December  21,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
539 
Many  Orchids  are  easy,  many  others  more  difficult  of  propagation, 
and  only  in  a  few  cases  is  it  worth  while  propagating  common  kinds 
that  are  freely  imported.  It  is  where  rare  and  uncommon  forms  are 
■concerned  that  propagation  comes  useful,  and  experienced  cultivators 
do  not  hesitate  to  practise  division  of  various  kinds  on  the  most  unique 
and  valuable  plants.  Perhaps  of  all  Orchids  Cypripediums  have  been 
the  most  freely  propagated,  and  these  in  most  cases  divide  easily ;  a 
few  roots  may  be  secured  with  almost  every  growth,  and  only  time 
and  careful  treatment  are  necessary. 
More  risky  is  the  cutting  about  of  pseudo-bulbous  species,  such  as 
Oattleyas  and  Laelias,  Odontoglossums  and  others.  In  the  case  of  the 
former  plants  especially  there  is  great  risk  of  so  weakening  the  parent 
plant  that  it  is  little  use  after.  It  is  best  not  to  cut  the  rhizome  quite 
through  at  once,  as  if  rather  deeply  notched  some  time  previous  to  its 
removal  the  check  is  not  so  severely  felt.  Not  less  than  two  mature 
pseudo-bulbs,  as  well  as  the  young  lead  must  be  takeD,  and  in  the 
case  of  strong  growing  plants  three,  or  even  four,  are  better.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  cut  too  far  back  the  parent  plant  is  less  likely  to 
break  into  healthy  growth,  the  basal  buds  being  older  and  more  con¬ 
gested  ;  the  growth,  too,  when  it  does  appear  being  proportionately 
weaker. 
During  growing  Orchids  of  the  single  stemmed  section,  such  as 
Angraecum  and  Phalaenopsis,  are  often  difficult  of  propagation,  as  only 
when  side  breaks  occur  naturally  and  can  be  taken  off  can  the 
plant  be  increased.  With  the  longer  slender  growers  of  the  Vanda 
and  Aerides  tribe,  on  the  other  hand,  side  breaks  are  frequently  pro¬ 
duced,  or  may  be  forced  by  cutting  off  the  tops  of  the  plant.  In 
this  case  the  breaks  need  only  be  potted  singly,  kept  rather  close  and 
warm  for  a  few  days,  and  they  will  soon  make  healthy  little  specimens. 
There  are  many  natural  methods  of  propagation.  For  instance, 
many  of  the  Dendrobes  of  the  nobile  and  similar  sections  produce 
young  plants  at  the  ends  of  the  stems.  These  form  an  excellent 
means,  as  do  the  small  bits  often  seen  on  Thunia  stems.  The  latter 
may  be  propagated  very  rapidly  by  cutting  the  stems  into  lengths  of 
about  4  inches  and  inserting  these  just  under  the  surface  in  pots  of 
moss.  These  are  only  a  few  of  the  simpler  forms  of  propagating,  and 
it  may  be  worth  while  to  say  that  both  parent  plant  and  the  divided 
portion  should  come  in  for  a  little  careful  convalescent  treatment. 
Laslia  anceps  alba. 
Quite  a  number  of  inferior  forms  of  this  chaste  and  lovely  Orchid 
are  in  cultivation,  owing  to  those  who  flower  a  form  with  white 
sepals  and  petals  at  once  jumping  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  L.  a.  alba. 
Most  of  them  have  the  usual  rose  or  purple  markings  about  the  lip, 
while  the  true  variety  has  none  of  these,  simply  a  yellow  throat. 
The  white  forms  are  usually  supposed  to  be  more  difficult  to  flower 
than  the  coloured,  but  they  are  not  really  so  if  kept  well  up  to  the 
light,  as  every  variety  of  L.  anceps  should  be.  A  thin  compost  and 
perfect  drainage  are  also  necessary,  and  a  temperature  a  little  above 
that  of  the  cool  house. 
ONCIDIUM  TETRAPETALUM. 
This  is  a  truly  beautiful  litile  Oncidiurn.  worthy  of  a  place  in  all 
collections,  but  much  too  small  presumably  for  present  day  cultivators, 
who  like  something  large  and  showy.  Although  for  a  few  years 
after  importing  the  plant  grows  and  flowers  fairly  well,  it  is  difficult 
to  get  it  to  hold  on  for  any  great  length  of  time.  The  likeliest  plan 
to  succeed  with  it  is  to  place  it  on  blocks  of  Tree  Fern  stems  and  hang 
these  in  a  light  but  not  too  sunny  position  in  the  intermediate  house, 
the  plant  being  a  native  of  Jamaica. 
Arundina  bambusjefolia. 
Although  an  old  arid  extremely  pretty  Orchid  this  is  not  seen  in 
many  collections,  and  this  is  the  more  remarkable  when  one  considers 
how  easily  grown  it  is.  The  culture,  in  brief,  is  very  like  that  of  the 
Sobralias,  but  the  foliage  is  far  prettier  and  more  graceful,  Bamboo- like, 
as  the  specific  name  implies.  The  roots  should  be  planted  in  fairly 
large  pots  in  a  compost  consisting  of  equal  parts  of  peat,  loam  fibre, 
and  chopped  moss.  It  does  well  in  a  hot,  moist  house,  and  during  the 
growing  season  may  be  freely  syringed.  A.  bambussefolia  is  a  native  of 
Bengal  and  Assam,  and  was  introduced  by  Loddiges  in  1840. — II.  R.  R 
• 
Cypripedium  Leeanum. 
Porbaps  in  no  family  of  plants  have  the  hybridiser’s  ideals  been 
better  realised  than  in  the  above  section  of  Cypripediums.  Where 
choice  flowers  are  required  in  large  quantities  this  Cypiipedium  can  be 
recommended,  even  where  an  Orchid  house  is  non-existent,  as  it  can 
be  grown  under  the  same  conditions  as  C.  insigne,  though  it  delights 
in  a  little  more  heat  than  many  growers  give  that  species.  The  best 
temperature  is  a  warm  intermediate  one,  and  the  compost  recommended 
for  the  green  leaved  section  answers  its  requirements.  This  hybrid 
was  first  raised  bv  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons;  it  was  eventually  named 
superbum,  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence’s  seedling  being  taken  as  the  tvpe. 
Since  then  it  has  been  raised  by  numerous  orchidists,  and  the  varieties 
are  almost  endless,  the  best  perhaps  being  C.  Leeanum  giganteum  and 
magnificum. 
Oncidium  Forbesi. 
This  handsome  species,  which  is  now  unfolding  its  beauties,  should 
be  grown  in  the  cool  house  in  the  smallest  pans  possible  the  whole 
year  through.  The  compost  it  delights  in  is  equal  parts  peat  and 
moss,  and  it  well  repays  being  suspended  qu’te  close  to  the  glass  in  a 
moist  and  cool  corner;  it  will  not  stand  sun.  Insect  pests  must  be 
diligently  searched  for,  as  red  spider  is  very  partial  to  its  leaves, 
which  they  greatly  disfigure.  There  are  many  varieties,  varying 
from  deep  brown  fringed  with  yellow  down  to  clear  yellow  ;  the 
latter  appears  to  be  very  scarce.  The  large  panicles  make  the  cool 
house  delightful  at  this  dull  season  of  the  year. 
[A  very  beautiful  variety  was  exhibited  at  the  Drill  Hall 
on  December  5th  by  Mons.  L.  Linden,  Brussels.  It  was  named 
Fig.  9L— Oncidium  Forbesi  moortekeeicensis. 
0.  F.  moortekeekensis,  and  is  shown  in  fig.  94.  The  colour  is  shining 
brown,  with  a  splendid  fringe  of  bright  yellow.  The  Orchid 
Committee  recommended  an  award  of  merit.] 
Notes  on  L^lia  autumnalis. 
'This  family  of  winter  flowering  Orchids  is  often  considered  a 
difficult  one  to  keep  in  good  condition  for  a  number  of  years.  This,  I 
think,  is  often  attributable  to  the  plants  have  been  grown  in  too  much 
heat,  and  with  insufficient  fresh  air.  I  have  seen  plants  grown  up 
from  mere  scraps  into  respectable  plants  in  an  ordinary  greenhouse,  and 
this  of  that  most  chaste  and  beautiful  variety  Lselia  autumnalis  alba, 
which  is  considered  more  difficult  than  the  typical  one. 
L.  autumnalis  was  introduced  from  Mexico,  its  native  country,  in 
the  year  1836,  and  has  been  imported  in  considerable  quantities  since, 
until  at  the  present  time  it  is  a  comparatively  common  Orchid.  Like 
all  Mexican  Orchids,  it  delights  in  an  abundant  supply  of  fresh  air  the 
whole  season  through,  and  I  find  it  thrives  best  in  perforated  pans 
suspended  close  to  the  glass,  where  it  obtains  the  maximum  amount  of 
light  and  air.  Whilst  in  active  growth  the  temperature  should  never 
exceed  65°,  and  when  at  rest  never  allow  it  to  fall  below  50°.  When 
growing  the  plants  must  receive  abundance  of  moisture  both  at  the 
roots  and  in  the  atmosphere,  reducing  the  supply  gradually  until 
hardly  any  is  given  during  the  resting  period. 
The  typical  variety  is  the  best  known ;  the  flowers  are  of  a 
beautiful  rose  colour,  and  are  produced  at  this  festive  season  of  the 
year,  when  Orchids  are  doubly  valuable.  The  variety  alba  is  not  so 
well  known,  and  one  generally  sought  after  on  account  ot  its  purity  of 
cob. ur  ;  there  is  only  a  faint  tinge  of  yellow  in  its  throat.  L.  a.  atro- 
rubens  is  a  great  improvement  on  the  type,  and  was  introduced  by 
Messrs.  Backhouse  &  Sonot  York  in  1879,  as  was  venusta,  which  is 
undoubtedly  the  best  of  them  all.  L.  a.  atro-rubens  is  much  stronger 
in  growth,  and  the  spikes  and  flowers  are  larger  and  better  coloured. 
