April 16, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
321 
Round the Nurseries. 
Orchids at Chelsea. 
Owing to the large number of hybrids in the Orchid collec¬ 
tion of Messrs. J. Yeitcli and Sons, Limited, King’s Road, 
Chelsea, the visitor may find some of them in bloom: practically 
at all periods of the year. A large number of them keep up 
a regular succession during the winter months 1 , so that the 
houses are never without flowers. This would seem to point, 
to one of the great horticultural gains obtained by hybridising 
different species of Orchids. As Messrs. Yeitch were the first 
to commence the artificial crossing of this class of plants, so 
they continue, to raise large numbers of them in. this way. Thei 
exhibits which they make at the meetings of the R.H.S. during 
winter are almost entirely composed of hybrids. 
Some little time ago we paid a visit to the establishment 
and made notes of the Orchids, although we have hitherto been 
unable to utilise the same. Here wei noted that beautiful 
new bi-generic hybrid Sophrocattleya Saxa (Sophronitis gran di¬ 
flora x Cattleya Trianaei). The sepals and petals are clear 
rose when fully developed. The lip lias a, yellow tube, whilei 
the lamina is crimson, edged with rose. In size the flower is 
intermediate between, the parents, but the colour has been 
largely influenced by the last-named parent. The influence of 
the Sophronitis is seen in the orange, yellow, or salmon, tints 
in the early stages of the flower. 
Altogether different in character is Laelioeattleya Myra, (C. 
Trianaei x L. flava). The flowers are of a soft yellow, with 
a crimson lamina. Somewhat similar in colour is Laelia. Mrs. 
M. Gratrix (cinnabarina, x digbyana,), but. the lip: i s fringed, a 
feature due to the last-named parent. A very pretty Phalae- 
nopsis is P. Phoebe, with a, red lip contrasting with the white 
of the rest of the, flower. The blooms are moderate in size, this 
being due to the parentage (rosea x sanderiana). Two fine 
Cypripediums- were flowering ini the samei house—namely, C. 
Miss Louisa Fowler, the upper sepal of which is heavily 
blotched with brown in, lines, and a, small plant of C. Trains, 
which carried five flowers heavily blotched with brown on the 
dorsal sepal. 
The next house that we entered was largely devoted to Lae- 
lioeattieyas and their allies. Laelia cinnabarina was in strong 
form, the stems being 2 ft. long or more. The: rather old 
Laelioeattleya Pallas with a large crimson-purple lip- is still one 
of the best of its class, and flower's regularly and well. Other 
two of the 1 same class of plants in bloom were Le. callistoglossa 
and Lc. highburyensis', the latter having orange sepals, purple- 
red petals and a crimson lip. Cattleya Trianaei was in bloom 
about the time we speak of. 
The Dendrobium houses contained a large number of hybrids 
and varieties. Though the flowers of I). nobile ballianum are 
moderate in size, their light colours are very pleasing. The 
same might be said of the hybrid D. Scylla (japonicum x 
Cybele); the flowers are light in colour, as might be sus¬ 
pected where D. japonicum was used, but they are produced 
in great numbers, and thus make good for their lack of size. 
The flowers of D. euosmum delicatum are white, with a maroon- 
purple blotch on the lip. 
Another useful hybrid that has become veiy popular in 
recent year's is D. Wiganiae, with light yellow flowers 1 . D. 
Kenneth is another very floriferous hybrid, with white flowers 
and a purple blotch on the lip. Those of D. intent ext,um, on 
the contrary, are of large size and creamy, with a maroon- 
crimson blotch. A few years ago D. eusomum leucopterum| 
fetched 100 guineas 1 , being scarce and considered very choice. 
Although more plentiful now, it. is as. choice as ever, the 
flowers being white, with a violet-purple blotch on the lip.. 
Another large flower is that named Dendrobium Rainbow 
(Ainsworthii x findlayanum), which also has white flowers and 
a marcon-crimson disc. D. Cybele nobilius has pale purple 
tips to the white petals and a violet-purple disc. The flowers 
of D. aureum are light yellow, but, those of D. a. album are 
white, with a brown blotch on the lip. This, of course, may 
be regarded as an albino form. In, most classes of plants 
albinos amongst yellow species are very scarce indeed. Another 
very choice thing is I). nobile Amesiae, having pure white 
flowers, and a, rich, violet blotch on the lip. This is certainly 
a very choice variety of one of the oldest and best-known 
species. Somewhat similar in, outward appearance is D. 
euosmum splendidum, wjiicli is goloured very similarly to the 
last, but the lip isi more pointed. It is certainly a grand com¬ 
panion to it. Several of the popular species were, flowering at 
this period, including D. wardianum and) D. crassinode. 
In the cool house we noted the new Cymbidium Wilsoni, 
having short round pseudo-bulbs like those of C. grandiflorum, 
whereas the flowers and leaves are more nearly related toi 
those of C. giganteum. The lip is beautifully laced round the 
Crocus chrysanthus albidus. (See p. 319.) 
margins, with orange-brown, on a creamy ground. A fine lot of 
Oncidium concolor was growing nicely in small pans. About 
fifteen spikes' were showing, and some of the more precocious 
of them were already in bloom. Since our visit, however, this 
species has reached its proper flowering period. By giving 
different treatment, however, we have seen, this handsome 
yellow species flowering in August, so that by means of a 
number of plants treated somewhat differently a, long succes¬ 
sion could be kept up. 
Tuckswood Nurseries, Norwich. 
Hearing that Mr. Holmes had taken Potatos in hand as well 
as their relative', the Tomato, I paid him a visit to hear what 
he had to say on) the subject of Potato gambling. I found 
him busy with his family for the coming season, and was 
pleased to hear that he not only intends to grow all the newest 
and best varieties, but also intends to devote much of his time 
to hybridising and improving the family. I hope he may have 
