March 3, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
419 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
By John Fraser, F.L.S., Kew. 
The Orchids described in this column were ex¬ 
hibited at the meeting of the R.H.S. on the 13th 
ult., and received awards according to merit. 
Catasetum barbatum spinosum. 
The flowers of this species present a most peculiar 
appearance on account of the conformation of the 
lip. The sepals and petals are narrow, concave, 
and green, closely spotted with crimson ; the two 
lateral sepals are reflexed, while the petals lie under 
the upper sepal. The lip is oblong, with a small 
conical spur behind, and heavily bearded all over 
with bristly looking fringes, too coarse to be termed 
hairs, and too soft to be spoken of as spines 
notwithstanding the varietal name above given. 
These fringes are purple along the edges of the lip, 
but white on the centre. A Botanical Certificate 
was awarded it when exhibited by Sir Trevor Law¬ 
rence, Bart, (grower Mr. W. H. White), Burford 
Lodge, Dorking. 
Masdevallia Picturata. 
The sepals of this species are oblong and free to 
the base, or almost so, and yellow variously blotched 
with crimson ; the tails vary from ^ in. to f in .long, 
and do not form a prominent feature of this species. 
The lip is small as usual, brown and tongue like. 
The species may be described as interesting, pretty, 
and of medium size, but not showy. A Botanical 
Certificate was awarded it when shown by Sir 
Trevor Lawrence, Bart. 
Listrostachys poprigens. 
The species of Listrostachys are by leading 
botanists included under Angraecum, notwith¬ 
standing the fact that the genus was one of the late 
Professor Reichenbach’s creations to accommodate a 
group of the Angraecums. The flowers are white, 
and produced in a dense spike like raceme. The 
sepals and petals are linear-lanceolate and slender, 
while the lip is very small and somewhat panduri- 
form. The spur is about J in. to | in. long and 
thickened at the end. A Botanical Certificate was 
awarded it when shown by F. W. Moore, Esq. 
Curator of the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Ireland. 
Cypripedium Godseffianum, 
The parentage of this hybrid is pretty evident. The 
upper sepal is oblong-obovate, blackish-brown, more 
or less marbled with lines of another hue, and 
greenish towards the sides, thus showing the effects 
of C. Boxalli, which was the pollen parent. The 
seed bearer was C. hirsutissimum, and the potency 
of that species is apparent in the petals. The latter 
are spathulate and heavily spotted with crimson on 
the lower two-thirds, while the remaining portion is 
deep purple. The lip is pale purple and finely 
dotted with purple just under the mouth of the 
pouch, the inner face of which and the infolded side 
lobes are also closely spotted. An Award of Merit 
was accorded it when shown by Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons. 
Pleurothallis Roezlii. 
Few of the species of this genus are of sufficient 
ornamental value to induce their cultivation except 
in the collections of specialists. That under notice 
possesses unusual merit, and although the flowers 
lack brilliancy they make up for it by size and 
intensity of colour. The oblong-lanceolate leaves 
are longer than the slender stems. The nodding 
racemes bear 5 to g or more flowers of a dark crimson 
purple or sanguineous purple. They would appear 
much larger if they expanded more fully. A 
Botanical Certificate was awarded to a plant with two 
racemes, bearing in the aggregate 17 flowers, and 
exhibited by R. I. Measures, Esq., Camberwell. 
Qaleandra Devoniana. 
Although an Orchid possessed of considerable 
singularity and beauty, and introduced as long ago 
as 1851, it is seldom met with in collections. 
The lateral sepals are spreading, while the upper 
one and the petals are directed upwards ; all are 
lanceolate and brownish green, sometimes striated 
with lighter markings. The lip is the most con¬ 
spicuous and largest organ, and has the basal portion 
rolled over the column in such a way as to give it the 
appearance of a helmet as expressed in the generic 
name. The tube thus formed is white, and the large 
lamina is more or less streaked with purple on a 
white ground. An Award of Merit was accorded it 
when exhibited by Walter Cobb, Esq. (gardener, Mr. 
Howse), Dulcote, Tunbridge Wells. 
Zygopetalum Mackayi, 
Numerous species of Zygopetalum have been 
introduced from time to time, belonging to distinct 
groups which are often regarded as genera. That 
under notice is one of the oldest and most common, 
as well as the most easily grown. A few others are 
as easy to manage, but they are as a rule less showy 
and often neglected, although they may be found in 
widely separate establishments. The pseudo-bulbs 
throw up a strong scape bearing a raceme of large 
flowers, the sepals and petals of which are brown, 
and variously netted with green. The lip is the 
most attractive organ of the flower, as it is white 
with a bluish network upon it, caused by the 
presence of lines of hairs of that colour. The 
flowers are distinctly fragrant. Specimens have 
been flowering for sometime past in the nursery of 
Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill. 
Cattleya labiata Percivaliana. 
This early flowering Cattleya has been in season for 
some time, and has escaped the usual fogs to which 
it is liable during the early part of the year in 
smoky and foggy districts. Several very distinct 
variations may be seen in a batch of plants in the 
Nursery of Messrs. Hugh Low & Co. One of them 
has deep purple sepals and petals and a rich 
crimson-purple lamina to the lip, and crimson and 
orange in the throat. Altogether it is a very good 
variety. Another is equally distinct in its way, by 
having sepals and petals of the faintest lilac, and the 
crimson-purple of the lip is reduced to a very large 
blotch on the lamina. The throat is bright orange, 
while the lower portion of the tube is striped with 
crimson and yellow. During the day the flowers of 
this Cattleya give cff a peculiar odour. 
Cycnoches Loddigesii. 
Swan Neck is the popular name applied to the 
members of this genus, and certainly it is very 
applicable to the long curved column thickened at the 
apex, and representing the neck and head of that 
bird. The incurved sepals and petals are not inaptly 
compared to the wings of that bird, but as they are 
not always white they would not be suggestive of the 
common swan. Such is the case with the species 
under notice, whose flowers measure about 4 in. 
across, and are both conspicuous and showy. The 
lateral sepals are lanceolate, yellow and irregularly 
blotched with brown ; the posterior sepal (in this 
case the lower as the flowers are reversed), is greatly 
elongated but similar in colour to the rest. The 
petals are uniformly overlaid with a light brown 
hue. The lip is a curious organ, clawed at the base, 
then widened and elevated in the middle; these 
portions are creamy white blotched with deep 
brown; the flattened apical portion is yellow, and 
more or less heavily edged with brown. The 
column is the most singular and interesting portion, 
as the curved, slender portion is black and shining, 
while the thickened apex is green and spotted or 
marbled with black. The whole structure resembles 
a cobra in the act of striking at its prey. It is a 
native of Guiana from whence it was originally 
introduced in 1830, but has probably been imported 
several times since. A specimen was flowering the 
other week in the warm division of the Orchid house 
where it was very showy. 
Odontoglossum tentaculatum. 
In this we have a brightly-coloured Odontoglot, 
bearing a raceme of brightly-coloured flowers, 
measuring about 3J in. across the long way of the 
flower. It is a supposed natural hybrid between O. 
Liridleyanum and O. crispum. The sepals and 
petals are bright yellow and heavily blotched with 
brown. The lip is primrose-yellow upward, and 
white at the base, with a large, squarish, chocolate 
blotch in front of the crest. The front half of the 
bold crest is white and the rest yellow. Part of the 
wings of the column consists of long cirrhous fringes, 
while the lower portion is short, thus suggesting the 
parentage above given. A fine piece is flowering in 
the nursery of Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton. 
Miltonia Roezlii. 
During the late winter and early spring months the 
Orchid houses are rendered gay with this species, 
which is very fragrant and flowers early. The 
broad, flat flowers are white, with exception of a 
large violet purple blotch at the base of the petals, 
and a yellow one at the base of the lip ; there are 
also some orange stripes radiating from the base and 
overlying the yellow. A large batch of it is now 
flowering finely in the nursery of Messrs. Hugh Low 
& Co., Clapton. All are grown in 48-size pots, and 
are in the healthiest condition possible. Amongst 
them are large numbers of the white variety M. R. 
alba, in which the dark blotches are absent from 
the petals. The two kinds thus mixed are both 
showy and interesting, and the odour emitted by 
them is suggestive of the China Rose. 
VINES AND RICH 
SOILS. 
At a meeting of a Horticultural Association held 
lately, a lecture was given on “ Vine failures and the 
causes thereof.” It was shown by the lecturer from 
his own observations in many gardens in England 
and Scotland that Vines had failed in more cases 
from unduly rich borders than from any other 
cause. A description of the borders was given, and 
all differed more or less from each other. Reference 
was also made to some establishments where the 
Vines had been planted in the natural soil and had 
done exceedingly well, while others had failed where 
much money and labour had been expended on the 
formation of the borders, and the failure was 
complete. 
A discussion was raised on the subject, and one 
Vine grower related his experience of shanking in 
the case of Vines planted in borders with which 
extra trouble had been taken to form them perfectly. 
The drainage was excellent, and the turf used was 
of the finest qualitj', but the roots refused to grow in 
it, and some were found forcing their way down the 
front wall of the vinery, while others were dying in 
the border. The reason was not far to seek, indeed, 
the nasal organ suggested the cause without the aid 
of the eyes. There was mixed up in the compost a 
superabundance of half-inch bones, and probably 
other manure which could not fail to render the soil 
impure and unfit for plant life. 
It is well for those who may be forming new Vine 
borders to remember that a young Vine will get 
nearly all it requires from good loam alone, and to 
be sparing with manures at first; rather reserve 
their money and purchase those manures which 
have been proved to be so suitable to the production 
of good Grapes, and treat the Vines liberally when 
the roots are abundantly established in the new soil. 
— Stirling. 
--J-- 
©leanings fcom fh^ 
nf Sctent^. 
Nitrogen in Rain Water. —Messrs. A. Petermann, 
director, and J. Graftiau, chief of the chemical 
works at the agricultural station of Gembloux, have 
been making researches for several years past upon 
the composition of the atmosphere. M. Emile 
Rodigcis, in the Bulletin d'Arboriculture de Floriculture, 
S-c , says, that a first work published in the Memoires 
de rAcademic des Sciences, of Belgium, in 1892, treated 
of the carbonic acid contained in the atmosphere; a 
second work published in tome 48 of the Memoires, 
has for its object the combinations of nitrogen in 
rain water. It results from that work that the rain 
water collected at Gembloux contains a mean of 
1-49 milligram of combined nitrogen per if pint, 
which, for a depth of 27 inches, corresponds to a 
produce of i0'30 kilograms of nitrogen annually for 
2^ acres. It is to be observed that in 100 parts of 
total nitrogen, there are 76 parts in the form of 
ammonia and 24 parts in the state of nitric and 
nitrous acid. The light falls (mists or fog), those 
under the form of hoar frost and of snow, are often 
richer in nitrogen than rain, attaining sometimes 
five times as much as the mean general. That 
diminishes at the end of April, attaining its minimum 
in June and July and gradually augments till 
February. 
Collection of Fossil Plants.—An important gift 
to the Natural History Department of the British 
Museum has been received at South Kensington 
from Somersetshire. It is the collection of fossil 
plants from the Somersetshire coalfield got together 
by Mr. James McMurtrie, Alderman of the Somerset 
County Council, and manager of the Somerset 
estates of Lord Carlingford. The Somersetshire 
coal measures generally, and especially the Radstock 
seams, have long been known for the richness and 
variety of their fossil flora. A residence of more than 
thirty years in the neighbourhood, and the aid of 
many willing assistants, had enabled Mr. McMurtrie 
to form a collection which has long been known to 
the scientific societies of Somerset and Gloucester, 
and to geologists from a distance who came to visit 
it from time to time. The collection had become too 
extensive for its owner to give the care and attention 
it required,and he has, not without reluctance, handed 
it over to the great national collection. 
