January 24, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
67 
The Late Duchess of Montrose’s 
Orchids. 
As will be seen from an advertisement 
Messrs. John Cowan and Co, Liverpool, 
have purchased the Sefton Lodge, New¬ 
market, collection of Orchids, and that a 
priced catalogue of them is being prepared, 
of which copies will be posted to applicants 
on the 26th inst. It will be remembered 
that a particular purchase of these plants 
created some interest among the horticul¬ 
tural and legal community a few years ago. 
Calanthe Yeitchi at Rook’s Nest 
Gardens. 
While on a visit to Mr. Friend, the ablef 
manager at these fine old gardens, I was 
struck with the grand display of Calaathe^ 
Veitchi. Seldom, if ever, have such magni¬ 
ficent specimens been seen of this beautiful 
winter-flowering and decorative Orchid. Mr. 
Friend had a group of about sixty plants, 
all in the best possible condition, many of 
the spikes measuring 5 feet 8 and 5 feet. 
9 inches in length, bearing between sixty 
and seventy flowers, which I could ©oont. 
at the time of my visit. The colour was 
excellent, and the finish beautiful. Orchids; 
are evidently grown well in these gardens, 
as I saw a great many others in the best 
possible condition, including some grand! 
masses of Dendrobium nobile. A few re¬ 
marks on the management of Oalanthes 
from Mr. Friend would, I feel sure, be of 
great interest to readers of your valuable 
paper.— Wm. Fenton. 
also a plant that has no compost at all, the roots being simply 
bedded in the limestone and surfaced with moss. If anything, this 
plant is thriving better than the others. The moss retains the 
moisture, or rather, keeps the stones from drying. 
Water, on account of the material they are potted in, is poured 
into them daily, and during the spring and summer as well. The 
roots for the size of the plants are wonderfully large, and they 
entwine themselves amongst the limestone and cling very tena¬ 
ciously, demonstrating as plainly as possible that it is the limestone 
alone, and not any humus-forming compost, on which they thrive. 
Some years ago I remember reading of this Cypripedium suc¬ 
ceeding where the grower had added a fair proportion of loam, 
using crocks in the ordinary way for drainage. Possibly the success 
was through lime in a sufficient quantity being present in the loam. 
—A. Young. 
Cattleya Trian^. 
Although not widely distributed geographically in comparison 
with some other species, this beautiful winter blooming Cattleya 
Cypripedium niveum. 
In the Orchid column of the Journal of 
Horticulture (page 25) there is a note on 
the delightful little Cypripedium niveum, in 
which it is spoken of “ as difficult to manage ” and “ liable to the 
dreaded Orchid disease known as spot.” Of this latter I am not so 
certain, as I do not think the dying off can possibly be attributed 
to disease, but simply dwindling away for lack of support, which 
it does not find in the ordinary peat and sphagnum diet. 
Having been most successful in cultivating C. niveum and its 
allied species C. bellatulum, I am in a position to prove wherein 
most growers fail. About six years ago a few small pieces came 
under my care, these being potted in peat and sphagnum. Instead 
of increasing in size, they became gradually smaller, and I feared 
I should lose the whole of them. Eventually, and as a last resource, 
they were repotted. The compost consisted of limestone from the 
carboniferous formation, loam, and a little peat and sphagnum, 
working a few small pieces of limestone in the latter. I may 
mention that the limestone was used in place of crocks for drainage, 
filling the pots to within an inch of the rims. 
Almost immediately the plants commenced to improve, until 
now they are healthy, and both grow and flower very freely. 
My opinion is that when the plants have failed, although limestone 
may have been used, it is on account of this latter not being of the 
roper description—?.e., from the carboniferous formation. I have 
is extremely variable, hardly two plants bearing flowers exactly 
alike. At least fifty varieties have been described, and many of 
them figured in the Journal of Horticulture, but as many of these - 
are very rare and some absolutely unique, no good purpose would 
be served by describing them. Suffice it to say that they vary in • 
colour from pure white, through many shades of pink, rose, and 
magenta to deepish purple. The largest flowers measure upwards 
of 8 inches across the petals, and it must be a very poor form 
indeed to be less than 5 inches. 
C. Trianse should be grown in a structure heated in the summer- 
to 60° by night, and by day about 70°, rising 5° or 10° higher by 
sun heat. The winter night temperature must be kept as near bb°’ 
as possible, and never be allowed to go below 50°. As little shading 
as possible should be given, and this must be provided by moveable 
blinds. The larger the house and the farther in reason the plants are 
arranged from the glass the less shading will be required and the 
better the plants thrive. 
The compost for C. Trianae should be used in a somewhat 
rougher condition than most Orchids require, and must consist of 
the best materials only. About three parts of peat to one of 
sphagnum, with abundance of small crocks and charcoal, will suit 
L^lia anceps Crawshayana. 
At the last meeting of the Orchid Committee at the Drill 
Hall, only one first-class certificate was awarded, and this was for 
the variety so well depicted in the woodcut, fig. 12. This is a 
magnificent form of L. anceps, and has unusually broad petals, the 
colour of which is a very rich rosy-purple. The sepals are long, 
and the shade is somewhat paler than the former. The lip is 
singularly handsome, the outer portion being of the richest velvety 
crimson hue, while the throat is yellow veined with beautiful 
crimson-brown. It is a superb variety, and thoroughly deserving 
of the honour conferred. It was exhibited 
by De Barri Crawshay, Esq., Sevenoaks. 
