Bfeefitober 7, 18S3 J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
606 
variety which bears her name, crossed with pollen of H. Maximus, 
and others of the best kinds. But after all the rich variety, the 
vigour of growth, the brilliancy of colouring, and the perpetual 
flowering habit of “ St. Brigid’s ” race of Anemones will long serve 
to perpetuate her contribution of loving labour to our gardens, and 
so to the greater happiness and contentment of our lives, for has 
not her fair hand enriched the earth, and made its fruits more fair 
than they were before ?—F. W. Burbidge. 
[Well do we remember those brilliant and beautiful flowers sent 
nearly twenty years ago — flowers that will not fade from the 
memory, and glad are we to know that the sender of them still 
engages in the work she loves, in “ the quaint old garden ” in 
Co. Kildare.] 
L^lia anceps Amesiana. 
At the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, on No¬ 
vember 30th, T. Statter, Esq., Stand Hall, Manchester, exhibited 
a plant of Lselia anceps Amesiana, and for which a first-class 
certificate was awarded. It is obviously a very fine form. The 
sepals and petals are white, tinted rosy purple at the tips and base. 
The lip is medium sized, but of deep purplish crimson, and the 
throat is richly veined. Fig. 73 represents this beautiful Orchid. 
CattleYA citrina. 
I HAVE understood that in order to grow Cattleya citrina suc¬ 
cessfully the plant should be so placed that the apices of the 
pseudo-bulbs point downwards, and I do not remember to have 
seen a plant in any other position until to-day (November 30th), 
when I received three plants from a noted firm for Orchids placed 
upright in pans with peat fibre and sphagnum, but evidently potted 
very recently. This circumstance reminds me of having read in 
the Journal a year or more since that (according to the correspon¬ 
dent’s view) the downward position is unnecessary. I shall feel 
much obliged if Orchid growers will kindly give their opinions on 
this point.—C. 
Orchids for Flowering at Christmas. 
{^Concluded from page 487.) 
Though less durable, yet for beauty and softness of tints in the 
lightly poised flowers, the Calanthes of the vestita group are 
admirable for flowering in December and January, their long 
scapes adapting them for arranging with other plants, such as 
Ferns and small Palms. Calanthes require very liberal treatment 
to insure their success, and though it is too late now to correct any 
errors of the past season, we may give a hint or two for present 
guidance, and to provide for better results another year. If well 
grown the pseudo-bulbs should be now plump and mature, the 
foliage turning yellow as its work is performed. The supply of 
water should be gradually decreased, and the only care needed is to 
watch the scapes closely as they expand to avoid any injury to 
them, and to give just sufficient water to keep them steadily 
advancing; but it will not be necessary to saturate the soil 
frequently unless the leaves are still fresh and active. This must 
be followed up while the plants are in flower, then allow them to 
become quite dry for a few weeks, repotting in succession early in 
January or February, according to convenience. Remove old roots 
and place the plants in a compost of equal parts good fibrous loam 
and peat, with a little old manure and sand. Then allot them a 
light position in a stove, Cucumber house, or any similar house 
where a fairly high temperature is maintained with abundance of 
moisture, the roots supplies to be increased as the growth advances, 
and frequent syringings. The varieties of Calanthe vestita are 
numerous, differing in the size and colouring of the flowers, rubro- 
oculata having a deep red centre, being an effective form. 
C. vestita Turneri and Regnieri are useful as flowering some weeks 
later than the ordinary varieties of C. vestita, thus extending into 
January and February in natural succession. 
That most useful winter-flowering Orchid, Calanthe Yeitchi, 
merits a special paragraph, for though it naturally flowers, under 
the same treatment as C. vestita, in November, yet with a succession 
of plants potted and started at intervals of a week it is possible to 
have some in flower over Christmas, or until the later forms of the 
C. vestita group are attractive. Those in flower now may be kept 
in good condition for some time if they are placed in as cool a 
house as is safe, and water is not allowed to settle on their flowers ; 
while those showing spikes may be retarded if care is exercised tuy 
avoid sudden check, a warm conservatory being a suitable positron. 
With liberal culture this Orchid makes wonderfully strong pseudo- 
bulbs, and if these are properly matured fine spikes are to be 
expected, and when these can be secured 4 feet in length there is 
every reason for satisfaction. Few hybrid Orchids have obtained 
a popularity approaching Calanthe Yeitchi, which has also without 
a doubt been more extensively increased by propagation in the 
thirty-seven years of its existence than any Orchid introduced 
within that period. It was one of the late Mr. Dominy’s early 
successes ; but it is not generally known that this hybridiser also 
raised the white variety, which has been since obtained by several 
amateurs in recent times, and if memory serves correctly, Mr. 
Dominy once told us that it was from the same sowing of seed, 
but was sold before it flowered, being supposed to be the same as 
the ordinary type. The cross was effected between Calanthe 
vestita and Limatodes (now known ai Calanthe) rosea, the flowera 
showing an interesting combination of characters, with the rich' 
rosy crimson colour of the Limatodes rather improved, and the 
vigorous floriferous habit which characterises so many hybrids. 
One of the most delightful little Orchids for December ' 
flowering is that known popularly as “Indian Crocus,” botanically 
as Caelogyne praecox, and more familiarly in gardens as Pleione 
prsecox. We have a trio of beautiful miniature plants in Pleione 
lagenaria which can be had in November, P. prascox for December,, 
and P. humilis for January flowering. That first mentioned in this 
paragraph will shortly be showing its rosy purple flowers, and fs' 
better in a cool position where moisture is not too abundant, either 
in a conservatory, warm greenhouse, cool house, or any other 
convenient place if the temperature can be prevented falling' 
below 45°, giving only sufficient water to keep the flowers fresh, 
and sphagnum also with which the surface of the soil should be 
covered. As these little plants flower without leaves, a few small 
Ferns dotted amongst them look well and also afford a means of 
testing if the supply of water is right. Shortly after flo’^ering 
they can be repotted, placing them in shallow pans, using a compost 
of one-half peat, one-fourth loam, and one-fourth sphagnum, sand, 
and old manure. A place on a shelf in a warm house can then be- 
found for them, watering them freely when growth is advancing; 
vigorously. _______ 
Angraecum eburneum is rather too large a plant for small col¬ 
lections, but it has a very telling appearance when bearing its taW 
