368 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  23,  1898. 
Baskets  by  the  score  cover  the  roof  of  a  large  span-roofed 
structure,  in  which  Dendrobiums  luxuriate,  and  many  Cypri- 
pediums  seem  to  be  quite  at  home.  Of  the  former,  not  in  this 
house  alone,  there  are  velutinum,  fimbriatum,  and  fimbriatum 
oculatum,  al!  very  beautiful,  as  also  are  Brymerianum,  primu- 
linum,  and  others/  Half  a  dozen  plants  in  flower  of  Cypripedium 
niveum  form  a  charming  picture,  while  the  bed  of  C.  barbatum 
and  C.  b.  delicatulum  in  the  Phalamopsis  house  is  highly  attractive. 
Amongst  the  other  Cypripediums  noticed  were  Chamberlainianum, 
Rothschildianum,  and  concolor.  The  Cypripedium  bellatulum 
album,  which  was  figured  in  the  Journal  last  year,  was  sent  in 
a  healthy  condition.  There  were  many  plants  of  Dendrobium 
Phalaenopsis  carrying  grand  spikes  of  flowers,  as  also  were  a  couple 
of  plants  of  the  chastely  beautiful  Eulophiella  Elizabethse. 
It  need  hardly  be  said  that  a  considerable  amount  of  space 
is  devoted  to  Cattleyas  and  Lselias,  and  the  splendid  condition 
of  the  plants  proved  how  well  they  were  grown.  In  flower  were 
C.  Lawrenceanum  (a  fine  dark  form),  C.  citrina,  some  charming 
varieties  of  Trianse,  some  named,  such  as  C.  T.  Schroderse,  and 
others  unnamed.  Singularly  attractive  were  plants  of  Aeranthus 
(Angrsecum)  Leonis  and  Angrsecum  modestum,  while  Trichopilia 
suavis  alba,  described  by  Bindley  “  as  a  delicious  Orchid,”  was  no 
less  charming  ;  one  plant  of  this  was  carrying  fourteen  fully 
developed  flowers.  In  contrast  to  all  these  was  Spathoglottis 
Kimballiana  with  its  conspicuous  yellow  inflorescence. 
Occupying  a  structure  almost  entirely  to  itself  is  a  collection  of 
Phalaenopsis,  in  a  condition  which  reflects  the  very  highest  credit 
on  the  grower.  Instead  of  the  flabby,  thin  leaves  that  characterise 
the  plants  in  some  establishments,  one  finds  here  dark  foliage 
that  to  the  touch  seems  like  so  much  leather.  The  roots,  too,  are 
well  in  proportion  to  the  leaves,  and  cling  to  the  wood  of  the 
baskets  in  which  they  are  growing  as  if  they  there  found  food 
which  just  suited  their  requirements.  It  cannot  be  wondered  at 
that  such  plants  as  these  produce  flowers  of  the  very  best  form, 
colour,  and  substance  ;  nor  that  their  grower  is  proud  of  them. 
Plants  of  such  kinds  as  Luddemanniana,  Schilleriana,  Schilleriana 
vestalis,  amabilis,  and  Sanderiana  were  particularly  conspicuous. 
In  a  little  glazed  corner  just  outside  the  Phalaenopsis  house 
Barkerias  simply  luxuriate,  though  at  the  present  time  they  are,  of 
course,  quite  at  rest.  _ 
So  far  as  attractiveness  is  concerned  a  house  built  up  inside 
with  rocks  and  occupied  by  plants  of  Cymbidium  Lowianum, 
Cypripedium  insigne,  and  Ferns,  must  be  accorded  the  premier 
position,  as  it  presents  a  sight  such  as  is  rarely  seen.  The 
Cymbidiums  now  form  the  display,  there  being  one  dozen  specimens 
carrying  upwards  of  1000  flowers.  The  greatest  number  of  spikes 
on  one  plant  is  fifteen,  on  which  are  295  perfect  flowers,  the 
greatest  number  of  flowers  on  any  one  spike  being  thirty-two. 
Each  plant  is  staged  so  as  to  show  to  the  best  advantage,  and  the 
effect  is  remarkable.  The  blooms,  generally  speaking,  are  large, 
and  the  colour  in  almost  all  of  them  is  fully  developed.  Both  the 
Cypripedium  insigne  and  the  Ferns  are  in  the  best  of  health,  while 
at  the  end  of  the  house  is  a  tiny  stream  in  which  gold  fish  disport 
themselves. 
Many  other  Orchids  are  grown  as  well  as  those  that  have  been 
mentioned,  but  these  must  suffice  for  the  present  notes.  Worthy 
of  mention,  as  probably  conducing  to  a  very  appreciable  degree 
to  the  excellent  health  of  the  stock,  is  the  cleanliness  that  prevails 
in  each  of  the  structures  ;  plants,  pots,  woodwork,  glass,  and  floors 
all  alike  prove  that  constant  attention  is  devoted  to  this  phase  of 
Orchid  culture.  The  system  of  labelling,  too,  is  a  very  good  one. 
Circular  earthenware  tallies  are  used,  on  the  face  of  which  is  clearly 
written  the  name  of  the  plant,  while  at  the  back  is  noted  the  date 
and  source  of  purchase.  These  are  practically  indestructible,  and 
have  at  the  same  time  a  neat  appearance  that  is  in  perfect  harmony 
with  the  surroundings.  In  conclusion  thanks  must  be  accorded  to 
Mr.  Young  for  his  courtesy  and  trouble  in  conducting  the  writer 
through  the  interesting  collection  of  Orchids  at  Clare  Lawn. — W. 
FLORAL  FACTS  AND  FANCIES.— 18. 
We  cannot  help  wishing  that  the  Selborne  Society,  and  other 
organisations,  having  as  one  of  their  objects  the  preservation  of  our 
wild  flowers  from  reckless  spoliation,  had  sprung  into  existence 
sooner,  for  they  might  have  done  somewhat  towards  keeping  in 
their  native  haunts  many  of  those  species,  which  by  wholesale 
gathering  have  become  very  rare,  or  even  extinct.  Of  the  various 
groups  of  native  plants,  none,  perhaps,  has  suffered  more  at  the 
hands  of  dealers  and  collectors  than  the  Orchids.  No  doubt  some  of 
them,  as  being  partial  to  sheltered  spots,  like  woods  or  copses, 
must  have  inevitably  become  scarcer  these  recent  years  owing  to 
the  clearing  of  so  much  land  formerly  wooded.  Marshes,  too,  that 
used  to  be  prQfuse  in  Orchids  have  been  dried  and  cultivated. 
Hence  at  the  time  the  popular  names  attached  to  various  species 
took  their  origin,  the  plants  were  more  numerous  and  noticeable 
to  country  folks  than  they  are  now.  Partial  to  shade,  they  often 
require  careful  seeking,  though  some  are  markedly  conspicuous, 
but  few  flourish  where  the  trees  are  so  dense  that  scarcely  any 
sunshine  enters.  We  observe  how  frequently  they  occur  above  the 
chalk  and  in  loam  ;  the  meadow  species  also  seem  to  prefer 
pastures  that  are  not  too  moist  yet  warm.  Some  Orchids  choose 
the  slope  of  a  hill. 
Fancy  has  seen  in  various  Orchids  resemblances  to  insects  and 
other  animals,  which  sometimes  are  obvious  enough,  but  a  good 
deal  of  imagination  may  be  required  to  picture  the  object  which  a 
flower  is  thought  to  represent.  One  of  the  most  historic,  if  les« 
singular  than  some,  and  long  associated  with  the  advent  of  spring, 
is  the  early  purple  or  Male  Orchis  (O.  mascula),  well  forward  in 
such  an  April  as  this  is.  With  sundry  very  diverse  species  it  shares 
the  name  of  “  Cuckoo  Flower  ”  also,  though  that  has  been  much 
debated  ;  it  seems  probable  this  was  the  “  long  purples  ”  of 
Shakespeare.  Its  rich  purple  hue  made  it  symbolic  of  “beauty,” 
and  others  of  the  tribe  have  had  the  same  meaning  given  to  them, 
but  we  might  regard  Orchids  generally  as  illustrative  of  eccentricity 
or  singularity  I  should  say.  Occasionally  the  Male  Orchis  is  found 
with  pale  lilac  flowers,  and  the  lower  lip  white.  It  has  the 
peculiarity,  too,  of  being  usually  scentless,  now  and  then  slightly 
fragrant,  this  turning  disagreeable  at  dusk.  Perhaps  the  commonest 
of  our  natives,  yet  yun  closely  by  the  allied  O.  morio,  having 
unspotted  leaves  and  side  sepals  of  green,  hence  it  is  called  the 
Green- winged,  the  Female,  and,  oddly,  the  Fool’s  Orchis. 
Scarce  now,  but  found  in  some  chalky  woods,  is  the  brown¬ 
winged  O.  fusca,  or,  poetically,  the  Lady  Orchis  ;  it  has  been  thought 
handsomest  of  our  British  kinds,  the  finely  spotted  flowers  of 
purple  and  white  formiug  a  sort  of  cluster  on  a  stem  2  feet  high  or 
more,  but  the  leaves  are  few,  though  large.  We  could  hardly  say 
the  plant  has  a  lady-like  aspect,  pretty  as  it  is,  still  it  has  been 
supposed  to  be  an  emblem  of  “capricious  beauty.”  Modern 
botanists  incline  to  think  this  is  only  a  variety  of  the  Military 
Orchis  (O.  militaris)  which  has  the  calyx  grey,  not  brown,  and  with 
long  points,  occurring  in  similar  localities.  But  why  did  Liniieeus 
give  it  this  name  ?  Perhaps  an  array  of  these  Orchids  along  a 
grassy  mead  in  Sweden  seemed  to  resemble  aline  of  soldiers,  or  else 
the  form  of  the  calyx  suggested  a  shield  or  helmet.  Both  these 
have  when  dried  the  scent  reminding  us  of  the  Woodruff  and 
Melilot. 
Then  there  is  a  third,  now  very  rare,  called  the  Monkey  Orchis, 
or  0.  tephrosanthus,  which  is  probably  the  same  species,  but  rather 
smaller  ;  it  is  not  particularly  like  a  monkey.  Nor  can  we  consider 
the  still  rarer  O.  hircina  a  close  copy  of  a  lizard,  though  thus  named. 
The  flowers,  however,  have  a  curious  appearance,  and  it  is  one  of  our 
finest  natives,  a  spike  having  sometimes  sixty  flowers  of  green  and 
purple  ;  unfortunately  the  smell  is  disagreeable.  The  Pyramidal 
Orchis,  named  from  the  shape  of  its  dense  spike,  is  a  contrast, 
having  a  pleasant  perfume  both  night  and  day  ;  the  flowers  are 
crimson,  occasionally  dull  white.  Small  in  size,  growing  on 
chalky  downs,  is  the  Burnt  Orchis  (0.  ustulata)  or  Dwarf  Brown¬ 
winged,  the  thick  spike  of  which  has  numerous  flowers,  which  look 
scorched  or  burnt,  the  calyx  being  brown,  dotted  with  black. 
Two  species  that  are  now  and  then  grown  in  gardens  on 
sheltered  banks  have  palmate  roots.  O.  maculata  has  spotted  leaves, 
and  the  flowers  of  pale  purple  have  dark  streaks  and  dots  ;  the 
other,  O.  latifolia,  has  broader  leaves,  and  flowers  usually  of  a 
deeper  colour.  Both  at  one  time  were  called  “Palma  Christi,” 
and  regarded  as  plants  in  some  way  sacred.  A  third  palmate 
species,  now  placed  in  a  different  genus  to  the  preceding,  is  the 
Fragrant  or  Gnat  Orchis  (Gymnodenia  conopsea).  which  diffuses  a 
fine  aromatic  odour,  resembling  that  of  the  Clove  Pink.  Its  many- 
flowered  spike  is  crimson,  but  the  small,  spreading  petals  are  not 
much  like  the  wings  of  a  gnat.  We  find  it  along  moist  meadows, 
where  also  grows  appropriately  the  Frog  Orchi*  (Habenaria  viridis), 
with  flowers  of  green  or  greenish  yellow,  but  variable  in  tint,  and 
certainly  singular.  The  idea  of  their  resembling  a  frog  or  some 
batrachian  is  an  old  one,  a  likeness  to  a  mouse  has  also  been 
suggested. 
North  and  South  of  England  woods  may  yield  the  conspicuous 
H.  bifolia,  the  Butterflv  Orchis,  scarce  now,  as  it  has  been  searched 
for  too  diligently.  Sufficiently  well  known  to  have  been  taken  to 
symbolise  “  gouty,”  the  flower  is  really  to  be  compared  to  some 
sort  of  moth  rather  than  a  butterfly.  (Amongst  exotic  species, 
however,  the  resemblance  to  a  butterfly  is  most  marked  in  some 
instances.)  Ours  has  a  tall  spike,  ou  which  flowers  are  sparsely 
