September  17,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER^ 
271 
Notes  on  Vandas. 
But  few  of  the  species  in  ibis  beautiful  Old  World  genus 
seem  to  have  much  attraction  for  orchidiets  generally,  and  small 
cultivators  especially.  A  few  of  the  newer  kinds,  such  as 
V.  Kimballiana  or  V.  Amesiana  (fig.  54),  are  fairly  popular,  and 
even  V.  coerulea  finds  a  great  many  admirers,  but  many  of  the  most 
noble  in  the  genus,  such  as  V.  suavis  or  V.  tricolor,  V.  Batemanni, 
and  Y.  gigantea  are  in  most  cases  conspicuous  by  their  absence. 
Often,  too,  when  one  comes  across  them,  they  look  far  from  happy. 
In  too  many  private  gardens  it  is  the  custom  to  give  these  Vandas 
too  much  heat  and  insufficient  air,  especially  at  this  season. 
Because  they  are  Orchids  and  come  from  a  tropical  coantry 
cultivators  apparently  think  that  they  cannot  be  overdone  with 
heat,  consequently  they  have  to  make  the  best  of  their  existence 
among  the  very  warmest  section  of  the  family,  with  the  result  that  , 
after  the  first  season  or  two  the  foliage  is  weakened  and  drops  ofE 
wholesale,  and  few  fiowers  appear. 
Insects  also  find  in  debilitated  plants  just  what  they  like,  and, 
owing  to  their  attacking  the  few  sound  leaves  that  are  left,  the 
poor  Vandas  present  a  sorry  appearance  indeed.  Contrast  such 
with  plants  grown  in  a  suitable  temperature.  Here  we  see  vigorous 
growth,  a  plant  that  is  truly  ornamental  before  it  produces  a 
flower,  and  when  in  blossom  a  magnificent  sight  that  well  repays 
the  trouble  taken  by  the  cultivator,  and  elicits  no  end  of  encomiums 
from  interested  visitors.  Some  disappointed  grower  may  say  that 
he  has  tried  them  in  various  temperatures  and  yet  been  unsuccessful. 
Yes,  but  temperature  is  only  one  point,  a  suitable  atmosphere  is 
quite  another,  and  an  even  more  important  one.  A  few  degrees  of 
heat  one  way  or  another  make  bnt  little  difference  to  Vandas. 
What  they  want  is  a  constant  and  regular  supply  of  air,  a  nicely 
balanced  temperature  as  regards  moisture  and  heat,  and,  most 
important  of  all,  abundance  of  light  without  being  scorched  by 
bright  sunshine. 
There  are  few  large  establishments  in  which  these  conditions 
cannot  be  met  exactly.  Many  of  the  fine  conservatories  in  various 
parts  of  the  country,  with  their  wealth  of  climbers  on  the  roof 
breaking  up  the  rays  of  the  sun,  would  make  ideal  houses  for 
Vandas.  In  these  spacious  structures  the  temperature  keeps  steady, 
the  plants  may  have  a  good  light  without  being  too  close  to  the 
glass,  and  the  ventilation  does  not  mean  the  licking  up  of  every 
drop  of  moisture.  I  know  of  such  a  house  in  the  West  of  England, 
where  not  only  Vandas,  but  Acrides,  Saccolabiums,  and  even 
Angraecums  revel ;  where  they  push  out  their  long  white  roots  into 
the  congenial  atmosphere,  and  grow  like  weeds,  as  the  term  goes. 
No  fear  of  such  plants  losing  their  leaves  in  winter,  even  supposing 
the  temperature  drops  a  little  lower  than  usual ;  and  this  leads  up 
to  a  fact  that  is  often  lost  sight  of  by  orchidists — viz.,  that  most 
Vandas  are  quite  safe,  and  indeed  happy,  in  a  winter  minimum 
temperature  of  from  45°  to  50°.  It  induces  complete  rest  and 
minimises  the  risk  of  attacks  from  insects,  the  plants,  moreover, 
being  much  more  fioriferous  than  others  kept  warmer. 
Vandas  of  many  kinds  may  also  be  well  grown  in  vineries  ;  indeed, 
the  suitability  of  these  houses  for  Orchids  of  various  kinds  during 
the  summer  is  not  nearly  as  well  known  as  it  ought  to  be,  the 
plants  grown  there  being  decidedly  the  better  for  the  change,  while 
the  increased  room  in  the  Orchid  houses  proper  must  conduce  to 
the  well-being  of  those  left  behind.  There  are  some  Vandas,  it  is 
true,  that  must  have  more  heat  than  others — in  fact,  that  can 
hardly  be  kept  too  warm  while  growing,  the  peculiar  V.  teres  being 
a  well-known  instance  of  this.  V.  Sanderiana,  too,  the  Kmg  of 
Vandas  as  it  has  been  termed,  likes  tropical  treatment  while 
growing  ;  but  these  are  only  exceptions  that  prove  the  rule,  and 
the  fact  remains  that  the  great  majority  in  the  genus  are  too 
liberally  provided  with  heat.  In  most  of  the  species  it  is  easy  to 
see  that  the  growing  season  is  commencing,  and  also  when  it  is 
finished,  by  the  appearance  of  the  roots. 
These,  it  will  be  noticed,  when  the  plants  are  in  full  growth, 
have  soft  green  points,  round  which  the  tender  spongioles  may  be 
easily  seen  by  the  naked  eye.  This  shows  that  they  are  seeking  for 
moisture,  and  consequently  as  long  as  the  green  points  are  visible 
this  must  not  be  withheld.  In  autumn,  however,  a  white  film 
comes  over  these,  and  although  clinging  as  firmly  as  ever  to  the 
compost  or  the  side  of  the  pot  or  basket,  they  are  not  so  active  in 
their  search  for  moisture. 
By  degrees,  then,  the  cultivator  must  lessen  the  supply  of  water  ; 
not  all  at  once,  or  the  foliage  will  suffer,  until  fin’winter  very  little 
will  suffice,  the  plants  in  fact  being  kept  going ’for  weeks  by  the 
atmospheric  moisture  without  a  drop  teing  poured  on  the  roots. 
A  little  different  treatment  of  course  is  required  by  different 
•pecies,  and  as  a  rule  the  smaller  growers  require  watering  oftener 
than  larger  ones,  owing  to  the  grsater  capacity  of  retaining 
moisture  in  the  receptacles  wherein  the  latter  are  grown.  For 
compost  sphagnum  moss  will  suffice,  the  only  needful  addition 
being  plenty  of  some  hard  substances,  as  charcoal  or  crocks,  this 
being  broken  in  various  sizes  according  to  that  of  the  pot  or 
basket. 
The  latter  are  beat  for  the  smaller-growing  kinds,  and  also  for 
small  plants  of  the  more  robust  species.  There  are  various  other 
small  details  requiring  attention,  and  these  vary  with  the  differing 
EIG.  54. — VANDA  AMESIANA. 
species  ;  but  there  is  not  room  to  go  into  the  matter  fully  in  this 
note,  so  must  be  given  under  the  heading  of  individual  kinds  from 
time  to  time.  In  the  meantime  I  would  advise  any  beginner  in 
Orchids  to  give  Vandas  a  trial,  for  while  some  are  among  the  most 
noble  plants  in  existence,  there  is  not  a  single  species  but  is  worthy 
a  place  in  the  most  select  collection. — H.  R.  R. 
ROOT  EELWORM  IN  CUCUMBERS. 
I  WAS  very  disappointed  on  reading  last  week’s  Journal  of  Horti¬ 
culture  to  find  that  no  one  had  written  to  say  they  had  found  Mr. 
G.  Abbey’s  kainit  remedy  effectual  in  killing  root  eel  worm.  Why  is 
this  ?  Is  it  because  no  one  has  proved  it  to  have  the  desired  effect,  or 
have  they  not  sufficient  faith  to  try  it  ? 
Mr.  G.  A.  appears  to  think  (page  225)  that  I  have  had  no  practical 
experience  with  this  pest.  He  evidently  takes  this  view  because  I  said 
I  was  not  troubled  yet  with  it ;  but  I  think  he  will  be  satisfied  on  this 
point  when  T  tell  him  that  I  have  only  had  the  glass  houses  erected 
twelve  months,  and,  as  far  as  I  know,  the  soil  is  quite  free  from  eelworm. 
Previous  to  this  I  held  a  position  for  a  number  of  years  in  a  market 
nursery,  where  more  or  less  of  the  destructive  power  of  this  pest  could 
be  seen  in  the  Cucumber  and  Tomato  plants,  growing  under  12  acres  of 
glass. 
