January 2ii, 1848. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAUE GARDEN Ell 
Cl 
strange formation. In most Orchid flowers, when the sepals and 
petals are not of equal size, the latter are the larger, but in 
D. stratiotes the sepals are four or five times broader than the 
petals, much shorter, and white. The petals, which constitute the 
most curious portion of the flower, are very narrow, ribbon-like, of 
a greenish tint, and regularly twisted in a spiral fashion. The lip is 
three-lobed, the centre one being much the most prominent, ovate 
in form, pure white, with a few deep purple irregular veins, the 
side lobes being marked with a few parallel streaks of a similar 
colour, and lead into a short conical tube or spur. It was intro¬ 
duced to Belgium a year or two since by one of Mr. Linden’s 
collectors in the Sondaic Archipelago. 
la;lia gouldiana. 
At one of the sale rooms recently I saw some plants in flower 
of this new and beautiful Loelia, and though it is a near relative of 
L. autumnalis and L. anceps, it is readily recognised as quite 
distinct when compared with them. Upon the same occasion 
Mr. F. Sander pointed out to me the rare L. Crawshayana and 
rare plant he found to his disgust that a snail had made his break¬ 
fast off the plant—^a most expensive breakfast, many will say. I 
would advise Orchid growers to give the .slow-worm a trial. They 
can be purchased from any dealer in wild animals.— Alexander 
Paterson, M.D. - .j 
CYPBIPEDJUil SANDERIANUil. 
We learn that Mr. William Bull, King's Road, Chelsea, jhas 
lately purchased a plant of Cypripedium Sanderianum for £300, 
and it is said that the same plant was purchased by its recent owner 
a few years ago for 50 guineas. Thit is the largest price recorded 
as having been paid for one Orchid. 
LAILIA ANCEPS BARKERI.^N.L 
By this post I am sending a spray of this beautiful Laelia, which 
my employer, W. H. Watts, Esq., considers a decided advance 
upon the ordinary forms of L. anceps, an opinion upon which I am 
sure you will agree. Still, the various shades of this popular Orchid 
from the richly coloured L. a. Birkeriana to the palest forms are 
not to be despised, and are well worthy of cultivation. If we fake 
Fig. 9.—DENDR0BIU-\I STRATIOTES. 
L. furfuracea, which, with the three named above, form a group 
of five handsome allies, and it afforded a good opportunity of 
comparing them. L. Gouldiana was found in a collection of 
Orchids in the United States during a recent tour there by Mr. 
GodsefP, the representative of the St. Albans firm, and it was very 
properly suggested that it should bear his name, though it was 
ultimately named Lailia Gouldiana in honour of Mr. Jay Gould at 
the desire of Messrs. Siebrecht and Wadley of New York. The 
flowers are remarkable for their deep crimson colour and beautiful 
shape, the petals being very broad and quite rhomboidal in form. 
The colour is uniform throughout the sepals, petals, and lip, but 
there are some slight variations in which the throat of the lip is 
lighter or nearly white. It is a grand winter flowering Orchid, 
and will become a favourite in many collections.— Lewis Castle. 
BRITTLE SNAKE IN THE ORCHID HOUSE. 
The brittle snake (Anguis fragilis, Linn.), or the slow-worm, is 
a native of Britain, common in England, not so common in Scotland. 
When full grown it is about 12 or 13 inches long and generally of a 
dark glossy colour, moves slowly, and has a beautiful snake-like 
head with keen piercing eyes, is perfectly harmless, and can be 
made a pet. I find this snake a grand assistant to the green tree 
frog in the Orchid house, as its principal food is snails. All Orchid 
growers hate snails, as they destroy flower spikes and young p.seudo- 
bulbs. Some years ago a friend of mine purchased a rare Phalse- 
nopsis for 10 guineas. Next morning when he went to look at the 
into consideration the time (midwinter) and freedom of its flower¬ 
ing, simplicity of culture, and price at which it can be procured, 
this Orchid must commend itself to all in possession of a stove or 
intermediate structure.—A. R. Cox. 
[The variety named is well known as a handsome and rare one, 
the flow'ers before us showing the rich colouring admirably.] 
CROPS THAT PAY. 
We seem to have been congratulating ourselves that the good 
old ship of horticulture was making steady but certain progress. 
Upon reflecti >n, I think it may be said we have made a move 
onw'ards ; but neverthele.ss we have been too apathetic, while the 
cultivators of other countries had their eyes turned to the future, 
and patiently plodded on, preparing themselves to supply our 
markets with fruits, flowers, and vegetables. Years of depression 
have not had the stirring effect amongst home cultivatora that we 
might desire, for still foreigners supply our markets with the pro¬ 
duce of the soil in much larger quantities than formerly. Some¬ 
thing seems to be radically wrong, for the impression is firmly 
established that ‘‘ nothing pays.’’ Is the land worse than formerly, 
or is it incapab'e under good and intelligent cultivation of yielding 
the same as it did years ago, or is it that those who cultivate it 
have grown slothful and indifferent ? Not long ago bad seasons 
w'ere to blame, and now explicit reliance seems to be placed on the 
