44(5 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f May 29, 1890. 
Phaius iiybridus Cooksoni. 
Mr. Norman Cookson, Oakwood, Wylam-on-Tyne, has been 
a most successful raiser of seedling Orchids, and few amateurs 
have given the same attention to the hybridisation of Orchids as he. 
I well remember with what astonishment I inspected the large 
collection of seedlings at Oakwood a few years ago, when the 
majority were in their infancy. Many have now been added to 
these, and the result is that about 15,000 seedling plants, chiefly of 
Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, and Cypripediums, are grown in the collec¬ 
tion. Some of these have reached a flowering size, and every year 
novelties unfold their attractions and become famous in the Orchid 
world. The crossing has been most carefully conducted, and the 
experiments undertaken were diversified in the extreme, and the 
results even up to the present prove what can be accomplished by 
careful thought and action. 
Phaius hybridus Cooksoni was obtained by crossing Phaius 
Wallichianum, a well grown tall growing species, with P. tuber- 
culosus, a remarkable Orchid, which though not so familiar an 
occupant of our gardens, is yet so distinct in floral form and 
colouring that it has attracted much attention. The flower of 
P. Wallichi was fertilised on March 26th, 1887, the fruit ripened 
slowly, and the seed was sown on December 12th of the same year. 
In the season of 1888 the first pseudo-bulb and growth were formed, 
in 1889 a second pseudo-bulb was produced, and from this came 
the spike wh'ch expanded early in the spring of the present year. 
Mr. Cookson writes as follows respecting the hybrid—“ About 
half the plants have flowered, and the remainder will flower next 
year on the third pseudo-bulb, but of course they will be stronger, 
and consequently better. I have again crossed P. Cooksoni with 
P. tuberculosus so as to intensify the characteristics of the last 
named, and yet hope to retain the wonderful robustness of P. 
Cooksoni.” 
The hybrid presents a most interesting combination of the 
characters of the two parents. It is stronger in habit than 
P. tuberculosus, but much less so than P. Wallichi, while the 
flowers present a peculiar combination of colours. The lip is of a 
purplish bronze tint, quite unique ; the sepals and petals also are 
tinted with pink, and have a brownish suffusion, evidently obtained 
from P. Wallichi. The plant was shown and certificated by the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Orchid Committee on March 11th of 
the present year, and it has been placed in the hands of Messrs. 
F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, for distribution. 
Dendrobium Ainsworthi. 
The engraving on the preceding page is from a photograph 
supplied to us by Mr. John Wilson, gardener to J. E. Reynolds, Esq., 
Sandfield Park, West Derby, Liverpool. The plant was purchased 
in 1882 from Mr. B. S. Williams, and had then two small pseudo¬ 
bulbs 4 inches long. This year it was 3 feet in diameter, with 
sixteen leads, varying in length from 2 feet to 2^ feet, and pro¬ 
duced 457 flowers. The plant has been grown in a small stove, 
having a temperature of about 70° to 85° in the summer months. 
Diluted cow manure was given when the young growths were about 
a foot long, and the plant was eventually placed in a late vinery to 
ripen, remaining there until flower buds appeared in the spring. It 
has recently been transferred from its 14-inch square basket to an 
18-inch pot, and is promising well for another year, some of the 
twenty-two young growths being now 2 feet long. It is an 
admirably grown specimen, and both Mr. Reynolds and his gar¬ 
dener have reason to be satisfied with the results achieved. 
Mr. S.mee’s Orchids. 
Mr. Smee’s garden at Hackbridge, near Wallington, is very 
delightful at this season of the year by its Fern dells, embowered 
streams, and wealth of flowering shrubs. The glass structures are 
also rich in many fine forms of Orchids. The Cattleya house, 
36 by 18 feet, probably contains a choicer assortment of C. Mossim 
varieties than can be seen in the same space elsewhere, and the 
flowers are remarkable by their substance and brightness. Mrs. 
Smee’s variety with twenty-one handsome flowers is very beautiful, 
as is C. M. Rothschildianum with thirteen. The varieties South- 
gate! and Reineckiana are very rich, and some unnamed forms 
of recent importations highly meritorious. Some of the stronger 
plants produced four flowers on a stem, and C. Mendeli five. A 
recently acquired form of this is of striking excellence. C. Schroe- 
derse attracts by its beauty and fragrance. It is esteemed as a 
long-lasting flower, and a welcome link between the Trianses 
and Mossims. About sixty plants are flowering in the house, and 
nothing approaching an inferior variety can be found among 
them. 
In other houses are several plants of Odontoglossum Alexandra! 
bearing flowers of unusual substance. One handsome spike was 
worn by Mrs. Smee at two flower exhausting evening parties in 
London, then kept fresh another week in her drawing room. This 
is the effect of good management under cool treatment. In the 
same house several plants of the beautiful waxy yellow Cattleya 
citrina are in the best of condition, one having two flowers on a 
stem. Fix the plants as you may, the growths and flowers will turn 
directly downwards, or perish in the attempt. The plants are 
mostly on blocks, but the best is in a saucer. Masdevallias are in 
force, M. rosea being very floriferous and attractive, as are 
varieties of M. conchiflora, M. Harryana, and others, with such 
curios as M. Chimaera and the miniature M. Simula. In a long, 
unconventional, and very enjoyable house, half occupied with 
luxuriant Ferns, is a pleasing association of Orchids, including many 
Cypripediums, and the not common Ornithocephalus grandiflorus, 
the flowers of which have been two months in opening ; the Frog 
Orchid, Oncidium raniferum, covered with flower, and Odonto¬ 
glossum Pescatorei magnificum, bought at the Temple Show last 
year, and worthy of its distinctive appellation. 
The mention of the Temple Show reminds that Mr. Sniee 
could have sent a larger and even a better assortment of Orchids 
than ho furnished last year, but instead of doing so he kept them 
at home to be enjoyed by visitors to his garden, which was open 
free to the public for a week, commencing on the opening day of 
the Exhibition. When the privilege has been previously accorded, 
8000 persons have availed themselves of it in the course of the 
week, and Mr. Gr. W. Cummins, the gardener, is not in the habit of 
keeping the collecting boxes of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund out 
of sight on these occasions. 
MIGNONETTE IN WINTER. 
A GOOD supply of Mignonette, either for cutting or to produce 
a display in a growing state during the months of January, 
February, and March, is much appreciated. The perfume seems 
more powerful at that time than during the summer months 
from plants growing out of doors in the borders. The most 
common method of cultivating Mignonette to flower during the 
winter and early spring months is by sowing several seeds in 4 and 
6-inch pots in the month of August. This results in handsome 
little plants, suitable for vase decoration or for furnishing the side 
stages of the conservatory. Such a method is not the best for 
producing a large quantity of flowers for cutting. For some years^ 
I have practised what I consider a much better plan for ensuring 
a larger number of spikes in the same extent of space and with % 
minimum of trouble. 
We grow the plants singly, in pots varying in size from 6 inches 
to 10 inches, inside measurement. From one plant in the latter 
size we had at one time 200 fully expanded spikes, the plant 
measuring 2 feet in diameter and nearly as much in height. Plants 
growing in 6-inch or 8-inch pots, although useful, do not produce- 
nearly such fine spikes. The foliage, too, is smaller, and if the 
plants are allowed to become dry at the roots they quickly assume 
a pale colour which spoils their appearance. It is indeed surprising 
the difference in the size and quality of the spikes grown from 
large pots compared with those from plants in a smaller size. The 
seed is sown from the middle to the end of May in sandy soil in 
2^-inch pots (thumbs), two or three seeds in each. The pots are stood 
in a cold frame placed on the north side of a wall, where the trouble 
of shading the frame is dispensed with. The soil in the pots does 
not dry nearly so quick either as it would if the sun could shine 
upon the frame, even if it were shaded with mats. Directly the 
seedlings can be handled all are drawn out but the strongest, and 
when this is 3 inches high the point of growth is removed to induce 
side branches to form and lay the foundation of the future bush. 
When the pots are full of roots the plants are shifted into larger ; 
4-inch are best when the largest size (10-inch) are intended for 
flowering the plants in. From the 4-inch they go into 7-inch pots, 
and then into the final size. For the first shift the compost con¬ 
sists of two parts loam to one of leaf mould, with a free admixture 
of sharp coarse sand. The plant is supported by a neat stake, and 
as the side branches grow they are tied out to induce strength 
and prevent crowding. After each growth of 3 inches the points 
of the shoots are pinched out until it is time to allow the flower 
spikes to advance. This is varied so as to secure a succession. 
Six weeks are allowed from the time of the last pinching of the 
shoots until the plants are in flower. 
'The compost for the final shift is composed of three parts 
fibrous loam, one of partly decayed horse manure, half a part 
leaves, with a light sprinkling of bone meal or dissolved bones, and 
plenty of coarse silver sand if the loam is inclined to be heavy. 
Press the soil into the pots firmly, but not too tight; allow ample 
space for water, as abundance is required at the roots when growth 
is active. Continue to spread out the branches as fast as they 
grow, so that each obtains a share of light and air ; vigorously 
