March 28th, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
473 
a good way to be early with them to sow in boxes 
or small pots, in frames, and plant out in May. 
Eidge Cucumbers and Vegetable Marrows should 
now be sown, and grown on in a little heat; also 
Tomatos, which are now so much in favour, they 
come in for so many purposes in the kitchen, and are 
so easily cultivated, all they require being a hot 
position near a -wall or fence, where they can have 
their branches tacked up, in which positions they 
fruit freely if the plants get a soaking of water now 
and then to help them to set their blossoms, which fall 
if they become dry at the roots. 
- CT'-O — 
hJELlA ANCEPS AND ITS 
VARIETIES. 
So numerous have the beautiful varieties of this 
species become, so useful are they as winter and 
spring flowers, and so much are they appreciated by 
Orchid growers, that the day seems to be not far 
distant when in large collections a special house will 
be devoted to them and to the other pretty Mexican 
Ladias requiring similar treatment. This season they 
have been specially fine in most places, but in the 
rich collection of Baron Schroder at The Dell, 
Egham, they have been superb, and through the 
kindness of the Baron, we are enabled to give engra¬ 
vings of a very distinct set of them, seme of which 
we here produce, the others being retained for a future 
issue. 
L.elia anceps (fig. 1). —The original type with its 
warm rose petals and crimson lip, is a great beauty, 
and is, moreover, interesting for several reasons. It 
was received by Messrs. Loddiges from Mexico, and 
flowered with them in December, 1835, and was 
figured and described in The Botanical Register, Tab. 
1751, 1836. Later on in The Botanical Magazine, Tab. 
3804, 1841, it is figured and mentioned as being 
received from His Grace the Duke of Bedford, at 
FIG. 2. L.ELLA ANCEPS ALBA. 
Woburn Abbey, who got it from Mr. Parkinson in 
Mexico. At the same time, Mr. Donald Beaton, then 
with Mr. Harris of Kingsbury, in one of the earliest 
notes on cool Orchids calls attention to it as adapted for 
culture in a very low temperature. Mr. Beaton said 
that in September, 1840, he received some plants of 
L. anceps, which he placed on shelves on damp moss 
in a seedroom ranging between 35 degs. and 40 degs. 
In December, fearing to risk all, he removed a portion 
to the coolest end of an Orchid-house, but later on he 
found that those which had been left in the cold seed- 
room were in the best condition. Afterwards, in March, 
the plants were placed in a brisk heat, and they throve 
and ultimately flowered well. Mr. Beaton, in his 
interesting note, also enumerates other Orchids which 
he found to thrive well as low as 40 degs. or 45 degs. 
in winter. 
My own opinion is that, as w r e now have our Orchid- 
houses arranged, the cold-house is too damp for the 
varieties of L. anceps, and that for this reason, and 
also for the purpose of their being assisted in bringing 
their flowers to perfection at the dull season when 
they are produced, the cool end of the Cattleya-house 
is by far the best for them, unless some bright, light, 
airy cool-house, a little drier than the Odontoglossum- 
house, can be made available for them. If kept cold 
and dry they will stand a very low temperature and 
only be retarded in their flowering, but if kept cold 
and damp they run great risk of losing the flower 
altogether. 
L.elia anceps alba (fig. 2).—The enterprise of 
importers has introduced many beautiful forms to us 
of late years, but this pure white variety, without 
mark of colour of any kind, is certainly one of the 
most lovely, and, as in the case of all pure white 
flowers, it is a first favourite. 
Jj/elia anceps Scheodekiana.— This new variety 
has not yet flowered in this country, but its growth is 
very remarkable and distinct. The long pseudo bulbs 
almost resemble those of a Schomburgkia, and the 
leafage is very stout. The sepals and petals are 
described as being of the purest white ; lip orange at 
the base, the showy portion being crimson, purple, 
and rose. It is said to bid fair to rival the famed L. a. 
Dawsoni. 
L.elia anceps LECCOSTicTA. —A very pretty variety, 
with rose sepals and petals, having whitish veinings 
and markings, the lip being as in the old L. anceps. 
Lsslia anceps Williajisii (fig. 3). —This will 
always be a standard variety, the pure -white sepals 
and petals being of the best form, and the whole 
flower of great substance. There is no rose tint in it, 
and the black lines in the labellum serve well to show 
up the spotless white of the floral segments. 
Laelia anceps blanda. —A pretty variety, sepals and 
petals white, with a rose hue, the middle nerves of 
the sepals being of the palest green; lip warm purple, 
the angles of the side lacinia being rosy with rows of 
purple dots.— James O'Brien. 
(To be continued.) 
- g— - 
THE BULB SHOW AT HAARLEM. 
From the 20th to the 24th inst., there has been 
held at Haarlem (the very centre of bulb-culture) in 
Holland, the largest and most varied exhibition of 
bulbous plants ever brought together, to celebrate the 
establishment of a quinquennial exhibition of these 
popular flowers, under the auspices of the General 
Society of Bulb Culture, which has been in existence 
for many years. Hitherto the annual meetings have 
taken place in Haarlem and the villages around on a 
small scale, and certainly if this one is the precursor 
of the future Shows it will prove a most attractive and 
interesting feature in horticulture. 
The various exhibits included Hyacinths, Tulips, 
Narcissus, Crocus, Scillas, Fritillarias, Helebores, 
Connallaria, Hoteia, Hepatica, Trillium, Amaryllis, 
Imantophyllum, Laelienalia, Cyclamen, &c., in fact 
every genera were represented that are generally 
known as bulbous or tuberous-rooted plants. The 
whole occupied the large hall with galleries and 
annexes of the largest public building in Haarlem, 
and some idea may be gleaned of the extent of the 
Show by the fact that at least 8,000 Hyacinths, and 
nearly as many Tulips were staged. The blooms 
were generally greatly superior to those usually met 
with in Holland, so far as regards the Hyacinth, and 
although but few novelties were exhibited, the fine 
varieties which are now seen at our own Shows were 
abundantly represented, but to enumerate the sorts 
would simply be to repeat those which may be noted 
in every bulb catalogue. 
There was but one feeling of regret amongst the 
Executive—that so few Englishmen had availed them¬ 
selves of such an excellent opportunity of seeing what 
can be done in the home of bulbs, and certainly those 
who did see them came away with much satisfaction, 
feeling that never had there been such a grand display 
of this beautiful and easily cultivated class of plants. 
There were some 180 classes for which prizes were 
offered, and there were but few blanks, the value 
being between £500 and £600. The arrangement 
was very artistic, the Hyacinths and Tulips being 
arranged on stages erected round the sides and end of 
the hall—notin straight lines, but in easy curves—the 
pots being hidden with moss, other rows, some six 
deep, sloping upwards. It is surprising how very small 
the pots are, comparatively to what our exhibitors 
use, and this applies not only to Hyacinths, but the 
FIG. 3. LAELLA ANCEPS WILLI.A5ISII. 
other plants shown. At the end of the room was 
placed the Amaryllis, and on the raised alcove 
Tulips, &c. The floor being laid out with turf as a 
garden, and groups of Narcissus, Spirrea, Hepatica, 
Tulips, Hyacinths, six and ten in a pan of a sort, 
Moutan Pseonies, Crocus, Scillas, Imantophyllum, 
with a few Palms, Dracaenas, &c., in the centres, 
formed a most pleasing and picturesque scene as 
viewed from the galleries. 
Our Villages. —Mr. Bailey Denton’s article on 
“ Our Villages ; Labourers’ Dwellings and Allotment 
of Gardens,” which appeared recently in The Agricul¬ 
tural Gazette , has been printed in pamphlet form. In 
this handy shape it will be useful for reference to 
anyone interested in this important subject, and the 
improvements advocated by the author. 
