124 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Oct. 25th, 1884. 
THE 
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Seasonable Work in the Orchid-houses.— 
Every season brings with it its work, and a knowledge 
of what it is necessary should be done at each change 
in the year is very essential to the Orchid-grower. At 
the present time, and during the next fortnight or 
three weeks, much attention should be given to 
settling the different species in their proper quarters 
for the winter. Many things not strictly speaking 
cold-house plants are now wisely put into cool houses 
for the summer, as it is generally admitted that many 
species are much benefited by such treatment, but it 
is prudent not to put off returning them to warmer 
quarters too long, lest the change from a cool-house in 
which but little artificial heat is given to one in which 
it is more perceptible, be injurious. If the plants 
which require warmer quarters for the 'winter arc 
attended to now, they will not feel the change and will 
be quite acclimatized to their fresh situation before it 
is necessary to use much artificial heat. 
Among the many Orchids which some of our best 
growers remove to a cold-house in summer and return 
to an intermediate temperature in winter are Odonto- 
glossum Eoezlii, 0. vexillarium, 0. Phalcenopsis, 
Bolleas, Pescatoreas, Ckimseroid Masdevallias, Hunt- 
leyas, Miltonias, Oncidiums, Laelias, Ac., in fact 
almost all Orchids are treated as cool-house plants at 
that season, by some or other of the growers, and 
wherever such treatment is consistently pursued it is 
always with the best results. Care must, however, be 
taken not to push matters too far by deferring too long 
the return of the plants to a warmer temperature. 
Odontoglossum Eoezlii is one of the first to show 
signs of impatience at the cool moisture of the cool- 
house in autumn, and indeed to resent changes at all 
times unless very carefully made, and for that reason 
Mr. Lee, Mr. Gaskell and Sir Trevor Lawrence, leave 
them in the same quarters all the year round, the 
houses in which they are kept being changed into cool 
ones in summer by having the artificial heat taken 
off. 0. Eoezlii is one of the most beautiful of Orchids 
and one of the freest growers, if but a suitable place 
can be found for it. In fixing on a spot for it to 
occupy, therefore, it will be well to bear in mind that 
the gentlemen previously mentioned and who grow it 
so well, all agree that it thrives best in a moist and 
rather shady intermediate house, where cold currents 
of air cannot reach it; in fact, in just such a position 
as the general collection of Cypripediums grow best 
in. Mr. Bonny, of Hackney, who grows it equally 
well, keeps it on a narrow moss-covered shelf in the 
Phaltenopsis-house, and some few who do not let their 
cool-house go very low in winter succeed tolerably well 
with it there. It therefore appears that in order to 
succeed with this and all the other Miltonia-like 
Odontoglossums the first thing necessary is to find 
for them a place which they like, and if afterwards 
they are kept free from yellow thrips, by dipping 
frequently in weak tobacco water, they are easy 
enough to grow and flower, but it must be borne in 
mind that they will not stand so low a temperature in 
winter as 0. crispum. 
Odontoglossum Phaloenopsis is grown in great 
quantity, and in fine order, by Mr. Cooper, gardener 
to the Eight Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, at Highbury, 
Moor Green, Birmingham, in the same house with 
O. vexillarium, which is really a cold-house in summer 
but of intermediate temperature in winter. The 
plants are grown in shallow pans, and suspended 
near to the glass of the roof, which is an important 
feature in its cultivation. The Bolleas, Pescatoreas, 
Huntleyas, and Warscewiczellas are certainly bene¬ 
fited by a sojourn in a cold shady house in summer, 
but they will not stand anything like cold in winter. 
Lately some of the healthiest plants I have seen of 
these have been on blocks, but I suspect that the 
prime cause of their vigour was that being on blocks 
they were necessarily brought up to the light, and 
lifted in many cases out of the damp air which would 
have surrounded them had they been in pots and on 
the stages. All these plants like a clear diffused 
1 ght, and plenty of water at the roots if there is a 
f ee passage for it to drain ofi, but bright sunlight or 
stagnant moisture is death to them. I therefore con¬ 
sider that they have a much greater chance of success 
if they are grown in baskets, or in shallow pans, and 
suspended from the roof. The resting Dendrobes, 
which are being kept dry in cool houses, must be 
watched and removed to slightly warmer structures in 
cases where any fear of actual injury by cold exists. 
For this purpose vineries at rest are very useful places, 
as the inactive Orchids put to ripen in them do not 
require much water, and while kept dry have little 
chance of being injured by cold. 
In settling the plants down for the winter, in cases 
where it is doubtful whether any would not be the 
better for a little more heat than that of the house in 
which they now are, it is advisable to remove them 
into warmer quarters, if no reliable information can 
be obtained directly to the contrary; at the same time 
one or two of each should be left in the cooler house 
as an experiment, as by that means only can the best 
information on the point be obtained. While attend¬ 
ing to these matters the Orchid-grower should 
persistently continue the autumn cleaning of the 
plants, then- houses, stages, pots and everything 
about them, as cleanliness in every particular works 
wonders in keeping the Orchids sound and healthy 
through our long dull season .—James O'Brien. 
— ^ — 
ORCHID NOTES. 
Dendrobium "Wardianum flowering in the 
open-air. —Mr. A. H. Smee, of The Grange, Hack- 
bridge, who is so well known for his extensive trials 
of Orchids from all parts of the tropics m the open- 
air from spring until autumn, has just succeeded in 
blooming this fine Dendrobe on the banks of the 
stream running through his garden, where it has been 
growing all the summer in company with a most 
interesting collection of other Orchids. They were 
all in the best of health when they were taken indoors 
a fortnight ago.— J. 
Orchids in Flower at Holloway. —In a large 
and well-managed trade collection like that of Mr. B. 
S. Williams’, the visitor is always certain to find some¬ 
thing in flower to repay him for a visit to the northern 
suburbs. A few days ago we noted in the Orchid- 
houses there a remarkably fine variety of Cypripedium 
Harrisianium, with the large dorsal sepal of a rich 
bright purple brown, with rose-coloured veins, and 
margined with white. Lrelia Perrini was coming into 
bloom freely, and proving, though much neglected, 
that it is a fine autumn-flowering species. The 
singularly handsome Paphinia cristata, which is so 
well illustrated in the first volume of The Orchid 
Album, was also in bloom, a small plant bearing two 
of its yellow ground and chocolate-purple barred 
flowers. Though an old and well-known species, it is 
always an interesting plant in flower. Mr. Williams, 
we believe, had not been able to grow it well until the 
last year or two, when he discovered that it liked heat 
and shade in preference to the climate of the Cattleya- 
house. 
Odontoglossum crispum. —A branching spike 
of this popular Orchid bearing sixty flowers is a 
sight not often seen by Orehidists, but such an one 
was on view at Stevens’ Eooms last week. It was 
grown by Dr. Paterson, of Bridge of Allan. 
---H*- 
Odontoglossum Insleayi. —A small flowering 
plant, with only two leaf-bearing bulbs, of this showy 
Mexican Odontoglot realized eleven and a half guineas 
at the sale at Stevens’ Eooms on the 16th inst. It 
was a very fine variety, however, having flowers much 
larger than those of the ordinary form; and the rich 
golden yellow lip, spotted with crimson on the margin, 
combined with the brown barred pale green sepals and 
petals, made up a flower that much took the fancy of 
the Orchid-growers present. 
— -.W -O- ? j, - —a — 
“’Tisin ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our 
bodies are gardens; to the which our wills are 
gardeners : so that if we will plant Nettles, or sow 
Lettuce ; set Hyssop, and weed up Thyme : supply it 
with one gender of herbs or distract it with many; 
either to have it sterile with idleness, or manured with 
industry ; why, the power and corrigible authority of 
this lies in our wills .”—Shahspeare (“ Othello,” i. 3). 
FLORICULTURE. 
Indian Azaleas. —Should anyone be wanting a 
selection of fine varieties that would make a desirable 
collection, they will find them in the following list:— 
Double-flowered: Alba spinosa plena, pure white, 
fully double, good form and substance. Baron Gengis 
de St. Genois, large, fine form, fully double, bright 
salmon, the upper lobes violet. Bernard Andrea alba, 
a very fine double white, form and substance all that can 
be desired, very free and extra fine. Comtesse Eugenie 
de Kerchove, semi rather than fully double, white, 
flaked with reddish-carmine, very pretty. Deutsche 
Perle, a very fine variety of good form and substance, 
fully double, probably one of the very best pure white 
varieties yet obtained; especially recommended for 
forcing. Empereur de Bresil, large and very fine, 
colour, rose banded with white, exquisite form, very 
showy. Francois de Vos, clear, deep crimson, fully 
double, and very fine. Herman Seidel, large, semi- 
double, crimson, marked on the upper lobes with deep 
red. Imperatrice des Indes, large, fully double, rose, 
banded with white and marked on the upper petals 
with clear red, very fine. Louise Pynaert, large, fully 
double, pure white, striped with rose and carmine. 
Memoire de Louis Van Houtte, very large semi¬ 
double flowers, colour, bright rose, the upper 
lobes blotched -with crimson, fine form and good 
substance. Narcissiflora, fully double, pure white, 
very free indeed, excellent for forcing and cutting 
purposes ; and Eeine de Portugal, large, double, pure 
white, slightly striped with bright red, an excellent 
variety for cutting purposes. 
The following is a selection of the best Single 
varieties:—Ceres, an excellent variety of extra 
substance, slightly striped and stained with lilac- 
rose. Charmer, flower large, colour, rich amaranth, 
the upper petals spotted with dark. Comtesse de 
Beaufort, beautiful, rich, rosy-lilac, the upper 
petals blotched with crimson. Etandard de Flandre, 
flower very large, white, striped with salmon, an 
excellent forcing variety. General Postmeister 
Stephan, glowing crimson, very bright and effective. 
Iveryana, an old but very good variety, and still 
one of the finest light striped varieties, the petals 
finely striped and spotted with lilac. Konigin des 
Weisse, perhaps the purest white-flowered Azalea 
in cultivation, fine shape and substance, good in all 
respects. Madame Jean Nuytens-Versehaffelt, pure 
white, good form, and very fine. Mrs. Turner, bright 
pink, the petals margined with pure white and spotted 
with crimson. Eeine des Blanches, pure snow-white, 
extra fine both in form and substance ; and Eeine des 
Eoses, charming bright rose, deeply spotted with dark 
on the top petals, very fine and effective.— Quo. 
Hose Devoniensis. —Looking over the volume of 
The Florist for 1859 a few days ago, I came across a 
statement which accounts for the origin of this lovely 
Eose, and which may have some interest for your 
readers. It would appear that about 1840, or there¬ 
abouts, the writer was passing through the market at 
Devonport one day, when he saw a Eose in a small 
pot, which he purchased and carried home, placing it 
in his window. After the flower had dropped a seed- 
pod succeeded it, which ripened in the window, and 
for curiosity it was sowm under the window. The 
result was a seedling-plant which grew’ and flowered 
in the place where the seed was sown. A flower of it 
was shown to one of the employes in the nursery 
of Messrs. Lucombe, Pince & Co., of Exeter. Ho 
mentioned the matter to Mr. Pince, who subsequently 
purchased the stock of the Eose, propagated it, 
exhibited it at one of the meetings of the Horticultural 
Society of Londofi, then held in Eegent Street, under 
the name of Devoniensis, and it was subsequently 
sent out. This statement was made in answer to a 
remark that Devoniensis was not an English raised 
Eose.— Quo. 
New Bouvardias. —Two new Bouvardias are 
announced from the other side of the Atlantic, one is 
a double scarlet variety named Thomas Meehan, 
which perhaps may be regarded as a double form of 
