January 24, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
t .) 
A Pretty Orphan. 
Cypripedium S. Gratrix Minnie. 
Some uncertainty seems to attach to the parentage of this 
hybrid. The original C. S. Gratrix is recorded to have been 
derived from C. bellatulum x Godefroyae, the latter being tbe 
pollen parent. The variety forming the subject of this note is 
supposed to' have C. leeanum superbum x nitens superbum for 
its parents, and the build of the flower as well as its colours 
would seem to suggest such an. origin. In any case, if it is 
ar orphan, it is a very pretty one, 
Cypripedium Samuel Gratrix Minnie. 
The roundly-ovate, dorsal sepal measures about 2| in. across, 
so tlxat this may be regarded as the most striking feature of 
the flower. The ground colour is white, except a small area, 
ac the base, which is greenish-yellow, and by contrast serves 
to give piquancy to the flower. The large spots or blotches on 
the basal area are purple-brown, but those scattered over the 
rest of the sepal are of a clear, rich purple, and determine the 
beauty of the variety. The spathulate, incurved petals 
are of a shining brown, overlying a yellow ground. This latter 
shade is best seen in a bar running along the upper side of one 
cf the petals, but the phenomenon may be regarded as acci¬ 
dental, and possibly may disappear the next time it blooms, as 
there was no evidence of this peculiarity last year. The lip 
also is purple-brown, overlying yellow, and spotted crimson, 
except round the edge of the pouch, which is yellow. 
Our illustration shows the plant which was brought before 
the Royal Horticultural Society on the 13th inst. by Francis 
Wellesley, Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. Gilbert), Westfield Common, 
near Woking, when an Award of Merit was accorded it. 
Presuming that the parentage, as given above, is correct, 
the colours and distribution of the spotting of the dorsal sepal 
would point to C. leeanum, and the size of the spots to C. 
nitens. Both of these are hybrids, so that we liave a com¬ 
bination of three species in the plant under notice—namely, C. 
insigne, C. spicerianum, and C. villosum, all of which are fairly 
well represented in the flower. . 
Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. 
Ilex Cornuta. 
As a rule, the Hollies met with in gardens are varieties of 
Ilex Aquifoli^mi, the other hardy species not being met with 
to any great extent. The species under notice is well worth 
the attention of the planter, for it is at once distinct and in¬ 
teresting. It -was introduced from Northern China in 1850, 
but has never become very common. About London it does 
not grow veiy rapidly, and shows a greater desire to assume 
a low, bush-like habit than to form a tree. The leaves are 
evergreen, dark green above and paler beneath, thick in tex¬ 
ture, and very glossy. They are peculiar in shape, and also 
in the arrangement of the- spines. The spines on each leaf are 
usually seven in number, four being near the base, and the 
other three arranged, one in the centre and one on each side 
at the apex, the leaf at the apex being about 1 in. wide, thus 
causing the curiously-arranged spines to assume the appear¬ 
ance of horns. Full-sized leaves are from 2-1- in. to 3 in. long, 
and about 1-J in. wide at the widest part, the margins being 
reflexed. As a. change from the- ordinary Holly, this, plant 
would be found serviceable, especially in places where a slow- 
growing evergreen is desired. W. Dallimore. 
Hardy Fuchsias. 
During the planting season the merits of the various hardy 
Fuchsias should not be overlooked, for they flower for several 
months during late summer and early autumn, a time when 
flowering shrubs are rather scarce; and they are also bright 
and attractive in colour. In the south-west counties and other 
favoured places they are even, of more value than they are in 
northern gardens, or in gardens about London even ; for there 
frost does not interfere with them, and they continue to enow 
year alter year, and so* make fine bushes. In parts of the 
country, however, where conditions are not so favourable as 
they are in Cornwall and similar places, they can be grown, 
but have generally to be treated as herbaceous plants, cutting 
the old shoots back to. the root-stock each spring. 
This cutting back is in no wise detrimental to the plants, 
for, with genial weather, they break away strongly, and are 
soon as vigorous as ever. The hardiest species is F. macros- 
temma., and it is to this, its botanical varieties, and a few 
hybrids which have of late years originated on the Continent, 
that we liave to turn to have our wants supplied. F. macros- 
tenima is a well-known plant, introduced from Chili ; the 
varieties most suitable for outdoors are discolor, globosa, 
gracilis, and Riccartoni. The latter is perhaps the most showy 
of all, as it is of upright habit, making annual shoots 3 ft. or 
more high, and flowering with exceptional freedom. Sites 
for planting Fuchsias on will suggest themselves to intending 
planters ; the foot of a warm wall, a bed in a sheltered 
position on the lawn, a cosy nook among other shrubs, a mass 
in the front of the shrubbery or many another place are all 
suitable, and, when flowering, they are sure to find many 
admirers. W. D. 
Jasminum Nudiflorum. 
The naked-flowered Jasmine has been particularly fine this 
winter, and during the prevalence of bitterly cold east winds 
last, week maintained a brave show in spite of the frost. It 
is a native of China and Japan, so that its brave stand is all 
the more remarkable in the mist, rain, fog and frost that 
succeed each other rapidly during our winter. F. 
