April  12,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
301 
showed  its  appreciation  by  the  recommendation  of  an  award  of  merit 
It  is  indeed  a  superb  flower,  as  well  in  substance  and  size  as  in  form 
and  colour.  It  is  fully  3|-  inches  across,  and  the  golden  yellow  colour 
is  practically  obscured  by  the  varnished  brown.  In  the  fine  petals 
there  is  rather  more  yellow  observable,  but  the  brown  is  equally  as 
pronounced.  The  lip,  too,  as  may  be  seen  by  glancing  at  the  illustra¬ 
tion,  is  very  beautiful.  We  have  now  only  to  wait  for  Mr.  Crawshay’s 
third  form  to  complete  a  perfect  trio. 
Fig.  83. — Odontoglossum  triumphans  Raymond  Crawshay. 
presents  certain  difficulties,  these  are  not  apparent  at  Clare  Lawn, 
where  it  was  flowering  most  satisfactorily.  The  habit  of  the  plant 
(fig.  84,  page  303)  is  very  dwarf,  the  leathery  leaves  being  about 
6  inches  long  and  sword-shaped ;  the  spikes  carry  from  two  to  six  flowers, 
which  are  ivory  white  in  colour.  Angraecumor  Aeranthus  Leoniswas 
discovered  by  Mods.  Leon  Mumblot  in  the  Comoro  Islands  about  fifteen 
years  ago,  and  it  may  be  grown  in  the  warm  or  East  Indian  house  in 
baskets  of  sphagnum  moss. — Visitor. 
Masdevallia  leontoglossa. 
Few  will  deny  the  beauty  of  this  Masdevallia,  and  yet  it  is  not  a 
showy  plant.  From  a  tuft  of  leaves  about  6  inches  high  the  flower 
spikes  are  thrown  up,  each  blossom  being  greenish-yellow  with  purple 
markings,  a  rather  unusual  combination.  The  specific  name  is  given 
on  account  of  the  supposed  resemblance  of  the  sepals  to  a  lion’s 
tono'ue.  It  should  be  accorded  a  position  with  the  warmer  section  of 
the^genus,  such  as  M.  Cliimsera,  at  least  during  the  winter  months. 
In  summer  it  can  hardly  be  kept  too  cool,  being  a  native  of  Venezuela. 
Odontoglossum  triumphans. 
With  the  immense  strides  that  have  been  made  in  the  Odonto¬ 
glossum  family  during  late  years  it  would  be  a  matter  for  surprise  if 
the  handsome  0.  triumphans  had  not  come  in  for  a  goodly  share  of 
attention.  This  extraordinary  advance  in  quality  is  owing  largely  to 
the  efforts  of  hybridists,  and  again  to  the  very  much  improved  methods 
of  culture  that  are  now  adopted.  The  latter  has  meant  that  excellent 
introductions,  which  in  earlier  Orchid  days  were  practically  spoiled  by 
bad  cultivation,  are  now  improved  under  the  fostering  and  intelligent 
care  that  is  devoted  to  them.  Not  only  are  the  flowers  finer  in 
themselves,  but  better  qualities  are,  so  to  speak,  forced  from  them  by 
rational  treatment  in  the  hands  of  experts.  This  theory  of  improve¬ 
ment  by  cultivation  is  admirably  illustrated  in  Odontoglossum 
triumphans,  of  which  the  earlier  forms  were  small  in  size,  narrow  in 
the  sepals  and  petals,  and  thin  in  texture  as  compared  with  the  splendid 
types  of  the  present  day. 
Amongst  those  who  have  been  instrumental  in  bringing  forward 
marked  developments  in  0.  triumphans  must  I  e  named  Mr.  de  Barri- 
Crawshay  of  Rosefield,  Sevenoaks.  This  pnthusia>tic  amateur  derives 
the  greatest  possible  amount  of  enjoyment  fnmi  his  hobby,  and  at 
frequent  intervals  brings  the  fruits  of  his  labour  of  love  to  the 
meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  at  the  Drill  Hall.  In 
April  of  1895  0.  triumphans  Lionel  Crawshay  was  exhibited,  and 
was  stamped  with  the  hall  mark  of  excellence  by  tlm  receipt  of  a 
first-class  certificate.  This  variety  is  magnificent  in  all  respects. 
The  flowrrs  are  large  and  very  rich  in  colour.  The  sepals  are  clear 
\ellow,  with  a  bright  brown  patch  and  yellow  margin,  the  petals, 
which  are  broad  and  of  great  substance,  being  of  the  same  rich 
colour.  The  lip  has  a  yellow  fimbriated  margin,  W(th  a  broad  reddish 
brown  patch  and  a  canary  yellow  throat.  Though  five  years  have 
elapsed  this  variety  still  maintains  its  position  in  the  front  rank  of 
0.  triumphans. 
Now  it  is  to  have  a  worthy  companion  in  0.  t.  Raymond  Crawshay, 
and  the  brothers  may  be  congratulated  upon  their  namesakes.  As 
better  indication  of  their  excellence,  we  give  in  fig.  82  a  representation 
Angrsecum  (Aeranthus)  Leonis. 
On  the  occasion  of  a  recent  visit  to  Clare  Lawn  I  was  delighted 
to  find  this  beautiful  Orchid  in  flower,  and  should  like  to  know  why 
it  is  apparently  accorded  such  a  meagre  share  of  attention.  Whether 
it  finds  a  place  in  all  collections  or  not  I  cannot  say,  but  I  do  know 
that  it  is  comparatively  seldom  I  have  seen  it  in  flower.  If  its  culture 
Laelia  cinnabarlna. 
Fig.  82. — Odontoglossum  triumphans  Lionel  Crawshay. 
of  0.  t.  Lionel  Crav  shay,  and  in  fig.  83  one  of  0.  t.  Raymond  Craw¬ 
shay.  The  newcomer  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  Crawshay  before  the 
■Orchid  Committee  of  the  R.H.S.  on  March  27th  last,  and  that  body 
There  are  very  few  brighter  or  more  beautiful  Orchids  in  culti¬ 
vation  than  this,  its  brilliant  red  blossoms  being  plentifully  produced 
on  the  spreading  spikes.  Its  fine  colour  has  led  hybridists  to  use  it 
freely  as*  a  parent,  but  beautiful  as  are  some  of  its  progeny,  none  is 
really  so  effective.  It  likes  a  light  position  in  the  Cattleya  house,  and 
should  not  be  disturbed  at  the  roots  oftener  than  is  really  necessary. 
Ample  moisture  is  required  when  growth  is  active.  A  native  of 
Minas  Geraes  it  was  introduced  in  1836,  and  flowered  for  the  first 
time  in  this  country  in  a  Surrey  nursery  the  year  after.— H.  R.  R. 
