604 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
!Ma5 r 21, 1887. 
ORCHID NO TES AND GLEANINGS. 
Pescatorea cerina. —In a house devoted to the 
more select of Mr. R. H. Measures’ Orchid pets at the 
Woodlands, Streatham, is a handsome and healthy 
flowering specimen of this rare species. According to 
the newer system of classification, the species of 
Pescatorea, Bollea, Promensea and Warscewiczella are 
all included under Zygopetalum, hut the above men¬ 
tioned Pescatorea is strikingly distinct from the 
racemose types of Zygopetalum, with widely expanded 
or flattened flowers. The specific name is very appro¬ 
priate, from the wax-like, fleshy consistency of the 
flowers, which have a bold and uncommon appearance 
about them. The broad sepals and petals are some¬ 
what incurved and white, while the labellum is more 
decidedly of a soft yellow, with a large and fleshy 
longitudinally ridged crest, striated with brown. The 
latter structure may not inaptly be compared with the 
jaws of some animal. 
The Heaton House Collection. —The Pha- 
Isnopsis here are now well known for their excellence 
and quite exceptional development. Having seen them 
in the dull winter bearing a profusion of gigantic inflo¬ 
rescences of white and richly-coloured blossoms, I was 
anxious to see them when making their new growth ; 
hut I was not prepared to see such rapid progress. 
They are now developing leaves and roots in quite an 
astonishing manner. It would be immensely gratifying 
if our best collections of Orchids could add a houseful 
of such wonderful examples of this grand winter- 
flowering genus. I have no doubt but that Mr. Searing, 
the gardener, is favoured by the suitableness of the 
house in which these plants are grown, and I feel 
equally positive that he has a method of culture not 
generally known, but certainly worth knowing. If all 
Orchid growers could succeed as he does these beautiful 
plants would become immensely popular. Some excep¬ 
tional varieties of Masdevallias, of the “Comet” and 
“ ccerulescens ” section, were full of blossom in the cool 
house. The Odontoglossums were also very fine, one 
specimen producing three enormous spikes from a single 
pseudo-bulb, and many with two spikes, several of 
which were branching, so full of vigour are they. 
In the Cattleya house is a grand display of C. 
Mossine, C. Mendelii, C. Skinnerii and C. Warnerii in 
great variety, and a fine example of C. Sehilleriana, 
bearing five of its handsome and superbly-coloured 
blossoms on one spike. In a corner of the Masdevallia 
house are some ot the best grown plants of Epidendrum 
vitellinum majus I have ever seen ; no more useful or 
beautiful Orchid exists than this, of the same colour, 
and its lasting properties are second to none. Mr. 
Partington must be congratulated on the success he has 
achieved in Orchid growing, many reputably difficult 
species being superbly cultivated. — J. G. 
Ccelog-yne Massangeana.— A specimen grown 
in a basket suspended from the roof of one of the 
Orchid houses at the "Woodlands, Streatham, was 
recently a very conspicuous object, bearing twenty 
flowers on a pendent raceme. The sepals and petals 
are of a pale ochre colour, while the beautifully 
maroon-brown labellum, marked with yellow streaks, 
and fringed at the margin, affords a striking contrast 
to the other parts of the flower. These characters, 
along with the broad Stanhopea-like leaves, constitute 
this one of the most distinct species grown. Mr. 
Measures, who is in a position to know, says that this 
is the only Orchid in his collection which he has 
observed to suffer from the vapour of the Thanatophore 
used in the destruction of insect life. 
Hybrid Odontoglossums. — The so-called 
natural hybrids are now becoming very familiar to 
those who grow cool Orchids or frequently have the 
opportunity of seeing them. Endless forms of these 
Odontoglots appear in the collection of H. M. Pollett, 
Esq., Fernside, Bickley. A very dark form of 0. Mulus 
had the tips of its sepals and petals yellow, with a few 
scattered streaks ; the flower was also notable for its 
size. 0. polyxanthum is somewhat variable as to 
colour, but may be recognised by the great size of the 
cinnamon-brown blotches and its comparatively short 
labellum and small-bilobed crest. The labellum in 
Mr. Pollett’s specimen seemed to he flatter than usual. 
There are various forms of 0. Andersonianum in the 
same collection, and some which are difficult of 
classification under any named form. 
Coryanthes macrantba.— From F. W. Moore, 
Esq., curator of the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, comes 
a very fine and highly-coloured form of the most 
singular of all Orchids. As it hangs in its natural 
position, the flower, when observed from the back of 
the labellum, presents the appearance of the skeleton 
of a man. The upper cup protecting the horn-like dis¬ 
tilling organs resembles the skull, the fleshy corrugations 
under this the vertebral bones of the neck, and below 
this the smooth part corresponds to the chest-bones. 
Singularly enough, part of the skull is furnished with 
short adpressed shining hair. The mesochile is of a 
beautiful deep brownish purple, while the interior of 
the great pitcher is magnificently spotted with purple 
on a creamy white or, in some parts, a yellow ground. 
Accompanying this were some flowers of a Vanda in¬ 
termediate between a typical V. suavis with a white 
ground, and a t} T pical V. tricolor with a yellow ground. 
The sepals and petals were notable for a flush of rose 
on them, and the labellum a rich crimson-purple. 
Monstrous Cattleya Mendelii. —Last year, 
in the collection of R.. H. Measures, Esq., the Wood¬ 
lands, Streatham, a plant of the above Cattleya pro¬ 
duced two lips. The same plant has flowered again 
quite recently, showing a very abnormal state of 
matters in a flower of singular aspect. There are only 
two sepals present posteriorly and anteriorly, and from 
the median position of the latter underneath the 
labellum, it is evident that two normally lateral sepals 
have become fused together by their contiguous edges. 
Half of the labellum is wanting, as if it had been 
sliced through the middle longitudinally. At the 
same time, half of a petal developed in a similar manner 
has become united with the half of the labellum 
present. The latter organ thus presents a very curious 
appearance, inasmuch as its own half proper is coloured 
as in the typical C. Mendelii, while the other half, 
which corresponds to a petal, is coloured like that 
organ. The second petal is normal and free. Alto¬ 
gether, then, one sepal seems absent, half of a petal 
and half of the lip.— J. F. 
Lselia purpurata. —Messrs. F. Sander & Co. 
send us a magnificent spike of the above Lcelia 
bearing three immense flowers, and two had been 
removed. It is from an importation of Messrs. Sander, 
and is the largest and darkest form they have ever 
seen. The sepals and petals are of a warm rose with 
darker lines, and resemble in that respect a good form 
of the L. purpurata Brysiana type. The labellum is 
large, bold, and of a deep rich magenta-crimson, a 
colour which extends nearly to the base of the tube 
externally, where it fades to rose. Internally the tube 
is yellow, with the usual crimson or purple lines, but 
this part is unusually short, and altogether concealed 
in the tube, while all round the orifice the most intense 
crimson pervades the lamina, the pale blotch at the 
being tip unusually small. It was received from the 
collection of R. B. White, Esq., of Arddaroch. 
Odontoglossum. Andersonianum. —While 
this is reckoned as one of the supposed natural hybrids, 
it is enumerated by leading authorities as one of the 
forms of 0. crispum. There are numerous forms in 
the collection of Messrs. Shuttleworth, Carder & Co., 
of 191, Park Road, Clapham, and at present several fine 
varieties are floweringwith great freedom. As to form, it 
seems intermediate between 0. crispum and O.gloriosum, 
with greatly elongated sepals and petals of a pale yellow 
colour, spotted and streaked with chestnut-brown ; the 
lip is narrower than in 0. crispum, and pandurate or 
fiddle-shaped. 
Lycaste pubsscens. — A notable feature in 
Mr. Peacock’s collection of Orchids at Sudbury House, 
Hammersmith, is the number of different species of 
Lycaste that flower from time to time. That under 
notice, although not comparable to L. Skinneri or L. 
jugosa, is still a very distinct Orchid. The leaves are 
very broad, elliptic and ribbed, accompanying the 
flowers. The latter are solitary on the scapes, and 
droop much in the way of Maxillaria venusta. The 
sepals and petals are dull yellow or buff-coloured, while 
the labellum is of a deeper and clearer yellow, and 
fringed at the margin. 
Dendrobium pulcbellum.— The specific name 
of this Dendrobe is rightly applied, for amongst the 
smaller forms—including D. rhodoeentrum, D. trans- 
parens, and similar species—this is, indeed, a gem of 
very small stature, requiring to be grown in a basket 
and hung up near the glass. From its habit of growth 
it requires little house-room, and as it comes from 
Northern India will succeed in a lower temperature 
than that generally given to the East Indian species. 
The flowers are freely produced in lateral clusters from 
the slender stems or pseudo-bulbs of last year. The 
sepals and petals are pink, the latter being finely 
toothed or fringed at the margin. The labellum is 
beautifully and more deeply fringed ; but not so much 
as in D. Devonianum, to a small form of which the 
flower may be compared. The latter organ is also 
deeper tinted than the sepals and petals, with a large 
golden blotch at the base. It has been flowering for 
some time in the Orchid house at Devonhurst, Chiswick. 
Epidendrum falcatum.— This Mexican Orchid, 
which flowers freely in the collection at Sudbuiy House, 
Hammersmith, is synonymous with E. Parkinson- 
ianum, and said also to be synonymous with E. 
aloifolium, although we have seen a form with much 
narrower fleshy leaves, that might, with propriety, be 
considered a variety of the type, and should accordingly 
call it E. f. aloifolium. The form at Sudbury House 
seemed to have its large and conspicuous flowers of a 
purer white than is generally the case. The most 
noticeable feature of the flower is its large deeply three- 
lobed halbert-shaped labellum. This species requires 
the temperature of an intermediate house, and should 
be grown in a basket or pot hung up close to the glass. 
-- 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Royal Botanic. —May 18 lh .—The first summer 
exhibition was held on the above date in the large tent, 
where the plants were very effectively arranged on the 
grassy banks and terraces. Owing to the great bulk 
of the plants consisting of flowering stuff, a lively and 
brilliant display was the result. Azaleas, Roses, 
Orchids, Pelargoniums and New Holland Plants con¬ 
stituted the chief feature of the show, and of these 
some excellent examples of cultivation were staged. 
Mr. James Cypher, Queen’s Road, Cheltenham, was 
first for stove and greenhouse plants, both in the 
collections of twelve and six, Franciscea eximia, 
Erica depressa, Pimelia spectabilis and Acrophyllum ve- 
nosum, were some of his best plants. Mr. Henry James 
followed in both classes, showing Dracophyllum gracile, 
Boronia pinnata, Bougainvillea glabra and others. 
Mr. Chapman, gardener to J. Spode, Esq., IlawkesyarJ 
Park, Rugeley, received the first award for both the 
collection of ten and six stove and greenhouse plants 
respectively in the amateurs’ class. Mr. George 
Wheeler, gardener to Louisa Lady Goldsmid, St. 
John’s Lodge, Regent’s Park, was second for ten 
plants in the same section, while Mr. A. Offer, 
gardener to J. Warren, Esq., was second for six plants. 
In the amateurs’ class for twelve exotic Orchids, Mr. 
F. J. Hill, gardener to H. Little, Esq., received the 
first award, while Mr. James Douglas, gardener to F. 
Whitbourn, Esq., was a good second. Mr. James 
Cypher was first in the nurserymen’s class for twelve 
exotic Orchids, showing some fine Lselia purpurata, 
while Mr. H. James, Castle Nursery, Norwood, was 
second, showing Cattleya Mendelii, Oncidium Mar- 
shallianum and others. Mr. J. Douglas was the only 
exhibitor in the amateurs’ class for twelve exotic 
Orchids, consisting of one plant in a pot. In the 
nurserymen’s class for the same, Mr. J. Cypher was 
first, and Mr. H. James second. 
For nine Roses in pots, nurserymen, Messrs. George 
Jackman k Son, Woking, received the first award, show- 
ingsomefinespecimensof Celine ForestierandLa France; 
Messrs. Paul & Son, The Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, 
were second. In the amateurs’ class for six, Mr. T. 
Lockie, gardener to The Hon. G. 0. Fitzgerald, 
Oakley Court, Windsor, was awarded the first prize, 
while Mr. P. Perry, gardener to W. G. Rowlett, Esq., 
The Woodlands, Cheshunt, was second. Mr. C. 
Turner, Slough, received the first award for twenty 
Roses in 10-in. pots, while Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt, received second. 
For six greenhouse Azaleas, in the amateurs’ class, 
Mr. George Wheeler was first ; while Mr. H. Eason, 
gardener to B. Noakes, Esq., Hope Cottage, Highgate, 
was second. In the nurserymen’s class for the same, 
Mr. C. Turner was awarded first prize for magnificent 
examples ; and Messrs. T. Jackson & Son, Kingston- 
on-Thames, second. For six plants in the amateurs’ 
class Mr. T. Lockie received the first award ; and Mr. 
H. Eason the second. Mr. J. Cypher was awarded the 
