616 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 25, 1889. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
Cypripediums require a great amount of water at this 
season and through the summer months, therefore in re¬ 
potting them it is not wise to elevate the plants so high 
above the rim of the pot as in the case of Cattleyas 
and Lselias, for close observation will soon prove to 
anyone that extremes in either direction are unwise, 
hut that those plants which are mounded up several 
inches above the rim of the pot or pan do not make the 
number of breaks made by plants potted with the base 
of the plant about level with the top of the rim. A 
walk through the leading Orchid establishments will 
soon confirm this. 
In the case of any small plants which have but few 
roots they had better be put in very small pots, and 
then plunged in larger ones, surrounded by sphagnum, 
which will tend to keep them moist without continual 
watering. Cypripedium Schlimii is usually treated as 
a cool-house plant, but it thrives with us admirably 
grown in the stove in a deeply-drained pot stood in a 
pan containing 1 in. of water, and since it has been 
standing in water now for fifteen months, and increasing 
in vigour all the time, it seems evident that it is at 
home. 
Attention to the shading is now a very important 
matter in all sections. It may appear sometimes to be 
needless labour to pull the shades down and up several 
times a day, but it is certainly detrimental to the plants 
to keep the shade on for hours after the sun has become 
hidden if those in charge are on the spot, though, of 
course, they had better be left down if the houses have 
to be left for any length of time. The excessive use of 
shading may make the plants beautifully green, but in 
the case of Cattleyas, Lselias, Odontoglossums, and 
many other things, it is conducive to the formation of 
soft pseudo-bulbs also, which fail to flower in a satis¬ 
factory manner. 
It is the practice of many owners of good collections, 
during the time the Orchids are in flower, to have the 
best varieties portrayed by competent artists, either 
single flowers or whole spikes, and thus keep a correct 
record of the merits of special varieties ; this is a 
plan which has proved very interesting to many ardent 
Orchidists, and if the flowers are faithfully drawn they 
are very useful for comparison from time to time. But 
the practice of pressing and drying one or two flowers 
of each variety is one which might with advantage 
be practised wherever good things are grown. Dried 
flowers of all the most notable kinds, which could be 
pressed and dried with but little trouble, are very much 
more to be depended upon than memory in making 
comparisons, especially where special varieties are con¬ 
cerned, which are distinguished merely by the number 
or colour of the spots, or the blotches on the sepals or 
petals, as in the case of the endless forms of Odonto- 
glossum crispum.— W. P. 
A Pretty Odontoglossum Pescatorei. 
"We have several times published descriptions and given 
illustrations of varieties of 0. Pescatorei, but there 
seems practically no limit to the modifications and num¬ 
ber of blotches on the pure white ground of the flower. 
Some blooms of a charming variety have just been sent 
us by Mr. M. Stevens, gardener at "Walton, Stone. 
The whole bloom was moderate in size, but with broad, 
blunt, overlapping segments. On the middle of each 
sepal was a large, variously-lobed, violet-purple blotch, 
sometimes broken up into two or three. Likewise on 
the middle of the petals were two ; five or six smaller 
blotches of the same colour aggregated in a cluster. 
There was a faint tint of rose on the back of the sepals, 
and which seemed to increase their beauty. 
A Suburban Collection. 
At Dunedin, Streatham Hill, one of the pleasantest 
districts on the outskirts of the metropolis, where 
comparatively large gardens abound, and are most 
admirably kept, Mr. N. N. Sherwood has, during the 
last year or two, added considerably to the interest of 
his charmingly secluded, pretty, and well-stocked 
demesne, by getting together a collection of Orchids 
which promises to grow in the right direction—quality 
rather than excessive numbers being the object kept in 
view. In Mr. Jones, Mr. Sherwood has a young 
gardener who, combined with creditable skill in garden 
management, has a love for Orchids, and the health of 
the plants proclaim his ability to do them justice. The 
favourites, perhaps, are Odontoglossums, and of these 
the collection of young thrifty plants fairly bristles 
with spikes that ere long will afford their owner a vast 
amount of pleasure. The Cattleyas are flowering very 
freely, especially the Mendelii section, and some well- 
marked varieties are included in the group. Strange to 
say, Mr. Sherwood has not yet caught the Cypripedium 
fever, and at present this popular section is sparsely 
represented in his collection, but he loves the Phalae- 
nopsids—and who does not.?—and his plants, of the 
leading kinds, are thriving in a most satisfactory 
manner. The various popular Dendrobes also do well 
with him, and among a number of odd species that are 
appreciated is an exceedingly fine form of Lycaste 
Skinneri, which is prized, and deservedly so, as one of 
the gems of the collection. "We hope to see the 
collection increase and multiply, for Mr. Sherwood is a 
keen lover of all that is beautiful among flowers. 
Epidendrum atropurpureum roseum. 
Occasionally a form of this Orchid appears under the 
title of Epidendrum macrochilum album—the specific 
name being given in reference to the large lip, and the 
varietal one possibly to a form in which the lip is paler 
than usual. At all events, this variety is sweetly 
scented. A well-grown specimen of E. atropurpureum 
roseum has been flowering at Devonhurst, Chiswick, 
for some weeks past. It is a Mexican plant, and thrives 
satisfactorily in shallow pans, or tied on a block with 
some sphagnum ; but the specimen under notice has 
been grown in a basket, and when we saw it, it carried 
eight spikes of bloom, so that the treatment accorded 
speaks in its favour. "While growth is being made the 
baskets containing the plants are kept in a cool house, 
and as soon as the flower-spikes begin to push up, Mr. 
Wright transfers the baskets to a house with a night 
temperature of 60° in winter. Under these conditions 
excellent results are obtained. The sepals and petals 
are dull brownish purple, and curiously incurved at the 
tips, while the large lip is of a beautiful rose with a 
darker-rayed blotch at the base. The pseudo-bulbs of 
this species are large, green, and ovoid or egg-shaped. 
Odontoglossum hebraicum excellens. 
The variety shown under this name at the Royal 
Botanic Society’s show, on the 15th inst., by Messrs. 
F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, is a form of 0. odoratum 
that exhibits a great amount of variation, and goes 
under many names. It is, however, a beautiful kind, 
with lanceolate sepals and petals, all of which are 
heavily blotched with deep brown on a pale ground. 
The markings on the petals are smaller, but are 
more or less confluent in masses. The base of the lip 
is broad and yellow. A Floricultural Certificate was 
awarded it. 
CATASETUM discolor. 
Many of the Catasetums are exceedingly singular, in¬ 
cluding the subject of this note. The flowers are borne 
in an upright raceme, and though curious, are by no 
means showy. The sepals and petals are of a dusky 
or bronzy green and reflexed, while the saccate lip is 
purple or brownish purple internally, and has the 
lateral lobes deeply cut into fringes. It is the Dingy 
Monk Flower, or the Monocanthus discolor of the older 
botanists, and is rather a rare plant, originally from 
Demerara. Exhibited by Messrs. F. Sander & Co., 
St. Albans, at the Royal Botanic Society’s Show on the 
15th inst., when a Botanical Certificate was granted it. 
Masdevallia caudata-Estrad/e. 
The whole plant of this hybrid resembles M. Shuttle- 
worthii in size, but the leaves are elliptic, leathery, 
much shorter, and broader than those of that species. 
The flowers are very much larger than those of M. 
Estrad® the parent, which they more nearly resemble. 
The lateral sepals are purple, the upper one paler and 
yellow externally. All terminate in yellow tails about 
2 ins. long. Exhibited at the Royal Botanic Society’s 
show on the 15th inst. by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, 
Chelsea. A Botanical Certificate was awarded it. 
Oncidium sarcodes maculatum. 
Amongst the winter and spring-flowering species of 
Oncidium, 0. sarcodes is greatly valued on account of 
the quantity of brightly-coloured flowers, which it 
produces in branching panicles. The sepals and broad 
petals are richly blotched with brown on a bright yellow 
ground. The special character of the variety under 
notice is that the lip is spotted all over with brown on 
a yellow ground, whereas the type is unspotted. A fine 
plant of it was exhibited by Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, 
Forest Hill, at the Royal Botanic Society’s show, 
Regent’s Park, on the 15th inst., and a Floricultural 
Certificate was awarded it. 
Acineta maculata. 
A fine plant of this in a basket, from the bottom of 
which protruded two long spikes, was exhibited by Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bart., Burford Lodge, Dorking, 
before the Orchid Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society at their last meeting, when a Botanical Cer¬ 
tificate was granted. The sepals and petals aTe concave, 
and beautifully dotted all over with pale violet on a 
flesh-coloured ground. The terminal lobe of the lip is 
more heavily spotted with darker violet. 
Pdnthieva maculata. 
This is a curious and pretty member of the Xeottue 
tribe of Orchids. The flowers are inverted compared 
with the majority of the family—that is, the lip, which 
is small, yellow, and glandular, is uppermost. The 
small yellow petals are united by their contiguous 
edges so as to represent a lip. The lateral sepals are 
blotched with green on a pale ground, and what should 
be the upper one is striated with yellow. A plant was 
exhibited by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., at the last 
meeting of the Orchid Committee of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society, who awarded a Botanical Certificate. 
Odontoglossum egregrum. 
In general appearance this resembles an intermediate 
form between Odontoglossum odoratum or some of its 
numerous forms and 0. cirrosum. From the latter, 
however, it seems to derive nothing except the 
undulated character and long somewhat twisted points 
of the sepals and petals, which are much spotted or 
blotched all over with brown on a rose or blush ground. 
On the lip was a large brown blotch in front of the 
yellow crest. A plant of it was exhibited by F. G. 
Tautz, Esq. (gardener, Mr, C. Cowley) at the last 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, when a 
First Class Certificate was awarded to it by the Orchid 
Committee, but which was referred back by the Council 
for reconsideration. 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar, 
THE STOVE. 
Poinsettias.— The old plants, or the prunings that 
were put into heat some time ago with the view of 
starting them into growth, will now have made sulficient 
progress to afford a supply of cuttings. Take them off 
with a sharp knife, close to the very base, so that the 
cutting will have a firm base from which to emit roots. 
Those removed now will attain a good size before 
flowering time ; and if dwarf plants are desired, they 
must be taken off later on. 
Gesneras, Achimenes, &c.—It is the custom to 
keep the various Gesneraceous plants that are intended 
for flowering late in autumn and winter in the old soil 
and under cool conditions, in order to retard them. 
Thh must not, however, be carried to too great an 
extent, otherwise the tubers and rhizomes, in their 
determined attempts to grow, will become weakened. 
Before this happens have them potted on or put into 
pans, and attended to properly with regard to watering, 
ventilation, and light. 
Begonia insignis. —Cuttings of this beautiful winter¬ 
flowering Begonia should now be taken off and rooted 
without further delay, in order to get strong flowering 
plants before the advent of short days and feeble light. 
The quantity of flowers produced by the plant, which 
are so valuable at Christmas for cutting purposes, is a 
fact that should not be lost sight of by growers, nor 
should the plant be allowed to lapse into obscurity after 
its value for this purpose has been so well demonstrated. 
The flowers, too, are of a pleasing pink or soft rosy 
pink. 
Gloxinias.- Old plants now in flower will last much 
longer if placed under cool treatment. If they are at 
present in a stove, they should be gradually inured to 
a cooler atmosphere, giving plenty of ventilation to 
harden the foliage. Those intended for the greenhouse 
or conservatory should first be placed in an intermediate 
house, and afterwards shifted to those structures where 
a great amount of ventilation is or should be given. 
Shading in these cases will prevent the strain upon the 
leaves that would otherwise arise by too great a trans¬ 
piration and loss of moisture on exposure to sunlight. 
An intermediate house is, however, best suited to the 
requirements of Gloxinias in flower. Seedlings of the 
earliest-sown batches should now be transferred to 48 
or 32-sized pots, which will be sufficiently large to 
flower them in. The stronger ones may be put into the 
larger-sized pots, and vice vcrsd. After becoming 
established in these, transfer them to cooler quarters. 
THE FORCING HOUSES. 
Vineries. —The earlier houses, in which the Grapes are 
now matured and have taken on the colour or shade of 
bloom peculiar to each, should be kept much drier, with 
