February 3, 1894. 
359 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
ORCHIDS AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 
[Continued from p. 311). 
Phalaenopsis. 
For the home of this group, we must look not to 
the mountains and valleys of Central America, but 
cross to the opposite side of the world, where in 
India, the Philippine Islands, in Java, Borneo, and 
other tropical islands, we shall find the various 
species catalogued under this head. A moment’s 
reflection will at once tell us that plants from these 
regions can only with difficulty be transported to 
England. And, as the temperature in that part of 
the world stands at 75° F. at night, only for an hour 
or two before sunrise, we see that their cultivation 
in England needs great care. We are Informed that 
P. amabilis grows high up on trees in Borneo, 
screened from the sun by a leafy canopy, deluged 
with rain for more than half the year, and constantly 
fanned by cool sea breezes. Again P. Lowii grows 
in lime-stone rocks which rise abruptly from the 
delta of the Rivers Gyne, Ataran, and others, near 
Tenasserim, where for part of the year they are 
flooded, and during the remainder scorched down to 
the very roots. On the other hand P. tetraspis is 
suspended from the branches of mangrove trees, 
whose home is in the swampy region along the 
shores of the Andaman Islands, and P. Stuartiana 
has been observed on the coast of Mindanao, growing 
on branches of trees which are so close to the sea 
that they can hardly fail to be washed by the salt 
spray during storms. It is then evident that to grow 
Phalaenopsis successfully, needs in this country 
close observation, and special study of its habits. 
Who has not been delighted with the delicate flowers 
of P. Schilleriana, P. amabilis, and with the 
wonderful markings of P. Luddemanniana ? I well 
remember having, several years ago, the charge of a 
house which contained a collection of these, the 
queen of flowers, and how much pleasure I had in 
watching the flowers expand. But we can spare no 
further time for this genus, but must pass on as we 
have yet a number of fine genera to describe. Akin 
to the Phalaenopsis are the 
Aerides, 
Vanda, Saccolabium, and Renanthera. We will 
describe the former first. The elegant, wax-like 
flowers of some of the species are very beautiful, and 
as their cultivation is not difficult if the requisite 
amount of heat be available, all who have room 
should grow a few. Their geographical distribution 
is over the Indo-Malayan region, excluding the dry 
tracts of north-west Hindostan, and the arid central 
plateau of the Deccan. 
Renanthera. 
Of this genus there are but few species. They 
come from the same region as the Aerides, which 
they closely resemble. R. coccinea, and R. matu- 
tina are the only two in general cultivation. They 
require as much heat as most of the Vandas, which 
is one of the most interesting groups of the whole 
genera of Orchidaceae. 
Vanda. 
These are found in India and the Indian Islands, 
but they are scattered also over a wide area, conse¬ 
quently they do not all thrive under similar treat¬ 
ment. Our limited space forbids us to enter into 
particular details, but as a rule they require heat and 
moisture, being fully exposed to the sun during the 
growing season. 
Saccolabium. 
Like the three last named genera, these require the 
hottest parts of the east Indian house to bring them 
to perfection. They should be potted in crocks and 
sphagnum, and while growing, saturated with 
moisture. 
Angraecum. 
Though resembling much in character those just 
described, the flowers are quite different, having a 
long appendage to them, similar in some respects to 
the nectary of a Tropaeolum, but very much more 
elongated In some instances it is from a foot to 
eighteen inches long. They are mostly found in the 
Island of Madagascar, and central Africa, therefore 
they require the hottest houses when cultivated 
under glass. 
Dendrobium. 
The genus Dendrobium unquestionably occupies 
the first rank amongst the Orchids of the Old World. 
Not only by virtue of the number of species which 
it embraces, but by reason of the superb colouring 
of many of their flowers, the delicate tracery and 
beautiful tints of others, and their peculiar mode of 
flowering. Some will grow from eight to ten feet 
high producing hundreds of racemes of flowers, 
while others scarcely rise an inch above the top of 
the pot. The Dendrobes are spread over an immense 
area of S.E. Asia, the Malayan Archipelago, 
Australia, and the islands of the Western Pacific. 
The climate of the Dendrobium region is 
characterized by a high average temperature, accom¬ 
panied with a great amount of moisture during the 
greater part of the year. The humidity of the 
atmosphere during the rainy season approaches the 
point of saturation, owing to the enormous amount 
of vapour which ascends from the ocean, which being 
drifted northwards towards the mountains is precipi¬ 
tated as rain into the lower valleys. In some of 
these districts 600 inches fall in a year, equalling 
about 20 times the amount we receive in this district. 
In the plains of Burmah, near Prome, the heat is 
often 110° F. in the shade, with a rainfall of 150 
to 200 inches. From this we may infer that to 
imitate such a climate in this country is very difficult, 
but with care and attention most of the Dendrobes 
may be made to thrive, yes, and even flourish better 
than they do in a state of nature. It is only by 
bringing art to the aid of nature that such marked 
improvements have been made in the floral world. 
Many of us have stood in astonishment before the 
gorgeous flowers produced by some of the dry¬ 
looking-sticks, or been amazed and charmed by the 
beautiful pencillings and graceful outlines of others. 
No wonder then these have such a charm for the 
enthusiast. The Dendrobes coming from such an 
enormous tract of country, embracing varied 
climates, and growing in so many different forms 
and sizes, will necessarily require differing treat¬ 
ment. A volume might be written on their culture 
without exhausting the subject, and it is impossible 
for me to describe here even the cultural details for 
one single species. Some are best grown in baskets, 
others in pots, while some may be even treated as 
growing on blocks of wood. The great secret in the 
cultivation of most of them is to cause them to make 
their growth during the longest days and under the 
influence of the brightest sunshine, and to gradually 
ripen them off before the cold weather sets in, so that 
they may have a complete rest. 
Peristeria. 
This is but a small genus, but most people have 
heard of P. elata, or the " Dove plant,” so-called 
because its flowers resemble the open wings of that 
well known bird. These require to be grown with 
the Dendrobes in the E. Indian house, and to be 
potted in peat, being liberally supplied with water, 
while growing. We will conclude our remarks with 
Brassia, Cymbidium, Lycaste, and Zygopetalum. 
Coelogyne. 
There are few gardeners who have not been struck 
with well-grown specimens of C. cristata and other 
species. The delicate flowers are particularly 
attractive, especially as sometimes seen on large 
well-flowered plants. There are about fifty culti¬ 
vated species and varieties of this genus. Their 
native home is in the Malayan region, and they are 
said to be particularly abundant in the valleys of the 
Himalayan district, the stems of the trees being 
covered with them. From this fact it would appear 
that they derive their sustenance chiefly from the 
atmosphere, which is copiously charged with 
moisture, owing to the enormous amount of rain 
that falls in these regions. It will be readily under¬ 
stood that though they flourish in such exposed 
situations, they by no means like to be dry at the 
roots. It is said that in some places as many as 
600 in. of rain fall in a year, and of this quantity 
250 in. have been known to fall in a month ; this is 
about eight times the amount which falls in this 
district in a whole year. The plants are best grown 
in pans or baskets, and during the growing season 
must be liberally supplied with water, both overhead 
and at the roots, and must be shaded from the sun ; 
but when growth is completed they should be 
gradually hardened off till they are able to withstand 
the full sunlight, and during winter kept in a medium 
temperature. 
Epidendrum. 
Perhaps no genus has such an extensive range geo¬ 
graphically as this, with the one exception of Den¬ 
drobium. The species are scattered over the greater 
part of South America, the West Indian Islands, 
and as far north as Port Royal in South Carolina. 
Many of them, nevertheless, are scarcely worth 
cultivation, having small greenish-coloured flowers 
some of which, however, are very fragrant, and on 
that account are worthy of a place in a collection. 
E. vitellinum majus, a cool house species, is very 
pretty, and its orange-scarlet flowers are produced 
in abundance. It should be grown with the 
Odontoglossums. Most of the other species, how¬ 
ever, should be grown with the Cattleyas, to which 
they are very closely allied. 
[To be continued.) 
--**- 
(jn 
fARDENlNG ^ISCELLANY. 
DECORATIONS AT A HUNT BALL. 
The annual Ball in connection with the Vale of 
White Horse Hunt took place in the Corn Hall, 
Cirencester, on the 24th ult., and was of more than 
usual interest to the members of the Hunt, coming so 
closely as it did after the wedding of the noble Master^ 
the Earl Bathurst, and Miss Lilias Margaret 
Borthwick, only daughter of Sir Algernon and Lady 
Borthwick. The occasion of the ball was taken full 
advantage of to pay one more compliment to the Earl 
andCountess,this time byway of table decorations,and 
very novel and appropriate they were. It will only be 
necessary to describe the centre table of the supper 
room. Over the centre of this was suspended a large 
bell which was covered with moss. In the mouth of 
the bell were placed Lilies of the Valley, and in the 
centre of the table stood a white horse in the act of 
jumping across a stream of water. The water was 
represented by a mirror, and the horse stood in the 
midst of white Marguerites. Then there was a 
space representing the stream of water ; next to this 
came a mound of Marguerites set in moss and 
Maidenhair F'ern, with an outer band of Lilies of the 
Valley. These two flowers represented the Chris- 
tain names of the Countess Bathurst. On either 
corner of the table was placed another bell, 
also covered with moss, and in the mouth of which 
was also placed more Lilies of the Valley. The 
whole was relieved by vases of Lilies of the Valley, 
Marguerites, Arum Lilies,sprays ofIvy,&c.,and formed 
one of the most effective and complete arrangements 
of its kind I ever saw. The other tables were dressed 
with similar flowers, and looked very pretty indeed. 
The decorations were carrried out by Mr. Cypher, of 
the Queen's Road Nurseries, Cheltenham, who 
deserves very great praise for their truly artistic 
character.—T. Arnold. 
THE DIVINING ROD. 
I SEE from reports that the rod has been at work 
again. The operator’s name and scene of action is 
of no consequence, it has the same space in my creed 
as table turning, spirit rapping and similar mani¬ 
festations, which to my mind are a fraud and a 
delusion. I think in may be safely stated that there 
are not many spots where water could not be met 
with if a hole is dug deep enough, the difficulty being 
as a rule to keep water out of such excavations. The 
manipulator of the rod after some ceremony fixes on 
a spot and declares water to be present, but does 
anyone suppose that water would not be found at 
any point of the compass any distance up to half-a 
mile from that spot ? Students of Physiography I 
think will admit this. Volume and quality of water 
varies, but I should expect the same results within 
the area named. Not long ago a gentleman residing 
not far from here sank a well which resulted in 
draining a pump well attached to some cottages a 
quarter of a mile distant, and I have met with 
similar occurrences in mining districts. A company 
sometime ago abandoned their lead mines on account 
of the water, but another company commenced 
operations some distance off which was the means of 
draining the water from the disused mine and flood¬ 
ing out the new one, but whilst they worked at the 
new mine it enabled the other company to work 
their mine successfully. It is possible to dig holes 
where there is no water, at any rate the bulk is not 
there, but it comes there from surrounding springs. 
— IV. P. R., Preston. 
THE hollyhock. 
This once almost universally grov^n plant has for 
some years, owing to the ravages of the disease, fallen 
somewhat into the background. Those who have 
no stock, yet would like to have a few plants, can by 
securing seeds from a reliable source have a display 
which will well repay the small outlay incurred. The- 
