JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
439 
May  14,  1896. 
of  the  genus,  and  almost  every  specie*  in  cultivation  finds  a  place. 
Apparently,  too,  despite  the  smoke,  of  which  they  get  considerably 
more  than  their  fair  share,  the  plants  thrive  admirably,  but  this 
doubtless  i*  to  a  very  large  degree  owing  to  the  manner  in  which 
they  are  tended  by  the  grower.  No  pains  are  spared  to  insure 
success,  and  if  a  particular  plant  does  not  appear  quite  happy  it  is 
moved,  and  often  re-moved  until  the  precise  spot  is  found  that 
suits  it,  this  applying  to  all  kinds  as  well  as  to  Masdevallia*. 
With  only  one  or  two  exceptions,  a  lean-to  structure  is 
entirely  filled  with  the  last-mentioned  Orchids,  and  the  majority 
of  the  plants  are  of  the  Harryana,  Chelsoni,  and  Veitchi  types, 
the  Chimera  section  being  in  a  different  place,  while  many  scores 
of  rare  species  are  found  in  various  positions.  Singularly  beautiful 
is  M.  Chimera  Wallisi,  while  such  varieties  of  M.  Harryana  as 
lilacina  and  rosea  violacea  are  very  charming.  Then  there  are 
now  flowering  Lowi,  said  to  be  one  of  the  only  two  plants 
known,  the  other  being  at  Glamevin  ;  O’Brieniana,  Shuttle- 
worthi,  tridactylites,  guttulata,  Wagneri,  muscosa,  and  the  striking 
Harrisoniana  alba,  with  scores  of  other*,  of  which  mention  cannot 
now  be  made.  A  »pecialist  in  these  plants  might  easily  spend  days 
amongst  them,  and  he  would  constantly  find  something  that  would 
be  of  interest  and  of  use  to  him. 
To  speak  with  full  justice  of  the  Cypripediums  one  would 
require  a  goodly  amount  of  space,  mach  more  than  is  at  disposal 
for  the  whole  of  these  notes  ;  but  still  mention  must  be  made  of  a 
few.  There  are  plants  of  all  sizes,  from  the  minute  seedling  which 
requires  a  magnifying  glass  before  it  is  clearly  perceptible,  to  great 
specimens  in  pots  decidedly  over  a  foot  in  diameter.  Of  the  latter 
the  world  has  heard,  while  of  the  former  it  is  safe  to  predict  that 
it  will  hear,  though  it  may  be  in  the  somewhat  remote  future.  By 
the  way  Mr.  Chapman  examines  them,  watches  over  them,  and 
mini»ters  to  their  wants  one  would  suppose  that  some  promising 
crosses  had  been  made.'  A  question  to  this  effect  elicited  the 
information  that  the  crosses  were  not  of  the  common  or  garden 
order  ;  but  we  must  wait  development*. 
Turning  now  to  a  few  of  those  in  bloom  we  see  many  exuls  of 
first-rate  quality,  while  of  equal  merit  are  the  beautiful  Harrisi- 
anum  superbum,  and  the  striking  Lawrenceanum.  Swannianum  is 
of  great  beauty,  and  Chamberlainianum  possesses  charms  both  of 
colour  and  of  form  that  appeal  very  strongly  to  the  tastes  of  large 
numbers  of  people.  Then  the  sturdy  Olenus  must  not  be  passed 
without  notice,  any  more  than  should  Rothschildianum  or  the 
curious  caudatum.  On  a  shelf  in  another  structure  concolor, 
leucochilum,  niveum,  and  bellatulum  are  growing  in  a  highly 
satisfactory  manner,  while  of  the  latter  several  plants  are  producing 
large  finely  marked  flowers  of  splendid  substance.  With  only  these 
few  lines  we  must  dismiss  the  Cypripedium*  and  turn  to  other  kinds 
of  equal  merit  and  interest,  at  any  rate  to  the  major  portion  of 
the  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture. 
Lselias  and  Cattleyas  are  accorded  a  goodly  proportion  of  the 
available  space,  and  comprise  some  magnificent  examples  of  almost 
all  the  foremost  species  and  varieties.  The  labiata  section,  for 
instance,  i*  excellent,  the  plants  being  strong,  and  the  forms  well 
diversified,  including  three  plants  of  the  true  C.  labiata  alba. 
Almost  all  the  Mendeli  and  Schroderaes  have  finished  flowering, 
after  producing  some  splendid  blooms.  Of  Trianoes,  Rex  and  aurea, 
with  the  beautiful  Lawrenceana  and  intermedia,  nothing  can  be 
said  here  save  that  the  system  of  culture  is  evidently  in  all  respects 
adapted  to  them,  as  is  proved  by  the  grand  growth  that  they 
carry.  Laelia  purpurata  is  represented  by  some  dozens  of  plants, 
and  though  only  three  or  four  are  at  the  present  in  bloom,  their 
quality  gives  some  idea  of  the  remainder,  which  will  be  at  the 
summit  of  their  beauty  in  about  a  week  or  ten  days.  Not  quite 
fully  developed  was  a  flower  spike  of  Laslia  elegans,  in  which  the 
colours  were  exceptionally  pure. 
Until  a  comparatively  recent  date  some  considerable  difficulties 
were  experienced  in  the  culture  of  the  general  collection  of 
Odontoglossum8  at  Cambridge  Lodge,  but  apparently  neither  owner 
nor  grower  could  accept  defeat.  The  result  of  their  determination 
was  that  last  year  a  new  house  was  erected  especially  for  the 
plants,  which  now  promise  to  thrive  as  they  should  do,  and  are  in 
every  way  satisfactory.  The  structure  is  a  low  span-roofed  one 
with  a  central  and  two  side  stages,  and  the  bulbs  that  have  formed 
since  the  plants  were  placed  in  it  are  sound  and  plump,  while  the 
leafage  is  substantial  and  the  flowers  of  good  size  and  colour. 
One  spike  of  O.  Pescatorei  is  particularly  noticeable  by  reason  of 
the  large,  shapely,  and  charmingly  spotted  flowers  it  is  bearing. 
Besides  this  there  are  crispums  in  abundance,  with  Andersonianum, 
hystrix,  and  triumphans  amongst  others  in  fine  form. 
In  another  house  is  one  of  the  finest  collections  of  Odonto- 
glossum  (Miltonia)  vexillarium  that  can  be  found  within  a  ten 
mile  radius  of  St.  Paul’s  Cathedral.  The  plants  are  arranged  on 
a  flat  stage,  and  will,  when  the  hundreds  of  buds  are  fully  opened, 
produce  a  really  brilliant  display.  This  will  not,  however,  be  for 
about  another  ten  day*  or  a  fortnight.  Individually  the  speci¬ 
mens  are  not  as  a  rule  very  large,  but  the  leafage  is  clear  in 
FIG.  71. — ANGRiECUM  (AERANTHUS)  LEONIS. 
colour,  firm  in  texture,  and  as  clean  as  the  proverbial  new  pin. 
Amongst  the  few  plants  now  carrying  flowers  there  are  a  rose 
coloured  one  of  large  size,  an  almost  pure  white,  and  another  of 
which  the  ground  colour  is  pure  white  splashed  with  very  bright 
rose.  Other  Odontoglos3ums  noted  included  several  fine  examples 
of  citrosmum  and  Roezlis  in  variety. 
Phalaenopsis  are  extensively  and  well  grown,  and  comprise 
some  of  the  best  in  commerce.  Curiously  beautiful  are  the 
Pleurothallis,  of  which  there  are  several  in  flower,  including  Grobyi, 
ornata,  scapha,  and  the  solitary  known  specimen  in  cultivation  of 
punctulata.  These  Orchids  are  of  great  botanical  interest,  and 
besides  lend  a  very  pleasing  diversity  to  any  collection.  Chastely 
beautiful  are  Angrascum  Sanderianum  (modestum)  and  Angraecum 
(Aeranthus),  Leonis  (see  woodcut,  fig.  71),  another  charming 
Orchid  being  seen  in  Saccolabium  ampullaceum.  It  is  not  every- 
