June 23, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
469 
V. insignis.—An old favourite. Leaves 1 foot long ; racemes 
about 1 foot long, bearing about six flowers ; sepals and petals 
pale brown with dark, chocolate spots, outsides dull white ; lip 
three-lobed, side lobes white, centre lobe white, rosy purple at its 
apex. 
V. Kimballiana.—Leaves 8 inches long, channelled, dark green ; 
short erect racemes bearing about eight flowers each, l4 inch across ; 
sepals and petals white tinged with rose, lip three-lobed, side lobes 
curiously incurved, yellowish white spotted brown, centre lobe deep 
purple, crisped margin ; long purple spur. 
V. Roxburgh!.—This was the first Vanda introduced into our 
gardens, and the genus was founded upon it ; sepals and petals 
pale green marked with brown, white outside ; lip three-lobed, side 
lobes white, centre lobe purple, darker towards its apex. 
V. Sanderiana. — This interesting and remarkable Vanda 
I (fig. 80) was introduced first by Messrs. Sander & Co. in 1882, 
( and shortly after by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. It has leaves 
' 14 inches long and an inch broad ; flowers flat, 3 to 4^ inches 
, across, racemes bearing several flowers ; dorsal sepal pale rose, 
j lateral ones yellowish with red veins finely marked ; petals rose, 
I each with a small patch of red spots ; lip small, dull yellow with 
red streaks. 
V. suavis.—A strong growing and free-flowering variety of 
V. tricolor ; long racemes, bearing seven to twelve flowers, which 
are large and fragrant ; sepals white, with chocolate or purple bars 
and spots ; petals turned away, showing the white outsides ; lip 
three-lobed, side lobes deep purple, centre one mauve, shaded purple. 
of “ Couch-grass ” (Triticum repens), bore straight through 
Potatoes and other fleshy tubers or stems ; and only the other day 
saw a shoot of Tropaeolum polyphyllum that had come up through 
a brick that had happened to be in its way. In a word, the old 
story that roots follow the line of least resistance is not always, 
even if often, true. 
I am far from feeling that I have exhausted this great subject, 
rather do I feel that I have merely touched the hem or fringe of 
the question in a tentative kind of way. “ Culture versus Nature ” 
is really a question to be solved by each one of us in our own 
gardens, and I sincerely hope that these observations may be a 
help rather than a hindrance to our so doing. 
The genus Vanda contains about thirty species, most of which 
are in cultivation ; they are all epiphytal Orchids and natives of 
the East Indies and Malayan Archipelago. With few exceptions 
they require a considerable amount of attention to grow 
them well, and specimens of the stronger growing kinds 
several feet high and clothed with leaves to the level of 
the pot are exceptional. The whole of the genus have 
showy flowers, which are mostly fragrant, and which last 
a long time either on the plant or cut and placed in 
water. They require plenty of light ; in fact, Vanda 
teres need never be shaded. The larger growing varieties 
may be cultivated in pots three parts filled with crocks, 
with a layer of good sphagnum on the top : the smaller 
kinds, such as V. Amesiana, may be grown in cylinders 
or baskets. With but one or two exceptions they require 
a high stove temperature and plenty of moisture from 
February to October, after which they require much less 
water, and none should be allowed to collect in the axils 
of the leaves. Vandas which are getting long and 
“leggy” may be cut down about February. The tops 
should be placed in pots or baskets with crocks and 
sphagnum, allowing the leaves to come as near the 
surface of the pots as possible, and if placed in a close 
moist house for a few weeks they will root readily, and 
can then be removed to their old positions without loss 
of leaves. While growing, a temperature of not less 
than 60° at night should be maintained, rising to 75° 
and upwards by day. 
The following Vandas should be found in every 
Orchid collection : — 
V. Amesiana. — Dwarf, stiff leaves with tapering 
points; racemes erect, bearing many fragrant flowers, 
each about 1^ inch across ; sepals and petals blush, lip 
rich deep rose, with paler margin. Introduced by Messrs. 
Low & Co. in 1887. 
V. Bensoni."—Leaves strap shaped, flowers 2 inches 
across, racemes bearing six to twelve flowers, sepals and 
petals yellowish green with chocolate spots, lip rose pink 
with darker apex, two white lobes at the base. Intro¬ 
duced by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons in 1866. 
V. coerulea.—This,as no doubt the easiest grown and 
the finest Vanda for general use. It flowers late in 
autumn, the racemes bearing five to twelve flowers, each 
2 to 4 inches across ; the sepals and petals are blue, 
the lip being darker ; colour and size vary in different 
plant®. Introduced from the Khasia Hills in 1849. This Vanda 
should be grown in cylinders in the Cattleya liouse. 
V. coerulescens is slender in habit, tbe racemes bearing many 
flowers of a bluish shade, with violet lip. Introduced from 
Burraah in 1869. 
V. Denisoniana.—Loaves about a foot long, flowers 2i ins. across, 
sepals and petals white, lip three-lobed, white tinged with green, 
the side lobes erect ; the centre lobe being two-lobed at the apex. 
V. Hookeriana.—Long cylindrical stems, slender ; leaves terete, 
pale green, slender ; the flowers, which are about 2j inches across, 
are produced on racemes of two to five from the upper part of the 
stem ; sepa's white flushed with rose ; petals broader than sepals, 
white, tinted rose with purple spots ; lip three-lobed, the centre lobe 
broad and fan-shaped, white with deep markings and spots of dark 
purple. Introduced from Borneo about 1879. 
FIG. 80. —VANDA SANDERIANA. 
,V. teres.—Long terete stems and leaves ; racemes twc-flowered, 
flowers large ; sepals white, shaded rose ; petals broad, rose ; lip 
three-lobed, .‘•ide lobes yellowish, spotted inside, curving towards 
each other over the column, centre lobe rosy purple, cleft at the 
base. A splendid Orchid when well grown, requiring a distinct 
resting period during our winter. Introduced by Dr. Wallich 
in 1829. 
V. tricolor.—Very like V. suavis, flowers rather more rounded ; 
sepals and petals yellow, spotted chocolate red ; lip bright rc se, 
marked with white lines at the base. Introduced from Java by 
Messrs. J. Veitch in 1846.—C. K. 
Cypkipedium Alice. 
An award of merit was given to a distinct and charming 
Cypripedium named Alice, exhibited by Drewitt 0. Drewett, E-q., 
