October  16,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
377 
L.elio-Cattleya  Charles  Darwin. 
The  collection  of  Orchids  grown  by  Mr.  T.  W.  Bond,  for 
C.  L.  N.  Ingram,  Esq.,  at  EUtead,  is  in  almost  all  respects  a 
complete  one,  but 
it  is  more  par¬ 
ticularly  rich  in 
bigeneric  hybrids 
between  Lae  lias 
and  Cattleyas. 
There  are  large 
numbers  of  these, 
and  some  are  con¬ 
tinually  opening, 
of  which  L.-G. 
Charles  Darwin 
depicted  in  the 
illustration,  fig.  69, 
may  be  taken  as 
a  specimen.  This 
beautiful  Orchid 
was  exhibited  at  a 
meeting  of  the 
Royal  Horticultu¬ 
ral  Society  held  on 
September  the  8  oh, 
when  the  Orchid 
Committee  ac¬ 
corded  to  it  a  first 
class  certificate. 
The  flower,  at  may 
be  seen,  it  of 
pleasing  shape,  the 
prevailing  colour 
being  a  peculiarly 
delicate  shade  of 
purplish  rose.  The 
lip  is  rather  a 
deeper  tone  of  the 
same  hue,  the 
throat  being 
chastely  veined 
with  golden  yellow. 
Peristeriaelata 
(or  Dove  Orchid) 
A  FINE  specimen 
of  this  plant  is  at 
present  to  be  seen 
in  bloom  at  Spar- 
ken,  Worksop,  the 
residence  of  J.  D. 
Ellis,  Esq.  It  is 
growing  in  a 
20-inch  pot,  and  has  sixteen  bulbs  and  five  flower  spiket.  Some 
of  the  largest  bulbs  measure  14  inches  in  circumference  and 
7  inches  in  depth,  the  tallest  spike  being  5  feet  3  inches  in 
height,  and  has  upwards  of  forty  blooms  or  flower  buds  on 
it.  There  are  a  total  of  170  expanded  flowers  or  buds  on  the 
five  spikes.  This  is  one  of  the  most  robuat  and  healthy  speci¬ 
mens  of  this  well-known  Orchid  I  have  seen.  It  is  growing  in 
a  light  span-roofed  house,  and  is  only  slightly  shaded  from  the 
bright  sun. 
On  inquiring  of  Mr.  Alderman,  the  gardener,  the  treatment  he 
gave  it,  I  found  it  was  somewhat  different  to  what  is  usually 
Fig.  69.— L^LIO-CATTLEYA  CHAELES  DAEWIN. 
recommended.  Peat,  sphagnum,  charcoal,  and  sand  are  the 
ingredients  used  in  the  compost.  It  is  potted  annually  in  February, 
before  growth  has  commenced,  all  the  old  soil  is  removed  and 
replaced  with  new.  It  is  found  that  this  variety  has  active  root 
action  before  any  growth  appears  ;  a  copious  supply  of  water  is 
given  during  its  growing  season,  and  the  plant  is  kept  quite  dry 
when  at  rest.  It  is  an  old-fashioned  plant,  but  the  flowers  are 
much  appreciated  at  bazaars,  where  flowers  from  this  plant  have 
been  lately  sold  for  2s.  fid.  each. — S. 
[With  these  notes  came  a  photograph  of  Mr,  Alderman’s 
plant,  but  it  was 
unfortunately  not 
suitable  for  repro¬ 
duction,  though  it 
proved  plainly  the 
excellence  of  the 
system  of  culture 
adopted.] 
Stanhopea 
GRANDIFLORA. 
I  HAVE  some 
large  plants  of  the 
Orchid  Stanhopea 
grandiflora.  Up  to 
a  few  days  ago  I 
had  always  seen 
only  two  flowers 
produced  on  one 
stem,  and  I  have 
often  seen  quanti¬ 
ties  of  this  Orchid 
in  bloom,  both 
under  glass  here 
and  in  its  native 
haunts,  the  damp 
forests  of  Trini¬ 
dad,  but  I  was 
astonished  the 
other  day  to  find 
three  flowers  pro¬ 
duced  on  the  same 
stem.  Is  not  this 
very  unusual 
H.  W.  W. 
[Your  experi¬ 
ence  of  this  Orchid 
is  not  unique, 
though  two  is  the 
usual  number  of 
flowers  produced. 
If  you  examine 
the  scapes  closely, 
however,  you  will 
often  see  a  third 
flower  seat,  and 
occasionally  this 
produces  a  blos¬ 
som,  as  in  your 
case.] 
Repotting  Masdevallias. 
Masdevallias  of  the  Harryana,  amabilis,  and  Veitchi  types, 
though  many  prefer  to  repot  in  the  spring,  would  often  be 
more  easily  wintered  if  given  new  compost  in  the  autumn. 
The  soil  is  frequently  in  such  a  fine  and  close  condition  after 
the  repeated  waterings  necessary  to  their  well  being  in  the 
summer  months,  that  unless  watering  is  judiciously  performed 
the  plants  lose  the  greater  portion  of  their  roots  in  the  winter. 
This  is  a  serious  check,  and  can  only  be  avoided  by  keeping 
the  compost  in  a  sweet  and  open  condition,  and  providing  good 
drainage. 
