July 19, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
53 
being retained shows off the blossoms to greater advantage. These 
are each inches across, colour golden yellow with a dark maroon 
blotch on the lip. In the cultivation of this species the chief point 
is to consolidate the growth as it is made. This alone will induce 
it to produce its flowers with any degree of freedom. If the 
growths are not firm, and the leaves fairly thick and of a good 
colour, there will be but few flowers, and a large proportion of 
these will probably be malformed and abortive. A light position 
in the East Indian house with a slight shade at midday is required 
to grow this Orchid satisfactorily. After the flowers are past the 
plants should be hung up in a light airy Peach house or vinery. 
It is not advisable to dry the plants off too rapidly. Lessen the 
supply of water at the roots gradually as the leaves fall, for the 
longer the pseudo-bulbs are kept from shrivelling the stronger they 
break in the spring. As soon as the plants show signs of activity 
they must be top -dressed or repotted if necessary, and returned at 
once to the warmest house. 
Lycaste aromatica. 
The flowers of this species, although small, are so freely pro¬ 
duced as sometimes to almost hide the plants on which they grow. 
As the specific name implies, they are of a powerful aromatic odour. 
Each flower is 2^ inches across, and in colour bright yellow. It is 
very easily grown, either in the cool house or in summer in frames. 
It should be placed in well-drained pots large enough to allow of 
about an inch of compost around the bulbs. This should consist of 
equal parts of peat, loam, fibre, and chopped sphagnum, with a little 
charcoal or potsherds added. High potting or elevating the plants 
on a converse mound is not necessary for this Orchid. Abundance 
of water must be given the plants while growing, and during the 
winter they must not be allowed to get quite dry. L. aromatica is 
a useful Orchid for indoor decoration, as in cool rooms it lasts from 
five to six weeks in good condition, and does not suffer so much as 
many others from the effects of flowering in a dry atmosphere. 
Oncidiuji rubigenum. 
This free flowering and pretty little Oncidium is one of the 
varieties of O. cucullatum. It is quite distinct from the type, how¬ 
ever, having a large, creamy white lip, wavy on the edge, and with 
several large purple spots under the column. O. rubigenum is 
said to grow naturally at a greater altitude than any other Orchid, 
hence it has been called the Orchid of the Clouds. A cool, moist, 
and well ventilated house is the best for this species, and it may 
be grown either in small pots or baskets in a mixture suitable for 
Odontoglossums. Other varieties of O. cucullatum are macro- 
chilum, purpureum, and flavidum. O. Phaltenopsis, recently figured 
in the Journal of Horticulture, is also said to be a variety of this 
species. 
Culture of L^elia purpurata. 
Lmlias and their near allies, Cattleyas, are among the best 
exhibition Orchids we have, and Lgelia purpurata is one of the 
grandest in the genus. This fine old species is probably the 
most gorgeous of all Brazilian Orchids, and when well cultivated 
never fails to excite admiration. A good deal of variation exists 
in the flowers, but though such varieties as Williamsi, Schroderi, 
and a few others are greatly superior to the type, yet the 
commonest kinds are sterling decorative Orchids. L. purpurata 
is moreover one of the easiest Orchids to establish, provided the 
plants are dormant when received, and bear a few healthy leaves. 
Such plants frequently flower on the first set of pseudo-bulbs 
produced under cultivation. 
Newly imported plants that have large heavy pseudo-bulbs, as 
the species under notice, must be very carefully and firmly staked 
when placed in the pots. It is not enough to place a stake in the 
centre of each and loop the bulbs up to this. Each leading 
pseudo-bulb must have a separate stake, and one or more in the 
cent'e of the pot according to size. This will prevent all possi¬ 
bility of rocking, which is most important, as if this species is 
collected at the most suitable time—“i.e., just as the growths are 
matured,” roots will be produced some time in advance of the 
new growth. According as these are encouraged to extend or 
checked by being snapped off or eaten by insects so will the growth 
be strong and healthy or the reverse. The plants should be kept 
well up in the pots, and a very light surfacing of rough open 
material is sufficient for the first year. A shady position in the 
warmest house is the most suitable, and frequent light dewings 
should be given on fine days. 
Established plants thrive best in a temperature suitable for 
Cattleyas—viz, 70° to 75" by day in summer and 60° at night, 
while the minimum for the winter should be 50°. It will be found 
that all large, robust growing plants such as this Laelia do best in 
spacious structures. The atmospheric conditions as to heat and 
moisture are less liable to fluctuation than in smaller houses. The 
plants, moreover, stand farther from the glass, which is an 
additional advantage, as less shading will be required. 
The best time to repot or surface-dress this species is early in 
spring. This will ensure the young roots which are then annually 
produced from the newly matured pseudo-bulbs a fresh and sweet 
compost to run in. Three parts good peat and one of chopped 
sphagnum, with a free admixture of potsherds, will suit it 
admirably. For large plants it is not necessary to shake out all 
the earthy particles of the peat, simply breaking it up into lumps, 
varying in size according to the diameter of the po's used. If the 
leads are kept back as far as possible from the rincs, once in three 
years is often enough to repot large specimens. Smaller plants 
may with advantage be repotted at least once in two years. Clean 
pots, thoroughly drained, must be used. 
Before the flowers fade the new growths will usually be 
starting from the base. These will not as a rule be fully matured 
until the winter is well advanced, so that a long rest is impossible 
with this species. If it can, however, be induced to rest awhile 
after the pseudo-bulbs are matured, the ensuing growths will be 
stronger in consequence. With this as with all other Orchids 
FIG. 8.—VANDA KIMBALLIANA. 
the natural habit of the species must be studied, and a routine of 
growth and rest provided, conforming as nearly as possible to that 
the plants obtain in their own habitat.—H. R. R. 
“The Orchid Growers’ Manual.” 
Last week we had the pleasure of briefly alluding to a masterly 
work on orchidaceous plants, and before the review appeared in 
print another important addition to the literature of Orchids came 
to hand. We refer to that well-known publication, “ The Orchid 
Growers’ Manual,” by the late Mr. B. S. Williams. The seventh 
edition of this popular book has just been issued under the super¬ 
vision of Mr. H. Williams, F.L.S., and in all respects eclipses 
its predecessors. The first edition was published several decades 
ago, and since that period marvellous progress has been made in 
regard to the cultivation of Orchids. In those days they were 
confined to a comparatively few specialists, but now they are the 
recognised plants of the million. Under these circumstances it is 
not a matter of surprise that the literature of Orchids has grown 
simultaneously, until at the present time their history and manage¬ 
ment are probably better known to many horticulturists than that 
of numerous other plants. For this general dissemination of a 
knowledge of the geographical distribution and the culture of 
Orchids growers are, of course, indebted in the first instance to the 
indefatigable collectors, and secondly to those who have laboured 
to give the public an accurate record of the development which has 
of late years been accomplished in this phase of gardening. 
Like many other good books the seventh edition of “The 
Orchid Growers' Manual ” has increased considerably in size, 
and we might add importance, inasmuch as for garden purposes 
it ranks as one of the most useful works that has ever been 
published. For many years the earlier issues of the book under 
notice enjoyed a high reputation among orchidologists, and it 
has been said that not a few growers attribute their success to 
the perusal of its pages. If such has been the case, and we 
have no reason to doubt it, many more persons are now likely 
to benefit by the publication of an enlarged and greatly improved 
edition. The volume before us is a handsome well-bound book 
of nearly 800 pages, and a cursory glance is sufficient to show that 
the revision has been of an exhaustive nature, and carried out 
in an efficient manner. For the most part the original method of 
