September 5, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
IB 
known of its peculiarities than of some of the others, it 
will be well to begin with it. It was one of Skinner s 
first introductions from Guatemala, and was sent by 
him with the flowers described as large and of the shape 
of that of our illustration. On flowers, however, much 
disappointment was experienced by the plants producing 
long arching spikes of closely-arranged, small flowers. 
Mr. Skinner was advised of the fact, and he could give 
no explanation ; but on several occasions forwarded 
fresh specimens, which, however, only produced the 
small flowers as before. At last, in the Knypersley 
collection, a plant flowered 'with a magnificent dense 
inflorescence of violet-coloured flowers, in size and ap¬ 
pearance like those of Odontoglossum Edwardii, but 
with a wonderful long-stalked lip expanding at the tip 
into a wheel-like form, with projections like the ten¬ 
tacles of a Zoophyte. This variety was called C. 
Egertonianum, but even while the small-flowered form 
was yet in bloom, on the same pseudobulb appeared a 
twin-flowered spike of the large-flowered C. ventricosum. 
The plant is admirably figured in Bateman’s gigantic 
work, The Orchidacea _of Mexico and Guatemala. In 
1842, E. S. Holford, Esq., of Westonbirt, flowered a 
plant of C. ventricosum, with a long, loose spike of the 
large flowers of the form of that illustrated, and the 
small ones, which had been named Egertonianum, 
mixed, and still further adding to the complications by 
exhibiting flowers in various grades intermediate 
between the two extreme forms. It will therefore be 
seen that any of the Cycnoches may produce three dis¬ 
tinct arrangements of flowers on the same pseudobulb, 
and that the widely different flowers named C. ventri¬ 
cosum and C. Egertonianum are but flowers of one 
and the same plant. I strongly suspect, too, that some 
of the others distinguished as species are but local 
varieties of either C. ventricosum or C. Loddigesii, 
which form two principal species. The large flowers 
are supposed to be the female and the small ones the 
male. 
C. ventricosum (Egertonianum) viridis is a pale 
green-flowered form of the preceding. This has been 
called C. stelliferum. 
C. chlorochilon (see illustration) appears to me to 
be the finest form of the ventricosum section, producing 
several of its large, wax-like, - yellowish white flowers 
on a spike. The lip is yellow with white at the base, 
and a peculiar dark green blotch in the centre. The 
swan neck which suggested the name for the Cyc¬ 
noches, is well exhibited in this species, which also 
resembles the form of the swan in several of its 
stages, the buds being remarkably like one with its 
wings closed, and the half-open flowers remind one of 
a swan with its wings expanded and its neck arched. 
What the other forms of this plant may be I cannot 
say, but we may hope to see them soon, for a few plants 
of it have recently been got over alive. 
C. aureum is like C. chlorochilon, but with rather 
smaller flowers of a yellower tint. 
C. Warscewiczii. —This is much like C. ventricosum 
viridis, its small flowered spikes producing greenish 
yellow blooms, with the usual star-like arrangement on 
the stalked labellum, and the fewer-flowered upright 
spikes of flowers as in C. ventricosum. I have also seen 
it with a spike of mixed flowers, as described in the case 
of Mr. Holford’s plant of the Egerton variety. 
C. Loddigesii. —This commences the showy-coloured 
varieties. It was sent by Mr. Lance from Surinam to 
Messrs. Loddiges in 1830, and flowered with them in 
1832. The forms which I have seen produce from two to 
five flowers on an upright spike, in form like our illustra¬ 
tion, but rather more slender, arranging themselves lip 
uppermost, as usual with the genus. The sepals and 
petals are yellow, mottled and barred with brownish 
crimson ; the column purple with green at the tip ; the 
lip white spotted with purple and tipped with green. 
It is fragrant like most of the other species. 
C. MACULATUM has much the same appearance as 
C. Loddigesii, but the flowers I have seen are duller in 
tint and rather smaller. The sepals and petals are dull 
yellow barred ; with brown and the lip has a curious 
comb-like fringe at the point. 
C. PENTADACTYLON.— This might be regarded as a 
form of C. maculatum were it not for the curious ar¬ 
rangement of the lip. The sepals and petals are 
greenish yellow barred with brown ; the- lip is slender, 
elongated, with fine finger-like lobes and white in the 
middle, yellow spotted with red at the tip, which is 
like a tongue. 
C. barbatum forms a distinct dwarf species, its 
flowers (those we have seen) being very much like 
those of a Gongora ; indeed, were it not for the long 
column, and one or two other peculiarities of Cycnoches, 
it would certainly pass for one. It flowered many 
years ago with Mrs. Lawrence, of Ealing Park, and is 
still very rare. Flowers produced twenty to thirty on 
a drooping raceme. Sepals and petals yellow, spotted 
with brownish red ; lip white and yellow spotted with 
crimson and clothed on the upper side with long hair¬ 
like protuberances ; column slender, green tipped with 
purple. A most singular and showy plant; a native 
of Costa Eica— James O'Brien. 
( To be continued.) 
Renanthera coccinea. —We learn from a letter 
dated June 25th, received from a son of Dr. Wallace, 
of Colchester, that this fine Orchid has this season 
been in flower from two to three months in the garden 
of T. Jackson, Esq., St. John’s Place, Hong Kong, on 
the verandah steps, where the plants are left, summer 
and winter, in the open air. A photograph of the 
plants before us shows them to be fine specimens 
and we regret that it is not quite clear enough for 
engraving. 
-—>e£<--- 
HORTICUL TURAL SOCIETIES. 
Sandy and District Floral and Horticul¬ 
tural. —The seventeenth annual show of this society 
was held on Friday, the 28th ult., in the park of Sandy 
Place. A more suitable place for a flower show could 
not be found, and the committee are greatly indebted 
to the owner, J. N. Foster, Esq., for his kindness in 
always lending his grounds for the occasion. Sandy 
si a very large and populous parish, situated just 
over forty miles from London on the main line of the 
Great Northern Eailway. The London and North- 
Western also runs into Sandy, having a station adjoining 
that of the Great Northern Eailway since; these two 
railways have come into Sandy they have added much 
to its importance, giving easy facility for sending the 
staple products of the neighbourhood (principally 
market garden produce) to the London markets and 
manufacturing districts. 
On entering the show grounds from the Great 
Northern Eailway Station, distant about three minutes’ 
walk, one was surprised to witness the number of tents 
(no less than eleven in number, and some of large 
dimensions) required to receive the various productions 
of the vegetable and animal kingdom, for on looking 
through the schedule we observed that there were 
prizes offered for plants, fruit, cut flowers, poultry, 
rabbits, cage birds, corn, roots, &c., there being no less 
than 255 classes in which exhibitors could compete, 
and in these classes there were no less than 2,300 
entries. 
In Division A, open to all England, ten stove and 
greenhouse plants in flower, Mr. Jas. Cypher was an 
easy first, his ten consisting of the following:—• 
Phoenocoma prolifera Barnesii, between four and five 
feet in diameter, one of the best plants that has ever 
been exhibited at any of the Society’s shows, Statice 
profusa, Erica retorta major, Erica Irby ana, Erica 
obvata purpurea, Ehododendron Duchess of Edinburgh, 
Ixora Pilgrimii, Clerodendron Balfourianum, Bougain¬ 
villea glabra, and Allamanda nobilis. The second 
prize was awarded to Lieut. -Gen. Pearson, The Hasells, 
Sandy, gardener Mr. W. Babbitt, and the third to 
Mr. J. F. Mould, Pewsey, Wilts. With twelve Zonal 
Pelargoniums, distinct, there were only two competitors, 
Mr. Babbitt and J. H. Goodjames, Esq., Eynesbury, 
St. Neots, gardener Mr. G. Eedman, who secured the 
prizes in the order named. In the class for 48 Eoses, 
not less than 24 varieties, four exhibitors came forward, 
each showing up very creditably for the time of year 
and the season they have had to contend with. Mr. 
John House, Peterboro’, was first, Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt, second, and Mr. George Prince, Oxford, 
third, Messrs. Burrall & Co., of Cambridge, running 
the latter very close for that place. For 24 spikes of 
Gladioli, distinct, Messrs. Burrell & Co., Cambridge, 
who staged a magnificent stand, which was much ad¬ 
mired, well deserved the first honours awarded them. 
24 Dahlias, show, A. J. Thornhill, Esq., M.P., 
Diddington, Huntingdon, gardener Mr. E. Petfield, 
was a very easy first, every one of his flowers being first- 
class ; Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, second, and Mr. 
Jas. House, third. 
In Division B the competition was not nearly so 
keen, only one lot of six flowering plants being staged ; 
but they well deserved the first award which was placed 
on them. The exhibitor was Mr. G. Eedman, who is 
the most successful competitor in this neighbourhood, 
taking more prizes at the St. Neots and Sandy shows 
than any other exhibitor. His six plants consisted of 
Statice profusa, four feet in diameter, fresh and good, 
a magnificently-bloomed plant of Bougainvillea glabra, 
Ixora Javanica floribunda, Stephanotis floribunda, 
Dipladenia insignis, and Justicia camea. Of foliage 
plants there were only two collections, the first prize 
going to a very nice collection from J. H. Astell, Esq., 
Woodbury Hall, Sandy, gardener Mr. G. Claydon ; 
second prize Mr. W. Babbitt. There were also only 
two lots of six Begonias, and the first prize was awarded 
to Mr. W. H. Apthorpe, Cambridge, whose plants were 
first rate and much admired. Ferns were well repre¬ 
sented, and Mr. T. Tilbrook, gardener to Bateman 
Brown, Esq., Houghton, Hutingdon) was first, amongst 
his collection being Adiantum Williamsii, very good, 
also Adiantum concinium, Adiantum concinium latum, 
&c. 
In the tent for cut flowers, which, owing to its 
crowded state, it was rather difficult to take notes in, 
Eoses were poorly represented, there being only two 
exhibitions of 24 blooms^ Dahlias : Here, again, Mr. 
E. Petfield carried all before him, both in show and 
fancy, his flowers being grand and causing quite a 
sensation. We may state that he is quite the champion 
at Dahlia-growing in this part of the country. Asters, 
Zinnias, and Marigolds were not so good as in former 
years, which may be accounted for by the long drought 
which they have had to withstand. For 12 varieties 
of cut flowers, in separate bunches, Mr. G. Eedman 
had a superb stand, taking first prize. Amongst his 
best bunches were Lapageria rosea, Dipladenia profusa, 
Allamanda Hendersoni, Anthurium Scherzerianum, &c. 
Mr. T. Smith, gardener to Miss Cheeie, Papworth 
Hall, St. Ive’s, was second. There was a magnificent 
stand of cut blooms of Single and one of Double 
Begonias from Mr. Edward Edwards, of Leighton 
Buzzard, Beds, showing to what perfection these flowers 
have attained, the single ones being of various colours, 
and very large ; the doubles, many of the blooms equal 
to flowers of the Camellia-flowered Balsams, and of 
many shades of colour. They were very rightly highly 
commended by the judges. 
Fruit was better in quality and shown in greater 
quantity than we ever remember seeing before at any 
of the Society’s previous meetings. Baskets of fruit, 
eight varieties, were strongly represented. Mr. G. E. 
Allis, gardener to Major Shuttleworth, Old Warden, 
Biggleswade, secured the first prize with good samples 
of Black and White Grapes, Melon, Peaches, Nectarines, 
Figs, Cherries, and Apricots. Mr. Tilbrook was a very 
close second. Two bunches Black Hamburg Grapes : 
first, Mr. W. H. Murfin, Great Staughton, St. Neots. 
Two bunches Black Grapes, any other variety : first, 
Mr. Tilbrook, with two superb bunches of Gros Moroc, 
highly coloured and well finished. Two bunches of 
Muscat of Alexandria: first, Mr. Tilbrook. Two 
bunches of White Grapes, any other variety : first, 
Mr. G. E. Allis, with Buckland Sweetwater. All other 
kinds of fruit were well represented, and the Plums, 
Pears, and Apples were especially good. 
Vegetables. —Not quite so large a quantity as we 
have seen in former years, but in quality very good, 
the collections of 12 varieties of vegetables being ex¬ 
ceedingly good. Mr. Ellis, of Bedford, secured the 
first prize. For a collection of Potatos, six sorts, Mr. 
Arthur, gardener to P. Meyer, Esq., Orwell, Eoyston, 
was first, with splendid tubers of Beading Eusset, The 
Dean, Chancellor, Schoolmaster, Prime Minister, and 
Mr. Breesee, Mr. Carter, gardener to Capt. Duneombe, 
Waresley Park,. St. Neots, having a very nice lot for 
the second prize. Potatos were admirably shown in all 
classes, Schoolmaster amongst the round whites, and 
Beading Eusset and The Dean being especially good ; 
the latter was spoken very highly of. Onions were 
very good for the season, and considering the locality 
in which the show is held, it was not surprising that 
they were extensively exhibited. Here the same 
exhibitor who took the leading prizes with Grapes was 
also a long way ahead of his rivals, taking first pi ize 
with 12 White Spanish, a long way the best we have 
seen this season ; also first for 12 White Glob?s with 
remarkably fine specimens. It was labelled “Anew 
