February S8,1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
179 
in 6 or 7-inch pots, the pots being plunged in the soil, but they 
should rest upon bricks, so that a proper outlet is provided for 
superfluous water. Lygodium scandens requires a more extended 
root run, and should therefore be planted in those positions where 
it can be provided. A good proportion of peat may with advantage 
be mixed with the compost. 
I am well aware that there are many other plants which thrive 
fairly well on vinery walls, but many of them are of little use when 
they have grown, and I maintain that it is necessary in these 
economic days to grow such things as are of the greatest service. 
Few gardens can boast of an adequate supply of the plants above 
enumerated, and many gardeners would find it advantageous to 
root out comparatively worthless plants and clothe their vinery 
walls entirely with those plants above enumerated. 
If a greater variety is essential. Camellias succeed fairly well in 
midseason and late houses ; so do Abutilons of various types, and 
Ficus repens thrives admirably in early or late houses.—W. C. 
decomposed material to occupy the pots in which they are grown. 
Abundance of drainage, fibrous peat, and a little living sphagnum 
moss only on the surface will grow these plants well. 
It is also a mistake to have the plants in too large pots. Yery 
frequently imported pieces are started in 2-inch pots nearly full 
of drainage, with just a little peat to secure them in position. 
They will in these small pots make good growth, but not many 
roots. Odontoglossums are not large rooting plants, and the' 
mistake is often made at the first potting after they are established. 
Three-inch pots are large enough for the second potting, and it is- 
wise to fill them within 1 inch of the top with drainage. In this 
size the plants are not so easily overwatered, and should with good' 
treatment make stout pseudo-bulbs. 
The secrets of successful culture are a winter temperature of 
FIG. 34.— phal-f:nop?is inteemedia postei. 
about 50°, shade from bright sunshine, a moist genial atmosphere, 
with air admitted daily whenever the weather is favourable^ small 
pots, ample drainage, a sweet open rooting medium, careful 
watering and dewing during the period of growth.—W m. Bardney. 
Bbassavolas, 
These very interesting Orchids are worthy of a place in all 
collections, and it would be difficult to say why they are not more 
grown. The majority are not very showy it is true, but they are 
easily cultivated, free flowering, and mostly produce their 
blossoms during the dullest months of the year, when flowers of 
all kinds are very acceptable. None of the species like much 
material about the roots, and that used must be of the best 
description. They will thrive in baskets suspended from the roof, 
on blocks dressed with sphagnum, or in pots in the usual peat and 
moss mixture, and if strongly grown will not fail to give a good 
account of themselves at flowering time. A full Cattleya teni- 
perature suits most of them, and while growing they must be well 
Phal.en’opsis intermedia Portei. 
When staged by Mr. E. Hill, gardener to Lord Rothschild, at 
the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, this charming 
Phalsenopsis was given a first-class certificate. It is described in 
Williams’ “ Orchid Album ” as follows :—“ This beautiful plant, 
which is very rare, is not unlikely to be a natural hybrid, and if so 
we should suppose it to be a cross between P. rosea and P. amabilis ; 
let it, however, be hybrid or species, it ranks among the very hand¬ 
somest of its class. In general habit it resembles P. grandiflora, 
the leaves bmng broad oblong acute, about 1 foot in length, the 
upper side dark green, the under side dark purplish, more in the 
way of P. amabilis. The spikes are arched and branched, support¬ 
ing the numerous large flowers. In one form the oblong sepals and 
rhomboid petals are white, suffused with light rose at the base, the 
lip rich dark purplish rose, with the lateral lobes bluntly wedge- 
shaped, rosy, the base of the front lobe tinted with orange-yellow, 
and the disc and callus yellow, ihe latter marked with deep purple 
spots. The flowers are of good substance, and remain in perfection 
a very long time.” 
The woodcut (fig. 34) admirably depicts the characters of the 
flowers. 
Cultural Notes on Odontoglossums. 
How firmly rooted has become the notion that these plants 
cannot well be overwatered. If cultivators would only try to impress 
on their minds the fact that they are not bog plants, and for the 
most part grow on the branches and stems of trees, they wc uld 
the more readily grasp the method of watering these plants require. 
That the plants grow naturally under shady, moist conditions 
cannot well be questioned, but these can be obtained without 
overwatering them. 
What is really needed in the watering of these plants is care 
and judgment, so that more copious supplies are given during the 
period of active growth, when evaporation is greatest both from 
the material about the roots and from the plants. During the 
winter or resting period evaporation is not great, and the plants do 
not require such liberal supplies. The soil is rendered wet and 
sour, and the roots, instead of remaining perfectly healthy, are 
often dead when examined during the early spring months. Once 
plants are reduced to this deplorable state they are a long time, 
even under good treatment, before they start again vigorously into 
growth. If the hot-water pipes are so arranged that they do not 
unduly dry the plants there is no difficalty in keeping them and 
the atmosphere moist enough by damping and syringing amongst 
the pots. Directly the plants display signs of dryness a good 
soaking should be given, and the plants then left until they require 
further supplies. A little too much water during the summer 
and growing season can soon be corrected, but it cannot be done 
so easily during the winter. 
When the plants are showing signs of root activity the supply of 
water to their roots may be slightly increased and the atmosphere 
kept a trifle moister. This encourages the formation of growth 
and roots. The starting should be gradual, similar to the practice 
that should be followed with imported pseudo-bulbs. When poor 
peat is used and the plants overwatered the evil is intensified. Good 
fibrous peat will last a fair length of time in a sweet open condi¬ 
tion, Failure often results with these plants through allowing 
