July  7,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Cyfripedium  I’Ansoni. 
This  new  Cypripedium  is  a  hybrid,  resulting  from  a  cross  between 
0.  Rothschildianum  and  0.  Morganias,  and  evidences  of  both  parents 
are  clearly  perceptible.  The  flower  is  exceptionally  handsome,  and 
was  greatly  admired  by 
orchidists  at  the  Drill  Hall 
on  June  28tb,  when  it  was 
exhibited,  and  received  a 
first-class  certificate  from 
the  Orchid  Committee  of  the 
R.H.S.  From  the  woodcut 
(fig.  1,  see  page  5)  it  will  be 
seen  how  decided  are  the 
markings,  and  how  distinct 
the  form  is  from  any  other. 
The  broad  semi  -  drooping 
petals  have  the  ground 
colour  of  cream  tinged  with 
green,  almost  hidden  by  the 
large  and  very  numerous 
spots  of  dark  brown.  The 
fine  dorsal  sepal  is  similar  in 
basal  colour  to  the  petals, 
and  has  lines  and  rows  of 
almost  continuous  blackish 
crimson  spots.  The  pouch  is 
rosy  claret.  The  exhibitors 
of  this  Orchid  were  Messrs. 
Hugh  Low  &  Co.,  Bush  Hill 
Park,  Enfield. 
L^elio-Cattleya  Admiral 
Dewey. 
The  parentage  of  this 
bigeneric  hybrid  was  given 
as  Cattleya  Warneri  formosa 
and  Laelia  elegans  Mastersi 
when  it  was  sent  to  the 
Temple  Show  by  Messrs. 
Charlesworth  &  Co.,  Heaton, 
Bradford.  It  was  honoured 
by  a  first-class  certificate  by 
the  Orchid  specialists,  and 
is  portrayed  at  fig.  2.  The 
formation  of  the  flower  is 
particularly  good,  as  is  the 
substance  of  all  the  parts  of 
the  flower.  The  prevailing 
colour  is  rich  purplish  rose, 
this  extending  over  the 
sepals  and  petals ;  the  broad 
lip  is  bright  crimson.  It  is 
a  charming  flower,  and  was 
very  much  praised  by 
experienced  visitors  and 
admired  by  all.  It  was  a 
pity  the  gallant  admiral 
after  whom  this  Orchid  is 
named  could  not  be  at  the 
Temple  Show  to  see  it. 
Orchids  at  Riverdale, 
Morpeth. 
t  The  seat  of  Ed.  Hopper, 
Esq.,  is  always  worthy  of 
a  visit.  It  is  easy  of  access,  not  being  more  than  400  yards 
from  Morpeth  station,  and  no  gardener  going  north  should  miss 
the  opportunity  of  visiting  this  place.  Both  the  owner  and 
the  head  gardener,  Mr.  E.  Jones,  will  accord  a  truly  horti¬ 
cultural  welcome,  as  both  are  enthusiasts  in  all  pertaining  to 
gardening. 
Orchids  are,  however,  the  chief  delight  and  pleasure.  At  the  time 
of  our  visit  on  Easter  Monday  there  were  Deudrobiums  Wardian um, 
nobile,  and  Cooksoni  in  flower,  with  others  for  succession.  Cattleya 
Trianse  and  C.  Trianae  alba  were  also  in  bloom,  as  well  as  the  lovely 
citrina  with  its  rich  and  most  agreeably  perfumed  flowers.  Within 
the  last  two  years  over  4000  plants  of  imported  Orchids  have  been 
bought,  so  that  in  the  course  of  a  short  time  the  Riverdale  collection 
will  become  a  most  important  one. 
In  Northumberland  and  Durham  twenty-five  years  ago  Orchids 
were  rare  indeed.  There  were  only  three  collections  of  note — Sir  Wm. 
Hutt’s,  Gibside ;  Captain  Perkin’s,  Birtley ;  and  Mr.  Newall’s,  Ferndean, 
Gateshead.  But  within  the  last  few  years  the  Orchid  mania  has  largely 
developed,  especially  in  Northumberland,  where,  at  the  present  time, 
there  are  collections,  such  as  Mr.  Cookson’s,  which  vie  with  any  in  the 
country.  This  is  all  the  more  gratifying,  as  the  growth  of  these  plants 
is  now  much  better  understood,  while  their  beauty  and  long-lasting 
properties  are  such  as  always  to  recommend  them  to  those  who  are 
devotees  and  worshippers  of  what  is  most  beautiful  in  the  vegetable 
'  v,  VW 
•:»>  SB 
Fig.  2. — LvELIO-CATTLE Y A  ADMIRAL  DEWEY. 
kingdom,  and  in  Orchid  culture  and  Orchid  lore  there  are  no  more 
enthusiastic  cultivators  than  Mr.  Ed.  Hopper  and  his  talented  chief 
gardener,  Mr.  E.  Jones. — Bernard  Cowan. 
The  Value  of  Light  for  Tomatoes.— Tomatoes  are  one  of 
those  crops  which  are  never  profitable  without  they  are  placed  in  a 
position  where  the  growth  can  have  constant  and  abundant  light.  With 
all  other  conditions  favourable  to  the  culture  of  the  plants  the  ultimate 
crop  produced  is  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  sunshine  they  are  in  a 
position  to  receive,  and  to  have  the  best  effects  it  must  reach  them  at  as 
short  a  distance  from  the  glass  as  possible. — PRACTICE. 
