316 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 
are employed, with variegated Hollies, Thunias, and Retinosporas at the 
back. Narrow winding paths pass through and around the alpine 
garden, which is beautiful at any time, but must be especially so in the 
spring and early summer. 
OAKWOOD. 
Half an hour's walk or more across the rail and river, through the 
town of Wylam and Oakwood, the residence of Norman 0. Cookson, 
Esq., is reached, where Orchids have been made a study and a specialty 
for some years past w r ith a large share of success. Mr. Cookson is one 
of the few amateurs who have made any attempt at raising seedling 
Orchids on a large scale, but that he has given some considerable atten¬ 
tion to the matter may be judged from the fact that there are now in the 
collection nearly 3000 seedlings in all stages, and these, moreover, the 
results of crosses innumerable between species and varieties in the same 
and different genera. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons’ wonderful stock of 
seedling Orchids will probably never be equalled, but as the production 
of an amateur in comparatively few years, Mr. Cookson’s collection is 
remarkable. Of course, amongst so many they cannot all be prizes, but 
some good results have already been obtained in the Calanthes, and these 
first brought Mr. Cookson’s Orchids into general notice. The seedling 
Calanthes in flower shown at South Kensington in 1885 were greatly 
admired, and that the Floral Committee should select two for certificates 
when good varieties of these plants are so numerous is an indication of 
their merit. C. Alexanderi, from a cross between C. Veitchi and C. 
vestita rubro-oculata, is remarkable for its intensely rich crimson colour 
in contrast with the two whitish lower sepals ; C. Cooksoni, the result 
of a cross between C. Veitchi and C. vestita luteo-oculata, is one of the 
finest white-flowered forms in cultivation, the flowers of great size, pure 
white, with a yellow eye. Numbers of other crosses have been made 
with these plants, C. Williamsi being employed in several crosses with 
varieties of C. vestita, and there is quite a host of seedlings from which 
something good may be confidently expected. 
The houses are conveniently built but not of any special character, 
the principal object being to obtain as much light as possible, with a 
uniform temperature and moisture according to the plants grown, a 
cooler house being reserved for Odontoglossums. But everywhere are 
seedling Orchids springing up—on the moss covering the roots, on the 
sides of the pots or baskets, and even on the material covering the 
stages. All are carefully watched until they can be placed with safety 
in the diminutive thimble pots plunged in larger pans or pots filled with 
moss, where they get through their early stages of growth. It would be 
impossible to refer to all the crosses made in this establishment, but 
a large book is kept in which careful record is kept of the time when 
the cross is made, the parent i employed, and other particulars. It is, 
however, very difficult to preserve the identity of such minute plants as 
seedling Orchids, and, writing me in reference to this matter, Mr. Cook¬ 
son observes, “ I should be very glad to give you a list of the different 
hybrids I have, were I able to do so ; but the fact is, though my gar¬ 
dener and I feel sure about the parentage of most, there are many I 
cannot be sure about until they are proved by flowering. Seed is often 
sown in certain pots, but is washed through on to the stages when water¬ 
ing, and grows on or under them. This year alone we have potted off 
many hundreds taken off or under the stages. Again, in dipping basket 
plants seed often floats off, and is afterwards carried on to plants where 
no seed has- been sown, and there germinates. The great majority of 
plants, however, appear on the pots on which the seed is sown. A few 
years since we considered 5 per cent, of results good (i.e., if we sowed 
100 capsules, that five of them should produce plants). Last year and 
this we have only had 5 per cent of non-successes. With regard to 
treatment, there is absolutely no difficulty or secret. Each capsule we 
obtain, both Murray and I examine with a microscope (generally using 
the i or J power) and we rarely find pods without some good seed. In 
the case of Dendrobes and Cattleyas the seed can be seen to commence 
to germinate very shortly after sowing, in some cases within a couple or 
three weeks. Many people are inclined to doubt this, but it is a fact. 
We have pricked off good strong hybrid Dendrobes within three months 
of sowing seed. The elements of success appear to me to be to keep the 
temperature and moisture right, and not to suffer dirt, more especially 
not a single thrip, to exist. One thrip is sufficient to kill a young plant 
(if allowed to remain on even for a few days) when in the young state. 
Another sine qua non is to water properly, or to put it more correctly, 
not to water improperly. I have seen seedlings suffer from too much 
water ; but I do not remember having seen the reverse.” 
Dendrobiums have been made a special feature, and numbers of in¬ 
teresting seedlings are advancing rapidly. One that might be expected 
to produce something of an uncommon character is a cross between 
D. Cooksonianum or Heathfieldianum, and D. nobile nobilius, and this 
was in leaf seven weeks after the seed was sown. Other crosses in this 
genus have been effected as follows :—Nobile album X japonicum, Ains- 
worthi x Linawianum, Falconeri x nobile, Ainsworthi x nobile, 
luteolum x nobile, Freemani x nobile, and nobile X Falconeri. It 
will be seen from this that D. nobile is valued as a seed parent, and 
owing to its vigorous free-flowering habit it is just the type that re¬ 
quires to be increased for all useful purposes. 
Cypripediums have had a large share of attention, and a great 
number of seedlings raised, probably more than of any other genus. 
Some young plants of an interesting and important cross are making 
good progress, and their flowering will be looked for eagerly. These 
were obtained from a cross between C. Sanderianum and C. Veitchi 
(superbiens), but Mr. Cookson informs me that the seed from which they 
were raised was sent him by Captain Vipan, Stibbington Hall, Wansford, 
as at the time the seed parent was fertilised there was not a plant of 
C. Sanderianum in the Oakwood collection. A combination of the dis¬ 
tinct characters in these two species should be remarkable. No less 
than seventy-nine crosses have been made between species in this genus, 
a few of the more notable being as follows :—Parishi x Veitchi, 
Parishi x barbatum, Spicerianum x Haynaldianum, concolor x Box- 
alli, Veitchi x lsevigatum, Lawrencianum X venustum, Boxalli x 
lsevigatum, Lawrencianum x niveum, and Harrisianum x Stonei. 
The Cypripediums are readily crossed, grow quickly, and the success or 
failure of the hybridist’s skill can usually be ascertained in a few years, 
time, though we have seen hybrids that have not flowered until they 
were large plants eight or ten years old. Some of the finest results have, 
however, been secured in this genus, such for instance as the lovely and 
valuable C. Morganiae. It should be added that a plant of Cypripe- 
dium spectabile growing outside at Oakwood had a seed pod swelling at 
the time of my visit which had been fertilised with pollinia from 
C. niveum. Whether it will result in a genuine hybrid is of course un¬ 
certain, but it would be a great step if a union could be effected be¬ 
tween such very distinct groups. 
Cattleyas require a considerable time to rear them from the seedling 
stage to flowering size, and much patience is requisite in those who wish 
to secure additions in this genus. Mr. Cookson has not done so much 
amongst these at present, but he has promising crosses between several 
of the Cattleyas and Ltelias. The most noticeable of these are C. Mendeli 
X Laalia purpurata, L. purpurata X C. Waraeri, L. prsestans x C. 
Dowiana, ditto reversed, C. Triana; x L. harpophylla, C. Lawrenciana 
X Mossiae, L. majalis x C. Mossiae, and C. Mossiae is also employed with 
several other Cattleyas and Lidias. 
Amongst miscellaneous crosses in other genera may be noted one 
between Phaius Wallichi and P. tuberculosus, which was made the 
26th March, 1886, and the seed was sown in October or November of 
the same year. One young plant is now visible, and it may be 
imagined with what care it is watched. Crosses have been made 
between several of the Odontoglossums, and in some cases not only 
has good seed been secured, but plants have also been raised, only, 
however, to die long before flowers could be obtained—seldom, in 
fact, getting beyond the “ infantile ” stage. Zygopetalum Mackayi is 
regarded as a doubtful character by those experienced in these matters ; 
and though crosses are apparently obtained between it and several other 
genera, the results are generally unsatisfactory, the seedlings, if any are 
produced, being simply forms of the Zygopetalum. Mr. Cookson has 
crossed it with different genera, notably with Odontoglossum eordatum 
and Coelogyne cristata, but what will be obtained is as yet uncertain. 
Masdevallia bella has also been crossed with M. tovarensis, and the 
seedlings are now ten months old. 
There is a good general collection of Orchids, healthy plants of many 
fine varieties, in all the leading genera. In the cool house amongst the 
Odontoglossums is that grand variety of O. crispum named Cooksonianum, 
and in the Cattleya house there are also many handsome forms. The 
plants are well grown and evidently receive the best attention at the 
hands of the gardener, Mr. Murray, who takes as much interest in the 
experiments as his employer.— Lewis Castle. 
NOTES ON EUCHARIS CULTURE. 
It would be something like a national calamity in floriculture if 
anything serious were to happen with the successful cultivation of this 
plant. More especially in recent years have losses been met with by its 
cultivators, and various have the ideas been in regnrd to the cause and 
the cure. The Eucharis mite is said to be the cause. Various opinions 
by cultivators exist in respect to the insect, whether it is the cause, or 
the result of an unfavourable condition. There can be no doubt as to 
the result that may be brought about when the Eucharis gets into a 
declining condition. It takes time to cure it; though, like many other 
plants, if they get so low in condition, the question would deserve con¬ 
sideration if they would be worth “ bothering ” with for a cure—whether 
it would not “ pay ” best to start with a new and healthy stock. 
My experience of Eucharis culture extends considerably over twenty 
years. For the last fifteen years or so I may say we have never been 
without some fine flowers in August until this year. Some of the 
specimens have been noted in the gardening press. Frequently we have 
had them with about fifty spikes, and up to over seventy spikes, all in 
flower at the same time, and your readers can imagine what a fine show 
they made. Some years ago 1 had a dread of this Eucharis disease or 
mite, as I knew it appeared with the most skilful cultivators, but luckily 
for a long time we succeeded in being able to say that we were free 
from it. But this year I have not been able to raise a flowering speci¬ 
men of Eucharis in August, and if the question had been asked if we 
were free from this Eucharis mite, I could not freely say that we were. 
I account for them in the following way. I wanted to keep nearly a 
score of plants last winter for flowering at Christmas. The flower spikes 
just coming were-quite visible over a month previously, and I wanted to 
keep them back for the purpose named. To effect this, they were kept so 
long in a cold and damp place, that when brought back to their old 
quarters in the stove the plants were much injured. Some of the edges 
of the leaves and stems were decaying, and on examination with a glass 
I found insects, which was the first time that I could say that I had 
seen a mite on any Eucharis under my own charge. All spring and 
summer I have felt rather vexed at the result. The summer, too, has 
been such a hot one that I applied no shade, as the stove is used for 
