March 31, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
485 
MARIPOSA LILIES. 
The accompanying illustration shows some of the 
curious forms of flowers which constitute the genus 
Calochortus, many species of which have been in¬ 
troduced from time to time from California chiefly. 
They have bulbous roots, and may be treated some¬ 
what in the same manner as Tulips when grown 
in the open ground, but must be protected 
from wet. They are perfectly hardy as far as frost 
is concerned, at least in this country, but they do 
not like rain, snow and moisture of our winter 
months. A place should be selected for them, there¬ 
fore, where they will be somewhat sheltered in that 
respect, and where the soil is naturally well 
drained and sandy, but comparatively rich. Should 
the natural soil of the garden be somewhat heavy it 
would be worth while to prepare a bed specially for 
their reception where they would find the conditions 
more congenial to their well-being. Old potting 
bench soil, with an admixture of leaf soil and sand 
if necessary, would meet their requirements much 
better than heavy loam inclined to clay, which would 
indeed be fatal to them. A garden light supported 
on four stout pegs or short posts driven into the 
ground, would ward off snow and rain and thereby 
enable the bulbs to throw up their magnificent and 
even gorgeous flowers 
during May, June or July 
as the case may be, for the ■ 
different species maintain 
a succession. Other culti¬ 
vators grow them in cold 
frames, planted out in 
light, sandy soil, and suc¬ 
ceed perfectly. Mr. T. S. 
Ware, Hale Farm Nur¬ 
series, Tottenham, treats 
them in this way, and 
annually flowers a con¬ 
siderable number of 
species, including those 
represented by the ac¬ 
companying illustration ^ 
for which we are indebted 
to his courtesy. 
The drooping flowers 
on the lower right hand 
corner represent a type 
frequently classified under 
the name Cyclobothra, of 
which there are several 
species. Calochortus pul- 
chellus is one of them 
often grown under the 
name of Cyclobothra pul- 
chella, and one of the 
easiest to grow and flower 
annually. The flowers 
are drooping, somewhat 
globular, and of a bright yellow. C. albus is similar 
in form, but the three larger petals are pure white. 
One of the largest flowered species belonging to the 
true type of Calochortus is C. venustus, represented 
by the central figure of the illustration, and charac¬ 
terised by white flowers variegated with yellow and 
crimson at the base, and by having a large crimson 
blotch on the middle of each of the three inner 
segments. There are several very fine varieties of 
this species differing in the colour and markings of 
the flowers, including C. v. Vesta, C. v. oculatus, 
and C. o. roseus. The flowers of C. splendens are 
also of large size, and of a soft lilac-purple. C. 
Weedii is a more recent introduction, with deep 
yellow or almost orange flowers variegated with a 
deep brown blotch near the base. In addition to 
the beautiful colours and various markings the 
flowers are more or less bearded in places upon the 
inner face, and present a most singular appearance, 
which can be better appreciated by seeing the 
flowers than from mere description. 
finished up two successive growths and are flower¬ 
ing from each. One of the second growths started 
four strong flower spikes, which is rather excep¬ 
tional. The best spikes are between 3 ft. and 4 ft. 
long, and have from ten to twelve branches, which 
shows how suitable it is for cutting. 
It is said to be a native of the States of Colombia, 
and to be found growing on the branches of trees 
overhanging streams at an elevation of 500 ft. to 
1,000 ft., thus indicating that a high moist tempera¬ 
ture is essential to the successful growth of the 
plant. It is a pity, as a cultural guide, that more 
precise information is not always forthcoming as to 
the locality and climatic conditions under which 
plants are found. I am thinking especially, just 
now, of the beautiful Eulophiella, which is in bloom 
for the first time with Messrs. Sander ; we were told 
when this plant was introduced last spring that it 
was found growing on the tops of the tallest trees, a 
statement which hardly agrees with my experience 
of its growth, as the roots confine themselves to the 
moss and peat in which they are growing, and in no 
case extend beyond, as we might expect them to do 
if the plant grows naturally in the tops of trees. 
Ours have been grown with the Phalaenopsis in 
baskets, and appear to like plenty of water ; in fact, 
I think the best treatment for these plants will be 
Varieties of Calochortus. 
almost identical with that required by Phaius 
tuberculosus. It is certainly a most lovely Orchid, 
and other growers’ experience of it would be 
interesting.— IV. H. Lees, Trent Park Gardens, New 
Barnet. 
ONCIDIUM AMPLIATUM MAJUS. 
This beautiful and free-flowering Oncidium well 
merits special attention, as it is easily grown, and 
the flowers, which are of a bright yellow colour, 
being borne on strong branching spikes, make it very 
valuable for cutting purposes. It does best grown 
in a high temperature, that of the East India house 
being most suitable, and it should be wintered in a 
temperature not lower than 58° to 60°. Ours are 
grown in baskets, and last season some of the plants 
CAMELLIAS AND RHODODENDRONS 
AT CHELSEA. 
Camellias. 
The open winter has been very favourable to the 
flowering of the large collection of Camellias 
planted out in the long corridor of Messrs. J. Veitch 
& Sons, Chelsea, leading into the Fulham Road. The 
place is entirely unheated, yet the early varieties 
commenced flowering before Christmas, and have 
continued ever since. The earliest are, of course, 
out of flower, but a larger number are still at their 
best, and the late ones look as if they would keep up 
a succession for some time to come. The most of 
the large bushes or trees have been remarkably well 
set with buds. The collection is representative of 
many of the leading kinds in cultivation, and the 
undermentioned sorts merely refer to those which 
were in bloom on the occasion of our visit. The old 
Alba Plena is seldom omitted from any collection, 
and receives due prominence here. The deep rose- 
coloured flowers of Conspicua are very large, 
with loosely but neatly arranged and imbricated 
petals, with an open centre, exposing a small cluster 
of stamens. The plant is evidently very old, form¬ 
ing a large, round-headed tree, and very floriferous. 
A similarly large plant named Elegans is also a free- 
flowering kind with large, rosy flowers. The outer 
petals are very broad, but the centre is well filled 
with a great number of small petals, such as we can 
see in some of the double varieties of Paeonia albi- 
flora. Several of them have striped, blotched or 
otherwise variegated flowers like Tricolor, which has 
red, rose, and white flowers, the colours being com- 
binfed in various ways. Triomphe de Lodge has 
pink or flesh coloured flowers, faintly striped with 
rose, and some of the blooms are rose coloured with 
a white blotch here and there. 
One of the largest and most handsome varieties in 
cultivation is Mathotiana, with huge, regularly im¬ 
bricated, brilliant red flowers. Unlike the kinds 
previously mentioned, the plant is trained up the 
rafters of the corridor. It may, however, be grown 
as a dwarf plant in pots, in which it flowers freely 
enough. The flowers of Countess of Orkney are 
white, striped with pale purple; sometimes a few 
blooms of a uniformly rose colour will appear on 
different parts of the same plant. Imbricata is a 
neat variety with deep rose flowers often splashed 
with white, and having closely imbricated flowers. 
All of the above are varieties of Camellia japonica, 
but amongst them we noted C. reticulata flore pleno, 
with its huge, deep rose flowers and wavy petals. 
Generally speaking, they 
would be termed semi¬ 
double, as they show a few 
stamens in the centre, 
but their showy and con¬ 
spicuous nature renders 
them popular with many. 
Hybrid Greenhouse 
Rhododendrons. 
No matter what season 
we visit Messrs. Veitch's 
nursery, we never find the 
Javan race of Rhododen¬ 
drons out of bloom. Kept 
as they are in an inter¬ 
mediate house, they are 
always growing, coming to 
rest for a while, and 
then flowering. All these 
stages may be noted at any 
time of the year, so that 
a considerable number of 
plants are alw'ays in the 
flowering stage, and the 
colours seem equally 
bright, no matter what 
time of the year it is. The 
process of hybridisation 
is being carried on with as 
much zest as ever, and im¬ 
provements in size and 
colour are continually 
being effected with every 
fresh batch that comes into bloom. The shades of 
colour are remarkably varied from the most delicate 
and difficult to describe to the most intense and 
brilliant shades. 
The flowers of Yellow Gem are unusually large, 
though not equal perhaps to the recently certificated 
Niobe. Both have bright yellow flowers, and are 
the best of their type. Ariel is several shades paler, 
but is nevertheless a fine thing, and was certificated 
last year. The flesh-coloured blooms of Imogene 
are netted with deeper veins, and are large with 
revolute segments. It was certificated quite recently. 
Good sized plants of Princess Beatrice flower very 
freely, and the delicate pink flowers tinted with yellow 
are very attractive. There is a pale rosy zone in the 
centre with radiating bands from it. Amongst the 
darker yellow kinds, Aurora is very choice, as the 
flowers might be described as of a salmon Orange 
hue, deepening towards the edges. Luteo-roseum has 
satin-rose flowers suffused with yellow or salmon, and 
having a pale purple zone in the throat. The 
blooms of Thetis are tawny yellow with a pale pink 
zone running out into rays in the throat. Trium- 
phans is notable for the unusual length of the tube, 
which like the lamina of the flower itself is of a 
brilliant crimson-scarlet. 
The double varieties have not yet been added to, 
but the old ones are flowering with freedom. 
Balsaminaeflorum aureum is characterised by the 
shortness of the tube, and the perfectly double, clear 
yellow flowers. The imbricated and rosy petals of 
Balsaminaeflorum on the other hand are subtended 
