymbidium created a 
little sensation at the R.H.S. meeting on Tuesday, the size of the 
flowers, length of spike, and general bold characters at once 
commanding attention. Doubts were freely expressed, however, 
with regard to its being a true species. One experienced orchidist 
considered it as “ a form of C. longifolium,” another dubbed it as 
“ merely a fine C. giganteum,” a third authority fancied he could 
discover “ a nearer relationship to C. Hookerianum in the form, 
size, and markings of the lip.” It is quite plain from these diffe¬ 
rent opinions that the plant was not a readily recognised form of 
any well known type, and it was admittedly distinct if only as a 
variety, while it was unquestionably handsome. In the growth and 
foliage with the smooth stem or leaf bases it resembles C. longi¬ 
folium or giganteum, but the flowers are of great size, 5 inches or 
more in diameter, with broad sepals and petals evenly and strongly 
veined or spotted in lines of a reddish tint on a yellow ground. 
The lip is long and broad, pale yellow spotted with red. The 
raceme was about 4 feet long, bearing numerous flowers. It was 
shown by Mr. H. A. Tracy, Amyard Park Road, Twickenham. 
Epipiironitis Yeitchi. 
Many handsome and peculiar hybrid Orchids have been raised 
by Messrs. J. Yeitch & Sons at Chelsea, and the one here figured, 
though it cannot be compared with their imposing Cattleyas and 
choice Cypripediums, yet possesses a considerable share of interest. 
The characters of Epidcndrum radicins and Sophronitis grandi- 
flora seem so different to a casual examination that without some 
intimate knowledge of their botanical relationship it would not be 
thought likely they would cross readily. A cross was, however, 
effected between these two plants, and the result was the hybrid 
fig. 68.—epiphronitis yeitchi. 
which has received the singularly appropriate compound name 
Epiphronitis Yeitchi. The plant was shown at the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society’s meeting on June 24th this year, when it was 
certificated by the Orchid Committee, and attracted much notice 
owing to its curious parentage. The Sophronitis is said to be the 
seed parent, but in habit, growth, and leaves the hybrid resembles 
the Epidendrum, except that it appears to be dwarfer and not so 
strong. The flowers are about the same size of the Epidendrum, 
but have taken more of the colour of the Sophronitis, being much 
darker and richer than the first named. The sepalc and petals are 
also broader and more rounded, the lip four-lobed, but not cut or 
serrated at the margin like the Epidendrum ; it is also yellow in 
the centre, with a few dark spots. The woodcut (fig. 68) was 
prepared from a drawing taken of the flowers on the day the plant 
was shown by Messrs. Yeitch & Sons. 
The Epidendrums are not popular Orchids, if we except 
E. vitellinum and its variety majus, but it is strange that more 
experiments have not been undertaken in this large family. At 
present very little has been done, and the Epiphronitis is the 
first result cf any consequence that has come to my knowledge.— 
L. Castle. 
A NIGHT AT CHILWELL. 
We sometimes read of a day being spent here, a week there, and of 
a journey of so many miles after this, that or the other, of which in¬ 
teresting details are recorded, but not often have we any narration in 
the Journal of a “ night” spent anywhere, so the heading of these notes 
will at least be fresh if the matter happen to be commonplace or stale. 
The heading is further strictly accurate, for my sojourn at Chilwell 
embraced about fourteen hours of darkness, and only four or five of 
