262 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 22, 1894. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
By John Fraser, F.L.S., Kew. 
The undermentioned Orchids received Awards 
according to merit from the Royal Horticultural 
Society on the nth inst.:— 
Cypripedium Swinburnei magnificum, Nov. 
vav .—The parents of this hybrid form were C. Argus 
Moensii and C. insigne Maulei, the former being the 
seed bearer. The upper sepal is roundly ovate, but 
revolute at the sides, thus reducing its apparent 
size. The ground colour is pale greenish and evenly 
spotted with brownish-purple in lines, and white at 
the margin and apex. The oblong, slightly declining 
petals are 2j in. long, yellowish on the lower half, 
conspicuously blotched with blackish-purple, and 
pale purple on the upper half. The lip is of large 
size, rather depressed or flattened above, greenish, 
and heavily shaded with purple round the mouth. 
The strap-shaped leaves are grayish-green, with 
dark green reticulations, and the vigour of the plant 
may be judged from the fact that the scape was 
2 ft. high. Award of Merit. Exhibited by T. W. 
Swinburne, Esq., J.P., Corndean Hall, Winchcombe, 
Gloucestershire, and E. Ashworth, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. E Holbrook), Wilmslow, Cheshire. 
Gattleya guttata Prinzii Viscount de 
Figueiredo, Nov. var .— The sepals of this beauti¬ 
fully distinct variety are oblong and creamy-white, 
spotted with bright purple, while the elliptic-oblong 
petals are even more brightly spotted with purple. 
The tube of the lip is also creamy-white, with deep 
purple tips to the lateral lobes; the terminal lobe is 
reniform with a broad claw, corrugate, and deep 
amaranth-purple. There are three red spots at the 
apex of the column. The typical C. g. Prinzii has 
the ground colour of the sepals and petals of a pale 
rose-purple suffused with yellowish-white. Award 
of Merit. Exhibited by the Right Hon. Lord 
Rothschild (gardener, Mr. E. Hill), Tring Park, 
Tring. 
Laelia Euterpe, Nov. hyb .—-The seed parent of 
this hybrid was L. crispa superba, and was fertilised 
by L. pumila Dayana. The oblong sepals are blush 
and the ovate petals are a shade darker, crisped at 
the edge, and rolled back at the edges near the base, 
giving them a rhomboid appearance. This latter 
character is doubtless due to the seed parent. The 
tube of the lip is similar in hue, deepening to pink 
at the edges; but the lamina is elongated, much 
undulated, and as well as the side lobes of a crimson- 
purple with darker veins. The throat is creamy- 
white, lined with purple, but especially along the 
centre where the veins approximate, much as is the 
case in L. crispa. The shape of the petals is that 
of L. pumila. Award of Merit. Exhibited by 
Thos. Statter, Esq. (gardener, Mr. R. Johnson), 
Stand Hall, Manchester. 
Cypripedium William Lloyd, Nov. hyb.— This 
was raised from C. bellatulum crossed with Swani- 
anum, and is notable for its rich colours. The 
scape is 6 in. to 8 in. high. The upper sepal is 
round or transversely oval, heavily shaded with 
vinous purple all over except at the tip, which is 
white, and the veins are of a darker hue. The 
petals are oblong-spathulate, 2 in. long, rosy-purple 
all over, and densely spotted and warted with deep 
purple for three parts of their length, but most 
intensified at the base. The lip is blackish-purple, 
and similar in shape and hue to some of the finer 
forms of C. barbatum. The staminode is reniform 
and dark, sanguineous purple with a pinkish edge. 
Award of Merit. Exhibited by Mr. P. Weathers, 
SilverhaU Nursery, Isleworth. 
Schomburgkia chion dora KimbaUiana.— 
The type of this very uncommon species has white 
flowers with a purple spot on the lip, and was intro¬ 
duced from Central America in 1886. The variety 
under notice has warm, bright rose sepals, and petals 
with a darker rosy-purple lamina to the lip, and was 
introduced in 1888. The sepals are oblong, the 
petals spathulate, and all are wavy. The lip is 
three-lobed, toothed at the edges, and the lamina is 
bifid; numerous purple edged lines run along the 
centre. The pseudo-bulbs are fusiform, about a foot 
long, covered with scars, and similar to those of 
Epidendrum bicornutum. The flower scapes vary 
from 2 ft. to 2j ft. high, are branched, and bear 
numerous flowers of a tint very different from those 
generally seen in cultivation. Award of Merit. 
Exhibited by Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton. 
Masdevallia Peristeria.—The flowers of this 
rather interesting species are broadly and shortly 
cylindrical, and rather fleshy. The free portions of 
the sepals are triangular and pale yellow, densely 
covered with numerous very small, purple warts, 
they terminate in tawny-yellow stout tails ij in. 
long. The oblong, erect petals are pale yellow, and 
the relatively large lip is tongue-shaped, and covered 
with purple papillae. Botanical Certificate. A fine 
dark variety was shown by the curator of the Royal 
Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 
Bulbophyilum mandibulare.—This singular 
species was first described by Reichenbach in 1882, 
and comes from Borneo. The leaves are oblong- 
elliptic, leathery, 8 in. to 12 in. long, and borne 
singly on the small pseudo-bulbs. The scape of the 
plant shown was 18 in. long, and carried two flowers. 
The upper sepal is oblong and dusky-yellow; the 
lateral ones are united by their contiguous edges, 
strongly keeled along the midrib of each, similar in 
colour to the upper one, but slightly tinted with red. 
The petals are oblong-elliptic, half the length of the 
sepals, and dark reddish-brown, with deeper veins. 
The tongue-shaped lip is yellow, covered with purple 
papillae. Botanical Certificate. Exhibited by C. J. 
Lucas, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Duncan), Warnham 
Court, Horsham. 
Orchids from Balmedie.—A large boxful of 
blooms, consisting chiefly of Cattleya labiata and 
varieties of Cypripedium insigne, has been sent us by 
Mr. Wm. Hutchinson, gardener to W. H. Lumsden, 
Esq., of Balmedie, Aberdeenshire. The flowers of 
the Catil ya were notable for their size and firmness 
of texture, the latter quality seems to be peculiar to 
individuals to a certain extent, for some of them 
were distinctly more leathery, so to speak, than 
the rest, although no fault could be found with 
any in this respect. In most cases the petals were 
slightly reflexed and relatively rigid, the wavy 
petals of some assumed a stiff ascending direction, 
while others were spreading and recurved above the 
middle. The lamina of the lip in nearly every case 
was dark crimson-purple, and in some cases was of 
huge size. Though none were distinct enough to 
bear a special name, we should speak of the whole 
as good and showy representatives of the type. The 
flowers of Cypripedium insigne were above the 
average size, leathery in texture, and showed a con¬ 
siderable amount of variation in the amount of 
spotting and colour generally. In two cases four 
central rows of spots were notable for the size of the 
blotches, which extended on to the white portion at 
the top of the upper sepal, while sepals and lip were 
very dark. About half of the dorsal sepal was white 
in another case with numerous small purple spots 
upon the white portion, while a third had no spots 
on the white portion, which was equally extensive. 
Accompanying the others was a good form of Laelia 
pumila, a variety of Cypripedium Spicerianum, and 
some flowers of Dendrobium aqueum, better known 
as D. album, all in good form. A flower of Lycaste 
Skinneri alba was notable for size, and the leathery 
character of both sepals and petals. The throat of 
the lip was pale sulphur, and the crest slightly 
darker. 
-- 
The Stove. 
We have now come to about the middle of the dull 
season, and plant life is, as a natural consequence, in 
many cases well-nigh dormant, whilst in all instances 
root action is considerably lessened in vigour and 
effectiveness, excepting, as a matter of course, those 
plants which are being forced. Even in this latter 
instance, it takes a deal more time and trouble to 
induce any plant to produce flowers at so lifeless a 
time of year, than it does when the season is a little 
farther advanced. This difficulty will, however, be 
considerably modified during the passage of the next 
few weeks ; as the days soon lengthen perceptibly, 
once the New Year has turned, and it necessarily 
follows that increased light means an increased 
stimulation to plant life. 
Many of the stove fine foliage subjects need but 
comparatively little water during the winter months, 
although they must never be allowed to get dry. 
The quantity of water given must be decided by 
circumstances ; the vigour of the plant has to meet 
with serious consideration, as well as the state of 
the weather, amount of fire-heat applied, etc. All 
successful cultivators have found out by practical 
experience that plants have individual requirements 
as well as persons, it therefore follows that those 
who are most succcesful in the treatment of 
decorative subjects are, as a rule, those who study 
most closely the individual requirements of the 
plants under their charge, and who, as a natural 
result, endeavour to supply these particular wants. 
The minimum night temperature in the stove 
should now range from 588 to 6o 5 Fahr. Air must 
be given by means of the bottom ventilators when¬ 
ever it is practicable to do so. During foggy 
periods, however, the house must be kept shut as 
closely as possible, and the atmosphere must on no 
account be allowed to get dry. We have so far this 
season experienced a comparative immunity from 
these dreaded fog visitations, a fact upon which 
every plant cultivator may well congratulate him¬ 
self ; however, as the old proverb says, " we must 
not crow until we are out of the wood,” and we 
most decidedly are not " out of the wood ” as yet. 
Continue the cleaning of all plants infected by 
insect pests, for the presence of thrips, scale, mealy¬ 
bug, etc., is strikingly illustrative of bad gardening— 
of a screw loose somewhere, as we have heard old 
gardeners term it. The best of plants may soon be 
ruined if neglect with regard to their cleanliness is 
tolerated. 
Greenhouse and cool Conservatory 
The gardener often views the close approach of the 
festive season with anything but a feeling of comfort, 
for in very many instances it means a great deal of 
extra trouble in the way of decorations, this depart¬ 
ment often being severely taxed to produce the 
necessary material. It is, to say the least of it, 
decidedly provoking for a gardener to see his plants 
standing for several days, as is often the case, in a 
cold church or lecture hall, particularly if the weather 
at the time chances to be of an inclement nature. 
Where decorations are extensively carried out, 
the flowering plants have often to be considerably 
mutilated in the attempt to keep pace with the 
demand for cut bloom. The wise gardener will 
have made his preparations with regard to supply 
as complete as possible. Late flowering Chrysanthe¬ 
mums are, of course, a boon, and a few plants of 
white varieties will prove invaluable. These, too, 
may be supplemented to a considerable extent by 
Hyacinths, Narcissi, Freesias, and other bulbous 
subjects, while Azaleas, and Camellias amongst the 
hardwooded, and Salvias and Primulas amongst the 
herbaceous sections, will be of inestimable service. 
Keep the atmosphere in the greenhouse as sweet 
and wholesome as possible, ventilate freely when¬ 
ever an opportunity presents itself, taking care, 
however, to avoid draughts. The house should not 
be left open too late in the afternoon, for if closed 
somewhat early, the necessity for hard firing at night 
may be to a large extent obviated. A night tempera¬ 
ture of from 42° to 45 0 Fahr. will be found to be the 
most suitable, although during very severe weather 
an occasional drop to 40? will no do harm whatever. 
Continue the judicious application of weak liquid 
manure to such plants as need stimulation—watering 
in all cases being performed in the morning, that is 
to say between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12 noon. 
This allows sufficient time to expel a great part of 
the moisture in the atmosphere, which if not dissi¬ 
pated must inevitably result in harm to the plants, 
particularly in the case of low night temperatures 
prevailing. 
Pits and Frames. 
Shifting Plants. —This is an operation that 
requires not a little care and consideration,for,as may 
readily be imagined, to convey flowering plants that 
have been carefully nursed in a warm and growing 
temperature, to the show-house, particularly if this 
is situated some little distance away, is often 
attended with considerable risk, if cold and nipping 
winds prevail. It is advisable, therefore, to afford the 
subjects thus conveyed some shelter from the un¬ 
kindly elements during the period of transit. For 
this purpose nothing is better than a covered in 
hand-barrow, an indispensable article where a great 
deal of shifting has to be performed during the 
winter months. Staking, where necessary, should 
in all cases be performed before the plants are re¬ 
moved, or they will be extremely liable to sustain 
