564 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 7, 1887. 
are now grown, and on all accounts it is 
eminently satisfactory to know that the numbers 
are increasing, and that values are being main- 
tamed. A perusal of the sale catalogue shows 
that all good Orchids—and especially the rare 
and really ornamental ones—still command the 
highest or best prices that they have ever done. 
The run on Cypripediums and specially 
select Cattleyas is remarkable; and with 
regard to the former, it is no exaggeration to 
state that the demand, especially for hybrids, 
is greater than the supply. The highest price 
obtained for any single plant was given for 
Cypripedium Stonei. platytaenium—a specimen 
with four growths, and coming originally from 
Mr. John Day’s collection at Tottenham, where 
it flowered nearly twenty years ago as a chance 
plant amongst an importation by Messrs. Hugh 
Low & Co. This realised 310 guineas, an 
extraordinary price for so small a plant. The 
difference between this variety and the type is 
shown by our illustration, Yol. ii., p. 761. A 
hybrid between C. Stonei and C. superbiens— 
viz., C. Morganias—realised the handsome sum 
of 170 guineas. It was a splendid specimen, 
however, with eleven growths, and just pushing 
up for bloom. A noble specimen of Cypri¬ 
pedium grande—a hybrid between C. Koezlii 
and C. caudatum—realised 65 guineas. This 
was exceeded by C. tesselatum porphyreum, 
a selected and the best variety from hybrid 
seedlings between C. barbatum and C. concolor. 
Horty-two guineas were obtained for a con¬ 
tinental unnamed seedling, a hybrid between 
C. javanicum and C. superbiens; while the 
so-called white caudatum, named C. Wallisii, 
fetched 30 guineas. Other hybrids realised 
prices ranging from 20 to 42 guineas, while 
some of the more common ones were in great 
demand at lower but still very satisfactory 
prices. There can be little doubt that the 
great value attached to these Cypripediums is 
attributable to their scarcity, their hybrid 
origin, slow increase, their extremely orna-' 
mental character, free-flowering habit, and the 
impossibility of flooding the market with them 
so as to bring down their value. 
Next to C. Stonei platytaenium, the highest 
price realised at the sale for a single specimen 
was 190 guineas, given for Cattleya Trianse 
Leeana, a fine specimen with thirteen pseudo¬ 
bulbs, and at present not to be found in any 
other collection. Another specimen, for which 
100 guineas were bid, was not sold. Two 
plants of C. T. Osmanii fetched 60 and 100 
guineas respectively ; while C. T. Dodgsoni sold 
for 75 guineas, and C. T. Dayana 50 guineas. 
Two plants of C. Amesiana realised 65 and 90 
guineas, while a large plant of C. exoniensis, 
with seventeen pseudobulbs, and the best- 
coloured form of that name, was run up to 100 
guineas. C. Skinneri oc-ulata sold for the 
respectable figure of 70 guineas ; and 65 guineas 
were bid for an enormous piece of the typical 
C. Skinneri, grown in a pot, and having 231 
pseuclobulbs with 50 leading shoots, but it 
remained unsold. 
The third highest price obtained at the sale 
was 180 guineas for Laelia bella, a hybrid 
between Laelia purpurata and the autumn¬ 
flowering form of Cattleya labiata. This was a 
small plant bearing only six pseuclobulbs. A 
handsome specimen of Lcelia grandis, supposed 
to be the finest in the country, was sold for 90 
guineas; eighty-six pseudobulbs formed a 
massive-looking piece. A very fine dark- 
coloured variety of Dendrobium Phakenopsis, 
said to be very scarce in the country (while the 
ordinary form is by no means common), realised 
the respectable sum of 50 guineas, although it 
was but a small plant of four pseuclobulbs, 
Avitli a single leading shoot. 
Hot the least important and striking feature 
of the sale cvas the high figure run up for 
several isolated members of genera that are 
pretty frequent in’* gardens, ~and do' r not 
ordinarily command a high price. One of 
these, Saccolabium Harrisonianum, usually 
considered as a white form of S. giganteum, 
Avas knocked docvn at 155 guineas. It recently 
flowered in the DoAA-nside collection, and has 
pure Avhite floAvers. It is groAvn in a large 
basket, and consists of eighteen growths, 
bearing 119 leaves. Its appearance when in 
flower may be better imagined than described. 
Another Avhite-floAvered Saccolabium—viz., S. 
Ileathii—realised 150 guineas. It is a white 
A T arietv of S. Blumei majus, a variable plant 
well knoAvn in gardens in the spotted forms; 
but only a solitary one of the white variety has 
ever been found in its native Avilds, which 
makes it all the more valuable in a collection. 
--H>=£<-- 
Mr. B. S. Williams’ annual Orchid exhibition will 
be opened at the Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper 
Holloway, on Wednesday next. 
The display of Dutch Bulbs ix Hyde Park is now 
at its best, and A r ery good for the season. 
We understand that the promised donations and 
subscriptions to the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund now 
amounts to over £500. 
Mr. E. Trollope, foreman to Mr. Bardney, at 
Norris Green, West Derby, Liverpool, has been engaged 
to succeed Mr. Sanders as gardener at the Firs, Lee, 
Kent. 
The Southavell Horticultural and Cottage 
Garden Society’s Show Avill be held on July 2nd. 
The annual exhibition of the Oxford Rose Society 
will take place in the gardens of Worcester College, 
Oxford, on Tuesday, July 12th. 
We are informed that Mr. Viccars Collyer is now 
in Palestine, on a visit to Mr. Lawrence Oliphant, with 
a view to opening up commercial relations Avith that 
country in connection with Horticulture, &c. 
The annual exhibition of the Taunton Deane 
Horticultural Society takes place on August 11th, 
and, as usual, in Vivary Park. Very handsome prizes 
are offered for t\\ r elve stove and greenhouse plants. 
Mr. R. Dean, of Ealing, read a paper on The 
Florists’ Auricula at the Bedford Park Natural 
History and Gardening Society, on Thursday last 
(28th April). He treated it in a popular and interesting 
way, giving details of its history from the earliest 
records of it in this country doAvn to the present day. 
The paper was illustrated by a large group of plants, 
consisting of exhibition varieties proper, Alpines, as 
Avell as nondescript forms, together with varieties of 
P. Sieboldi and P. ciliata purpurea. 
The Scotsman for April the 29th states that “ it is 
announced that a new and splendid variety of Asparagus 
has been discovered on the Steppes of Akhal-Tekiz.” 
Mr. Barlas, lately gardener at Castle Hill, Egham, 
has been engaged as gardener to -— Mitchell, Esq., 
Undermount, Bonehurch, Isle of Wight. 
The summer show of the Croydon Horticultural 
Society Avill be held on June 29th, in the grounds of 
Brickwood House, Addiscombe Road ; and the Chry¬ 
santhemum show on November 9th. 
Mr. A. Grice, avIio has for a number of years acted 
as manager of the seed business of Mr. T. B. Thomson, 
High Street, Birmingham, is leaving there for Liver¬ 
pool, having engaged himself to the firm of Messrs. 
Blake and Mackenzie, School Lane, to act as traveller, 
and also to take charge of their catalogue department. 
Mr. A. Grice is widely known and greatly respected 
among a large circle of horticulturists ; and with the 
gardening fraternity he has always been highly and 
deservedly popular. He will leave Birmingham amid 
many regrets, and the best wishes of a host of friends. 
We understand that in connection Avitli the special 
appeal now being made in aid of the funds of the 
Gardeners’ Royal Benea t olent Institution, the 
secretary has received promises of the folloAving 
amounts from the noblemen and gentlemen named, 
conditional upon the amount required to meet the 
special expenditure it is proposed to incur being raised: 
—The Duke of Westminster, K.G., £50 ; The Rt. Hon. 
Lord Revelstoke, 25 guineas ; Baron Schroder, 30 
guineas; James Hughes, Esq., 20 guineas ; James 
McIntosh, Esq., SO guineas; Harry J. Veitch, Esq., 
30 guineas ; N. N. Sherwood, Esq., 20 guineas ; Mr. 
W. Gibbs, Bristol, 50s. ; G. Andrews, Esq., Sydney, 5 
guineas ; A Friend, 10 guineas ; E. Kemp, Esq., Birken¬ 
head, 1 guinea ; Mr. R. Jordan, 1 guinea ; and Mr. 
W. Swanborough, 10s. 
-- 
EXHIBITION VERBENAS AT 
SWANLEY. 
Looking over some notes made in and near London, 
last autumn, I came upon the above, and I should like 
to ask why are Verbenas not so largely grown as 
formerly ? There are many reasons why they should 
be grown much more so—one of which is that there 
are magnificent varieties easily and cheaply to be had 
now that would have filled our ancestors with envy. 
No doubt, in some measure, Cactus and Single Dahlias, 
Tuberous Begonias, Orchids, &c., indoors and out, 
have been elbowing them aside, but I am persuaded 
that if those Avho want brilliant flowers for cutting 
and conservatory decoration—and many of the varieties 
are specially suited for the beds or borders of the 
flower garden also—saw the large 100 ft. Verbena 
house at Mr. Cannell’s at Swanley, containing betAveen 
eighty and ninety distinct varieties, and some thousand 
plants during the three months blooming period, they 
Avould never be without some of its contents. 
Now as this is an excellent time to procure plants to 
make or add to a collection, I am tempted to draw 
your readers’ attention to this old favourite, which I am 
sorry to say I rarely see referred to in the gardening 
journals (and I get almost all published). Mr. Cannell's 
firm has done much for the Verbena, and will evidently 
do more, as in walking through the house I noticed 
many novelties, including semi-doubles, fertilised and 
hybridised with the vieAv of securing some distinctive 
desirable feature ; but at present it would probably be 
of more practical interest to briefly say something of 
the most suitable soil to grow them in, the method of 
treatment, and the varieties that caught my eye as 
either nevv or distinct. 
Soil. —Nothing better than a porous yellow loam 
Avitli some fibre running through ; old grass sods, rotten, 
yield this, but good results are often attained from 
ordinary soil, Avith some rotten manure and sand, 
broken and mixed up together similar to that made 
up for Chrysanthemums. 
Treatment. —Seedlings cannot be depended upon to 
give anything like the magnificent trusses and distinct 
varieties of named sorts. Procure healthy strong 
plants now, and pot according to size, and put in a 
close pit or frame until root-action commences ; they 
cannot then have too much sunlight and air. Chills 
from very cold or hard wafer, or draughts of a frosty 
April ot May morning conduce to, if not directly pro¬ 
duce, their great enemy—mildew. Sulphur dusted 
under and over the leaves will banish this if it appears. 
As I mentioned Chrysanthemums above, I may here 
say, like that fine flower, Verbenas cannot be too well 
fed. 
Varieties. —I only had time to note a dozen out 
of seven times that number, but purchasers can readily 
see the Floral Guide : —Lord Brooke, scarlet-crimson, 
Avhite eye ; Lilacina, curious, dark lilac-mauve ; Alba 
magnifica; Acquisition, large rosy trusses ; Fairy Queen, 
white, with yelloAV and pink circle ; Rosy Morn ; Blue 
Boy, distinct; Madame Vanaur ; Imperatrice, striped ; 
Uraine ; Regalia and purpurea—all good and distinct. 
— IF. J. Murphy, Clonmel. 
-->x<-- 
MR. BULLS ORCHID SHOW. 
While Orchid connoisseurs tvere assembling at 
DoAvnside, Leatherhead, on Tuesday last, to assist at 
the dispersion of what may be called an overflow col¬ 
lection of valuable species and varieties from Mr. 
William Lee’s famous collection, another class of 
admirers Avere wending their way Chelsea-wards, the 
magnetic attraction being Mr. William Bull’s mag¬ 
nificent display of Orchids in flower. This is now an 
established item in the calendar of annual fashionable 
events, and is looked forward to by many with as 
much interest as the opening of the Royal Academy or 
Grosvenor Gallery. Unfortunately the weather on the 
opening day was of a most unpropitious character, and 
kept many away, but happily had no effect on the 
exhibition itself. Ample provision had been made 
beforehand for securing the success of that, as a dis¬ 
play of Orehidic Avealth and beauty. 
The show house, as before, is tilled to repletion Avith 
