Jolt 11.] THE COTTAGE 
or earlier if the plant has not bloomed, that the pot 
may be well filled with fresh roots before winter, keeping 
the plants rather close after potting, the same as is done 
with other plants. Top-dressing with rich sod—such 
as equal parts of cow-dung and loam—will, however, 
keep large plants healthy tor years, if the drainage is 
all right. As to knowing when their growth is finished, 
that is a difficult matter, as with proper stimulants the 
most of the flowering kinds would continue to grow on; 
but if heat and moisture were applied to cause them to 
do so, there would be abundance of size, but no flowers. 
To obtain the latter we sacrifice part of the former; and 
after a certain growth has been effected we do not ask 
ourselves whether we should like more, but is there as 
much as we can hope to mature. The hardening, in¬ 
stead of the extending system, should commence, if 
possible, by the middle of August. ( 
Vines .—See a paper of last week, also Mr. Errington s 
able observations; and if that does not suit write again. 
R. Fish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC ORCH1DACE2E. 
plants that require baskets .—( Continued f roin p. 189 J 
Stanhopea guttulata (Small-spotted S.); Guatemala — 
The whole flower is pale yellow, and every part prettily 
spotted with crimson and brown; flowers medium size. 
21s. 
S. insignis (Noble S.); Trinidad.—A handsome species, 
of which there are several varieties. The sepals and 
petals of the original species are pale yellow, spotted 
with purplish red. The lip is nearly white, spotted and 
blotched with dark purple. The varieties are S. insignis 
purpurea, with more purple spots; and S. insignis aurea, 
witli a more golden colour pervading the flowers. All of 
them are delightfully fragrant. 15s. 
S. Martiana (Yon Martius’s S.).—A very distinct and 
beautiful species. The sepals are of a clear transparent 
straw colour, faintly spotted with blood-red spots in 
clusters; the petals white, with large spots of bright 
crimson; the labellum is a clear ivory white. The horns 
of this part of the flower are of great size and strength, 
the extreme end being lengthened out and twisted in a 
most extraordinary manner; no other Stanhopea has 
such appendages. 42s. 
S. oculata (Eyed S.); Mexico and Guatemala.—The 
ground colour is of a beautiful pale yellow, spotted with 
small rings of purple ; at the base of the lip, on each 
side, there are two large eye-liko spots, whence its name. 
Very fragrant. 15s. f 
S. oculata. , variety Barkeriana (Barker’s Eyed S.) ; 
Mexico.—Larger flowers and deeper colours than the 
former species. It is a very desiiable variety. 21s. 
S. quadricornis (Four-horned S.) ; Spanish Main — 
The sepals and petals are deep yellow, spotted with red; 
the lip at its base is rosy crimson, softening into green¬ 
ish white ; the point is clear yellow; the lip has four 
horns of stout substance like ivory. It is deliciously 
fragrant. 21s. 
S. saccata (Bagged S.).—The lower part of the sepals 
and petals is swollen out into an appearance like a bag, 
whence its name. They are pale yellow, regularly 
speckled; at the base, where the bag-like form is, the 
colour is of the most brilliant orange. This is a small 
flowered species, but it blooms profusely. 10s 6d. 
S. tigrina (Tiger-spotted S.); Xalapa and Guate¬ 
mala.—This is the handsomest and largest flowered of 
the whole tribe. The ground colour is red, spotted and 
largely blotched with deep chocolate. I he appearance 
GARDENER. 225 
of the flower is very startling, looking like some mon¬ 
strous animal’s head. The scent, at a little distance, is 
very agreeable. It flowers freely, generally in pairs. | 
21s. . ! 
S. Wardii (Ward’s S.).—This is a handsome species, 
with flowers of a fine yellow produced on long spikes, 
and spotted thinly with rich brown. The lip is of a 
dark blood colour, encircled at the base with a ring of 
bright orange. 21s. 
Culture.— The peculiar manner in which these very 
singular plants produce their flowers, points out the 
necessity of growing them either in baskets or on logs 
of wood. They send their flowers directly downwards, 
frequently through the bottom of the basket. On logs 
they flourish pretty well for a year or two ; but after¬ 
wards, for want of due moisture and support, the pseudo¬ 
bulbs become smaller, and unable to produce flowers so 
large or so numerous ; but in baskets there is such 
a supply of food for the. roots, that they make larger 
pseudo-bulbs, and the number and size of the blooms 
is greatly increased. Shallow baskets are preferable to 
deep ones ; four or five inches deep will be sufficient for 
the largest plants. As the plants grow larger by spread¬ 
ing themselves over a large surface, the propriety of 
enlarging the baskets laterally, every way, is naturally 
pointed out to the attentive cultivator. The centre will, 
in course of time, become barren ot young pseudo-bulbs, 
in which case it will be necessary to cut through the 
rhizoma, or attaching root-stalk, and to remove an old 
bulb or two. TI 10 portions so divided will soon send 
forth new shoots, and so supply more equally, in eveiy 
part, flower-spikes, and thus increase the beauty and 
effect of the plant when in bloom. 
We have already described the kind of baskets we 
consider the best, and also the material to fill them with , 
we will, however, repeat, that the baskets should be 
filled with rough pieces of very fibrous peat, the size of 
each to be in proportion to the size ot the plant. During 
the season of growth they must be plentifully supplied 
with water; and the most effectual way is, by dipping 
the baskets and compost in tepid water until the whole 
mass is thoroughly moistened. As soon as the pseudo 
bulbs are fully grown water must be withheld, and the 
temperature of the house considerably lowered. 
Stanhopeas are very accommodating, they will thrive 
well in either the Indian or Mexican house. In the 
former they will require more moisture than in the 
latter. The greater the heat the greater the moisture, is a 
rule without exception to all kinds of orchids in a grow¬ 
ing state. Great heat without a corresponding increase 
of moisture, both at the root and in the atmosphere ot 
the house, is positively injurious, weakening the plants 
to a great degree. Such of our friends as may possess 
only small plants of this beautiful genus will be glad to 
read the account Mr. Paxton gives, in the Magazine oj 
Botany, of the successful mode he adopted to produce a 
fine plant;— „ „ 
“On the 20th of May, 1837,1 received a very small 
damaged plant of a new Stanhopea. I allowed it to get 
perfectly dry; it was then potted, and placed in a strong 
bottom-heat, with a strong heat above; the plant began 
to grow in about a fortnight, and at the end of July hacl 
perfected a small bulb. The plant was then kept di y J°i 
a fortnight, and was again placed in a strong boJTom- 
heat; and in a temperature never lower than 70", but 
often in the day-time amounting to 90 or 100°. By the 
end of September it had perfected a second bulb, con¬ 
siderably larger than the first. The plant was again 
dried on a hot flue for a fortnight, and then removed to 
a larger pot, and elevated a little above the surface; it 
was again re-plunged into a strong bottom-heat, and by 
the end of December had perfected two more bulbs, 
making four since the commencement. I should here 
observe, that the plant had but one bulb when I received 
