April 24, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
637 
are finer, the plants handier as to size, and the 
general results rather better all round than would be 
obtained by growing the plants on for another season. 
Should you wish to do this you must knock the 
plants out, shake away as much of the old soil as 
possible, and pot them up again. You must be very 
careful to minutely examine the collars of the plants, 
i.e., that part of the short stem just above, but in 
direct contact with, the ground. It is at this place 
that rot makes its appearance. If ever so slight a 
speck of rot is observed there is nothing for it but 
to throw the plant away, for to pot it up again would 
only be time thrown away. 
Primula obconica — Grower sends a few flowers of 
Primula obconica to us for our approval. This is 
very freely given. The flowers are a good deal larger 
than usual, and if the plants are free flowering they 
mark a considerable improvement on the old type. 
Top-dressing for Vines. —Yes! you may use the 
short manure with advantage, Caligno, for top¬ 
dressing the Vines. 
Scale on Peach-tree. —Please tell me what I can 
do with scale on a Peach-tree just setting its fruit.— 
Subscriber. 
You must go over each branch carefully and crush 
each scale by pressing it between the fingers. Then 
wash the place that it covered with a fairly strong 
solution of some insecticide, such as Fir-tree Oil, 
and Gishurst Compound. A soft and small brush 
like the small ones used by painters will be found the 
handiest tool for applying the insecticide. Do not 
despair if you do not get rid of all the scale at one 
operation but go over the tree again and again until 
the desired end is effected. 
Pond for Water Lilies.— In your paper for the 
17th April, you point out how Lilies can be grown. 
Will you kindly state what depth the water should 
be ? and the quantity of soil, water, etc., that would 
be necessary for the common white and yellow 
Water Lilies ? also whether it would be necessary to 
have tha water running. ?— H.J. 
The depth of water may be anything from one to 
three feet; about two feet would be a good medium 
if it can be managed, although the plants will flower 
well enough in a foot of water. The soil in the tub 
may be from 6 in. to 12 in. in depth, and may be 
made up in the manner set forth in the answer to 
Aylesbury. It is not absolutely necessary to have 
the water running but it must be frequently changed, 
otherwise in a small tub it would soon become 
unpleasantly odorous, particularly when cow manure 
is mixed with the soil. In larger ponds the water 
does not so soon get foul, but it is always advisable 
to have a stream of water running through, even if 
but slowly. 
—-+>- 
CYPRIPEDIUM FAIRIEANUM HYBRIDS. 
The group of hybrid Cypripediums in which each 
individual owns C. fairieanum as one of its parents 
provides us with some of the most beautiful and 
interesting yet obtained. C. fairieanum has now 
become so scarce that it may be considered almost 
extinct in cultivation. The most enterprising of our 
Orchid importing firms have been trying for years to 
re-introduce it, but to all appearance it baffles all their 
effort to rediscover its habitat; consequently the 
hybrids from this species must remain to a great 
extent rare and valuable. If we take for example C. 
vexillarium, the first of the section to flower, we find 
it was described by the late Professor Reichenbach 
as far back as 1870. It is still one of the most 
popular, and retains its position in the market; it is 
likely also to be one of the most sought after for 
many years to come, as no collection can be con¬ 
sidered complete without it. It is a remarkable fact 
that all the offspring retain the deflexed character of 
C. fairieanum in the petals; also that the distinct 
lines and veinings have been to a great extent retained 
in the petals and dorsal sepals. 
C. vexillarium as stated above, was the first to 
flower. It was raised by the late J. Dominy in the 
nurseries of Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. The dorsal 
sepal is purple, shading to green, which becomes 
almost white towards the base, heavily veined with 
dark purple. The deflexed petals have the upper 
halves green, the lower part white, the whole 
margined with purple, and the outer edge thickly 
covered with rich purple hairs. It is scarcely less 
beautiful than the pollen parent, and is the result of 
crossing C. barbatum with C. fairieanum. 
C. arthurianum is the result of crossing C. insigne 
with C. fairieanum. It is one of the most distinct 
and beautiful Cypripediums ever raised. It 
originated from Messrs. Veitch’s nurseries and is 
dedicated to the late Mr. Arthur Veitch. It is 
remarkably free growing and thrives well in the 
intermediate house; but I find it dees best and 
thrives even more freely when grown with 
C. insigne in practically a cool house. It is too 
well known to need description here. C. a. 
pulchellum differs principally from the typical form 
in its being more densely spotted, a character pro¬ 
cured through C. insigne punctatum violaceum 
having been used in its production. It was raised 
by Mr. Seden, at Chelsea. 
C. Juno (C. callosum and C. fairieanum) resembles 
to a great extent C. vexillarium, but has more white 
on the dorsal sepal. 
C. Edwardi (C. superbiens (Veitchii) x C. 
fairieanum) is another variety raised in America. 
It is one of the most distinct and beautiful of the 
section ; it is the largest flowered variety we have 
seen in this group, and equal to, if it does not surpass 
C. vexillarium in colour. The dorsal sepal is 2 in. 
across. The ground colour is white, shading to green 
at the base, heavily suffused with purple, lined and 
veined with dark brown. The petals, nearly 3 in. 
long, are white, suffused with pale green on the 
upper half ; the lower part is white, lined and 
spotted with dark brown ; there is also a broad 
margin of purple, and the edges are covered with 
prominent dark purple hairs. The lip is about the 
size of that in C. superbiens, partaking of the 
character, both in shape and colour of that species. 
It is one of the most desirable, and should have a 
place in every collection where Cypripediums are 
appreciated. 
C. Niobe (C. spicerianum x C. fairieanum), is 
C. Hy. Ballantine (C. purpuratum and C. 
fairieanum) is one of the most beautiful of the group. 
Its dorsal sepal has the characteristics of C. 
purpuratum with broad, purple longitudinal lines, 
extending from the base almost to the top. The 
petals also take more of the seed parents' character 
than any of the other fairieanum crosses. They are 
broader, straight er and not nearly so deflexed, purple 
in colour, lined and spotted with darker purple. 
It is of delicate constitution but does best when 
grown cool. 
C. Lawrence a no-fairieanum is derived from a 
cross betweenjthe species which form its name. It 
closely resembles forms of C. vexillarium. 
C. Mrs. F. L. Ames (C. tonsum and C. fairieanum), 
is a hybrid raised in the late Mr. Ames’ collection in 
America, where it maintains a good reputation. The 
only plants I believe in Europe are in the collection 
of Mr. R. I. Measures, at Camberwell, from whence 
we hope ere long to become better acquainted with 
it. 
one of the prettiest and most popular of the group. 
It is too well known to need description here. 
m C. Regina (C. leeanum & C. fairieanum), the 
subject of the accompanying illustration, is a 
secondary hybrid raised in Messrs. Veitch & Sons 
establishment. It was exhibited by them at the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting at the Drill 
Hall on October 27th last, when it received an 
Award of Merit. The flower is about the size of C. 
leeanum. The dorsal sepal is white, shading to 
green at the base, lined and spotted with dark 
brown, with some purple on the white. The petals 
are deflexed, pale green, lined with dark brown. The 
■lip is green, suffused with brown. This is likely to 
remain one of the rarest Cypripediums for many 
years to come, as it is the only plant raised from the 
cross. [It is now in the Cambridge Lodge collection, 
and to Mr. Measures we are indebted for the photo¬ 
graph from which the figure is taken. Ed.] 
C. Baron Schroder (C. cenanthum superbum & 
C. fairieanum) is the latest addition to the group, 
