September  30,  1897.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
309 
Saccolabium  bellinum. 
S.  BELLINUM  (fig.  46)  is  small  compared  with  most  other  Sacco- 
labiums,'  though  of  similar  habit,  the  leaves  being  arranged  in  a  two- 
ranked  manner,  and  the  flowers  are  very  distinct  in  form.  Their  chief 
peculiarity  is  in  the  lip,  which  at  the  base  is  expanded  in  a  strange 
cup-like  manner ;  the  apex  is  flattened  and,  extending  at  right  angles 
with  the  cup,  resembles  a  platform  upon  which  bees  or  other  insects 
may  alight.  The  surface  of  this  platform  is  covered  with  short  white 
filaments,  which  impart  a  strange  appearance  to  it  when  closely 
examined.  In  colour  the  flower  is  not  very  remarkable,  though 
there  are  some  curious  contrasts.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  yellow, 
or  with  a  greenish  tinge,  on  which  are  scattered  several  circular  dark 
red  spots  ;  the  base  of  the  lip  is  white  with  crimson  dots,  and  the 
centre  yellow  with  purple  dots.  The  spikes  are  small,  bearing  from 
three  to  four  flowers  each,  and  though  unpretentious  in  general 
appearance  it  will  become  a  favourite  with  lovers  of  many  interesting 
diminutive  species  of  Orchids. 
Cool  Oechids. 
There  is  no  section  of  the  Orchid  family  more  interesting  and 
beautiful  than  the  numerous  species  and  varieties  inhabiting  the 
higher  mountainous  parts  of  the  tropics,  and  therefore  thriving  under 
cultivation  with  very  little  'artificial  heat.  In  the  family  of  Odonto- 
glossums  there  are  many  chaste  and  lovely  forms  that  can  hardly  be 
equalled,  and  certainly  not  excelled,  by  any  requiring  great  heat.  The 
graceful  spikes  of  some  in  the  cool  section  of  Oncidium  are  unsur- 
l^assed  in  lightness  and  elegance,  while  in  bright  and  glowing  tints  the 
cool  house  is  exceptionally  rich. 
Disa  grandiflora,  Epidendrum  vitellinum,  Sophronitis  grandiflora, 
Ada  aurantiaca,  and  all  the  showy  Peruvian  and  New  Grenadan 
IMasdevallias.  These  form  a  rich  array  of  colour,  and  every  one  may 
be  grown  in  a  house  kept  just  comfortably  warm  in  winter,  and  in 
summer  as  cool  and  moist  as  heavy  shading  and  abundance  of  air  and 
moisture  can  make  it.  Lycaste  Skinneri,  in  its  many  beautiful  forms, 
is  a  host  in  itself,  while  quaint  and  structurally  interesting  plants  are 
found  in  plenty  among  the  Kestrepias,  Pleurothallises,  and  the  tiny 
groAving  kinds  included  in  Oncidiums  and  Masdevallias. 
Each  of  these  classes  of  Orchid  flowers  finds  its  own  section  of 
admirers,  and  for  those  desiring  a  representative  collection  it  is 
fortunate  that  they  may,  as  far  as  atmospheric  conditions  are  con¬ 
cerned,  be  somewhat' collectively  treated.  All  of  them  abhor  a  dry, 
parched,  or  draughty  atmosphere ;  what  they  like  is  the  air  about 
them  from  May  to  Septemter  kept  saturated  with  moisture,  a  more 
or  less  dense  shade,  and  frequent  supplies  of  water  to  the  roots. 
The  quantity  required  varies,  of  course,  with  the  different  kinds,  and 
their  seasons  of  rest  and  groAvth  have  to  be  carefully  noted  and 
followed  as  far  as  possible. 
To  take  two  well-known  kinds  as  a  contrast,  I  may  mention 
Oncidium  macranthum  and  0.  concolor.  No  one  acquainted  with 
the  habit  of  these  two  species  would  think  of  potting  them  similarly. 
The  pretty  little  self-coloured  kind  Avould  not  need  anything  like  so 
lai'ge  a  pot  or  so  rough  a  compost  as  its  stronger-growing  and 
vigorous-rooted  compeer.  Then  the  0.  Marshallianum  and  nearly 
allied  kinds  come  almost  intermediate  between  these  types.  They 
cannot  take  hold  of  a  large  body  of  rough  compost  like  the  strong- 
rooted  macranthum,  on  the  one  hand,  but  on  the  other  the  rhizomes 
are  more  given  to  extension  than  those  of  the  tufted  gTO'wers  like 
0.  concolor.  This  sorting  of  the  different  kinds  and  allowing  each 
its  proper  stamp  of  receptacle  and  quantity  of  compost,  has  an 
important  bearing  on  the  well-being  of  the  plants. 
Masdevallias,  as  a  genus,  do  not  like  a  large  body  of  material 
about  the  roots ;  they  must  have  enough  to  keep  them  moist  all  the 
year  round,  and  room  for  the  little  twining  roots  to  get  a  hold,  but 
anything  beyond  this  is  supei’lluous,  not  to  say  harmful.  Quite  a 
different  stamp  of  root  is  that  produced  by  Disas.  These  like  more 
room,  and  a  very  rough  material,  that  air  can  enter  and  leave  freely, 
and  which  also  takes  up  plenty  of  moisture,  and  does  not  part  with  it 
too  readily.  Lycastes  do  not  produce  large  roots,  but  they  are  very 
persistent,  and  will  push  through  a  quantity  and  quality  of  compost 
that  would  kill  many  of  the  more  sensitive  kinds. 
Then,  again,  as  to  the  time  of  repotting;  this  varies  almost  as 
much  as  the  other  points  referred  to.  Many  of  the  Odontoglossums 
do  not  produce  a  root  until  the  growths  are  quite  half  formed;  then  as 
the  plant  requires  more  nourishment  to  swell  up  the  pseudo-bulbs,  these 
are  emitted  to  forage  for  it.  To  anticipate  this  flush  of  young  roots, 
which  occurs  more  or  less  with  every  Orchid,  and  to  repot  just  in 
time  for  them  to  have  the  advantage  of  the  new  material,  is  sound 
practice,  and  bound  to  be  productive  of  good  results. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  with  the  plants  referred  to  the  roots 
usually  appear  in  autumn,  and  the  present  is  therefore  a  good  time 
for  a  look  round  the  majority  of  dwarf-growing  cool  house  kinds. 
The  peat  and  moss  used  for  them  should  be  of  the  best  quality 
obtainable,  all  sand  and  earth  being  removed  from  the  former,  and 
any  foreign  substance,  such  as  grass  and  small  sticks,  picked  out 
carefully  from  the  latter.  The  mode  of  potting  is  not  exactly  the 
same  with  all  species,  but  cleanliness  of  material  and  pot,  good 
drainage,  and  a  neat  tidy  finish  are  points  always  needing  attention. 
The  summer  treatment  of  the  cool  house,  as  mentioned  above, 
consists  in  keeping  it  as  cool  and  airy  as  possible,  withput  causing  a 
dry  or  draughty  atmosphere.  The  inside  of  this  structure  in  the 
hottest  weather  should  always  feel  agreeably  cooler  than  the  external 
air,  or  something  is  wrong.  This  is  a  far  better  test  than  running 
to  the  thermometer,  and  keeping  this  at  just  some  stated  figure.  The 
winter  treatment  must  be  to  carefully  regulate  the  temperature 
according  to  outside  climatic  conditions,  to  have  the  glass  as  clean  as 
possible  by  frequent  mopping  down  outside  and  sponging  inside, 
and  to  keep  the  heads  of  all  the  plants  as  near  the  glass  as  possible. 
I  hope  to  refer  to  some  of  the  principal  cool  house  kinds  in  greater 
detail  shortly. — H.  E.  E. 
TRAINING  FRUIT  TREES. 
I  HOPE  many  of  your  correspondents  Avill  follow  the  suggestion  of 
“  H.  D.”  (page  260),  and  let  us  have  this  matter  thoroughly  venti¬ 
lated,  not  only  with  regard  to  the  present  deplorable  condition  of  so 
many  trees,  but  also  to  see  if  we  cannot  do  something  to  improve 
this  important  branch  of  gardening.  I  do  not  record  my  vote  with 
your  correspondents  who  attribute  the  decadence  of  fruit  management 
to  increased  floral  and  plant  decorations,  as  the  men  to  whom  this 
work  is  entrusted  seldom  have  anything  to  do  with  outside  work,  any 
more  than  the  labourers  are  called  upon  to  take  an  active  part  in  the 
growing  of  plants  under  glass.  I  make  bold  to  say  that  men,  and 
not  means,  have  more  to  ansAver  for  in  the  matter  of  failures  in  fruit 
groAving  than  have  plant  and  floral  decorations. 
In  reference  to  the  commercial  picture  drawn  by  “  An  Old  Pro- 
■vincial,”  I  take  it  as  a  matter  of  regret  that  there  are  not  more  noble¬ 
men  and  others  who  prefer  to  get  as  much  out  of  the  land  as  possible 
in  preference  to  letting  it  go  practically  out  of  cultivation.  Why  a 
nobleman  should  make  any  secret  of  starting  an  emporium  I  cannot  see. 
I  look  upon  him  as  a  public  benefactor,  for  he  not  only  benefits  himself, 
but  the  consumer  and  the  labourer.  What  is  more  fitting  than  that 
