September 28, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
288 
instructions that the Ostrowskia requires the same cultivation as 
the tall perennial Campanulas. Would that this would suffice. 
My own experience is brief but typical. I had a plant which 
survived two winters in a border of good soil which would grow any 
other hardy Campanula quite well. The first summer it made a 
growth of about 9 inches, the second spring it grew about 4 inches 
and dwindled away. Those who are experimenting or hoping to 
experiment with O. magnifica would do well to be careful to protect 
the plant in early spring. Like many other Central Asian plants 
it makes growth early, and its fleshy structure seems to be easily 
injured by the severe frosts we often experience. I am aware that 
this plant has been flowered in England, but what we would like 
to know is, under what conditions ? and was it treated as a hardy 
plant ? 
The hope which is said to spring “eternal in the human 
breast ” has induced me to hope for several years that Zauschneria 
californica would flower in my garden, and with a desire to give it 
every opportunity of displaying what beauties it may possess, I 
removed my plant to the warmest position I could command—the 
top of a rockery facing due south, and close to a stone wall which 
shielded it from the north winds. Here, with a favourable season, 
this Zauschneria has deigned to yield a few open flowers; but as I 
write it is showing symptoms of retiring to its annual rest without 
opening many of the buds which have appeared. The few which 
have opened fail to exhibit the plant in its true character, and with 
great reluctance I have come to the conclusion that it must be 
discarded as unsuitable for our cool climate on the Solway. A 
similar tale of its behaviour has reached me from many growers, 
and if it has not been satisfactory in a year like this it is only 
occupying the ground, which would be better devoted to a more 
accommodating plant. 
Possibly the same might almost be said of Plumbago Larpentae, 
which I have had for several years, but which has only flowered 
this season. There is this very considerable difference, however, 
that P. Larpentae has flowered very profusely, and that its deep 
blue flowers are particularly pleasing, and where it is grown here, 
on the top of a rockery, having a beautiful effect. I do not know 
that there is anything particularly required for its successful 
cultivation beyond a warm soil and situation. It is much admired, 
although its blooms are not of the same beautiful sky blue as the 
delightful greenhouse plant P. capensis, but are smaller and of a 
deep purple blue.— S. Arnott, Dumfries. 
Habenaria carnea. 
The exhibits of Habenaria militaris at the Drill Hall during 
the last year or two have drawn more prominent attention to this 
brilliant Orchid than it had previously received. Partly, perhaps, 
on that account, but largely owing to its intrinsic beauty, the new 
species carnea, placed before the Orchid Committee of the R H.S. 
on the occasion of the great Show at the Agricultural Hall, re¬ 
ceived a considerable share of notice and criticism, which, on the 
whole, was of a favourable character, and a first-class certificate 
was subsequently awarded to it. In general character and expres¬ 
sion the flower greatly resembles H. militaris, but it is larger and of 
a tender rose-tinted flesh or blush colour. Considerable interest 
attaches to this charming novelty, and the engraving (fig. 40) will 
therefore be welcomed. This Orchid was exhibited by Messrs, 
r. Sander & Co., St. Albans. 
Spathoglottis Fortunei. 
Several pans of this terrestrial Orchid have been a noteworthy 
feature in the cool Orchid house at Kew for some time past. 
Though the individual flowers may not be so fine as in some of the 
other species, well flowered plants of S. Fortunei are very showy, 
and supply a welcome colour at a season when the Orchid 
houses are otherwise rather bare. S. Fortunei is a native of Hong 
Kong, where it was discovered by Fortune, who sent home pseudo¬ 
bulbs, which first flowered in this country in the gardens of the 
Royal Horticultural Society in 1845. The species is deciduous, 
and the flat, fleshy, underground pseudo-bulbs remain dormant for 
some months after the foliage has disappeared. During this 
period the plants require to be kept quite dry. S. Fortunei has 
a considerable resemblance to a Bletia (to which genus Spatho¬ 
glottis is closely allied), and succeeds well under practically the 
same conditions of culture. The narrowly lanceolate plicate 
leaves are pale green, and about a foot in length. The flowers are 
home six to eight on a scape 12 to 18 inches high. They are 
about li inch across, of a fine clear yellow. The lip is three- 
lobed, and the two side lobes, which curve inwards, are blotched 
with chocolate.—A. B. 
Autumn Treatment of Dendrobiums. 
The growths of many of these will now be completed or ap¬ 
proaching completion, and every opportunity should be taken of 
exposing them to sun and air. Many of our Dendrobiums have for 
some time been standing out of doors in the full sun, but as the 
nights are getting colder they will be removed to the front stage of 
a vinery, where air is constantly admitted day and night. Here 
they will remain until they are wanted for flowering, as a long rest 
FIG. 40.—habenaria carnea. 
in a cool dry atmosphere is the only means of getting a full comple¬ 
ment of bloom in the spring. 
There is a difference in the time taken by the various species to 
produce and mature their pseudo-bulbs. Some, like D. Dal- 
housianum, although started early in the season, will occasionally 
be still growing at the end of October or in November; others, 
such as D. thyrsiflorum, will often make two distinct sets of 
growths in a season, the time taken being usually about six weeks. 
D. Wardianum requires a long season of growth, and should be 
carefully watched and kept rather drier “ at the roots and in the 
atmospherewhen nearing completion, as it is very apt to grow 
at the bottom before the new growths are matured, and may fre¬ 
quently he seen with young shoots 6 or 8 inches long in the middle^ 
of the winter. This is extremely weakening to the plants, and 
should be avoided in all cases where possible. D. Cambridgeanum 
and other autumn-blooming species should not be dried off too rapidly 
after flowering, but the water supply ought to be reduced gradually 
until the foliage withers and falls off, when it may be entirely with¬ 
held until the plants show signs of activity in the spring. D. for- 
mosum eburneum, and all spring-flowering Dendrobiums, must be- 
