January 24, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
333 
catalogues, &c., were very heavy. And aside from all 
this, the hall could not be secured until the season was 
nearly two weeks too late for Chrysanthemums, and 
Orchids were not yet in full bloom. Yet the show 
probably about paid for itself in direct entrance fees. 
No less than 5,000 paying entrance fees were recorded 
any day in Thanksgiving week. 
The two prominent features of the display were 
Chrysanthemums and Cypripediums. As usual, Mrs. 
Alpheus Hardy attracted much attention, and although 
the season was late, many fine blooms were shown. 
Louis Boehmer, the pink variety of the Mrs. Alpheus 
Hardy type, was well represented and was much 
admired. The varieties of Chrysanthemums of par¬ 
ticular interest were Rohallion, Mrs. "William Barr, 
Hicks Arnold, Williarp S. Kimball, Mrs. E D. Adams, 
Excellent, Superbe Flore, Mrs. Libbie Allen, Lilian 
Bird, Violet Rose, Ada Spaulding, Bohemia, L. Canning, 
John Lane. Three promising new varieties were shown: 
Otero, a large lemon-yellow flower, with the reflex 
petals tinged with pink ; Herald, a pronounced 
Anemone-flowered variety, with very long and even 
golden yellow tube flowers ; and Tribune, a large 
incurved white, with some approach to the Mrs. Alpheus 
Hardy type. The massing of Chrysanthemums was 
effective. The varieties chiefly used for this purpose 
were William H. Lincoln, Grandiflora, Cullingfordii, 
Mrs. Jessie Barr, and John Lane. 
The Cypripediums, although less showy than many 
other groups of plants, were the most attractive part of 
the display to lovers of fine plants. Something over 
130 distinct species and varieties were shown, probably 
the largest collection ever shown in the world. It is well 
known that Messrs. Pitcher & Manda have the largest 
collection of these plants in existence. A new and 
unnamed sort, a hybrid of C. barbatum withC. villosum, 
occupied a conspicuous place. C. Masereelianum, for 
which the owners paid an enormous price, and which 
was ticketed “ the SI,000.00 Orchid,” attracted much 
attention. Some of the sorts worthy of especial mention 
were C. tessellatum var. porphyreum, magniflorum, 
Arthurianum, Hookeree, Charles Canham, cardinale, 
Schroderse, Spicerianum Harrisianum, Javanico-super- 
biens, leucorhodum, vexillarium, insigne. 
The general display of Orchids was good, considering 
the earliness of the season. Lycaste Skinneri var. alba, 
Oncidium varicosum var. Rogersii, Phajus Blumei, 
Vanda coerulea, Odcntoglossum crispum, Dendrobium 
. chrysanthum, and several Lselias—as L. autumnalis, 
Dayana, Gouldiana, Arnoldiana, and others—were 
plants of particular interest and merit. 
Palms were present in good variety, among them 
being an enormous Latania, Licuala horrida, Vers- 
chaffeltia splendens, Pritchardia macrocarpa, Phcenix 
Andersoni and P. Roebelenii, Geonoma gracilis, Areca 
Sinderiana, and other interesting specimens. Among 
Ferns, which were numerous and well disposed, were 
to be found some good specimens of Platyceriums, 
Cibotium princeps, Davallia Mooreana and Plumosa, 
Asplenium nidus and Aspidium viridescens. Good 
plants of Dracaenas, Marantas, Alocasias, and 
Anthuriums brightened the display. Some fine 
specimens of Pandanus Veitchii made a bold show 
near the main entrance. A large Araucaria also 
attracted much comment. Various plants had been 
brought forward to be used in the banking of the sides, 
particularly Easter Lilies, Cyclamens and Lilies of the 
Valley. On one of the side tables the new American 
Flag Carnation aroused much curiosity. 
A novel and interesting feature of the exhibit was a 
collection of various useful and curious plants, as the 
Olive, Papyrus, Black and Cayenne Pepper, Camphor 
Tree, Cinnamon, Quinine Tree, Guava, Pine-Apple, 
Diomea, etc. In the centre of the great hall two rooms 
were decorated as reception and diniDg rooms, with 
choice flowers and silver, but some of the decorations 
appeared to be overdone. 
The exhibition was a monument of enterprise, and 
that it was a commercial success as well as a thing of 
beauty is creditable to the metropolis .—American 
Garden. 
-» >K — - - 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
- 9 _ 
♦ ' 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
Many of the Cypripediums grown in the warmest 
house, which have flowered and are now pushing new 
growths, will be in a fit state to re-pot. It is a very 
decided feature in their favour that they may be re¬ 
potted at any season of the year, if done carefully, 
without any ill effects resulting, and generally with 
great benefit to the plants. The very popular C. 
Spicerianum appears to have been very largely used for 
hybridising, if we may judge by the number of seedlings 
produced from it in various establishments. Most of 
them, too, are very pretty and useful, but the original 
species is still able to hold its own, even amongst its 
numerous and varied progeny, and I fancy a well-grown 
plant of C. Spicerianum covered with large substantial 
flowers will always command admiration, even from 
those who are not over delighted at the sight of 
Cypripedes. 
The compost used for the above, and in fact the 
greater part of the Cypripediums, consist of two-thirds 
peat and one-third sphagnum, chopped up, with a few 
clean crocks and charcoal broken up and mixed with 
the compost ; while for C. Stonei, C. Philippinense and 
C. Roebelenii we add a portion of yellow loam. In 
the case of C. niveum, C. concolor, C. Godefroyre and 
C. bellatulum small lumps-of sandstone may be added 
with advantage if procurable. 
If the compost in which the plants have been growing 
has become rotted enough to fall away from the roots 
when the plant is taken out of the pot, then the soil 
should be all shaken away, and the roots washed clean 
in a pail of tepid water, after which the plant may 
be divided, or have the dead roots cut away previous 
to being re-potted. Of course if the plant merely wants 
a larger pot and the soil adheres to the roots, then the 
less the roots are disturbed the better ; but anyhow it 
will be found best to avoid mounding the plant up in 
the pot too high, as thereby it not only runs the risk 
of getting dry too often, but it will be found that when 
Cypripedes are kept well down within an inch of the 
rim of the pot, they throw up ycung growths much 
more freely than when potted higher up. 
It must be remembered that such species as C. 
grande, C. Schroderse, C. longifolium, C. calurum, and 
others of the Selenipedium section are very strong 
growers, and when in health will quickly exhaust the 
compost unless they are afforded a shift, which they 
will pay for right well.— IF. P. 
Odontoglossum Insleayi. 
The usual flowering period of this Orchid is sometimes 
stated to be August and September, and others say 
winter ; but it varies considerably, according to treat¬ 
ment, and the time it has been introduced. Now and 
for many weeks onward it will be a welcome addition 
to the number of species in bloom in the Orchid house, 
which is now thinly furnished after so much fog. The 
sepals and petals are greenish yellow, and more or less 
richly barred and blotched with reddish brown. In 
the number, shape, and intensity of colour of these 
blotches there is great variation, so that confusion often 
prevails between the type and some of its varieties 
which are merely extreme variations in colour. There 
is a well-marked or highly-coloured form of the type at 
Devonhurst, Chiswick, and in which the blotches often 
assume the shape of numerical figures very distinctly. 
The tip is of a bright yellow, with a band of red spots 
or blotches round the margin. It comes nearest the 
variety O. I. leopardinum, but the sepals here are 
chestnut-brown, with a yellow margin, and transverse 
yellow bands on the dark groundwork. In the variety 
O. I. pantherinum, the lip is marked all over with red 
and yellow. 
Calanthe excellens. 
In this we have a hybrid, which, although not 
strikingly distinct from some of the varieties of C. 
vestita in cultivation, yet is sufficiently pretty to 
take a place in collections on its own merits. It is of 
hybrid origin, the seed parent being C. vestita polli¬ 
nated with C. Regnieri, a Cochin China species of 
similar habit to tho former, which comes from Burmah. 
The sepals and petals are lanceolate-elliptic, pure white, 
and all directed backward away from the lip. The 
latter organ is three-lobed, deep rose in colour, with an 
intensely red blotch in the throat. A plant was 
recently exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Son9, of 
Chelsea. 
Brassia antherotes. 
The flowers of this tropical American species are 6 ins. 
or 7 ins. in diameter. The segments are, however, 
lanceolate, narrow, and greatly elongated at the points. 
The ground colour of both sepals and petals is yellow ; 
but the former are blotched at the base with brownish 
purple, while the same colour at the base of the latter 
forms one large blotch. The lip is also yellow, and 
blotched with brownish purple on the lower third of its 
length. The leaves are of a rich deep green. A 
flowering plant was recently shown by Messrs. B. S. 
"Williams & Son, Upper Holloway. 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
Cubic Feet of Air in a Span-roofed Conservatory.— 
Omega: As you do not give us the whole of the data required, 
we cannot answer your question, but you can easily do so for 
yourself. First measure the portion between the ground level 
and a line drawn across the home at the height of the sides. 
The length multiplied by the width, and the product multiplied 
by the height will give you the cubic feet. To lind the contents 
of the roof, take the perpendicular height from the ridge to the 
line drawn across the house for the previous measurement; 
then multiply the width of the house by half of the perpendi¬ 
cular height of the roof, and the product by the length. Add 
the result of the two sets of measurements together to find the 
total. For an ordinary greenhouse temperature from 35 ft. to 
40 ft. of 4-in. piping is required for every 1,000 cubic feet, but it 
is always economical to put in a little more. 
Dwarf Chrysanthemums.— L. IV. : There are very few really 
good Chrysanthemums which under special cultivation grow 
only to about 3 ft. or 4 ft. high, and to name four dozen sorts 
we should have to exclude most of the very best varieties. It is 
almost entirely a question of cultivation, in which some succeed 
more than others in keeping t.heir plants of a reasonable height. 
If you must have dwarf plants, you must adopt either the 
cutting-back system or layering, as practised by Mr. Glasscock 
(see p. 32S). 
Names of Plants.— A. It. L.: The plant is correctly named 
Cypripedium Boxallii. Totally distinct from C. insigne Maulei. 
Scale on Pear Trees.— T. W.: The scale is possibly the well- 
known Aspidiotus ostreoeformis, commonly called the Pear 
tree oyster-scale, and if that is the case, syringing them is 
useless as a remedy. You must get a stiff scrubbing-brush, and 
scrub them off with a strong solution of soft-soap, to which may 
be added a wine-glass'ul of paraffin to every gallon. The solution 
should be used warm. Gbhurst Compound would do equally 
well. 
Vine Dressing. — Omega: A paint made of Gisliurst Compound, 
thickened with clay, will be the safest for you. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Kelway & Son, Langport.—Manual of Horticulture and 
Agriculture for 1891. 
Thames Bank Iron Co., Upper Ground Street, S.E.—Trade 
Price List of Hot-water Heating Apparatus, Fittings, &c. 
John Laing & Son3, Forest Hill, S.E.— Special Chrysanthe¬ 
mum List. 
Ryder & Son, Sale, Manchester.- Vegetable and Flower 
Seeds. 
John Smellie, Busby, near Glasgow.—Dahlias, Pansies, 
Carnations, &c. 
Levenshulme Horticultural Co., Levenshulme. — Illus¬ 
trated and Descriptive Seed List. 
B. S. 'Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, London, N.— 
Flower, Vegetable, and Agricultural Seeds. 
John Green, Norfolk Nurseries, Dereham.—Vegetable and 
Flower Seeds, Rooted Cuttings, &c. 
J. R. Pearson & Sons, Chilwell Nursaries, Nottingham.— 
Garden and Flower Seeds, &c. 
Thomas S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham.—Vegetable 
and Flower Seeds, Tuberous and Bulbous Roots.—Chrysan¬ 
themums and Dahlias. 
W. P. Laird & Sinclair, 73, Nethergate, Dundee.—Vegetable 
and Flower Seeds. 
Charles R. Shilling, Hartley Wintney, Winchfield.—Vege¬ 
table and Flower Seeds, Plants, and Bulbs, &c. 
-- 
THE WEATHER. 
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean 
reading of the barometer during the week ending Jan. 
17 th was 30 29 ins.; the highest reading was 30 ’5-3 ins. 
on Sunday morning, and the lowest 29 '90 ins. on 
Friday morning. The mean temperature of the air was 
30'9°, and 7'4° below the average in the corresponding 
weeks of the 20 years ending 1868. The mean 
was below the average on every day of the week 
except Tuesday, the deficiency amounting to 15 0° 
on Sunday and 14’3° on Saturday. The general 
direction of the wind was northerly, and the horizontal 
movement of the air averaged 11’2 miles per hour, 
which was 2'3 miles below the average in the corre¬ 
sponding weeks of 16 years. Rain or melted snow was 
measured on four days of the week, to the aggregate 
amount of 0T4 of an inch. The duration of registered 
bright sunshine in the week was 5'4 hours, against 7'4 
hours at Glynde Place, Lewes. 
-—- 
LONDON SEED TRADE. 
January 19 th. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, 152, Houndsditch, and 39, 
Seed Market, Mark Lane, E. C., report a steady sale 
for Clover and Grass seeds. Superfine English Red 
and Cowgrass realise fancy prices. Medium grades 
neglected. Alsike has advanced owing to short supplies. 
White Clover steady. Heavy Perennial Rye-grasses are 
dearer. French Italian Rye-grass steady. Rape seed 
firm. Hemp seed scarce, and 6:7. per bushel dearer. 
Canary unchanged. 
