October  22  IH96. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
399 
COMPARETTIA  SPECIOSA 
The  genui  Comparettia  is  a  small  one,  and  plants  of 
«ny  of  the  four  or  five  species  comprised  are  not  very  often 
«een.  The  cultural  require¬ 
ments  are  few,  Yeitch’s 
“Manual  of  Orchidaceous 
Plants  ”  saying,  “  A  latticed 
eta^e  placed  not  more  than 
18  24  inches  from  the  glass 
in  the  coolest  part  of  the 
intermediate  house  is  a 
euitable  position  for  the 
Comparettias,  and  on  this 
the  pots  or  baskets  in  which 
the  plants  are  grown  may  be 
placed,  but  many  cultivators 
prefer  small  pans  suspended 
from  the  roof.  Fibrous  peat 
mixed  with  a  little  sphagnum 
is  the  best  compost  for  them, 
and  which  should  be  kept 
conatantly  moist,  the  quantity 
»of  moisture  being,  of  course, 
regulated  according  to  the 
season,  A  light  shading  on 
hot  bright  days  must  also  be 
used.” 
The  species  portrayed  by 
the  illustration  (fig.  72)  was 
introduced  about  twenty 
years  ago,  and  the  plant 
from  which  our  illustration 
was  taken  was  grown  by 
Mr.  G.  W.  Cummins,  gardener  to  A.  H. 
Smee,  Esq.,  The  Grange,  Wallington,  who 
exhibited  it  and  received  an  award  of  merit 
at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society.  C.  speciosa  is  remarkable 
more  for  the  long  spur  than  any  other  point, 
though  the  orange-coloured  flowers  borne 
in  long,  loose,  racemes  are  very  attractive. 
The  lip  is  broad,  measuring  upwards  of  an 
inch  across,  the  sepals  and  petals  being  small 
and  of  a  somewhat  paler  hue  than  the  lip. 
The  habit  of  the  plant  is  shown  by  the 
illustration. 
Cypripediums  for  Winter  Flowering. 
No  one  can  dispute  the  value  of  some 
Cypripediums  for  winter  flowering,  as  anyone 
possessing  a  good  collection  of  well-grown 
plants  are  seldom,  if  ever,  without  flowers. 
For  winter  work  the  old  insigne  and  its  many 
varieties  are  most  useful.  Another  more 
recently  introduced  is  the  distinct  and 
beautiful  Spicerianum.  I  recently  saw  a 
fine  collection,  throwing  up  their  flower 
snikes  in  a  very  free  way,  in  the  houses  of 
C.  C.  Hill,  Esq.,  Arnot  Hill,  near  Notting¬ 
ham.  This  collection  contains  many  fine 
varieties  of  various  Lselias,  Cattleyas,  and 
Odontoglossums.  Amongst  the  latter  some 
fine  examples  of  cultivation  are  to  be  seen 
in  the  Rossi  section.  The  whole  are  greatly 
improving  under  the  fostering  care  of  Mr. 
William  Lambert. — Rtrsxicus. 
Cattleyas  in  Autumn, 
The  present  is  a  very  important  period 
in  the  management  of  Cattleyas,  a  great 
<leal  depending  on  attention  to  a  few  small 
details  of  culture.  The  past  summer  has  been  all  that  could  be 
desired  for  the  growth  of  these  beautiful  Orchids,  and  in  the 
majority  of  cases  they  have  nearly  or  quite  finished  their 
psaudo-bulbs.  It  now  remains  to  harden  these  thoroughly,  so  as 
^to  prepare  them  for  the  dull  days  of  winter,  a  trying  time  to  all 
FIG,  72.— COMPARETTIA  SPECIOSA. 
Orchids,  but  especially  to  these  light-loving  kinds.  As  long  as  the 
weather  keeps  fairly  open  and  no  great  amount  of  frost  is  expected 
a  chink  of  air  should  be  kept  on  at  the  top  and  the  bottom  of  the 
Cattleya  house  at  night,  the  pipes  being  heated  sufficiently  to 
keep  the  temperature  from  dropping  below  65°  or  thereabout. 
This  insures  a  restful  night  temperature,  and  a  fresh 
buoyant  atmosphere,  just  the  conditions  required  now,  for 
not  only  is  it  important  that  the  growths  made  should  be 
well  ripened,  but  the  plants  must  also  be  kept  from  growing 
again  unseasonably.  Several  well-known  kinds,  including  the 
beautiful  C.  Dowiana,  its  variety  aurea,  C,  gigas,  and  only 
in  a  less  degree  C.  Gaskelliana,  are  especially  apt  to  thus 
push  growths  out  of  season, 
and  several  fine  plants  have 
already  shown  signs  of  growth. 
This  is  not  as  it  should  be, 
for  any  progress  made  during 
winter,  when  the  nights  are 
long  and  the  days  often  dull 
and  dark,  is  not  of  the  kind 
likely  to  flower  freely  or  to 
produce  by  any  means  the  best 
quality  flowers. 
Prevent  this  unseasonable 
activity,  then,  if  possible  by 
keeping  the  temperature  as 
steady  as  may  be,  and  not  by 
drying  the  plants  at  the  root 
or  in  the  atmosphere,  as  this 
simply  tends  to  weaken  the 
plants  and  defeats  the  real  end 
in  view — viz.,  a  plentiful  supply 
of  richly  coloured  and  well- 
developed  blossoms.  A  difficulty 
often  found  at  this  season  is  the 
fact  of  a  few  later  kinds  being 
in  full  growth  at  the  time  that 
the  majority  in  the  house  are 
going  to  rest,  and  this  can  only 
be  overcome  by  judicious  water¬ 
ing  and  careful  re-arrangement 
of  the  plants,  any  such  as  C. 
Mossiae  or  C.  labiata  autumnalis, 
C.  Bowringeana,  and  one  or 
two  others  being  allowed  the 
warmest  part  of  the  house,  while 
the  earlier  plants  are  grouped 
near  the  door  or  in  some  similar 
position  where  the  temperature 
is  a  little  lower. 
Here,  too,  may  any  plants 
that  happen  to  be  in  flower  be 
placed,  as  the  blossoms  last 
much  longer,  and  it  is  not 
necessary  to  use  the  syringe 
among  the  plants  at  rest. 
C.  maxima  is  one  of  those  now 
in  bloom,  a  fine  old  species 
when  well  done  but  very 
inappropriately  named.  The 
delicate  and  beautiful  0.  Harri- 
soniana,  with  its  fine  broad 
segments  a'nd  jauntily  posed 
blossoms,  is  also  delighting  us.  The  best  forms  of 
this  plant  take  rank  with  the  very  finest  in  the  genus, 
or  indeed  in  the  whole  Orchid  family,  and  few  things 
are  at  once  so  refined  and  yet  showy  as  a  well- 
flowered  plant  of  this  Cattleya.  C  •  Eldorado  is  past 
its  best,  though  in  its  season  it  comprises  some  very 
beautiful  varieties.  The  white  variety,  Wallisi,  is  a 
choice  and  rare  form,  sometimes  classed  as  a  separate 
species,  while  C.  E.  splendens,  C.  E.  carnea,  and  others, 
have  all  some  distinguishing  feature  as  the  varietal 
names  imply. 
The  autumn  blooming  C.  labiata  will  soon  be  a 
host  in  itself,  and  everyone  knows  by  this  time  what 
an  easily  grown  and  robust  plant  it  is.  Even  small 
pieces  flower  with  the  greatest  freedom,  lighting  up 
the  Cattleya  house  during  the  dull  days  of  autumn 
and  early  winter  with  their  richly  coloured  blossoms.  A  plant  more 
seldom  seen,  yet  by  no  means  rare,  is  C.  granulosa,  a  free-floweiing 
easily-grown  kind,  distinguished  by  the  crimson  protuberances  on 
the  lip,  whence  the  species  takes  its  name.  The  treatment  may 
be  similar  to  the  guttata  and  bicolor  sets,  care  being  necessary 
