December 23, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
269 
or crestings, as to be entirely outside description. 
Those who want to know more will find it by careful 
inquiry, for I believe with Street that— ^ 
*‘ Nature is man’s best teacher. She unfolds 
Her treasures to his search, unseals his eye. 
Illumes his mind, and purifies his heart.” 
Thus ends this earnest but feeble endeavour to 
recommend ” Some British Ferns.” 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
Calanthe Veitchi superba. 
The open winter, the clear skies, and comparative 
absence of fog has done much to resuscitate a love 
for Calanthe culture amongst Orchid growers. This 
applies more particularly to those cultivators within 
the smoke radius of London and other smoky towns. 
There is less to fear in the open country where the 
atmosphere is always more pure, but we were not 
prepared for the agreeable surprise in the shape of a 
magnificent flower stem between 3 ft. and 4 ft. long, 
sent us by Mr. H. Bailey, The Briars Gardens, 
Reigate. The top of the stem had been smashed in 
carriage, so that we could not get the exact measure¬ 
ments, nor the number of flowers ; but of the latter 
we counted thirty-three fully expanded with ten 
buds, making a fine total of forty-three. The 
individual flowers were of large size, and very highly 
coloured, in fact, as richly so as we remember to have 
seen them. Mr. Bailey commenced growing and 
getting up a stock of the Calanthe under notice 
about ten years ago, and he tells us that he has now 
got a fine display. The flowers are cut and sent 
away for Christmas decoration, and we can 
certainly say that if the others compare in any 
measure with that sent us; the display must be fine 
indeed. It would be a pity that the culture of this 
beautiful class of Orchids should suffer through such 
calamitous visitations of fog as prevailed so much 
during the past few winters. 
Orchids were well represented at the meeting of the 
Royal Horticultural Society on the 12th inst., and 
awards according to merit were accorded to those 
described below. 
Laelio-Cattleya Nysa. 
The sepals of this bi-generic hybrid are of a uni¬ 
form, soft, blush-lilac, while the elliptic and finely- 
crisped petals are of a slightly darker shade. The 
lip is very large, particularly the terminal lobe, 
which is crimson-purple, deeply bifid and crisped, 
with a very narrow, white edge. The interior of the 
tube is yellow with a purple baud under the column, 
and the throat, with the base of the side lobes, is 
white, thereby rendering the flower very conspic- 
V uous and distinct. A First-class Certificate was 
awarded it when shown by Baron Schroder (gar- 
. dener, Mr. Ballantine), The Dell, Egham. 
Laelia anceps Finckeniana. 
■ The sepals of this variety are white, but the broad, 
■ ovate petals are decidedly purer white. The three- 
lobed lip is white, heavily lined and netted with 
bright purple along the centre of the basal half, 
while the white lamina has a clear purple and nearly 
horse-shoe shaped blotch close to the apex. That 
portion of the crest on the middle of the lip is 
yellow, but the rest is spotted with purple. There 
were six handsome flowers on one spike of the plant 
shown by C. W. Fincken, Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. 
Milburn), Hoyland Hall, Barnsley, and a First-class 
Certificate was awarded it. 
Cypripedium fascinatum. 
The upper sepal of this Cypripedium is obovate 
and white with a dark purple midrib, shaded also 
with light purple over the centre, and greenish at the 
very base only. The petals are spathulate, purple 
on the upper half and greenish on the lower half, 
finely spotted with purple. The lip is large, and of 
a dark, shining brown. A First-class Certificate 
was awarded it when exhibited by Mons. Jules Hye, 
8, Le Coupure, Ghent, Belgium. 
Zygopetalum rostratum. 
Although not a new plant, this is a beautiful and 
comparatively seldom cultivated one. Each scape 
bears onp or two flowers about 3J in. across. The 
sepals and petals are white at the base, and greenish 
upwards, overlaid with brownish-purple. The lip is 
more strikingly handsome, white, and lined with 
purple towards the base, and the half cup-shaped 
crest has violet ridges. The large column is winged, 
find drawn out at the apex into a long beak. Award 
of Merit. The exhibitors were Messrs. F. Sander 
& Co., St. Albans. 
Cypripedium venustum Measuresianum. 
This is undoubtedly the most distinct variety of C. 
venustum which has yet turned up. The upper 
sepal is white, lined with green. The petals are 
pale green, with numerous bright green veins, and 
shading into a clear yellow towards the apex. The 
lip is yellow and heavily reticulated with deep 
green in its usual characteristic fashion. All the 
brown, purple, and black shading or spotting which 
mark the type are here entirely absent. Award of 
Merit. The exhibitor was R. I. Measures, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. Henry Chapman), Cambridge Lodge, 
Camberwell. 
Cypripedium Oenone. 
The seed parent of this hybrid was C. Hookerae, 
and the pollen bearer was C. superbiens. The leaves 
are tessellated with gray on a deep green ground as 
in the seed parent. The upper sepal is ovate and 
green, with numerous deep green veins, and a white 
edge. The oblong petals are rosy-purple, ciliated at 
the edges, and dotted all over with black spots. The 
lip is large and deep purple. Award of Merit. The 
exhibitors were Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Dendnobium glomeratum. 
The tall stems of this species and, to some extent, 
the arrangement of the flowers recall D. secundum. 
The flowers, however, are very much larger, and 
more showy, but produced in clusters from the side 
of the stems, and near the top as in the species 
named. The sepals are ovate and rose coloured, 
while the petals are spathulate, but otherwise similar. 
The lip is very small, adpressed to the column, and 
orange-scarlet. The column itself is orange. 
Botanical Certificate. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons 
were the exhibitors. 
Odontoglossum cnispum Thompsonae. 
The flowers of this beautiful variety are of moderate 
size, but of good shape, with well imbricated seg¬ 
ments. The sepals are white, shaded with rose on 
the back, and having two or three purplish-red 
blotches in the centre. The petals are broad, toothed 
at the edges, and pure white. There is a purplish- 
red blotch in front of the crest, upon the lip. Award 
of Merit The exhibitors were Messrs. Linden, 
L’Horticulture Internationale, Brussels, who showed 
a plant bearing fourteen flowers on a spike. 
Lycaste Imschootiana. 
This recent introduction seems to be a natural 
hybrid between L. Skinneri and L. cruenta. The 
leaves are about 18 in. long, broad and arching. The 
sepals are greenish-yellow, finely mottled with 
purple; and the petals are pale yellow, mottled with 
purple in lines at the base. The three-lobed lip is 
pale yellow, and of a deep crimson inside the con¬ 
cave base of the lip. Award of Merit. Messrs. 
Linden were the exhibitors. 
Lycaste Luciani. 
The oblong petals of this form are of a pale soft 
green, overlaid with a pale rose mottling. The petals 
are white and shaded with purple at the base. The 
lip is heavily overlaid with rose on a white ground. 
Botanical Certificate. The exhibitors were Messrs. 
Linden. 
Pleurothallis Scapha. 
The leaves of this species are strap-shaped and 
leathery in texture. The upper sepal is ovate at the 
base with three purple lines, and terminate in long, 
pale-coloured tails. The lateral sepals are connate, 
purple, and terminate in long, purple-tinted tails. 
The petals are similar to the upper sepal but paler. 
Botanical Certificate. The exhibitor was R. I. 
Measures, Esq. 
Cypripedium warnhamensis. 
This hybrid was derived from C. Curtisii crossed 
with C. phillippinense. The upper sepal is ovate, 
greenish in the centre, purplish towards the sides, 
lined with purple, and white at the edge. The deflexed 
petals are about 3J in. long, and heavily spotted with 
purple on a pale ground. The large lip is of a deep 
dull purple. Award of merit. The exhibitor was 
C. J. Lucas, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Duncan), Warn- 
ham Court, Horsham. 
Cypripedium Saliieri aureum. 
The typical form has the upper sepal of an apple- 
green with a white border and spotted with black ; 
and the upper half of the petals are brownish-purple. 
In the variety under notice, the shading is paler, brown 
ground colours giving place to rich yellow on all the 
segments including the lip. It is therefore superior 
to the original plant. Award of Merit. The 
exhibitor was J. F. Ebner,Esq. (gardener, Mr. G. A. 
Waite), Woodlands, Beckenham. 
TIE ViHEMBLI BARDIN. 
Preparing for Cropping. 
Often in the dull months much may be accomplished 
by a little timely consideration if the cultivator 
would only put a little more thought into his work. 
Now is a good time to think out what crops are to be 
grown, and where they are to be sown or planted, 
for if this work be left too far before decided upon, 
often there is some neglect. The piece of ground 
from which the Seakale has been lifted will be a good 
place for Potatos. This should be turned up so that 
the weather may thoroughly permeate through it. 
By this means many insect pests will be got rid of 
either by the birds picking them up, or by being ex¬ 
posed. No manure will be needed now if the ground 
is in good heart, but it should have a dressing in 
spring with cainit and nitrate of soda. 
The plot that has been covered with Celery should 
be trenched as this is cleared off, and left as roughly 
as possible, for this will be a good place for Carrots, 
Parsnips, and Onions, it having been well manured 
for the Celery crop. The ground from which roots 
have been lifted will by this have been trenched 
ready for early crops of Cauliflower, and Potatos, and 
may be a piece planted with Seakale sets, while the 
warm borders will be got ready for early Peas, French 
Beans, and any other little thing that may need such 
a situation. Peas will soon occupy the attention of 
the cultivator, and for those who have no frames for 
protection, or means of forwarding them under 
glass, there is no better plan than sowing in the open, 
protecting the seed by means of boards stood up 
edgewise, glass being laid along the top. If the 
weather be severe, this may be covered with litter to 
ward off the frost, and so forward growth. Too 
much coddling, however, is not advisable, as the 
harder such things are grown the better. 
A piece of ground should now be got ready for 
sowing a pinch of Radish and Lettuce seed. If a 
warm sheltered situation can be found, the seed may 
be sown as digging proceeds. But if the ground has 
been previously dug, it should be pointed over with a 
fork, for at this time of the year it gets sticky on the 
top if there are slight frosts or heavy rains. Much 
too can be done by way of preparing Pea sticks, and 
getting them put ready for use, so that there may be 
no delay when the time arrives for planting or sow¬ 
ing, by having to get such things home and 
sharpened. 
There is also one thing that is often lost sight of, 
and that is preparing a goodly supply of labels of 
various sizes from a foot to eighteen inches long, 
having them well painted, both back and front, to 
preserve them from the weather, and if the names 
can be painted on so much the better, as they will 
then last for years. The dates of sowing or planting 
can easily be put on the back of each at the time 
such work is done. Potatos should be stood on their 
ends, or spread out in a light, airy place where frost 
can be excluded, for the stronger the growths on 
these the better will it be for the crop. The sets 
cannot be kept too cool, provided they are not 
frozen, neither can they be too much exposed to the 
light. If people would only take more care of the 
sets we should hear less about failures in the 
crops .—Kitchen Gardener. 
A Climbing French Bean. 
Hitherto Kidney Beans have been divided into two 
great families, the runners and the dwarfs, and of 
both there are, no doubt, some excellent varieties in 
cultivation. Still, there was something more wanted, 
the desideratum being a Bean which would combine 
the good qualities of both sections. This has been 
accomplished. Last July I saw growing in the 
nurseries, and also in the seed-trial grounds of 
Messrs. Robert Veitch & Son, of Exeter, a con¬ 
siderable breadth of a Bean which for a time 
puzzled me. I saw it was a runner, and a vigorous 
one at that, but I could not quite make out why a 
runner should bear long, narrow pods like Canadian 
Wonder. I then jfound on inquiry that it was a 
new Bean which Mr. Veitch had got from Mr. 
Ward, of Longford Castle, and that it was being 
grown with a view to its distribution in 1894- ^ 
now hear that Messrs. Veitch have arranged to send 
it out next season, and I predict for it a hearty wel¬ 
come and a brisk demand. It has many good 
qualities. It is astonishingly prolific. The pods are 
long, handsome, as straight as an arrow, fleshy 
and tender, snapping off like a clay pipe. The habit 
is first-rate, and, as it comes in with the dwarfs, it 
far outdistances the runners. I consider it a really 
good thing.— Devoniensis. 
