August  15,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
149 
Mr.  Hiam,  that  “a  large  increase  of  these  (hawfinches)  is  desirable,” 
would  seriously  change  his  opinion  had  he  the  natronage  of  only  a 
pair  of  birds  among  his  Pea  rows  in  summer.  Unless  he  was  a  large 
grower  his  sample  of  gathered  pods  would  not  win  him  many  prizes  at 
vegetable  shows,  nor  gain  much  favourable  comment  from  the  kitchen, 
and  County  Councils  ought  not,  in  my  opinion,  to  be  advised  to  schedule 
these  as  a  suitable  bird  for  protection  under  the  new  Act. — W.  S. 
This  superb  Cattleya  is  supposed  to  be  a  natural  hybrid  between 
those  two  splendid  species,  C.  aurea  and  C.  gigas,  and  it  combines 
the  best  features  of  the  parents  in  a  remarkable  degree.  The  first 
plant  exhibited  was  from  the  collection  of  the  late  G-.  Hardy,  Esq., 
of  Timperley,  after  whom  it  was  named  about  ten  years  ago.  Since 
then  it  has  from  time  to  time  appeared  among  importations  of 
C.  gigas  or  C.  aurea,  some  of  the  more  recent  varieties  excelling 
the  original  plant  in  beauty.  The  fiowers  measure  upwards  of 
7  inches  across,  the  sepals  and  petals  rosy  purple,  but  the  lip  is  the 
most  magnificent  part  of  the  flower.  This  is  sometimes  as  much  as 
3  inches  across,  with  a  fimbriated  margin  ;  the  side  lobes  have  each 
a  large  yellow  blotch  ;  the  spreading  portion  is  rich  velvety  crimson 
with  yellow  lines  leading  to  the  throat  as  in  C.  aurea. 
C.  Hardyana,  like  its  parents,  flowers  on  the  current  season’s 
growth,  and  on  this  account  should  be  kept  dormant  after  flowering. 
All  this  section  delight  in  a  position  not  far  from  the  roof  glass, 
and  may  be  grown  in  suspended  pots  or  baskets.  This  is  not 
usually  the  warmest  part  of  the  house,  and  the  growths  rapidly 
attain  their  full  size.  If  taken  to  the  flowering  house  while  in 
blossom  this  has  usually  the  effect  desired  ;  but  any  plants  that  have 
for  some  reason  or  another  not  flowered  should,  a,3  soon  as  the 
pseudo-bulbs  are  completed,  be  at  once  taken  to  a  drier  and  rather 
cooler  temperature.  No  other  means  will  be  of  any  avail ;  the 
plants  will  not  flower  if  they  are  growing  during  the  winter,  so 
growers  must  now  be  on  the  alert,  and  alter  the  atmospheric 
conditions  immediately  this  is  required.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that 
FIG.  21. — DEXDROBIUII  HOLOLEUCA.  {Sec  page 
while  some  plants  of  C.  Hardyana  bear  sweetly  scented  blossoms 
those  of  others  quite  lack  fragrance. 
Odontoglossum  cordatum. 
Although  not  to  be  compared  with  the  crispum  and  Ptscatorei 
varieties,  this  fine  old  Orchid  is  well  deserving  of  care  on  account 
of  its  free  blooming  qualities.  It  is,  moreover,  very  easily  grown, 
and  will  thrive  in  either  the  cool  house  or  where  more  heat  is 
afforded  It  is  one  of  the  most  variable  of  Orchidr,  some  not  being 
very  showy,  while  others  are  very  fine.  The  pseudo-bulbs  are 
ovate,  bright  green,  each  bearing  a  leaf  broadly  oblong  from  G  to 
8  inches  long.  The  spikes  are  erect,  sometimes  branched,  and 
bearing  a  great  many  flowers.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  yellow, 
almost  covered  with  chocolate  markings,  wavy  on  the  edges  and 
pointed.  The  lip  is  heart-shaped  but  ending  in  a  recurved  point,, 
and  is  white  with  purple  brown  markings. 
It  is  somewhat  late  for  this  species  to  be  in  flower,  but  like  all 
in  the  genus  it  varies  in  its  time  of  blooming.  O.  cordatum  should 
be  grown  in  pots  in  peat  and  sphagnum  over  good  drainage.  A 
variety  I  saw  recently  had  the  two  lower  sepals  much  elongated 
and  very  narrow,  the  ground  colour  being  very  light.  This  was 
marked  caudatum,  but  I  know  of  no  authority  for  the  name.  The 
var.sulphureum  is  remarkable  in  having  no  dark  markings,  the  flowers 
being  nearly  white  with  yellow  on  the  lip.  Ocher  good  varieties 
are  aureum,  nigrum,  pictum,  and  superbum.  All  are  natives  of 
Mexico,  whence  the  type  was  introduced  in  1837. 
Rodriguesia  secunda. 
There  are  several  other  species  belonging  to  this  genus,  but 
this  is  the  only  one  generally  grown.  Botanically  it  resembles 
Burlingtonia,  and  the  habit  of  growth  is  also  similar.  The  usual 
way  this  is  grown  is  on  a  block  of  wood  or  cork  dressed  with 
sphagnum,  allowing  the  small  white  roots  to  extend  into  the 
atmosphere  and  feed  on  the  moisture  rather  than  covering  them 
with  compost.  Perhaps  where  the  plants  are  very  carefully  looked 
after  this  is  the  best  way  to  grow  it,  but  a  great  deal  of  attention 
must  be  given  it  to  obtain  good  results. 
A  less  troublesome  mode  of  culture  is  to  place  the  plants  in 
shallow  pans  well  drained  with  a  thin  compost  consisting  largely 
of  sphagnum  moss.  Here  they  will  not  need  so  much  attention, 
and  if  not  overwatered  will  do  well.  The  new  pseudo-bulbs  as 
they  swell  up  will  have  to  be  brought  into  contact  with  the 
compost  by  pegging  or  tying  down,  the  roots  then  having  the 
choice  of  moss  or  not  as  they  like.  No  attempt  need  be  made  to 
force  the  roots  into  this,  for  those  growing  in  the  atmosphere  are 
excellent  auxiliaries  to  those  in  the  compost. 
The  plants  must  be  grown  in  a  good  light,  the  heat  of  the 
Cattleya  house  suiting  them  well  if  kept  provided  with 
atmospheric  moisture.  They  must  be  kept  moist  while  making 
their  growth,  and  even  while  resting  must  not  be  too  dry.  The 
plants  are  very  subject  to  white  scale,  these  insects  secreting  them¬ 
selves  in  the  sheathing  bases  of  the  leaves,  and  soon  disfiguring 
them.  Frequent  and  timely  spongings  are  the  best  means  to 
eradicate  them,  using  a  pointed  stick  where  the  sponge  cannot  be 
inserted.  It  is  a  very  free  blooming  Orchid,  and  its  unusual  colour 
