JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
475 
June  7,  1900. 
OdontogloBBum  Rolfese  optimum. 
In  our  last  issue  we  illustrated  and  described  a  superb  Odonto- 
-glossum  from  one  of  the  leading  continental  growers.  We  now  bring 
to  the  notice  of  our  readers  Odontoglossum  Rolfese  optimum  (fig.  12G), 
which  was  exhibited  at  the  Temple  Show  by  Mons  Ch.  Vuylsteke, 
Loochristy,  Ghent,  Belgium ;  it  was  recom¬ 
mended  for  a  first-class  certificate  by  the  Orchid 
Committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
It  is  a  singularly  handsome  flower,  and  was  the 
c-^ntre  of  a  considerable  amount  of  attention  from 
Orchid  enthusiasts,  amongst  whom  there  was  a 
diversity  of  opinion  as  to  whether  crispum  or 
Pescatorei  had  been  associated  with  Harryanum 
in  its  productioh.  The  sepals  and  petals  are 
white,  save  for  a  flushl  of  rose  at  the  tips,  and 
numerous  spots  and  blotches  of  chocolate  colour. 
The  front  portion  of  the  splendid  lip  is  pure 
white. 
Cymbidmm  I’Ansoni. 
The  number  of  new  Cymbidiums  that  are 
shown  at  the  various  exhibitions  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  is  not  great,  and  very  few 
indeed  are  known  by  the  special  recognition  of 
the  Orchid  Committee.  On  the  occasion  of  the 
recent  Temple  Show,  however,  Messrs.  H.  Low 
and  Co.,  Bush  Hill  Park  Nurseries,  received  an 
award  of  merit  for  Cymbidium  I’Ansoni.  This 
plant,  of  which  an  excellent  representation  is 
given  in  fig.  127,  is  said  to  be  a  natural  hybrid, 
of  which  even  the  supposed  parentage  was  not 
stated.  The  flower  is  large,  and  has  pale  green 
sepals  and  petals;  each  organ  has  reddish  brown 
bars,  which  become  more  pronounced  towards 
the  base.  The  lip  is  milk  white,  with  a  brown 
tinge  on  the  front  portion, 
Miltonia  vexillaria. 
Notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  written 
respecting  this  lovely  Orchid,  there  are  still 
unanyi  growers  who  fail  to  grow  it  well  for  any  length  of  time, 
it  is  certainly  one  of  the  finest  .epeci' s  in  cultivation,  and  there 
Fig.  126. — Odontoglossum  RoLFEa:  optimum. 
•was  no  other  plant  so  much  admired  among  the  Orchids  at  the 
recent  show  at  the  Temple.  And  I  do  not  mean  the  very  rarest 
forms  particularly,  such  as  the  uniriue  M.  v.  Memoria  J.  D.  Owen  for 
instance,  but  take  a  group  of  it  with  good  forms,  and  it  is  sure  to 
command  a  lot  of  attention. 
Referring  again  to  the  Temple,  there  was  more  than  one  expert  in 
Orchid  culture  who  was  surprised  at  the  amount  of  flower  produced  by 
the  plants  from  the  establishment  over  which  i\I.  Linden  used  to 
preside.  Looking  at  the  plants  one  would  not  say  certainly  that  they 
were  out  of  health,  but  in  fact  many  plants  have  been  shown  from 
English  nurseries  with  far  better  growth.  And  again,  it  was  to  be 
noticed  that  many  of  the  plants  were  by  no  means  well  potted ;  the 
base  of  the  pseudo-bulbs  was  too  far  from  the  surface  of  the  compost, 
and  in  consequence  the  roots  were  exposed. 
Yet  the  flowers  were  lovely,  and  this  proves  plainly  enough  that 
it  is  not  always  the  largest,  most  pfiethoric  pseudo-bulbs  that  produce 
Fig.  127. — Cymbidium  I’Ansoni. 
the  best  flowers.  It  is  well  known,  too,  that  overfed  ill-ripened 
growth  is  much  more  likely  to  be  attacked  by  thrrps,  and  eventually 
spotted,  than  that  which  is  reasonably  strong  and  moderately  hard. 
One  of  the  most  successful  growers  of  INIiltonia  vexillaria^  in  this 
country  told  me  that  when  rare  and  un’que  forms  come  into  his 
hands  for  propagation  he  never  felt  the  least  compunction  about 
cutting  them  up  even  to  single  bulbs,  but  after  doing  so  he  always 
jilaced  them  in  pans  for  suspending  near  the  glass,  and  used  moss 
only  for  compost. 
Bad  peat  has  more  to  answer  for  in  regard  to  killing  Orchids  of 
rather  fastidious  taste  than  any  other  material,  and  certainly,  unless  it 
can  be  obtained  of  good  lasting  quality,  it  is  better  to  leave  it  entirely 
out  of  the  compost  for  weakly  growers,  depending  upon  the  moisture¬ 
holding  and  sweetening  properties  of  the  springy  sphagnum,  adding 
only  sufficient  charcoal  or  crocks  to  keep  the  bulk  open  and  prevent  it 
settling  down  closely.  The  advantage  of  shallow  rather  than  deep) 
pots  will  be  evident  to  anyone  acquainted  with  the  habit  of  the  roots 
of  M.  vexillaria. 
Regarding  the  time  for  repotting,  this  does  not  differ  from  the 
majority  of  Orchids.  I  have  on  many  occasions  pointed  out  in  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture  that  the  time  least  likely  to  inconvenience 
the  plants  is  ju  t  at  the  time  when  new  roots  are  issuing  from  the 
newly  formed  growth,  and  this  is  true  of  the  species  under  notice. 
The  young  roots  have  the  advantage  of  entering  the  fresh  sweet 
compost,  and  thus  assist  in  this  case  in  swelling  up  the  new  growths 
and  producing  the  flower  spikes. 
The  temperature  necessary  for  M.  vexillaria  has  long  been  a  vexed 
question  among  growers,  some  holding  that  a  low  and  very  mcnst  one 
is  necessary  owing  to  the  plants  being  so  likely  to  be  attacked  by 
thrips  in  a  house  kept  warmer.  There  is  a  certain  amount  of  truth  in 
this,  but  with  the  advent  of  XL  All  and  other  safe  and  effective 
insecticides,  it  is  the  cultivator’s  own  fault  if  he  lets  his  plants  be 
badly  infested.  A  happy  medium  here  hits  the  mark  best;  a  house 
kept  lower  than  the  Cattleya  house  with  ample  atmospheric  moisture 
and  light. 
