148 
JOURNAL  OF  nduTIGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Aupust  12,  1897. 
The  Orchid  Hybrids. 
We  have  received  a  copy  of  the  supplement  to  this  book,  in 
which  the  author  fulfils  his  promise  to  keep  orchidists  abreast  of 
the  times  in  the  matter  of  hybrids.  As  before,  we  have  little  to 
say  for  or  against  the  method  of  classification  followed  in  the 
book,  for  all  such  systems  are  necessarily  incomplete  as  long  as 
botanists  are  continually  altering  their  views  with  respect  to  specific 
rank  or  otherwise  of  certain  plants.  Possibly  at  some  future  time 
we  shall  see  the  futility  of  all  this  overwhelming  nomenclature, 
and  admire  our  Orchid  hybrids  as  we  do  those  of  many  other 
families  without  giving  a  separate  name  to  every  one  that  shows 
the  least  variation.  In  a  manner,  Mr.  Hansen’s  work  tends  this 
way,  and  his  compilation  of  all  the  hybrids  of  which  he  could  gain 
any  tidings  is  a  monument  of  painstaking  and  hard  work.  For  this 
he  merits  unqualified  praise,  and  those  interested  in  raising  or 
naming  seedling  Orchids  should  procure  a  copy. 
SOBRALIAS, 
These  lovely  Orchids  have  one  fault ;  it  is  well  known.  Were 
the  flowers  less  evanescent  there  is  hardly  a  genus  to  compare  with 
them  for  beauty.  The  tints  of  such  as  S.  xantholeuca,  the  golden 
centre  to  the  lip  first  merging  into  a  delicate  creamy  yellow,  then 
almost  pure  white,  are  more  beautifully  graduated  than  those  of 
any  Orchid  I  know.  The  chaste  and  rare  white  forms  are  not 
equalled  by  any  of  the  albino  Cattleyas,  grand  as  these  undoubtedly 
are  ;  while  other  forms,  such  as  S.  Veitchi  (fig.  21),  with  a  white 
ground  and  violet  edging,  so  faint  as  to  appear  to  be  only 
suggestive,  are  unrivalled  for  delicacy  by  the  choicest  Picotee. 
As  a  set-off  to  the  fleeting  character  of  the  individual  blossoms 
there  is  the  fact  that  these  are  produced  successively  over  a  long 
season.  In  habit  they  are  all  very  similar,  but  in  height  they  vary 
from  a  few  inches  only  in  such  as  S.  sessilis  or  S.  macrantha  nana  to 
the  typical  form  of  the  latter,  which  reaches  a  height  of  6  feet  and 
upwards.  In  fact  there  are  species — though  these  are  probably 
not  in  cultivation — that  have  immense  stems  more  than  three 
times  this  height.  Such  kinds  would  be  rather  unwieldly  in 
present-day  Orchid  houses,  so  probably  collectors  give  these  a  wide 
berth. 
Sobralias  are  natives  of  tropical  America,  and  all  the  species 
may  be  accommodated  in  a  house  kept  at  an  intermediate  tempera¬ 
ture.  The  roots  are  usually  strong  and  rather  gross  feeding  as 
Orchids  go,  but  though  these  delight  in  abundant  moisture  they 
are  very  easily  injured  by  a  close  inert  mass  of  heavy  material 
about  them.  In  preparing  the  compost  this  should  be  kept  in 
mind.  Peat  is  a  good  material  for  them,  but  if  used  alone  it  is 
apt  to  decay  too  quickly,  and  though  the  plants  do  well  as  long  as 
t  is  sound  they  soon  go  back  when  it  loses  its  condition.  Add 
to  the  peat  a  little  good  loam — for  the  lasting  character  of  loam 
fibre  is  not  sufficiently  known  among  orchidists — chopped  sphagnum 
moss,  and  a  liberal  allowance  of  charcoal  and  potters’  ballast. 
This,  while  forming  a  good  rooting  medium,  will  not  hold 
moisture  long  enough  to  be  injurious,  and,  combined  with  perfect 
drainage,  should  go  far  to  make  their  culture  a  success.  When 
the  plants  are  newly  imported  they  may  with  advantage  be  kept 
up  a  little  in  their  pots,  but  established  specimens  do  not  need  this 
attention.  The  foVmer,  too,  will  not  usually  require  quite  so 
liberal  a  reading  of  compost  for  the  first  season,  as  it  is  better  to 
be  satisfied  with  medium-sized  growths  such  as  are  produced 
thereby  than  to  run  the  risk  of  losing  the  young  roots.  The  first 
tiers  of  these  that  are  produced  on  any  description  of  Orchid  should 
be  studiously  preserved,  as  they  serve  to  give  the  plants  a  good  start 
in  their  altered  conditions  of  life. 
While  not,  of  course,  disturbing  the  older  roots  of  established 
plants  more  than  is  necessary,  be  careful  not  to  place  any  old 
decayed  or  sour  material  in  the  new  pots,  for  if  young  roots 
reach  this  they  are  sure  to  be  badly  checked  to  the  lasting  injury 
of  the  plant.  A  little  thought  should  be  given  to  the  size  and 
habit  of  each  species  when  potting  those  of  the  most  vigorous  kinds 
needing  more  room  than  the  smaller  growers.  In  repotting  place 
the  new  compost  firmly,  but  do  not  ram  it  tightly,  as  it  is  impera¬ 
tive  that  air  as  well  as  water  percolate  freely  through  the  layers, 
and  place  a  nice  film  of  rough  moss  over  the  crocks. 
The  atmosphere  should  be  kept  moist  all  the  year  round,  the 
driest  time  being  while  the  flowers  are  open.  When  growing 
the  syringe  may  be  freely  plied  about  the  foliage  and  stems  with 
advantage,  this  serving  to  keep  their  insect  enemies  in  check.  The 
growth  should  not  be  allowed  to  get  too  much  crowded,  as  this 
prevents  air  and  light  from  reaching  all  the  leaves.  Old  specimens 
then  may  have  a  few  of  the  stems  that  have  flowered  cut  out  when 
the  new  ones  are  about  half  formed  ;  no  check  will  be  given  the 
plant  by  doing  it  at  this  season.  From  the  time  the  young  growths 
start  until  late  in  autumn  Sobralias  all  like  a  very  free  supply  of 
water  at  the  roots,  and  although  this  may  be  lessened  during  the 
winter  months  they  must  not  be  allowed  to  get  quite  dry  at  any 
time. 
One  of  the  most  beautiful  kinds  is  S.  leucoxantha,  the  sepals 
and  petals  of  which  are  pure  white,  the  lip  also  white  with  a 
golden  yellow  centre.  S.  xantholeuca,  noted  above,  is  equally 
charming  but  a  little  deep  in  colour.  S.  macrantha  is  perhaps  the 
best  known  of  all,  the  large  flowers  of  which  are  of  varying  shades 
of  rosy  purple,  with  a  very  broad  lip  of  rose  and  yellow.  The 
only  tint  of  colour  on  S.  kienastiana  is  a  yellow  one  at  the  back  of 
the  lip,  while  S.  m.  nana,  as  its  name  implies,  is  a  dwarf  form  of  the 
S.  sessilis  is  a  rare  and  pretty  kind,  with  very  little  colour  in 
the  flowers,  and  this  chiefly  confined  to  the  lip,  which  is  yellowish 
flushed  with  rose.  This  does  not  exhaust  the  list  by  any 
means,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  the  smallest  grower  of  Orchids 
who  cannot  spare  room  for  large  plants,  such  as  S.  macrantha, 
should  not  give  up  a  corner  to  some  one  or  two  of  the  dwarfer 
but  superb  kinds. — H.  R.  R. 
TOMATO  NOTES. 
I  AM  led  to  think  that  a  few  plain  and  simple  remarks  on 
interesting  points  in  Tomato  culture  adapted  for  the  season — that 
is,  the  present  time,  would  probably  be  of  some  service  to  growers 
who  may  not  have  had  much  experience,  and  who  welcome  any 
hints  likely  to  render  them  assistance. 
Essential  Points. 
A  constant  multiplication  of  healthy  rootlets  must  be  induced 
in  the  early  stages  and,  as  far  as  possible,  continued  during  the  full 
growth  of  the  plants.  This  activity  of  root  action  when  confined 
within  reasonable  limits  is  a' great  help  to  the  free  sstting  of  the 
bloom.  I  have  frequently  noticed  that  by  any  acceleration  of 
the  production  of  fine  root  fibres,  a  good  set.  is  produced,  and 
the  young  fruits  swell  freely.  It  is  a  good  custom  with  many 
growers  to  aid  the  distribution  of  the  pollen  by  gently  tapping  or 
shaking  the  bunches  of  bloom  with  a  padded  stick  or  the  fingers. 
This  operation  insures  fertilisation  more  surely  when  the  root 
action  is  vigorous. 
Another  essential  point  is  light.  Tomatoes  seldom  obtain  too 
much  sunshine.  Growth  under  favourable  conditions  is  rapid,  and 
all  possible  sunshine  is  necessary  for  its  concentration  in  the  most 
desirable  parts.  Hence  it  is  imperative  that  advancing  growth  at 
least  should  be  near  the  glass. 
A  free  circulation  of  air  assists  the  light  and  sun  to  complete 
their  work.  At  the  present  time  of  the  year  Tomato  houses  ought 
never  to  be  wholly  closed.  The  amount  of  air  allowed  to  circu¬ 
late  may  be  regulated  by  reducing  the  spaces  where  air  is  admitted 
should  the  weather  prove  ungenial,  and  there  is  experience  of  cold 
and  damp.  In  the  latter  case  fire  heat  will  be  helpful,  serving  as 
it  does  to  dissipate  damp,  rendering  the  atmosphere  buoyant  and 
dry.  Freely  admit  air  all  the  time  fire  heat  is  employed,  so  that  the 
temperature  is  not  raised  above  the  normal  height  and  is  regular. 
Fungoid  diseases  do  not  attack  plants  so  treated. 
Every  shoot  required  to  bear  fruit  must  have  free  extension 
and  space  to  develop  its  foliage  without  unduly  crowding.  There 
is  a  mistaken  idea  prevalent  that  as  soon  as  Tomato  plants  have 
formed  a  number  of  principal  leaves  these  ought  to  be  mutilated 
by  cutting  back  in  order  to  cause  the  plants  to  fruit.  The  leaves 
do  good  work  provided  the  space  they  require  is  ample.  It  is 
true  that  portions  of  leaves  may  sometimes  be  cut  away  with 
advantage,  this  being  chiefly  when  overcrowded.  The  lower  leaves 
of  plants  gradually  become  useless,  turn  yellow,  and  decay, 
especially  when  the  fruit  in  their  vicinity  is  ripe  or  ripening.  The 
leaves  are  then  serving  no  practical  end,  and  may  be  cut  out  entirely, 
while  others  may  be  gradually  reduced  so  that  the  fruits  may  be 
fully  exposed  to  complete  their  ripening. 
The  application  of  moisture  to  the  roots  is  another  point  of 
leading  importance.  Without  sufficient  water  to  moisten  the  lowest 
roots  the  plants  do  not  thrive  properly,  setting  and  iwelling 
bunches  of  fruit  in  succession  as  they  should,  at  the  same  time 
gradually  making  new  growth. 
Tying  and  Stopping. 
A  rigid  system  of  suppressing  the  side  shoots  must  be  adopted 
on  each  stem  retained  for  producing  fruit.  The  number  of  main 
