Januarv  20  If<98. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
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LvI^LIA  anckps  Mks.  dk  Bakki  Ckawshav. 
The  number  of  varieties  of  Lfolia  anceps  is  very  cun^aderable,  and 
several  of  them  are  of  more  than  ordinary  merit.  So  useful  and  so 
beautiful  18  this  Orchid,  however,  that  there  is  plenty  of  room  for 
more  provided  they  are  equal  or  superior  in  quality  to  those  already 
known  and  appreciated.  One  of  the  latest  additions,  and  at  the  same 
time  one  of  the  handsomest,  is  L.  a.  Mrs.  de  Barri 
Crawshay,  which  was  exhibited  at  the  Koyal 
Horticultural  Society’s  Show  at  the  Drill  Hall 
on  December  14th  by  de  Barri  Crawshay,  Esq., 
Sevenoaks.  On  this  date  the  Orchid  Committee 
recommended  an  award  of  merit,  and  there  can 
be  no  doubt  the  honour  was  deserved.  As  may 
be  seen. by  reference  to  the  woodcut  (tig.  9),  the 
form  of  the  flower  is  very  fine,  and  it  need 
scarcely  be  said  that  in  size  and  sub^tance  it 
lacked  little  of  being  perfect.  The  sepals  and 
petals  are  very  rich  purplish  rose,  while  the  front 
lobe  of  the  lip  is  deep  velvety  purplish  crimson. 
The  throat  has  veins  of  bright  crimson  on  a  pale 
yellow  ground.  It  is  a  decided  acquisition,  and  was 
very  greatly  admired  on  the  day  of  exhibition. 
killing  the  individual  roots.  When  the  plants  are  unhealthy  through 
any  cause  this  should  be  easily  found  at  potting  time.  Some  of  the 
taller  growers  show  a  disposition  to  give  way  at  the  base  of  the  stem, 
and  this  may  be  got  over  by  cutting  the  end  off  to  where  it  is  sound. 
This  plan  is  often  resorted  to  when  plants  lose  the  lower  leaves,  the 
shortening  of  the  stems  allowing  them  to  be  set  lower  in  the  pots. 
handling, 
as  in  most  cases 
of  the  bars  which  tliey 
The  old  basket  must  be 
Basket  plants  require  much  care  in 
the  roots  will  be  found  to  have  taken  hold 
twine  around  and  are  difficult  to  remove, 
taken  to  pieces  by  drawing  out  the  corner  wires  and  sa^ving  the 
rods  through  at  convenient  intervals.  These,  with  the  roots  clinging, 
may  sometimes  be  iilaced  entire  in  the  new  baskets,  but  it  is  not  well 
to  overdo  this,  as  wood  buried  in  sphagnum  often  produces  a  trouble¬ 
some  white  fungus  difficult  to  get  rid  of.  Any  decaying  roots  may  he 
Potting  Orchids. 
Success  in  Orchid  growing  largely  deiiends 
upon  atmospheric  conditions,  proper  grouping  as 
to  temperature,  and  other  details,  but  unless  they 
are  properly  potted  in  the  first  instance  the  use¬ 
fulness  of  these  is  to  a  certain  extent  negatived. 
Potting,  as  I  here  use  the  term,  has  a  very  wide 
significance;  it  means  providing  a  root  hold  for 
plants  of  very  different  habits,  with  many  typos 
of  roots,  and  from  many  different  countries. 
Before  commencing,  then,  to  provide  a  new  rooting 
medium  for  a  varied  collection,  a  little  thought 
must  be  given  to  the  style  of  root  and  the  class  of 
material  they  are  most  likely  to  thrive  in. 
First  there  is  the  large  fleshy  mot  of  the 
majority  of  distichous-leaved  plants,  as  the  Vanda, 
Aerides,  Angrsecum,  and  Saccolabium  species. 
The  majority  of  these  show  a  great  partiality  for 
peat,  but  much  prefer  the  elastic  light  sphagnum 
moss  of  our  shady  copses  and  woods.  It  is 
naturally  a  bog  plant,  but  grows  often  on  the 
banks  of  streams,  and  the  quality  from  such 
jx)sitions  is”  always  superior  to  any  found  over 
deeper  water,  or  rather  mud.  It  should  be  used 
fresh  and  in  a  living  state,  picked  free  of  all 
foreign  subsiances,  as  weeds,  decayed  leaves,  stiC' s, 
and  other  refuse.  The  neglect  of  this  often  leads 
to  the  introduction  of  fungus  and  other  ills  that 
give  considerable  trouble  afterwards.  For  the 
majority  of  kinds  charcoal  or  clean  crocks  should 
be  added  or  mixed  with  the  moss  as  potting 
proceeds.  _ 
PTO.  9. —  \jJVAAA  ANCEPS  MrS.  DE  BARRI  CrAWSHAY. 
The  depth  of  moss  required  by  various  kinds 
is  only  to  be  judged  by  experience  of  the  size  and 
quality  of  the  roots,  but  in  all  cases  it  is  safer  to  be  on  the  side  of 
thinness  rather  than  otherwise.  Such  large  growing,  vigorous  looking 
kinds  as  Aerides  obovatum,  Angrsecum  eburneum,  Saccolabium 
Blumei,  or  Vanda  siiavis  will  push  through  a  thickness  that  would  be 
fatal  to  Aerides  roseum,  Angrsecum  modestum,  Saccolabium  bellinum, 
or  Vanda  coerulescens.  Then,  according  to  the  habit  of  these,  some 
do  best  in  large  pots,  o'hers  again  prefer  baskets,  while  many  of  the 
least  growers  are  be-t  suited  in  the  small  iians  so  niueh  used  now 
for  suspending. 
Without  detailing  the  kinds  suitable  for  each  mode  a  hint  or  two 
on  carrying  out  the  work  may  be  useful.  The  large  kinds  should 
have  the  roots  spiead  out  as  far  as  possible,  and  all  air  roots  must  be 
brought  under  the  influence  of  the  compost.  By  this  I  do  not  mean 
that  those  outside  the  pot  should  bo  broken  and  snapped  about  in  order 
to  get  them  inside,  this  checking  the  plants  in  every  case,  and  often 
taken  off,  this  being  necessary  with  any  and  every  kind  of  Orchid. 
Those  liking  small  jiRus  require  the  most  care,  as  there  is  not  the 
same  chance  of  fixing  them  as  where  the  receptacles  are  larger. 
Put  the  drainage  in  the  pans  ready,  and  then  break  the  old  one 
if  the  plant  does  not  slip  out  easil3\  Although  the  roots  may  not  be 
very  plentiful  outside,  there  are  plenty,  as  a  rule,  clinging  to  the 
inside,  and  if  any  force  is  used  these  are  bound  to  be  torn  as  the  plant 
comes  out.  Orchid  roots  may  sometimes  be  loosened  by  soaking  with 
water  as  hot  as  it  is  safe  to  use  it,  but  this  applies  more  to  long  straight 
ones  on  the  outside  of  pots  or  on  the  stage  than  to  smaller  ones  coiled 
around  the  insides  of  pots  or  pans.  It  will  be  feund,  as  a  rule,  the 
larger  the  roots  are,  the  rougher  and  deeper  the  compost  re(|uired, 
those  having  smaller  less  lleshy  ones  being  best  suited  in  a  shallower 
less  divided  medium. 
