316 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 15, 1887. 
if I tried all the methods suggested I should please 
nobody, lose my Orchids and utterly disgust myself. 
If all the circumstances are taken into consideration, 
rely upon it there are good reasons why one grower’s 
plants do best under one treatment, and why similar 
treatment in other cases is unsuccessful. Like “A. C.,” 
I am only an amateur, and when I find any plant not 
doing well, I endeavour to ascertain the cause and 
afterwards the remedy. If I notice that any particular 
plants thrive best with the use of the syringe I use it. 
I have sought, obtained and benefited by the advice 
of Mr. O’Brien, and am persuaded he is not one of 
those who, finding the use of the syringe successful, 
would condemn it. 
On one occasion I found a batch of Odontoglossum 
Alexandra, which had been growing extremely well at 
one end of the stage, ceasing to make any progress, 
apparently through the atmosphere being too damp. 
We at once discontinued the use of the syringe which 
had been freely used on these, and they went away 
again amazingly. Finding the stage somewhat over¬ 
crowded, I gave them a change of quarters, to a house 
having exactly the same aspect, but more airy, and 
with a lower stage, continuing the same treatment; but 
found they soon had an unhappy look about them, and 
noticing how much drier they appeared to get, I com¬ 
menced to syringe again between the pots and slightly 
over the leaves, and this brought about a better 
result. 
Since then I have noticed that in some positions very 
different treatment must be given to the same plants, 
and I am convinced that if we took more care to arrive 
at the reason why in any one position a plant fails to 
make progress, we should be more often successful. So 
also with syringing ; should this be found beneficial, 
and meet the requirements of the plants in a house, use 
it in a fitting manner on those that obviously derive 
benefit from it; if otherwise, discard it, but do not con¬ 
demn what may not suit at one place, as being unsuit¬ 
able for every other. Circumstances not apparent at 
the first glance may so alter the conditions under which 
the plant is growing, that a very different treatment 
may be found necessary. 
My own opinion is that if there were more genuine 
forbearance and candour in the intercourse between 
growers as to success or failure, it would very much 
benefit all of us.— St. George. 
--XLo- 
ORCHID NOT ES AND GLEANINGS, 
The Orchid-Growers’ Calendar.— Continue 
the repotting of such of the cool-house Orchids as require 
it, as recommended at p. 285, carefully cleaning the 
plants, and the staging intended for their reception, 
before replacing them. It is not necessary to study the 
arrangement of the plants as they are passed over, as 
the whole can be better arranged after the repotting of 
the occupants of the house is finished. Aphides on 
young growths, and especially on pushing flower spikes, 
will now be getting very troublesome, and should be 
carefully sought out and removed by sponging with 
weak tobacco water. The tender buds of Odontoglos- 
sums and the young flower-spikes of Masdevallias are 
especial favourites with these insects, and if allowed to 
occupy them undisturbed, crippled and bad flowers are 
the result; where sponging them off would be likely 
to damage the buds, they should be removed with a 
soft hair pencil. Where the aphis cannot be kept 
down in the above manner, light fumigation for three 
successive nights should be resorted to, but only as a 
last resort, for seldom can fumigation sufficiently strong 
to kill the insects be carried out without injury to some 
of the plants. All resting plants should be carefully 
watched and supplied with sufficient water to keep 
them plump, and such of them as are showing bud 
should be brought on, as required, in a little more heat 
than is given them while inactive. — James O'Brien. 
Orchids at the Cape. —In the western districts 
near Cape Town there is not a single epiphyte, but 
some hundred species, or thereabout, of terrestrial 
Orchids. Amongst them are several with a beard like 
that of Herschelia graminifolia, which is very abundant 
all round this place. It is very variable in the labellum, 
which is sometimes beautifully fringed with long and 
short segments resembling a tassel. Last year we 
discovered another species with a still finer fringed 
labellum, and which Mr. Bolus called Herschelia 
lugens. The beard was like a curled feather, fully 1 in. 
long, and light green. It is also found near Cape 
Town, but we had our specimen from Graham’s Town. 
Plants had not been detected for twenty years pre¬ 
viously, and we have not heard whether they made 
their appearance this year. 
Herschelia lugens differs from H. graminifolia in the 
beard having a mid-rib like a feather, with the plumes 
arranged regularly on each side. Mr. Bolus was invited 
here on New Year’s Day, and he brought with him 
his drawings of Orchids which are being sent home to 
England from time to time. Amongst the species, in 
one little genus of this class of Orchids, is one we call 
Fingers. It has a small solitary flower, and develops 
one leaf only. The labellum, however, is as large 
as a Pansy. The petals are 1 in. broad, and cut up 
into some twenty segments, like the teeth of a comb. 
Amongst Mr. Bolus’ specimens was a new variety about 
the same size as the type ; but the labellum had fewer 
teeth, each of which was terminated by a gland 
resembling a stamen with its anther.— R. Hallack, 
Port Elizabeth. 
Satyriums. —"Would Mr. R. Hallack kindly let 
us know the natural conditions under which the various 
species of Satyrium are found in their native wilds. 
For years I have tried to cultivate such desirable kinds 
as S. carneum, S. cucullatum and S. aureum.but with no 
marked success ; they flourish well enough, but rarely 
produce flowers. They are planted out of doors in a 
bed devoted entirely to hardy Orchids. Lissochilus 
speciosus, of which Mr. Hallack also writes, would seem 
to imitate in manner of growth our Epipactis latifolia. 
This latter plant certainly increases beneath the ground 
until of a flowering size ; and one rarely sees non¬ 
flowering specimens, even where the plants are growing 
by the hundred. Has Mr. Hallack ever noticed the 
Lissochilus minus in flower ? The specimen 6 ft. high 
of this plant found at Conger-Marsh must have been a 
sight when in full flower. What soil suits it best, and 
would it require protection in England ] — A. D. Webster, 
Llandcgai, Bangor, N. Wales. 
Cypripedium calophyllum. —One seldom sees 
this curious Cypripedium, obtained between C. venustum 
and C. barbatum, and in every respect just inter¬ 
mediate between those species. Its flowers are large, 
and the peculiar green and white-striped dorsal sepal 
renders it attractive; its leaves, too, are prettily 
marked. It is in flower at Glasnevin Botanic Garden, 
Dublin, which has a very complete collection of 
Cypripediums, among which C. Leeanum and others 
are also in bloom. In the cold house the rare, distinct 
and showy Masdevallia Mooreana bears its large white 
and purple flowers, and many others are prominently in 
bud.— J. B. 
Orchid Blooms. —Mr. G. W. Dutton, Summer- 
field, Curzon Park, Chester, has obligingly favoured us 
with a small box of Orchid blooms cut from newly 
imported plants, which are flowering for the first time 
in this county. Conspicuous among them were some 
flowers of Odontoglossum Rossii majus. One spike 
bore three flowers of large size, and very brilliantly 
coloured. The sepals were closely and finely blotched 
with dull purple on a white ground, and the petals 
exhibited an unusual number of blotches of the same 
colour. The white labellum was slightly tinted with 
blush, with the usual yellow callus at the base. The 
column was also dark, and altogether the flower was of 
superior merit. Another variety, very similar to this, 
differed in the blotches of the petals, being few and con¬ 
fined to the base, but was also a fine flower. A third 
spike bore three flowers, which, though of small size, 
were characterised by the almost spotless purity of the 
labellum, even including the basal callus. The petals 
were rather small, and the ground-colour of the sepals 
green. A fine large flower of Lycaste Skinneri had 
broad white sepals of great consistency, and white 
petals suffused with pale rose, especially at the base. 
The labellum was densely mottled with deep rose. 
Odontoglossum Cervantesii and Od. 
Rossii majus. —These handsome and neat-growing 
Orchids are well grown in Mr. Win. Gordon’s Orchid 
and Lily Nurseries, Twickenham, in baskets suspended 
within a foot of the glass of the roof in a cool house ; 
a fine lot of each may there be seen in flower or bud, 
and the varieties already open are superb. We note, 
too, that the whole of the general stock is sound and 
of good flowering capacity, and that many difficult 
subjects are in an unusually vigorous condition.— J. B. 
HORTICUL TURAL S OCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural. — Jan. 11th .—There was 
a good attendance of members of the committee at this 
meeting, and for the season there was quite an average 
of interesting subjects exhibited. The main feature of 
the display which was held in the conservatory con¬ 
sisted of a magnificent group of Chinese Primulas, 
exhibited by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, and for which 
they were awarded a Silver Gilt Banksian MedaL 
At the Floral Committee meeting, Mr. T. S. Ware, 
of the Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, exhibited 
specimens, grown in pots, of Primula obconioa, P. 
floribunda, Lachenalia pendula, and some handsomely 
flowered plants of the pure white Narcissus mono- 
phyllus, sometimes known as N. bulbocodium Clusii. 
He also exhibited the curious and distinct Lilywort, 
Korolkowia discolor, with somewhat salver shaped 
flowers, pale brown externally, and yellow internally. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Kent, showed 
two varieties of the Chinese Primula. Queen of the 
Stripes had large white flowers closely spotted, striped 
and blotched in a varying manner with purple. A 
plain-leaved sort with intense red flowers, large well- 
marked yellow eye and imbricating segments, was 
named Jubilee. Mr. R. Clark, Twickenham, showed 
some fine forms of Cyclamen persicum, amongst which 
was an intense crimson, Certificated in 1885 under the 
name of Albert Victor. C. giganteum compactum 
album was noticeable on account of the pure white 
flowers and short peduncles. C. g. Advance had large 
white flowers with purple eye. 
A cut raceme of Odontoglossum brevifolium, bearing 
fifteen deep shining brown flowers, was shown by 
H. M. Pollett, Esq., Fernside, Bickley, Kent. The 
labellum was yellow, with transverse blotches of pale 
brown. A vote of thanks was accorded him. A vote 
of thanks was also accorded to F. G. Tautz, Esq., 
Studley House, Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith, for 
Odontoglossum lucinianum and Cypripedium Marshal- 
lianum. The latter had its foliage marbled with pale 
grey, and the sepals and petals were suffused rosy 
purple, spotted with blood-red, while the pale labellum 
was suffused with purple near the orifice. Mr. F. R. 
Kinghorn, Sheen Nurseries, Richmond, Surrey, ex¬ 
hibited a fine group of Erica hyemalis alba, backed up 
with a line of the normal form. This white variety was 
Certificated in 1882, and its flowers are as freely pro¬ 
duced as in the well-known type. Mr. J. James, 
Woodside, Farnham Royal, Slough, had a vote of 
thanks for an interesting group of Chinese Primulas. 
The flowers were large, well formed, and showed con¬ 
siderable variety of colour. 
Messrs. Charles Smith & Son, Caledonia Nursery, 
Guernsey, showed a late-flowering decorative yellow 
variety of Chrysanthemum, named Guernsey. Mr. 
Chuck, The Gardens, Brodworth Hall, Doncaster, ex¬ 
hibited a box of cut flowers of Azalea, in great variety, 
for which he received a vote of thanks. Messrs. 
Masereel freres, Ghent, had a vote of thanks for an 
exhibit of Orchids, consisting of Pleurothallis sp., 
Restrepia sp, and two varieties of Odontoglossum 
crispum. The Restrepia, which appeared like a form 
of R. elegans, was both curious and pretty; the 
lateral sepals were closely striped with alternate lines 
of deep brown and yellow. Besides those Certificated 
and mentioned in another column, Baron Schroder ex¬ 
hibited cut flowers of Lselia anceps Williamsii, with 
white flowers, having a few purple spots near the base, 
and a medium yellow blotch. The type was also 
shown, together with L. a. Dawsoni, having a darker 
blotch on the lip than L. a. Sanderiana. L. a. Perci- 
valiana, had blush flowers, with darker labellum, and 
L. Triophtlialma was conspicuous from its deep purple 
labellum. Cattleya Percivaliana superba was notable 
for its large, crisped, intensely-coloured labellum. 
At the meeting of the fruit committee, Mr. Roberts, 
Gunnersbury Park, was awarded a Cultural Commenda¬ 
tion for two heavy and very handsome fruits of the 
smooth Cayenne Pine ; and a similar award was made 
to Mr. Norman, of Hatfield, for a fine sample of 
Mushrooms. Mr. Roberts, gardener, Charleville, 
Tullamore, showed bunches of a Grape called White 
Gros Colmar, a seedling from Gros Colmar, crossed with 
Duke of Buceleuch. It has rather loose shouldered 
bunches and smaller berries, and must be shown in 
better condition before it is likely to find much favour. 
Ripe, handsome, orange-shaped fruits of Diospyros kaki 
were sent by Mr. Myles, gardener to General Hutt, 
Appley Towers, Ryde. 
