April 13, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
519 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
Now that many of the varieties of Dendrobium—such 
as D. Wardiannm, D. crassinode, D. nobile in variety, 
D. Ainsworthii, &c.—have passed out of flower, it will 
he necessary to remove them into the stove to make 
their growth ; and in case any of them require re¬ 
potting or re-basketing, they had better be attended to, 
so that the young roots may go right into the new 
compost, or cling to the new baskets at will. Any 
plants which have become bare of growths in the 
middle may be broken up and re-potted, in order to 
render them more shapely ; and any subjects which may 
have been put into baskets or pots that were too large 
had better be transferred to smaller ones, so that they 
may safely receive copious waterings during the time 
they are in active growth without it remaining and 
becoming stagnant on account of the mass of compost 
by which they are surrounded. 
To make the plants secure, it is a good plan to tack 
two or three narrow strips of wood to the baskets to act 
as stakes, which are much firmer than sticks merely 
pushed into the compost. Where the convenience 
exists it is advisable to give the Dendrobes a position 
where there is a warm airy atmosphere during the time 
they are in active growth, and where there is an 
abundance of moisture arising from the damping down 
of the houses two, three or four times a day, according 
to the state of the weather. 
The fires must now be kept well in hand so as not to 
have any difficulty in keeping the fire-heat down when 
the sun bursts forth suddenly, for it is not well to 
excite any plants into growth before their season. 
Watering and damping down now occupy a good deal 
of time, but to take note and learn by experience the 
quantity of water required by different plants in the 
same houses is or ought to be interesting to those in 
charge. Green-fly and thrips are still determined to 
multiply, and will certainly do their best to spoil the 
plants and flowers, and should be allowed no quarter. 
Lycaste Skinneri is a certain haunt for green-fly when 
in flower. For growing plants infested with insects a 
dip in weak tobacco-water, afterwards laying the plant 
on its side to drain, is a good plan ; but at this time of 
the year, when so many plants are in flower, perhaps 
the best plan is to steam the house by the use of the 
Thanataphore. 
Temperatures at present time are East Indian 
house, 60° to 65° at night, 70° by day. Cattleya 
house, 55° to 60° at night, 60° to 65° by day. Cool or 
Odontoglossum house, 45° to 50° at night, 50° to 55° 
by day. — W. P. 
Orchids from Terregles, Dumfries. 
We have received a box of Orchid flowers from Mr. 
Alexander Chalmers, gardener to Captain Maxwell, 
Terregles, Dumfries. Three of them are Odonto- 
glossums, each very good examples of its kind. A fine 
spike of a specimen that has flowered for the first time 
out of an imported batch of O. crispum seems very 
distinct from anything we have seen. If merely O. 
crispum it would not be considered of any importance, 
on account of the narrowness of the different segments ; 
hut there can be little doubt of its being a natural 
hybrid, and apparently between 0. crispum and 0. 
cirrosum. The sepals and petals are long, lanceolate, 
undulated at the margin, and more or less twisted, as 
in 0. cirrosum. The lip has a triangular or hastate 
base, which runs out into a long undulated tail, and is 
white, with a yellow disk and two or three reddish 
brown blotches on the middle. The crest is like that 
of 0. e. Andersonianum, while the wings of the column 
seem intermediate between those of 0. crispum and 
the last-named variety, or of 0. cirrosum or 0. odoratum, 
all of which have the wings reduced to a small shred. 
But in the present case there is a distinct tooth at the 
base in addition to the tendril at the upper edge, with 
several minute intermediate teeth. The flowers were 
sweetly scented when we received them. Mr. Alex. 
Chalmers informs us that the flowers expanded of a 
decided yellow, gradually becoming white. Large and 
well-coloured samples of 0. triumph ans and 0. 
maculatum accompanied the others, the flower of the 
former measuring 4 Jins, across the sepals. The flowers 
on a spike of Vanda tricolor were richly spotted with 
brown on a yellow ground. 
A Norfolk Collection. 
Having heard of the successful cultivation of Orchids 
by an amateur residing at Brandon—George Woods, 
Esq.—when passing through that Norfolk town 
recently, I called to see the collection, and was much 
pleased to find two houses full of healthy thriving 
plants—a striking illustration of what can be accom¬ 
plished by loving care, for Mr. Woods looks after the 
plants himself, and has only the assistance of a labourer, 
who works to his instructions. The houses in question, 
which run north and south, are well heated and venti¬ 
lated, and in bloom at the time of my visit were 
several good plants of Dendrobium nobile, D. Bry- 
merianum, D. crassinode and its beautiful variety 
Barberianum, very fine ; a good form of D. Wardianum, 
D. thyrsiflornm ; Odontoglossum Rossii majus, many 
pans full of high-coloured forms ; 0. Roezlii and its 
white variety ; Cattleya Triame delicata, Maxillaria 
Harrisonise, and two or three varieties of Cypripedium. 
These gave the house containing them a very gay 
appearance. I also noted many good Cattleyas of the 
Mossiffi, Mendelii, and labiata types, Odontoglossum 
vexillarium and crispum, in variety ; a few good 
healthy Cypripediums, Phalienopsids, and Masdevallias. 
Some of the plants are grown in baskets, others on 
rafts, and all give evidence of careful attention and 
appreciation of the treatment accorded them. This 
collection forcibly illustrates the fact that a consider¬ 
able variety of Orchids can be grown mixed together 
with a great deal of satisfaction by amateurs who really 
love the plants, and the wonder is that there are not 
more of such collections as Mr. Woods’ to be seen in 
the country.— Con. 
Orchids at Westbrook, Sheffield. 
Calling at this noted Orchid-growing establishment a 
few days ago, I was courteously received and conducted 
through several well-filled houses by Mr. Pidsley, the 
gardener, who has at all time3 many choice and rare 
Orchids in bloom under his charge. Amongst the 
Cattleyas there are several very fine varieties of Triame 
in various shades, including the white kinds. Plants 
of C. Lawrenceana are flowering freely, and other 
species are showing well for a future display, amongst 
them being some fine plants of Mendelii and Mossife. 
A nice light and well-ventilated house has recently been 
fitted up for their accommodation. Cypripediunis are 
well represented, the following being in bloom :—C. 
Stonei, C. niveum, C. Godefroyie, C. Sedenicandidulum, 
C. argus, C. villosum, and C. lsevigatum. Lycaste 
Skinneri alba is a very fine round-petalled variety, and 
L. Skinneri var. Imperator now in bloom is worth a 
visit to see. This lovely Orchid was exhibited at the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting in London last 
year, when it was deservedly awarded a First Class 
Certificate by the Floral Committee. Since that time 
the plant has made splendid growth under Mr. Pidsley’s 
fostering care. Maxillaria Sanderiana will shortly be 
in bloom. The Westbrook plant was one of the first 
batch introduced, and is no doubt one of the finest in 
the country. Odontoglossum crispum is represented 
by many choice varieties, including a very vigorous 
plant of 0. Stevensii with twenty-three large blooms on 
one growth. There was also another hybrid in flower 
which has not yet been named, the marking of the 
flowers being somewhat in the way of 0. Stevensii, but 
the blotches are somewhat larger, and their colour 
much brighter. The plant was carrying fourteen 
charming flowers. 0. Andersonianum and several 
varieties of 0. cirrosum, including Klabochorum, were 
well represented. 0. Schilleriana was also in bloom, 
with strong branching spikes. Amongst other valuable 
species and varieties of this lovely genus of Orchids, 
a very vigorous specimen of the rare 0. Yuylstekianum 
will shortly be in flower. Masdevallias are well 
represented ; several are gay with flowers, including 
M. Yeitchii grandiflora gigantea. Two fine plants of 
Yanda suavis brightened up the house with several 
good spikes.— Vanda. 
Oncidium sarcodes. 
With reference to the inquiry of “ J. W. ” in your last 
issue as to the number of flowers on a plant of this 
species at Broomhall Field, Sheffield, being unusual, it 
may be of interest to you if I mention that I last week 
cut from a similar plant grown here a spike with 
seventeen branches, carrying in all 147 perfectly de¬ 
veloped flowers of good form and colour, the length of 
the spike being over 6 ft. This is more than twice the 
number of flowers (sixty) named by “ J. W.” as carried 
by two spikes on the plant to which he referred, and 
would therefore appear to have been, from your 
editorial acquiescence in his suggestion, very unusual. 
— T. Pi. JF., Chislehurst. 
We have a plant here with three spikes bearing the 
following number of flowers—viz., one with 102, 
the second with 125, and one with 153 blooms on the 
spike, or a total of 380 flowers on three spikes.— 
John Craga, gardener to A. Heine, Esq., Birchfield, 
Fallowfield. 
Miltonia vexillaria purpurea. 
A specimen of an exceedingly fine variety of this 
Orchid, having flowered for the first time, was exhibited 
by Mr. E. Cowley, gardener to F. G. Tautz, Esq., 
Studley House, Hammersmith, at the meeting of the 
Royal Horticultural Society on Tuesday last, when it 
received a First Class Certificate from the Orchid 
Committee. Both sepals, petals, and lip are of a rich 
purple, while the size of the flowers is such as to put 
the other dark kinds, such a3 M. v. Klabochorum and 
M. v. superbum, in the shade. On the lateral sepals 
are two red lines traversing them longitudinally on a 
white ground. On the base of the lip is a large tri¬ 
angular white blotch bearing a smaller three-forked 
purple one, so that taken altogether the yariety is a 
very fine one, and a distinct advance upon any that 
have been shown. 
Dendrobium eriosmum leucopterum, 
In habit and general appearance this may be compared 
to Dendrobium nobile, although the stems and the lip 
are structurally very different. The sepals are white, 
and revolute or somewhat twisted, while the petals are 
broader and also white. The lower portion of the 
tubular-shaped lip is deep purple, while the lamina is 
white. The stems of the plant shown were erect, 
ranging from 12 ins. to 15 ins. high, and bore a large 
quantity of flowers in lateral clusters of two or three 
blooms each. A fine plant was exhibited by Mr. 
Ballantine, gardener to Baron Schroder, The Dell, 
Egham, at the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, when it received a First Class Certificate from 
the Orchid Committee. It is of hybrid origin. 
Botanical Certificates. 
Amongst a fine group of Orchids shown by Sir Trevor 
Lawrence, Bart., M.P. (Mr. Bickerstaff, gardener), 
Burford Lodge, Dorking, at the meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society on Tuesday last, were three 
species to which the Orchid Committee awarded 
Botanical Certificates. One of these was the exceedingly 
curious Catasetum barbatum proboscidium, the sepals 
and petals of which were more or less boat-shaped, 
green externally, and densely blotched with almost 
black spots internally. The labellum was also boat¬ 
shaped, and curiously bearded with coarse white hairs 
around the margins. These hairs or fringes all pointed 
inwards, and the varietal name has evidently been 
given on account of a stiff, curved, white proboscis¬ 
looking structure on the base of the lip, the whole 
mechanism of which was very interesting. The flowers 
were not showy, but arranged in a short dense raceme. 
Another plant certificated was Lycaste Schilleriana, the 
large spreading sepals of which were of a dusky green, 
while the erect petals and lip were white upwards and 
yellow towards the base. The third plant was 
Restrepia elegans, a very pretty species, having the 
lip beautifully spotted with brownish purple on a 
yellow ground. The petals and upper sepal were long, 
slender, and clubbed, resembling the antennae of an 
insect. The foliage was heavily tinged with red. 
-- 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Shropshire Horticultural. —April 4 th. 
The spring show of this flourishing society took place 
on the above date in the Music Hall, Shrewsbury, under 
very unfavourable circumstances, the weather being 
very wet and cold. The plants and flowers were 
arranged so as to give the visitors more room than they 
had last year, but although the day was very wet, the 
hall was so crowded as to be unpleasant at times, and 
I think it quite time the committee should do their 
best to procure a larger place in which to hold their 
spring show. In the class for twelve pot plants in 
flower, not to exceed 10 ins., five lots were put up, and 
Mr. Milner, Sundorne Castle Gardens, this year took 
the first prize with a very nice fresh and well-flowered 
lot, Mr. Lambert, Onslow, being a very close second 
with very neatly-trained Azaleas. The same exhibitor 
also took the third prize with another twelve plants, 
and I think a fourth or special prize might have been 
awarded to another twelve creditable plants put up by 
Mr. Hespbury, gardener to James Watson, Esq., M.P. 
Hyacinths were not very good. Mr. Murrell, Portland 
Nurseries, gained first honours, closely followed by Mr. 
Lambert. In the class for trained large specimens of 
Azaleas Mr. Farrant, gardener to Mrs. Juson, The 
Monklands, had four fine specimens, and he also 
secured the second prize with much smaller plants. 
In the corresponding class for untrained Azaleas Mr. 
Lambert, Onslow, showed two fours, which were well- 
flowered and very even-sized specimens, gaining the 
first and second prizes, no third prize being awarded. 
Richardias were well shown, four exhibitors competing 
for the prizes, Major Patchett’s gardener, Green Fields, 
Shrewsbury, taking the first, Mr. Lambert being 
second. Mr. Milner took the first prize for six pots of 
Lily of the Yalley, which were full of good strong 
