AprU 7, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GADDEXER 
2b7 
Rasset, King of the Russets, Purple Perfection, The Dean, Yicar 
of Laleham, Conference, Radstock Beauty, and Blue Eyes are the 
4>est generally of that section.—A. D. 
CALADIUMS AND THEIR CULTURE. 
Perhaps nowhere in the wide range of fine-foliage plants can 
a more beautiful or interesting family be found than that of the 
Oaladium. Whether the plants are grown from single crowns in 
small pots for room decoration, or as large plants some 4 or 5 feet 
^through, their beauty ever remains the same, and their cleanly 
appearance—for nothing attacks the foliage with the exception of 
■a little green fly—makes them most desirable for those possessing 
an intermediate house or stove to cultivate during the summer 
and autumn months. 
If the plants are to be grown on the single crown system select 
•some of the strongest crowns, and place in 3 to 6-inch pots, which 
will be found useful for vases and other receptacles of an orna¬ 
mental nature. A suitable compost will be found in three 
■parts good fibrous loam, with rough leaf mould and some decayed 
manure to form another part, and sufficient silver sand to keep the 
compost porous. After potting afford a little bottom heat if con¬ 
venient, and give water sparingly until growth fairly commences. 
If larger plants are required 8, 10, 12, and 14-inch pots may 
(Toe used. When the plants are in good growing condition they 
must be kept well supplied with both water and clear liquid 
manure ; they should not be too far away from the glass, or they 
will lose that fine sturdy appearance which is always admired in a 
well grown Caladium. If the plants are required for room decora¬ 
tion the best way is to gradually harden them by removal to a 
•cooler house, being careful for a time not to bring them into 
•contact with a draught. Whilst in this house watering will have to 
4)e done a little more cautiously. This hardening process, if care¬ 
fully done, will allow the plants to be employed freely for house 
decoration, and also for the embellishment of the conservatory in 
iffie declining summer months, when a little change in the occu¬ 
pants is necessary to make the structure interesting. When the 
•plants are seen to be losing the firm appearance of the leaves great 
care is requisite in watering for the sound keeping of the corms 
•during the winter, only giving sufficient to enable the maturing 
process to be gradually, yet thoroughly effected, finally withholding 
water when the leaves are gone. 
Many ways of storing Caladiums have been advocated, such as 
taking them out of the pots and storing in boxes of sand. This 
•plan is useful for those in want of pots, but we always turn ours 
<on their sides underneath the stage of a fernery which has a 
winter temperature of 50° to 55°. 
As regards varieties the introductions of the past few years 
tave entirely put into the background many of the older forms, 
and so beautiful are the majority of them that it becomes difficult 
•to make a selection. When visiting Messrs. Clibran’s nursery at 
Altrincham last summer I was much struck by their magnificent 
collection. I took a note of some very fine forms among them, 
but do not pretend in this note to give descriptions, which may be 
better found in the catalogue. In the new and rare varieties were 
B. S. Williams, Ibis Rose, Ferdinand de Lesseps, James H. Laing, 
Louis A. Van Houtte, Lymington, Mons. Leon Say, Mrs. Harry 
Veitch, La Lorraine, L’Aurore, Oriflamme, and Marguerite Grelinier. 
Extra good varieties.—Amcenum, Albo-luteum, Charlemagne, 
Comte de Germiny, Cardinale, Candidum, Duchess de Mortemart, 
Anna de Condeixa, Elsa, Golden Queen, John R. Box, L'Automne, 
Leopold Robert, Luddemanni, Madame Fritz Koechlin, Madame 
Imbert Keechlin, Madame Laforge, Madame Lemoinier, Raymond 
Lemoinier, Perle du Bresil, Salvator Rosa, Vesta, Rameau, 
Madame Marjolin Scheffer, Sanchoniathum, and Souvenir de 
Madame Bernard. Then the most useful and interesting little 
gem, C. argyrites, must not be forgotten, as it is still unique for 
appropriate positions and decorative purposes.—R. P. R. 
CCELOGYNE CRISTATA. 
I HAVE forwarded you a photograph of a Coelogyne cristata 
that has just flowered in an 8-inch pot in these gardens. I have 
^lent it at the suggestion of my employer, J. H. Tuke, Esq., thinking 
you might make some use of it if you think it worthy of being 
engraved in your valuable journal. It certainly looked very 
handsome when at its best.—W. Springham. 
[Evidently a large aud well-flowered plant, but not quite equal 
to Mr. Crowley’s fine specimen figured in the Journal of March 
8th, 1888.] 
CyPRIPEDIUM HYBRIDUM GIGAS. 
A HANDSOME Cypripedium named hybridum gigas was exhibited 
by Mr. Bond, gardener to C. Ingram, Esq., at a meeting of the 
Royal Horticultural Society on January 14th, and received an 
award of merit. It is one of the largest flowered hybrids yet 
FIG. 42.—CYPRIPEDIUM HYBRIDUM GIGAS. 
obtained, and is the result of a cross between C. Lawrenceanum 
and C. Harrisianum nigrum, showing the characters of both 
parents. The dorsal sepal is 2i inches across, very broad and 
round, veined with dark purplish crimson, edged with white, and 
tipped with green. The petals are broad, tinted purple, with a 
dark central vein, the lip glossy and purplish. Fig. 42 represents 
this fine hybrid. 
Jottings. 
Generally speaking. Orchids do so well in peat, charcoal, and 
living sphagnum that there seems to be no occasion to resort to 
artificial methods of feeding them. It appears strange, neverthe¬ 
less, that nearly all plants are benefited, especially when they have 
been in their pots some time, by judicious applications of artificial 
manures, and yet the majority of Orchids be exempt from this 
practice. If they do well in the mixture given, and can be induced 
by feeding to do better, I have no doubt many would willingly 
drop the old practice and adopt a more enlightened one. 
We know very well that Phajus, Calanthes, Pleiones, and a 
few others are improved by liquid manure and a little more sub¬ 
stantial fare than is generally employed as a medium for the roots 
of Orchids. We might include some Cypripediums in this list, while 
some others seem to resent any addition to their food supply other 
than they are in the habit of having in a general way. It seems to 
be readily understood why these terrestrial species should differ 
from epiphytal Orchids, and require more substance in the food 
supply provided for them than those grown on trees. No doubt 
a good number of cultivators would willingly experiment in this 
matter, but their stock of plants may be limited, and they cannot 
afford to spoil the few they may have; besides, they have their 
reputation to maintain, which may mean a good deal. 
Experiments have been made, and glowing accounts have been 
given of the marked changes in health and strength that took place 
by the aid of artificial manures. It was, after all, too early to speak 
with certainty how the plants would endure such forcing at the end 
of a few years. I had some doubts of over-development and a 
