June 23, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
685 
Recently I saw a fine sample of Orchid peat with Mr. 
H. G. Smyth, of 21, Goldsmith Street, Drury Lane, 
and Mr. Benjamin Field has good examples of it and 
other garden requisites at the Anglo-Danish Exhibition. 
In re-arranging the baskets and blocks suspended over 
the roof after cleaning them, care should be taken to 
place as many as possible over the walks, or in other 
positions where they are not directly over the .plants on 
the stages ; and in placing them on the latter, rare ones 
should never be put under a hanging basket .—James 
O'Brien. 
Orchids at Goodrich Court. 
In the houses at Goodrich Court, Ross, there were at 
the time of my visit some Orchids well worth going a 
long distance to see. Laelia purpurata was in splendid 
variety, some of the forms being particularly fine, most 
of the spikes having eight and nine flowers. Cattleyas 
made the finest effect; large healthy plants, with fine 
leaves free from spot, were literally a mass of bloom, 
C. Mossias and C. Mendelii being conspicuously fine. 
A plant of Cypripedium niveum in a 4-in. pot had 
nine spikes with eighteen flowers. Oncidiums, Aerides, 
Saccolabiums, Odontoglossoms, Dendrobiums, and 
Epidendrums made a fine display. Having only a few 
minutes to spare in looking through the collection, 
there was not time to note each variety separately ; but 
in every case the plants proved that they were skilfully 
cultivated, and reflected great credit on Mr. Spencer, 
the head gardener. When the new houses now being 
erected are complete more room can be given to the 
plants, which are now somewhat crowded. Other 
plants are well done, and the fruit is also very good. 
Surrounding the Court itself are some fine Conifers. 
Altogether the place must be a source of pleasure to 
the proprietor, H. C. Moffat, Esq., who is making very 
extensive alterations and improvements. — Visitor. 
The Glasnevin Collection. 
Amongst Orchid collections very few can compare for 
health, vigour, and cleanliness of appearance, with the 
plants in the Glasnevin Botanic Gardens, Dublin. To 
an Orchid grower it is an education in itself to visit 
and note the admirable way in which these Orchids 
are treated. The foliage is healthy and green, and the 
profusion of air-roots still more testifies to their robust 
constitution. For a representative collection, Cattleyas 
were hardly prominent enough. A fine healthy speci¬ 
men of Cattleya Skinneri was in bloom, but C. Mendelii 
and C. Mossiae were prominent by their absence. 
Cypripediums are well represented, and include some 
of the most valuable hybrids. Vandas are also done 
well, and I noticed a very fine form of Sobralia ma- 
crantha in flower. But the gem of the collection was a 
magnificent specimen of Ladia purpurata showing 
several spikes of bloom. It would be impossible to 
find a more splendid variety ; the flower itself was not 
particularly large, the intense crimson-purple of the 
labellum being its most distinguishing feature, and the 
effect of this contrasted with the white sepals and 
petals is indescribable. Amongst white flowers, Cym- 
bidium eburneum was showing well. The despised 
Cypripedium Hookeri appeared to me very attractive, 
and it is a wonder it is not more grown. If it were a 
scarcer plant, or a rare hybrid, no doubt it would be 
held in much higher estimation, but there seems to be 
a tendency to value Orchids more in a monetary sense 
than from an artistic point of view. Commercially 
this may be correct, but the lover of beauty should find 
something to admire in every plant, if not for its 
beauty, for its grotesqueness. A fine variety of Odonto- 
glossum crispum may be, and is, more valuable than 
the star-shaped variety, but each has its distinguish¬ 
ing feature, and there is a great deal to admire in 
even the commonest flower of this class. Again, a 
deep-coloured form of Cattleya Trian® is a more 
splendid object than an ordinary C. Trianae delicata, 
but that should not make us despise the pale variety. 
Each has its separate artistic value, and the one acts 
as a foil to set off the loveliness of its neighbour.— 
Henry To.cy Peck, Blaby. 
Cattleyas from The Woodlands, Streatham. 
Flowers of a fine series of Cattleya Mendelii, which 
Mr. R. H. Measures justly calls the Queen of Cattleyas, 
come from The Woodlands collection. Among them 
the white Mendelii (C. Blumei) compares favourably 
with the white Mossioe (C. Wagneri), of which also a 
fine example is sent. The best rose-petalled form has 
flowers 8 ins. across, and petals 3 ins. wide ; the large 
frilled labellum being purplish crimson with exquisite 
light rose veining, which merges into a rose-coloured 
margin ; two heavy blotches of orange being on the 
side lobes. An extraordinary form of C. Acklandiae, 
with Indian-yellow sepals and petals blotched with 
crimson, also accompany the C. Mendelii, and a noble 
example of the Turneri section of Laelia elegans has 
rich purplish rose sepals and petals, and labellum with 
the tube white, the front portion being richly shaded 
violet-crimson. The lip of this variety more nearly 
approaches that of L. purpurata than any we have 
seen, and we are informed that Laelia purpurata was 
mported as one mass with it, and has since flowered. 
A noble variety indeed ! 
Dendrobium formosum giganteum. 
Towards the end of last season, when a plant at 
Devonhurst, Chiswick, having finished its new growth 
should have gone to rest, it commenced growth afresh. 
Three buds developed, and, of course, could not then 
be checked by drying off the plant; but having been 
allowed to go on, attained a length of 2 ins. or 3 ins., 
with leaves in proportion. The cold of winter ap¬ 
proaching, and the cloudy or sunless weather com¬ 
pletely put a check to growth, so that two sets of 
shoots were produced and matured in one season. The 
short ones are now flowering, or close on the point of 
expansion, and the blooms are about the usual size. 
Masdevallia ionocharis. 
Both foliage and flowers of this species are of moderate 
dimensions, and the plant is easily grown. It conforms 
to the treatment given to cool-house Orchids generally, 
and is now both plentiful and flowering freely in 
Messrs. Hooper & Co.’s Pine Apple Nursery, Maida 
Vale. The flower scapes are about the length of the 
leaves, and therefore much shorter than those of the 
first rank, such as M. Harryana, M. Veitchii, M. ignea, 
and others, all plentiful in the same nursery. The 
flowers themselves are white, with a few large violet 
blotches in the throat, and have been compared to the 
beauty of the Violet, hence the origin of the specific 
name. 
Masdevallia Harryana. 
A large quantity of this useful and decorative species, 
together with several very distinct varieties, are grown 
in the Pine Apple Nursery of Messrs. Hooper & Co., 
Maida Vale. They are just now making excellent 
growth, and are located in a lean-to house where a very 
low temperature is always maintained, and are shaded 
always from sunshine. M. H. Hendersoni is notable 
for the shortness and great proportionate breadth of the 
lateral sepals, which are rose-coloured, with violet 
veins. An equally distinct variety, with lilac-coloured 
flowers and longer sepals, is that named M. H. lilacina, 
a name which literally describes it. In the ordinary 
forms the flowers are all, or mostly all, furnished with 
a white tube, which contrasts strongly with the other 
parts of the perianth. 
Cattleya Sanderiana. 
For the first time in this country, so far as we know, 
a plant of this noble Cattleya now bears a spike of 
seven flowers, and its happy possessor is Mr. De Barry 
Crawshay. A spike bearing the same number was pro¬ 
duced in the Comte de Germiny’s collection in France, 
in 1885, but till now we have not heard of another. 
Mr. Crawshay’s plant bore five flowers in 1886, and six 
last year, and we understand that he will be pleased to 
show it to any one who may call at Rosefield, Seven- 
oaks, any day next week. 
-- 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Royal Botanic, June 20th. 
The second summer exhibition at Regent’s Park took 
place on Wednesday last under very depressing circum¬ 
stances as regards the weather. The large specimens 
of Azaleas were wanting to give colour, as well as to 
form screens on the more important or prominent points 
on the grass terraces. The centre of the tent was well 
occupied, however, by large groups exhibited by 
nurserymen, as well as by the principal collections of 
Orchids, rendering the whole very gay. Considering 
the season the fruit was about an average, though much 
of it was unripe. Mr. Henry James, Castle Nursery, 
Norwood, was awarded the first prize for twelve stove 
and greenhouse plants in flower, and in the amateurs’ 
class for six stove and greenhouse plants, Mr. A. Offer, 
gardener to J. Warren, Esq., Handcross Park, Crawley, 
was the first prize winner, with some fine specimens of 
Statice Butcheri, Dracophyllum gracile, and Erica 
ventricosa coccinea minor. Mr. H. James was again 
successful with six stove and greenhouse plants in 
flower, and Mr. F. J. Hill, gardener to Henry Little, 
Esq., The Barons, Twickenham, had it all his 
own way in the class for twelve exotic Orchids, his 
Vanda teres, Cattleya labiata Warneri, C. Mendelii, C. 
intricata, C. Sanderiana, and Laelia purpurata being 
first-rate. In the open class for a similar number, Mr. 
James Cypher, Cheltenham, took the first prize, 
specially fine being his Dendrobium Falconeri, Cattleya 
Mossiae, C. Mendelii and C. Sanderiana. Mr. Henry 
James was second. In the amateurs’ class, Mr. Hill 
again took the first prize for a collection of Dendrobiums 
and Cypripediums, Mr. James Cypher being first in the 
corresponding class for nurserymen. 
The Pelargoniums of the show and fancy types were 
well flowered, but perhaps not so large as on the last 
occasion. Mr. F. Hill took the first prize in the ama¬ 
teurs’ class, Duchess de Moray, Fortitude, Ruth Little, 
Lady Isabel, and Kingston Beauty being fine. Mr. 
Charles Turner, Slough, had the best fancy Pelargo¬ 
niums, open to nurserymen only, East Lynne, Deli- 
catum, Ellen Beck, and The Shah, being very good. 
Mr. D. Phillips, gardener to R. W. Mann, Esq., Langley 
Broom, Slough, was first for six fancy varieties, and 
second for Zonal Pelargoniums. Mr. F. J. Hill was first 
in the latter class, showing Jules Simon, Mrs. Gordon, 
S. Birkin, and Aglaia. Mr. A. Offer took the first 
prize for exotic F eras, with some large specimens. He 
was also first for fine foliage plants ; Mr. Butler, 
gardener to H. H. Gibbs, Esq., St. Dunstan’s, Regent’s 
Park, being second. In the nurserymen’s class Mr. 
Henry James was first, showing large Palms, Cycas, 
Asparagus, and Dasylirion acrotrichum. Mr. R. 
Butler had the best Palms, followed by Mr. A. Offer. 
A fine group of well-grown tuberous Begonias was 
shown by Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, who 
took the first prize. Mr. A. Offer took the first prize 
for variegated-leaved plants, and was followed by Mr. 
H. Eason, gardener to B. Noakes, Esq., Hope Cottage, 
Highgate. 
Cut flowers of hardy herbaceous plants were finely 
represented by Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, 
Tottenham, who took the first prize. He had Oriental 
and Iceland Poppies, Aquilegias, Campanula glomerata 
dahurica, Lilium eolehicum and others, Paeonies and 
Lychnis ; Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, followed, 
having Dictamnus fraxinella, Tropseolum polyphyllum, 
and others. Mr. P. Perry, gardener to Mrs. Rowlett, 
The Woodlands, Cheshunt, took the first prize for 
twelve varieties of Roses, three trusses of each. In the 
nurserymen’s class for twenty-four varieties, Mr. C. 
Turner took the first award, Messrs. Paul & Son being 
second, and Messrs. Keynes,Williams & Co., Salisbury, 
third. For twelve trusses of yellow Roses, Mr.W. 
Robinson, gardener to Colonel E. D. Lee, Aylesbury, 
was first, while Messrs. Paul & Son were first for twelve 
trusses of any other 'colour, and also first for fine 
scented Roses. Mr. Henry James took the first prize 
for twenty-four trusses of stove and greenhouse flowers. 
Mr. James Douglas, gardener to F. Whitbourn, Esq., 
Great Gearies, Ilford, was first for twelve trusses of 
Orchids. The first prize for a collection of Irises went 
to Messrs. Barr & Son, Covent Garden, who had 
representatives of all the leading bearded Irises, some 
English and Spanish varieties, I. orientalis, and 
others ; Mr. T. S.Ware followed with a good collection. 
Mr. C. Turner was first for show Pelargoniums, and 
Mr. D. Phillips for zonal varieties. 
The miscellaneous groups were both numerous and 
excellent, in fact constituting the greater part of the 
show. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, had a large 
an d interesting group of hardy shrubbery plants, such 
as Acer pal mat um dissectum and other Japan forms, 
A. colchicum rubrum, Weigelia rosea, Looysmanii 
aurea, Daphniphyllum glaucescens, greenhouse hybrid 
Rhododendrons, Elaeagnus pungens variegata, E. 
macrophylla, and many others. A large Bronze Medal 
was awarded to Mr. T. S. Ware for a large and repre¬ 
sentative group of hardy herbaceous plants, including 
Poppies in great variety, Liliums, Lychnis, Aquilegia, 
Ixias, Paeonies, Tropaeolum polyphyllum, &c. A 
Bronze Medal was awarded to Messrs. Barr & Son 
for a similar group, containing Irises, Pyrethrums, 
Hemerocallis, Allium Ostrowskiana, Campanula, &c. 
Messrs. Charles Lee & Son, Hammersmith, had 
some Statice floribunda, and Messrs. W. Balchin 
& Son, Hassocks Nursery, Sussex, had a basket 
of Leschenaultia biloba major and Pyrethrum Jubilee. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons had a group of Begonias in 
the miscellaneous class, J. E. Midson, Mrs. Lye, Mrs. 
B. Wynne, and Dr. Tucker being fine. Messrs. J. 
Peed & Sons, Roupell Park Nursery, showed a fine 
group of Anthurium Scherzerianum, for which they 
were awarded a large Bronze Medal. A group of 
Gloxinias was shown by Mr. H. Eason. Mr. R. Scott, 
gardener to Miss Foster, The Holmes, Regent’s Park, 
was awarded a small Silver Medal for a large group of 
