September  8,  18t>8. 
JOURNAL  OR  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
191 
Bulbophyllum  amplum. 
The  Bulbophyllums  are  grown  more  as  botanical  curiosities  than 
anything  else,  as  they  are  much  more  interesting  than  they  are 
beautiful.  To  this  must  be  ascribed  the  reason  that  “  W.  E.  R.” 
has  seldom  met  them  in  his  wanderings.  Nevertheless  they  are  to  be 
found,  especially  in  such  choice  collections  as  that  of  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence,  Bart.,  at  Burford  Lodge,  Dorking,  for  whom  Orchids  are 
so  cleverly  grown  by  Mr.  W.  H.  White.  The  flowers  are  small  as  a 
rule,  but  some  of  the  species  are  large.  As  Mr.  Williams  says,  in  his 
Orchid  Manual,  “the  flowers  are  in  many  cases  curious,  particularly 
the  labellum  or  lip,  which  is  articulated  and  movable,  the  least 
breath  of  air  or  the  slightest  cause  of  motion  being  sufficient  to  set 
up  a  tremulous  or  dancing  movement  in  this  organ.”  The  species 
amplum,  about  which  you  ask,  was  shown  some  years  ago  by 
Sir  Trevor  Lawrence  at  Westminster.  The  flowers  (fig.  35^  are 
large  for  a  Bulbophyllum.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  creamy  yellow 
dotted  with  bright  red  ;  the  broad  lip  is  somewhat  ovate  in  form,  and 
of  a  bright  maroon  tint. 
Odontoglossum  cristatellum. 
The  flowers  of  this  species  are  not  large,  but  very  pretty,  the 
golden  tint  of  the  best  varieties  thickly  overlaid  with  purple-brown 
being  rich.  It  is  not  by  any  means  common,  though  it  has  long 
been  under  cultivation,  Mr.  W.  Bull  of  Chelsea  haviug  imported  it 
some  twenty  years  ago.  It  is  a  purely  alpine  species,  and  being  of 
medium  habit  thrives  best  in  pans  or  baskets  suspended  not  far 
from  the  roof  glass  in  the  coolest  house.  Water  freely  at  the  roots  all 
the  year  round,  and  syringe  the  foliage  lightly  in  hot  weather.^  , 
OnCIDIUM  INCURVUM. 
The  pretty  rose  and  white  flowers  of  this  Oncidium  are  so  grace¬ 
fully  set  on  the  ample  spikes,  and  last  so  long  in  perfect  order,  that  I 
should  be  very  loth  to  part  with  it  for  many  another  large  and  showy 
species.  It  is  so  easily  grown,  to'",  thriving  and  getting  larger  every 
season  in  a  cool  fernery  or  some  such  place  just  as  well  as  in  an  Orchid 
house  proper.  It  should  be  grown  strongly  in  the  spring,  and  when  the 
flower  spikes  are  open  from  the  old  pseudo-bulbs  the  younger  growths 
are  nearly  finished,  so  that  the  removal  to  a  drier  house  while  in 
flower  has  the  dual  effect  of  ripening  the  young  pseudo-bulbs  and 
conserving  the  blossoms. 
Epidendrum  nemorale. 
This  is  a  very  fine  species  when  in  good  condition,  and  worthy  of 
a  place  in  all  collections.  Not  the  least  of  its  merits  is  that  of  pro¬ 
ducing  handsome  blossoms  at  a  time  when  Orchids  are  not  at  their 
best,  and  they  have  the  additional  recommendation  of  lasting  well  in 
good  condition.  It  is  not  a  fastidious  plant  as  to  temperature,  some 
growers  recommending  a  place  in  the  East  Indian  house  with  such 
species  as  E.  bicornutum,  and  the  fact  of  its  thriving  well  there  proves 
that  it  is  not  of  so  difficult  a  habit  as  has  been  thought.  With  me 
it  has  always  done  better  in  the  intermediate  house  with  such  species 
as  E.  prismatocarpum. 
The  treatment  of  the  roots  is  very  simple,  and  it  is  only  necessary 
to  give  a  rough  open  descript’on  of  compost,  and  to  water  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  the  state  of  growth.  At  the  back  end  of  the  season  it  is 
wise  to  allow  plenty  of  sunlight  to  reach  the  plants,  and  .so  to 
consolidate  their  tissues,  making  them  more  able  to  withstand  any 
slight  check  in  winter.  The  flowers  occur  on  erect  racemes,  and 
are  a  pretty  mauve  tint  on  the  sepals  and  petals,  the  lip  having 
deeper  coloured  lines  of  reddish  purple.  It  is  a  native  of  Mexico, 
and  not  so  well  known  as  it  should  be,  though  it  was  introduced 
by  Messrs.  Loddiges  as  far  back  as  1843. 
Disa  grandiflora. 
Though  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  Orchids,  this  Disa  is  not 
everywhere  a  success  under  cultivation,  and  is  not  in  consequence  so 
much  grown  as  it  deserves.  No  doubt  it  is  a  more  difficult  plant  to 
grow  than  many,  and  yet  it  is  singular  how  well  it  thrives  in  some 
places,  where  apparently  the  conditions  are  not  more  than  usually 
favourable,  and  no  particular  care  is  exercised  in  its  culture.  The 
plants  delight  in  a  cool  moist  atmosphere  the  whole  year  round,  with 
as  much  light  as  possible,  and  a  constant  supply  of  air  always  moving 
about  the  foliage. 
Apparently  this  is  easy  enough  to  provide,  but  there  are  difficulties 
in  the  way,  as  we  all  know  who  have  tried  it.  Light,  of  course,  is 
easily  managed,  the  great  variety  of  shading  materials  now  on  the 
market  being  far  superior  to  the  old  garden  mat,  of  whatever  comes 
to  hand.  But  in  hot  summer  weather  it  is  not  so  easy  to  keep 
plenty  of  moisture  in  a  house,  and  at  the  same  time  abundance 
of  air.  But  the  cooler  the  house,  the  more  air  and  atmospheric 
moisture  there  is  present,  the  better  D.  grandiflora  will  thrive. 
Never  shade  the  plants  when  not  required,  and  when  the  weather 
is  hot  use  the  syringe  freely  about  the  young  growths,  not  giving  a 
heavy  douche  of  water, 
but  by  keeping  the  finger 
on  the  nozzle  forcing  it 
out  in  a  fine  spray. 
The  best  time  to 
repot  D.  grandiflora  is 
after  the  flowers  are 
past.  There  is  no  need 
of  annual  repotting,  but 
too  long  a  time  in  the 
same  material  is  not 
advisable.  Use  sphag¬ 
num  moss  two  parts  to 
one  each  of  peat  fibre 
and  loam,  adding  thereto 
plenty  of  crocks  and 
broken  charcoal.  Drain 
the  pots  or  pans  well, 
and  work  up  the  plants 
as  evenly  as  possible, 
surfacing  the  compost 
with  sphagnum  moss  to 
prevent  too  rapid  dry¬ 
ing.  In  a  cool  house 
where  the  conditions 
given  above  are  readily 
provided  this  Disa  does 
well  planted  out  in  a 
prepared  border,  and  it 
is  surprising  how  rapidly 
it  can  be  increased  by 
means  of  offshoots  when 
it  takes  with  a  will  to 
such  a  position. — H.  R.  R. 
HORTICULTURAL  SHOWS. 
'  BATH. — August  31st  and  September  1st. 
After  several  financial  failures,  owing  to  inclement  weather,  the  Bath 
Floral  Fbte  Committee  has  at  last  been  rewarded  with  two  favourable 
days,  and  a  well-earned  success  has  to  be  chronicled.  Much  credit  for 
good  work  done  in  the  present  and  past  years  is  due  to  Mr.  R.  B.  Cater, 
the  popular  Chairman  of  the  Bath  Society,  and  to  the  energetic  Secretaries, 
Messrs.  B.  R.  F.  Pearson  and  W.  Jeffery. 
Fuchsias  invariably  occupy  the  place  of  honour  in  the  Bath  schedule, 
and  nowhere  else  are  they  to  be  seen  in  such  large  numbers  or  to  greater 
advantage.  The  best  nine  varieties  were  shown  by  Mr.  G.  Tucker, 
Trowbridge,  who  staged  grand  specimens,  9  feet  high,  of  Charming,  Her 
Majesty,  Western  Beauty,  Final,  Arabella,  Mrs.  Bright,  Bountiful,  Doel’s 
Favourite,  and  a  distinct  and  good  red  variety  of  his  own  raising, 
Diamond  Jubilee,  which  should  become  popular  tor  exhibition  purposes. 
Mr.  J.  H.  Willcox,  Bath,  took  the  second  prize  with  dwaifer,  heavier 
plants,  perfectly  flowered.  For  six  varieties,  Mr.  A.  Young,  gardener  to 
Lady  Pitman,  was  first,  Mr.  H.  Peacock,  Trowbridge,  second,  and  Mr. 
W.  A.  Burford,  Weston,  third,  all  showing  fresh,  well-flowered  pyramids 
of  popular  varieties.  The  best  four  varieties  were  shown  by  Mr.  G. 
Podger,  second  Mr.  J.  Lord.  In  the  single  specimen  classes  Messrs.  G. 
Tucker,  A.  Young,  and  J.  H.  Willcox  took  the  prizes. 
Fairly  good  prizes  were  offered  for  stove  and  greenhouse  plants, 
and  for  eighteen  specimens  Mr.  J.  Cypher,  Cheltenham,  was  easily 
first,  showing  in  his  well  known  excellent  style.  Second  Messrs.  E.  S. 
Cole  &  Son,  third  Messrs.  J.  B.  Wood  &  Son.  The  closest  competition 
was  in  the  class  for  six'  flowering  plants,  Mr.  Cypher  just  winning. 
Mr.  G.  Tucker  was  a  close  second  ;  Mr.  G.  Hallett,  Bath,  took  the 
third  prize.  For  three  specimens  Mr.  H.  Pocock  was  first  ;  Messrs. 
J.  Stoke  &  Sons,  Hilperton,  second ;  and  E.  S.  Cole  &  Son  third.  A 
grand  plant  of  Ixora  Duffi,  carrying  fourteen  large  trusses  of  bloom, 
gained  Mr.  Cypher  the  first  prize  for  a  single  stove  plant,  Mr.  G.  Tucker 
being  a  close  second  with  Dipladenia  Brearleyana.  In  a  corresponding 
class  for  a  greenhouse  plant  Mr.  Tucker  was  first,  and  Mr.  Cypher  second. 
Heaths,  Coleuses,  and  Liliums  were  all  well  staged. 
Groups  arranged  for  effect  on  a  space  not  less  that  100  square  feet 
constituted  the  principal  feature  in  another  large  tent.  Four  competed, 
the  first  prize  going  to  Mr.  J.  Cypher  for  one  of  his  light  and  beautiful 
arrangements  ;  second  to  Mr.  W.  Tanser,  gardener  to  R.  B.  Cater,  Esq., 
Bath,  who  also  displayed  excellent  taste  in  the  arrangement  of  good 
materials  ;  third  Messrs.  E.  S.  Cole  &  Son.  The  banks  of  twelve  specimen 
