THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 24, 1892. 
264 
grow ours in small pans in the usual compost of peat 
and moss, giving plenty of moisture, and in the cool 
house during summer and the warmer and drier 
atmosphere of the Cattleya House during the dull 
winter months it succeeds well. 
Cool House.— Fresh spikes are constantly making 
their appearance, and should be placed out of the 
way of slugs which are unusually troublesome this 
year. O. triumphans, O. luteo purpureum, and O. 
Hallii, are pushing up very strong spikes. Some of 
the triumphans are not satisfied with having two 
spikes to a bulb, but must need have an additional 
one at the apex of the bulb, and a strong plant of O. 
gloriosum has three spikes all from the base of one 
bulb. We still grow a few of this on account of its 
odour and free-flowering qualities. 
There will not be much to be done until the new 
year in the potting way, but a good stock of peat 
should be got in in readiness, as the L. Anceps will 
soon claim the attentions of the Orchid grower. 
Temperatures. —East India house, 6o° at night; 
in frosty weather 65° to 70° by day. Cattleya 
house, 55 0 at night, 60? by day. Cool house, 45 0 to 
50 c at night, with a rise of 5 Q by day.— C. 
A considerable number of groups of Orchids, and 
also smaller exhibits of them, were made at the meet¬ 
ing of the Royal Horticultural Society on the 13th 
inst., when the undermentioned species and varieties 
were accorded certificates. 
Sophro-Cattleya Calypso. 
Another lucky hit has been made in the production 
of a bigeneric hybrid in which Sophronites grandi- 
flora has been employed to excellent purpose. As in 
the case of Sophro-Cattleya Batemanniana, so here 
again we have Sophronites grandiflora as the seed 
parent, crossed with the pollen of Cattleya 
Loddigesii, the result being a hybrid in all respects 
intermediate between the parents. The pseudo-bulbs 
are 3 in. to 5 in. long, slender, terete, covered with 
membranous sheaths to the top, and surmounted by 
a solitary, oblong-lanceolate, rigid leaf. The flowers 
are solitary in the present stage of the plant. The 
sepals are oblong and deep purple, while the petals 
are obovate and similar in colour but somewhat paler 
towards the base, with darker, radiating veins spread 
upward. The tube of the lip is curved like that of 
Cattleya Loddigesii and three-lobed. The colour, 
however, refers us back to Sophronites. The tube is 
pale yellow externally, suffused with purple towards 
the edges, while the interior is of a deeper clear 
yellow or quite of a golden tint in the centre ; the 
side lobes are toothed at the edges, while the middle 
lobe is obreniform and deep purple at the tip. The 
size of the flower is intermediate between that of the 
parents, and while it may be said that the form and 
colour have been largely influenced by the pollen 
parent, they are considerably different from either. 
A First-class Certificate was awarded it when shown 
by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Cattleya labiata alba. 
The long-expected white variety of the autumn¬ 
flowering Cattleya has at length turned up in the 
collection of M. Wells, Esq. (gardener, Mr. R. 
Hinde), Broomfield Sale. The oblong sepals are 
ovate, undulate and crisped petals are pure white 
The same may be said of the lip except that towards 
the base of the tube it is pale yellow. The latter 
organ is rather small for C. labiata, undulated and 
crisped at the margin, but it may improve in size 
when the plant gets better established. A First-class 
Certificate was awarded it. 
Cypripedium Arete. 
In this we have a pretty hybrid of small size, but 
very interesting. The seed-parent was Cypripedium 
concolor, and the pollen-parent C. Spicerianum. 
The leaves of the plant are still very small, being 
only 1 in. to 2 in. in length, oval, and closely tesel- 
lated or marbled with deep green on a light green 
ground. The one-flowered scape is only about 3 in. 
high. The dorsal sepal of the flower is roundish, 
and white, with a deep purple mid-rib and suffused 
with purple in a broken or interrupted manner, and 
paler or pink on the outer face. The oblong petals 
are slightly twisted, and closely suffused or marked 
with purple and slightly green at the base. The lip 
is somewhat compressed laterally in the same way 
as C. concolor, suffused and splashed with purple on 
a greenish white. The staminode is also white, suf¬ 
fused with purple. An Award of Merit was given it 
when shown by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Cypripedium Johnsonianum. 
This has been raised from C. nitens magnificum 
crossed with C. Lawrencianum. The rich, dark, 
shining colour of the latter is most in evidence in the 
hybrid. The leaves are oblong and of a light green, 
tesselated with dark green. The scape, about 10 in. 
high, bears a single flower. The upper sepal is 
ovate, pale green at the base, blotched with a 
blackish purple and white on the upper third of its 
length, spotted with a clearer purple. The petals 
are of a rich, shining purple brown. The lip is in 
the same style, but even darker. The reniform 
staminode is flesh coloured, and tinted with purple 
towards the edges. An Award of Merit was accorded 
it when shown by Messrs. F. Sander & Co.,St. Albans, 
Masdevallia hybrida McVittise. 
The flowers of this hybrid are of a soft pink colour, 
although judging from the parents one would have 
expected them to be darker. It was raised from M, 
tovarensis crossed with M. Veitchi. The leaves are 
spathulate, deep green and coriaceous or leathery. 
The flowers are about the size of those of M, tovar¬ 
ensis, but not quite of the same shape ; it fact it may 
be considered intermediate between the parents. 
The lateral sepals are connate for nearly half their 
length with the free portion, ovate, and drawn out 
to a fine point but scarcely tailed. The upper one is 
linear with a broader base. The plant was exhibited 
by W. Thompson, Esq, (gardener, Mr. W. Stevens), 
Walton Grange, Stone, and received an Award of 
Merit, 
Laelia hybrida Fincheniana. 
In general appearance this resembles L. anceps and 
L. autumnalis, but seems intermediate between the 
two. The flower scapes are about 2J ft. long, but 
not compressed like those of L. anceps, and the 
plant shown bore five flowers. The sepals are oblong, 
the petals ovate-elliptic, and all are pure white. The 
lip is also white, but heavily striated with dark 
purple in the tube, contrasting beautifully with the 
white ground ; the lower half of the crest is also 
purple and the upper half yellow. The terminal 
lobe is characterised by a heavy deep purple band 
in the shape of a horse-shoe, extending from near 
the margin inwards, the rest being white. The 
column is purple on the face. It was exhibited by 
C.W. Finchen, Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. Millburn, Hoy- 
land Hall, Barnsley), and received an Award of Merit. 
Cattleya amethystoglossa Selwood var. 
The plant itself is tall in habit like the type, but the 
flowers are lighter in hue and beautifully spotted. 
The sepals and petals are broad, oblong and creamy 
white, spotted all over with deep purple. The lip 
has a curved, creamy tube, while the side lobes are 
of a deep purple ; the terminal lobe is obversely 
wedge-shaped, raised into slender ridges along the 
centre and of a rich dark purple. An Award of 
Merit was accorded it when shown by G. D. Owen, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. B, Watts), Selwood, Rotherham. 
Laelia anceps Oweniana. 
The variety here mentioned has the same character¬ 
istic habit as the type, but the flowers are very large 
and richly coloured. The sepals are oblong, the 
petals elliptic, and all are of a deep purple. The 
lower portion of the lip is pale purple, but the side 
lobes, especially on the inner face, are of a deep 
purple ; the colour is very much intensified on the 
terminal lobe, which is bifid. The prominent ridge 
or crest along the centre of the lip is yellow in the 
upper half and purple downwards. An Award of 
Merit was accorded it when’shown by G. D, Owen,Esq, 
Cypripedium Leeanum Clapton'ense. 
This may be compared to C. L giganteum, but it 
differs by showing a greater amount of green on the 
upper sepal; that portion is spotted with brownish- 
purple with a band of purple spots on the midrib, 
and spotted with purple on a part of the white upper 
half. The petals are pale brown and wavy on the 
edges—a character doubtless derived from the 
pollen parent C. Spicerianum. The lip is of a 
shining brown. We noted a large and well-grown 
plant of it in the nursery of Messrs. Hugh Low & 
Co., Clapton, bearing a large number of flowers, and 
three of the spikes at least bore twin flowers. The 
different forms of C. Leeanum are evidently be¬ 
coming popular, and are destined to be largely grown 
in the future. They are as easily grown as C. in- 
signe, which was the seed parent. 
Cypripedium insigne Mooreanum. 
A number of the varieties of C. insigne are charac¬ 
terised by having a considerable proportion of the 
upper sepal pure w r hite or spotted to a greater or less 
extent with violet-purple. The variety under notiec 
belongs to that group, but curiously enough, has 
only a single blotch on the white ground, and that is 
confined to the base of the latter. The lower por¬ 
tion of this organ is of a pale straw-yellow, and 
distinctly spotted with bright brown blotches. In 
shape it is obovate-elliptic and tapers to the base. 
The petals are pale brown and netted. The lip is 
similar in colour, narrowed to the lower end of the 
pouch, but remarkably widened upwards with 
diverging auricles. Notwithstanding the numerous 
varieties of C. insigne in cultivation, the above 
characters should serve to distinguish C. i. Moorea¬ 
num from the rest, unless there are others identical 
with it under various names, a coincidence which is 
difficult to prevent seeing that names may be given 
by so many growers in different parts of the world. 
We noted the above in the nursery of Messrs. Hugh 
Low & Co., Clapton. 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN. 
Camellias. —The flowers of this class of plants ex¬ 
pand best, if not so quickly, by being kept in a cool 
atmosphere. If brought into a w-armer house with 
the object of getting them to expand their flowers 
more quickly, a much moister atmosphere should be 
maintained and the plants syringed twice a day at 
least. This will help largely in preventing them 
from casting their buds with the increased heat. 
Heaths for present use. —Some of the autumn¬ 
flowering Erica gracilis are still in bloom and will be 
found useful iD supplementing the others. E. hye- 
malis is one of the commonest Heaths at the present 
day, and may be put to a great variety of purposes. 
Its white variety will probably never become very 
popular, but is useful by way of contrast with the 
ordinary form. Another old Heath, not so much 
grown as it used to be, is E. melanthera, which when 
well grown is an object of great beauty. With these 
and the flowering and berried plants, the greenhouse 
or conservatory may be rendered gay even in mid¬ 
winter. 
Agapanthus umbellatus. — Large plants which 
have got too big for the pots they at present occupy, 
may be broken up and the pieces placed in smaller 
pots. Use substantial material consisting of good 
fibrous loam, well drained to carry off the large 
supplies of water necessary during summer. 
Eurya latifolia variegata. —The habit of this 
plant is similar to that of a Camellia, to which it is 
closely allied, but it has smaller leaves and grows 
more slowly, branching freely. The old leaves are 
heavily variegated with creamy-yellow, and the 
young ones bronzy-red. The plant is easily kept in 
good form by timely pruning, and proves useful for 
conservatory work during the winter months, and 
being nearly hardy can be kept in any greenhouse 
from which the frost is merel}' excluded. 
Carnations. —The present winter so far has 
been favourable to the flowering of tree or Winter 
Carnations. Being mild no great heat has been 
necessary, and the fogs have neither been plentiful 
nor of long duration. Maintain a day temperature 
of about 50° and keep the plants in a light position 
near the glass, and always freely ventilated. Where 
the stock is large, a low, span-roofed house or part 
of one should be devoted to them. 
Plants for the flower garden. —Succulent 
plants such as Echeverias, Pachyphytons, and Sem- 
pervivums are very slow growing in their younger 
stages, and in order to be ready by June for planting 
in the open ground, seeds should be sowm at once. 
Prepare some pans of light sandy material, and after 
making the surface level and firm, sow the seeds 
thinly, merely giving the surface a slight sprinkling 
with the same compost to keep the seeds in position 
till germination takes place, after which keep the 
pans close up to the glass. 
Dahlias. — Look over the stock of roots to see 
whether they are still in good condition. Any roots 
of sorts of w'hich the number is as yet limited may 
be put in heat to start them if they show r signs of de¬ 
caying. Take the cuttings as soon as they are strong 
enough. Valuable kinds may thus be saved that 
might otherwdse be lost if left till the usual time of 
starting. 
Peaches. — The temperature in the early house 
started in the beginning of November should now be 
kept somewhere between 45** and 50 s at night with a 
