October 15, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
325 
to stand out more prominently than the rest. I was informed they 
were sent down for trial by Mr. Owen. Should they turn out well we 
shall, ere long, see a variety bearing the name W. Tunnington, a name 
which ought to have been honoured long ago.—R. P. R. 
SCHRCEDERIANUM — “ The 
The King of the 
OR, 
Dendrobium Piialtenopsis VAR. 
Elephant Moth Orchid ; ” 
Dendrobiums.” 
Much curiosity has been aroused concerning this Dendrobium, 
of which a large sale is announced to take place at Messrs. 
Protheroe & Morris’s rooms in Cheapside to-morrow (Friday). 
The type has been supposed to be very scarce, and comparatively 
few plants are in cultivation, and, beautiful as these are, they are 
certainly surpassed in size, colouring, and variation by that which 
has been named in compliment to Baron Schroder. Of these, 
Messrs. Sander & Co., St. Albans, have succeeded, after many 
difficulties, in importing a quantity of plants which will make their 
appearance in Cheapside on the day mentioned above. It seems 
that about eighteen months ago a collector reached a small port in 
New Guinea with 400 plants ; but the shin took fire, and every¬ 
thing was lost except the crew and passengers. Another trouble¬ 
some journey became necessary, and as the result of this plants 
have at last been secured iD good condition. 
The collector’s letter relating to his journey is so interesting 
that it is well worthy of reproduction here. 
“ With great pleasure I announce to you the fact that I arrived here 
yesterday with my plants in the finest order, and you will get striking 
novelties at last from this terrible country, and you v»ill have every 
reason to be satisfied. It was the best time to collect the Dendrobe ; 
they had just finished growing, and some were in full b'oom, and oh 
what a glorious thing it is ! I forgot all my troubles when 
I saw the first on some rocks near the huts where I was 
staying, where they grew on the bare limestone between a 
great number of human skulls and bmaes. The natives 
do not bury their dead, but put them in a kind of coffin 
and then place them on these solitary rocks, which stand 
scattered about the shore or beach, and which can be 
reached or got at only at ebb tide. Here in these rocks 
the plants grew most luxuriantly, exposed to the full sun, 
and when the weather is rough they often get the spray 
of the sea water. At first the natives did not like the idea 
of collecting the plants off those rocks ; they were afraid 
the departed, whose bones were bleaching in the sun, would 
resent it, but when they saw the gorgeous handkerchiefs, 
beads, looking glasses, and the brass wire I offered them 
for the plants they did not tr uble themselves any more 
about their ancestors, but boldly went and rooted out every 
plant to be found. However, you need not be afraid, I 
shall send you no bones or skulls with them ; the majority 
of the plants come from places where no bones or such like 
were found. The plants grew chiefly on these solitary 
much-honeycombed limestone rocks, always exposed to the 
sun, or getting only very little shade during a part of the 
day. It also grows on trees in the Ficus groves more 
inland, although very sparingly. I found the big specimens 
on the highest trees in thei dense jungle, where ic is very 
rare, and I only saw a few on the highest trees. I should 
think in cultivation it will require plenty of moisture while 
growing, and culture like D. nobile. 
“ In size and colouring it differs as much from the 
ordinary D. Phalaenopsis as Dendrobium Wardianum doe3 
from D. crassinode ; the largest flowers measured inches 
across, none measuring less than 3.) inches. I saw a few 
plants with branched spikes, but this seems only excess of 
strength ; the spikes are generally from 20 to 35 inches long; on some I 
counted twenty-five flowers ; the colour is very variable, ranging from 
pure white to dark purple-red, and some are differently coloured and 
variegated, but bright and clear. The flowers last a long time, individu¬ 
ally eight weeks, and during my stay of three months I saw many flowers 
in April, May, and June ; and a Dutch trader, one of our party who has 
been here twice, says that he has seen it in flower in July, August, and 
September. It is without doubt the finest Dendrobe in existence, and a 
gorgeous Orchid. I only hope I shall get safely back again, and that the 
plants will arrive in good condition. 
“ Your letter from the 8th of February I have receired, but I see no 
possibility of getting the Dendrobium this year. It is not far from the 
place where the steamship was burnt; the Dutch traders are all away 
now, and 1 cauld not return with them before December. Going by 
myself there would mean endangering my head very much, so I think it 
is better to wait till next year, when I can go with a trading expedi¬ 
tion. The natives are not bad, only somewhat troublesome ; they think 
no more of killing anybody than your cook does of killing a fowl, but 
they would not easily attack a Dutch trading party, knowing how well 
armed they are, especially when one takes a little care not to quarrel 
with them. 
“ One of their idols, the god with golden eyes, I had to place in a case 
to accompany the plants, and take care of them on the journey; the 
savages wanted this, and I did it to satisfy their superstition. They 
always carry these gods into their battles I put all the plants ia 
baskets 1 had made by the natives here, and when all were packed they 
gave a war dance in front of them. I wish my camera had not been lost 
in the shipwreck, and then I could have sent you photographs of the 
extraordinary Dendrobium and the savages.” It may be added that the 
“ Golden-eyed Idol ” forms the first lot at the sale in question. 
Orchid Notes. 
Dendrobiums. —It is not uncommon for these to fail or begin 
gradually to decrease in vigour after they have been established 
for a few years. Newly imported plants that arrive in good 
condition invariably, under suitable treatment, make strong 
vigorous pseudo-bulbs. This is due mainly, if not wholly, to their 
thoroughly ripened condition and the complete season of rest they 
have enjoyed. Decrease in vigour mainly results from insufficiently 
ripening their growths and depriving them of that complete rest 
that is the secret of health and vigour. It is next to impossible to 
ripen these plants thoroughly or rest them sufficiently in the houses 
in which they make their growth ; that is, when they are grown in 
mixed collections. The difficulty is greatly increased when shading 
of a permanent nature is employed instead of blinds that can be 
drawn up and down at will. Such species as D. Wariianum, if 
kept in a close confined atmosphere, no sooner finish lengthening 
their pseudo-bulbs than they start again into growth. Once this 
condition is brought about it is difficult to know exactly how to 
treat the plants. If the new growths issuing from the base are 
cared for, those previously made are imperfectly ripe ned in con¬ 
sequence. This is not all, for the result is a very poor supply of 
flowers. It is unfortunate, perhaps, that the growths that may 
start from the base at this season of the year never attain the same 
strength and size as the previously made ones have done. Growth 
FIG. 66.—DENDROBIUM PHAL.ENOPSIS VAR. SCHRCEDERIANUM. 
made during the dull days of winter can scarcely be expected to be 
so strong as those that start in spring. Frequently when plants 
are allowed to make these second growths they gradually degenerate 
afterwards. 
The treatment to aim at now is to gradually expose all plants 
to light and more air that have their growths in an advanced con¬ 
dition once they have ceased to lengthen and have commenced to 
ripen. This is the only means of preparing them properly for 
enjoying a complete season of rest, which is the secret of health 
and vigour. 
A Warning. —Beginners in the culture of Orchids or those 
taking charge of plants that may be in an unsatisfactory condition 
at their roots must be exceedingly careful in overhauling 
and 
