Fel ruar/ 12, ’8 !. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
121 
Jottings. 
'Since I wrote the paragraph referring to the Orchid Show at 
the Hague neit May Sir J. Quarles Van Ulford has sent me a copy 
of his catalogue of Orchids, together with a supplement, bringing 
it up to 1889. This extremely useful work comprises a list of the 
Orchids cultivated in European collections, and as there are ninety- 
eight pages in the first issue and twenty in the supplement, there 
are probably not less than 4000 species, varieties, and hybrids 
enumerated. The native country is given with each ; the most 
useful for general cultivation are marked by an asterisk, the figures 
1, 2, and 3 respectively indicating warm, intermediate, and cool 
house as the best adapted for the particular sorts so marked. The 
catalogue is in two sections, and in the first the printed matter is 
confined to one-half lengthways of the page, thus leaving space for 
manuscript additions. The second part is also very useful, as all 
the principal synonyms are there arranged alphabetically opposite 
the names now accepted. The catalogue is published by the 
Dutch Orchid Club, and must be regarded as a useful contribution 
to Orchid literature for purposes of reference. 
Last week Mr. A. Young wrote in favour of leaves for Orchid 
houses, an important matter, and one to which I called attention 
some years ago, as I have seen many examples of the assistance 
that addition has rendered io Orchid cultivators. The benefit is 
unquestioned, the only defect being the number of insects and 
other pests large quantities of leaves are apt to introduce into 
houses. Isolating the stage supports by bowls or saucers of water, 
as used to be done at Downside and elsewhere, counteracts the 
evil to a great extent, but watchful care is needed at all times. It 
may, however, interest Mr. Young and other readers, especially 
those near the coast, to know that seaweed is now being largely 
employed, with leaves and alone, for the same purpose—namely, 
to supply a genial heat and constant wholesome moisture in the 
air. At first I was rather doubtful as to the results of so bold 
an experiment, but in this case, as in the use of sea sand for 
propagating purposes, it is evident the danger is only imaginary. 
For some months now seaweed has been employed beneath the 
stages in a large Orchid growing establishment, not only without 
any evil results but with manifest advantage, as shown by the fine 
healthy colour of the foliage, the vigorous spikes of flowers, and 
their rich colours. 
Everyone knows that Orchids depend greatly upon atmospheric 
support, and those who wish to render th^m manurial assistance in 
the best and safest way may do so through that medium. It is not 
therefore surprising that the exhalations from seaweed should 
produce an effect, the only thing is some would suppose the result 
avould be injurious ; yet how frequently we find plants grown 
under glass with complete success close to the sea, where every breeze 
must come laden with saline moisture ; and I have seen Orchid 
houses so much exposed on the west coast of England that the salt 
could be tasted if a moistened finger was passed over a Cattleja 
leaf. Thus it does not seem that there is anything to fear from 
the use of seaweed, at the same time all should experiment 
cautiously. The advantages of using this material are—first, it 
can be obtained in many places much more readily and cheaply 
than leaves ; second, it is not a storehouse of injurious insects, but 
possesses properties opposed to their increase ; third, combined 
with leaves it maintains a steady and lasting heat. The chief 
defects are that it is not very conveniently transferred from place 
to place, and as decomposition advances it is liable to become 
offensive. 
Writing about the absorbent powers of Orchid foliage recalls 
some of the disastrous effects of the fogs this winter which have 
occurred in smoky cities like London. I have never heard of these 
■injuries being so general and severe as in the present season, and 
for a long distance round the metropolis in some directions the 
results are similar. Dendrobiums and Cypripediums have suffered 
both in flowers and leaves ; the few Cattleyas expanded have had 
a trying time, and some pessimistic prophets do not hesitate to say 
that as the varieties of the C. Trianae section are so late the flowers 
are probably injured in the sheaths and will never expand, or if 
they do will come deformed. This, no doubt, is an exaggerated 
view ; but it is not unlikely that some damage has been done in 
the way suggested. Every cultivator will regard Dr. Oliver as a 
public benefactor if, in the course of his investigations respecting 
fog effects upon plants, he can discover some means of preventing, 
or at least of alleviating, the troubles they have to bear in this 
respect. 
The amount of carbonaceous and other particles deposited upon 
glass houses is a good indication of what the London atmosphere 
contains, and in many places it is only possible to procure a due 
admission of light to the plants by frequently washing the glass 
roofs. At one establishment last week two tanks, constructed to 
collect the rain from a house completed a few years since, were 
cleared out, and no less than ten harroicloads of sooty matter were 
removed, all of which must have been conveyed into the tanks 
from the glass. One scientific gentleman has been engaged in 
computing the amount of soot deposited from London air, and 
arrived at the following conclusions. He collected the smoke 
deposited on a patch of snow in Canonbury one square link about 
8 inches in extent, and obtained from it 2 grains of soot. As 
London covers 110 square miles, this would give us for the whole 
area 1000 tons. As the quamity measured fell in ten days, a 
month’s allowance w'ould need 1030 horses to cart it off, and these 
stretched in line would extend four miles. Hence London’s black 
fogs. _ 
“Can you give me a description of Oncidium superbiens ?” 
writes a correspondent, and to help him to form an idea of the 
FIG. 24.- ONCIDIUM SUPERBIENS. 
flower the annexed cut (fig. 21) is inserted. This Oncidium is a 
native of elevated districts in South America, having been found 
by Purdie at Ocana between 8000 and 9030 feet above sea level, 
and by Funck and Schlim near Pamplona. It produces a long 
raceme like many of its relatives, such as 0. macranthum, 
O. lamelligerum, and O. undulatum, with broad, curiously shaped 
rich brown sepals, contracted at the lower part into a distinct stalk¬ 
like portion. The petals are yellow, with bars of rich brown run¬ 
ning across or broken up, and not so much confined to the side as 
shown in the illustration. The lip also is brown, with a yellow 
base. 'Phe plant can be treated successfully in the same way as 
Oncidium macranthum, thriving in pots placed in the Odonto- 
glossum house. _ 
Opinions are sometimes expressed that Orchids are declining in 
popularity, but there is abundant evidence to show that though 
there may be fewer la^’ge collections ten times as many amateur.s 
are now interested in Orchids as was the case a few years since. 
Piices are also well maintained in mest instances. For example, at 
a recent sale a large imported plant of Vanda coerulea was offered. 
It was in a basket nearly a yard square, and had about thirty stems, 
upon which were the remains of 200 old flow'er stalks. The plant 
was sold for forty guineas, which was rumoured to be the full 
amount of the reserve, and it was generally believed that the 
destination of the specimen was not a hundred miles from Tring. 
Orchids were well represented at the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s meeting on Tuesday, and one of the three novelties for 
which awards were made by the Committee was that here described. 
