THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
9 
| October 3.] 
j the other day by some youths who had seen them when 
; yet younger. One was sure such a thing would just 
j suit them at home, and he could get plenty of turf from 
an old meadow. Another could not get turf, but he had 
plenty of old boards, and be would put them up feather- 
edge-wise, and then bank them round with earth two 
feet thick at bottom and one foot at top ; height at back 
three feet, at front one foot, width of pit five feet; he 
would then put some gravel on the sloping bank, beat 
it firm, cover it with coal-tar, hot, by means of a brush, 
and quickly scatter over it sand, or sawdust. A third 
would make double walls, a foot wide, or at least nine 
inches wide between them, with old boards, and fill in 
the place within the double walls, or rather boards, with 
common earth, or, better still, with sawdust. And then 
they were to try different means of covering—old window 
lights, old tarpauling covers, which they would mend 
and fresh tar, lumber window shutters, square pieces of 
zinc, and glazed calico; with each and every of such 
means they were to do such things as never were done 
before. Whatever others may think, I make it a point 
ever to encourage and never despise small beginnings; 
confident that every instance of even partial success will 
lead to renewed exertions, and that in these there will 
be a present pleasure as well as a future reward. 
R. Fisn. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC ORCHIDACEAl. 
plants that thrive best on blocks (Continued from 
vol. 4, page 382 J. 
Leptot.es bicolor (Two-coloured L.); Brazil.—Sepals 
and petals pure white; lip rose colour. A desirable, 
easily cultivated plant. 21s. 
L. concolor (Self or One-coloured L.); Brazil. Not 
very different from the preceding, excepting it rarely 
grows so strong, and the lip has a much less spot of 
rose colour. 21s. 
Culture. —Though these two small plants will grow 
in a pot, yet the habit of each is to droop ; thus show¬ 
ing the way of cultivation they require, namely, either 
on blocks or in baskets. We prefer blocks, because the 
roots are more easily kept alive through the winter 
than either in baskets or pots. A little moss may be 
fastened to the block w r ith advantage, especially during 
the growing season of spring and summer. 
Odontoghssum Rossii (Ross’s 0.); Mexico.—Sepals 
greenish yellow, spotted with brown; petals white, witli 
purple spots at the base. “The bright white lip lying, 
as it were, in the centre of a rich green, yellow and blue 
star of three points, produces a peculiarly beautiful and 
unusual appearance.’’ This is a very interesting small 
plant, and is easy to cultivate. 31s. (id. 
O. Oervantesii (Cervante’s 0.); Mexico.—Sepals and 
petals white, barred with chocolate; lip white, witli a 
blotch of pale yellow in the centre. 21s. 
O. membranacewn (Veined O.); Guatimala.—Sepals, 
petals, and lip pure white, barred with palo brown ; the 
floral leaves are very transparent, showing the veins 
very prominently; hence its name. 2 Is. 
Culture. —These three Odontoglossums are really 
very pretty orchids, and deserve to be in every collec¬ 
tion, and are worthy of every attention they require. 
They should be fastened to plain blocks; that is, blocks 
without bark, and they do not require any moss. The 
cooler house suits them best, as they come from the 
lofty mountains of Mexico and Guatimala. When they 
are growing, a gentle syringing night and morning will 
be necessary, with plenty of air during the day; but 
when in flower, the blocks had better be taken down 
and dipped in the tepid water in the cistern without 
wetting the flowers. As soon as the bloom is over, the I 
syringing must be resumed till the pseudo bulbs are 
fully formed, when it must be withheld all the winter, 
in dull weather especially, and only resumed during 
j sunny weather, just in sufficient quantity to prevent 
the bulbs from shrinking too much. 
Oncidium BarJcerii (Mr. Barker’s 0.); Mexico.— 
Sepals and petals rich brown, spotted with a darker 
colour. The lip is of a bright clear yellow, measuring 
an inch and a half across, produced on drooping stems 
I a foot long. This is a truly splendid species (scarce). 42s. 
O. bicolor (Two-coloured 0.); South America.—This 
1 very rare plant is one of the most beautiful. Sepals 
| and petals bright yellow, spotted with crimson ; lip very 
j large, white underneath, and of a clear bright yellow on 
j the upper side. It is not purchaseable of florists. 
0. bifolium (Two-leaved 0.); Monte Video.—Sepals 
and petals small and brownish yellow; the lip is very 
largo and of a clear rich yellow, rendering it a desirable 
species. 
O. ciliatum (Fringed 0.); Brazil.—Sepals and petals 
yellow blotched, with red ; labellum yellow, with fringed 
plates. 21s. 
O. concolor (One-coloured O.) ; Organ Mountains.—A 
I singular plant even amongst the most singular. Sepals, 
| petals, and labellum, are a clear pure yellow. Very 
! rare. 84s. 
O. crispum (curled 0.); Organ Mountains.—Sepals 
and petals rich brownish yellow, or rather coppery 
colour; lip the same colour, with a lighter spot in the 
centre. The flowers are produced on upright flower- 
spikes numerously. They are large, measuring three 
inches across. The edges of the sepals and petals are 
curled, hence its name. It is a very beautiful species, 
but there are some varieties not so highly coloured, 
hence not so beautiful. 21s. 
O. Forbesii (Mr. Forbes’s O.); Organ Mountains.— 
This is a truly magnificent species. The sepals, petals, 
and labellum are, on their edges, pale yellow. They are 
broad, and the centre is of a clear scarlet, except the 
eye or throat, which is white, affording a contrast of 
colours that renders it exceedingly attractive and hand¬ 
some. It is nearly allied to O. crispum, but is of a 
stronger habit, and the flowers are, from their contrast 
of colour and form, much handsomer. Unfortunately 
it is very scarce, and we think it a pity that collectors of 
orchids, in their eagerness after novelties, neglect good 
old species that are scarce in this country. We do not 
know of even one plant in any nursery in Britain, con¬ 
sequently we cannot put a value upon it. 
O. iridifolium (Iris-leaved 0.); Mexico.—Sepals and 
petals yellow, streaked with red; labellum of the same 
colour, and streaked similarly, but more intensely in 
the centre. 84s. 
O. longifolium (Long-leaved 0.); Mexico.—Sepals and 
petals yellow, blotched and spotted with brown; lip all 
yellow, except a few spots near the base. Flowers in 
large panicles. The leaves are round like a rush, but 
much thicker, and are sometimes three feet long, hang¬ 
ing down gracefully all round the block. 21s. 
O. lunatum (Crescent-lipped 0.); Demerara.—Sepals 
and petals of a bright orange yellow, spotted irregularly 
with dark brown; the lip is white, with a few pink 
spots. A pretty little species, but scarce. 84s. 
0. pectorale (Stomacher 0.); Brazil.—This choice 
species is very curious and handsome. The sepals and 
petals are bright yellow, thickly spotted, blotched, and 
barred with reddish brown. The lip has at its base a 
number of tubercles curiously arranged and studded 
with little button-like knobs. These give it the appear¬ 
ance of an old-fashioned lady’s stomacher, hence its 
specific name. Very rare. 84s. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.J 
