March 31, 1894. 
THfi Gardening WoRLfi. 
483 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
By John Fraser, F.L.S., Kew. 
Amongst the numerous Orchids which were ex¬ 
hibited at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society on the 13th inst., the undermentioned re¬ 
ceived awards according to merit. 
Arachnanthe Cathcarti grandiflora, Nov. var. 
The large fleshy flowers of this species are of 
singular form and as remarkable in colouring. The 
oblong sepals and elliptic petals are densely lined 
transversely with heavy, reddish-brown lines, almost 
covering the pale yellow ground. The lip is three- 
lobed, but the side lobes are small, and the terminal 
one reniform, curiously thickened and yellow. The 
variety under notice has larger flowers, and much 
darker in colour, owing to the greater breadth of the 
lines nearly covering the surface. First-class 
Certificate. Exhibitor, Mr. W. Iggulden, The 
Gardens, Marston House, Frome. 
Coelogyne Mossiae. 
The ovate sepals and elliptic petals of this 
Coelogyne are white. The three-lobed lip is also 
white, with exception of an orange zone across the 
base of the middle lobe. The two ridges along the 
centre of the lip are also white. The face of the 
column is orange. The plant' shown by T. S. Moss, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. Bazeley), Winters’ Hill, Bishops 
Waltham, Hants, had a raceme of six flowers, which 
were more nearly white than usual amongst the 
small flowered kinds. First-class Certificate. 
Trichocentrum tigrinum. 
The leaves of this species are short (3 in. to 4 in.), 
leathery, and of a bronzy-purple, and more or less 
spotted. The sepals and petals are oblong and 
yellow, heavily spotted with brown. The lip is of 
large size, wedge-shaped, emarginate, and white, 
with a purple blotch at the base, and the front half 
of the crest is yellow. Award of Merit. Exhibited 
by Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway. 
Laelia superbiens. 
It is not every one who can flower this bold and un¬ 
common looking species. The sepals are oblong, the 
petals spathulate, and all are of a pale lilac-purple. 
The three-lobed lip is covered in the lower 
portion with forking or branching purple lines, while 
the lamina is orbicular, emarginate, and purple. 
The disc is furnished with seven yellow converging 
plates. Award of Merit. Exhibitor, R. I. Measures, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. Hy. Chapman), Cambridge 
Lodge, Camberwell. 
Cattleya Loddigesii. 
The flowers of this species, exhibited by R. I. 
Measures, Esq,, were larger and more brightly 
coloured than usual. The sepals and petals were 
purple, and the lip several shades paler; the lamina 
had a pale creamy band across it, and the edges of 
the side lobes were much crisped. Award of Merit. 
Exhibitor, R. I. Measures, Esq. 
Pleurothallis Grobyi. 
The leaves in this case are also bronzy, leathery, and 
obovate-spathulate. The racemes of bloom are 6 in. 
to 8 in. long. The upper sepal is lanceolate and 
yellow, with three brown lines, but the lateral ones 
are devoid of the brown lines. The minute petals 
are brown, and the lip similar in colour, slightly 
larger, and movable. It rises against the column 
when the flower is lifted up. Botanical Certificate. 
Exhibited by R. I. Measures, Esq. 
Phaius grandifolius Blumei. 
The sepals and petals of this variety are broader 
than in the type, and yellow tinted with pale brown. 
The lip has a bright yellow tube, both externally 
and internally, with a large, expanded, blush lamina, 
on which is a yellow tongue running down from the 
throat. Award of Merit. The exhibitor was A. H. 
Smee, Esq. (gardener, Mr. G. W. Cummins), The 
Grange, 'Wallington, Surrey. 
Dendrobium tetragonum. 
The peculiar character of this Australian species is 
its acutely quadrangular or square dark olive green 
stems. The flowers are produced singly or in pairs 
from the sides and are not very conspicuous. The 
sepals are yellow with purple edges, while the petals 
are narrower, shorter, and pale yellow. The 
obscurely, three-lobed lip is creamy-yellow with 
transverse purple stripes on the side lobes. Botanical 
Certificate. Exhibitor, A. H. Smee, Esq. 
Bifpenaria racemosa. 
The pseudo-bulbs of this plant are short and four¬ 
angled, bearing a single leathery leaf. The sepals 
are oblong and greenish flushed with purple. The 
petals are white passing into rose at the base. The 
lip is white in the lower half and purple upwards, 
with a yellow crest in the centre. The sides are so 
incurved as to make the whole organ hollow. 
Botanical Certificate. Exhibited by Messrs. W. L. 
Lewis & Co., Southgate. 
Anpophyllum giganteum. 
The slender stems of this Orchid support a single, 
strap-shaped leaf, sometimes 2 ft. long. The flowers 
are very moderate in size, but very numerous, and 
densely arranged in a spike about 6 in, long or twice 
that length in its native habitats. The sepals and 
petals are pale purple, but the reversed lip is several 
shades darker. Botanical Certificate. Exhibitors, 
Walter C. Walker, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Geo. 
Cragg), Winchmore Hill, and F. W. Moore, Esq., 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 
Pleurothallis asterophora. 
The leaves of this species are lanceolate or elliptic 
fleshy, and very small. The flowers are also very 
minute, dark purple-brown, and produced on very 
slender racemes. It is, of course, only of botanical 
interest. Botanical Certificate. Exhibited by F. 
W. Moore, Esq. 
Calanthe striata. 
The flowers of this Japanese species are smaller 
than most of those in general cultivation—a fact 
which would account for its being so little known, 
although it has been known to science since 1690, 
and reached the Continent about 1832 or previously. 
The stout scapes bear a raceme of ten to fifteen 
flowers, which have brownish-red sepals and petals 
striated and margined with yellow, but somewhat 
variable. The three-lobed lip is yellow with an 
obcordate lamina. Botanical Certificate. Exhibited 
by F. W. Moore, Esq. 
Dendrobium Sybil. 
This hybrid was exhibited by Norman C. Cookson, 
Esq., Wylam-on-Tyne, on the 28th March, 1893, 
when it received an Award of Merit. It is now 
much better developed, and when brought up again 
on the r3th inst , by the same exhibitor, it received 
a First-class Certificate. For description see p. 504 
for April 8th, 1893. 
Bulbophyllum comosum. 
Most of the species of Bulbophyllum have small, 
washy or dull-coloured and uninteresting flowers, 
while a small section of a type similar to B. Dearei 
have large and conspicuous flowers. Many botanists, 
however, do not consider them true species of Bulbo¬ 
phyllum. That under notice is a small flowered 
type, and is, notwithstanding, both interesting and 
pretty. The pseudo-bulbs are sub-globose, angular, 
and leafless when in flower. The scape is upright, 
but sharply decurved just beneath the flower spike 
of small blooms, so that the whole mass is drooping 
or pendant in the same manner as those of several of 
the species of Platyclinis, particularly P. filiforme. 
The sepals are subulate, somewhat tailed, white, and 
covered with stiffish white hairs, which give them a 
peculiarly bristly appearance, to which the specific 
name evidently refers. The petals and lip are small 
and white, but take no part in giving the flowers 
their characteristic appearance. They are agreeably 
fragrant. A plant has been flowering for some time 
past in the East Indian house at Kew. The species 
is a native of Burma. 
Bifpenaria Harrisoniae. 
About seven or eight species of this genus have been 
introduced from time to time, but with exception of 
the subject of this notice, they are now seldom seen 
in cultivation. The large and fragrant flowers as 
well as the ease with which the plant may be grown 
has probably helped to maintain its reputation when 
all the rest have been partly forgotten. Lindley 
separated it and its allies from Maxillaria under 
which it was originally included, and other names 
have been given it including Lycaste. A corres¬ 
pondent sends a fine bloom, but apparently not 
fully developed, as the sepals and petals were tinted 
with pale greenish yellow, whereas they should be 
ivory white when at their best. The purple lip was 
darker in the throat, in fact of a vinous purple with 
darker, forking veins on the side lobes and along the 
base of the lip ; the crest was golden yellow and the 
greater part of the surface covered with shaggy hairs. 
When spread out the flower measures about 3 in. 
across, and has a massive appearance on account of 
the waxy or fleshy consistency of the sepals and 
petals. Even in the cut state the flowers long 
retain their fragrance, 
Celery. 
This is almost an indispensable vegetable in all 
gardens, and it is one that requires a great deal of 
attention if it is to be had in perfect condition. For 
an early supply the white varieties are best, as these 
blanch more readily than the pink or red ones. Seed¬ 
lings of these should now be large enough for prick¬ 
ing off, where it is intended to have a supply ready 
for use in August. If a slight hot bed could be 
afforded for this purpose so much the better, for 
then the plants would grow away more readily, not 
being so likely to suffer for want of water, but if this 
cannot be had, they should be pricked out into 
boxes and kept near the glass where they can have 
plenty of air, till such times as the weather is 
favourable for putting them out in the open. If 
required for early exhibition the plants should 
be pricked off into 4-in. pots, putting one in 
the centre of each. No crocks need be used for 
drainage, as the roots will soon fill the space if light, 
rich soil is used. The pots should be plunged up to 
the rim in a fram* where a slight bottom heat can 
be had, but air must be freely admitted in order 
to keep the plants sturdy, for if they become 
drawn in a young state they will suffer when planted 
out. 
The ground on which it is intended to grow 
Celery cannot be too rich ; rough fresh manure, 
however, must be avoided, as this has a tendency to 
draw the moisture out of the soil, so that the plants 
cannot make any headway. If some thoroughly 
decayed farmyard manure can be had this is what 
the roots delight to ramble in, as it holds the 
moisture and the plants grow apace. It is not 
necessary to earth early Celery to get it blanched. 
If some three inch drain pipes be put round them 
when they are from 15 to 18 in. high, these will ex¬ 
clude the light and blanch them perfectly without 
the aid of soil. The roots can then be fed with 
liquid and other manure, and watering can be done 
copiously without injury to the plants. Celery 
collars are sometimes used, also paper tied round 
the stalks to exclude the light. Drain pipes are, 
however, preferable, being the least trouble. 
P'or a second supply the seedlings will soon be 
large enough to handle, and these if possible should 
be afforded a slight hot bed where they can be 
pricked out so as to induce them to grow sturdy. 
For this the red or pink kinds are preferable, 
usually being of better flavour than the white. The 
late lot is that which needs most care and attention, 
as this is required to stand in the ground through 
the winter and well on into the spring. To produce 
plants for this the seed should be sown about the 
first week in April on a heap of manure that has a 
little warmth in it; before the plants get crowded 
they should be pricked out on a warm border in rich 
soil. If well supplied with moisture they will soon 
grow away, and by the middle or latter part of July 
will be large enough to transplant into the trenches. 
On cold heavy land these ought to be shallow, so as 
to keep the plants drier in winter. If from 6 to 8 
ins. below the level of the surrounding ground after 
the manure has been put in, that will be ample. If a 
little light soil can be afforded for covering the 
manure so as to give the plants a start, root action 
will take place more freely. These late plantings 
should consist of some good hardy kind such as 
Major Clarke’s Solid Red or Sulham Prize. 
When earthing on such land, finely-sifted coal 
ashes should be used to put between and close to 
the stem, as this will prevent both the frost from 
penetrating so far, and keep the snails from eating 
them. In earthing, take particular care not to let 
any ashes or earth get into the hearts of the plants, 
and on stiff retentive land see that there is a 
sufficient thickness of earth put to the sides of the 
plants to keep the frost from reaching them. On 
light soils this is not necessary, as the frost does 
not usually penetrate so far. Water should never 
be given after earthing, unless at the roots, as this 
would cause decay. Celery is a hardy plant when 
left in the open ; it is the blanching that causes it to 
be so tender, so for this reason that which is required 
to withstand the severity of the winters should not 
be earthed till there is danger of frost setting in 
It may be covered with mats at nights to ward off 
any early visitations and to keep the foliage dry, as 
the soil should never be put to the plants when 
either are wet .—Kitchen Gardener. 
