October  21,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
389 
and  looking  at 
ins  contains,  tliis 
the 
is 
Cypripedium  iiirsuto-Salliebi, 
The  collection  of  Orchids  grown  at  Burford  Lodge  by  Mr.  W.  H. 
White  for  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  is  rich  in  rare  species  of  the 
greatest  interest.  As  well  as  these,  it  comprises  numbers  of  handsome 
hybrid  Orchids  of  various  kinds,  and  amongst  the  most  beautiful  of 
these  must  be  classed  Cypripedium  hirsuto-Sallieri.  This  was  shown  at 
the  Drill  Hall  in  the  spring  of  this  year,  and  received  from  tlie  Orchid 
Committee  an  award 
of  merit.  A  flower 
is  depicted  in  the 
woodcut  (fig.  58). 
With  such  a  name 
as  this  there  is  no 
necessity  to  give 
the  parentage.  The 
flower  is  of  good 
size  and  of  excep¬ 
tionally  good  sub¬ 
stance.  The  dorsal 
sepal  is  delicate 
greenish  yellow, 
surrounded  by  a 
broad  white  band ; 
while  the  pouch  is 
of  a  similar  hue, 
but  is  sparsely  suf¬ 
fused  with  brown. 
The  petals  are  soft 
rose  at  the  lip  and 
yellow  at  the  base, 
so  that  it  may 
readily  be  imagined 
how  beautiful  is  this 
hybrid. 
Dendrobium  PlIA- 
LyENOPSIS  SCHRO- 
DERIANUM. 
I  HAVE  posted 
you  two  sprays  of 
Dendrobium  Phal®- 
nopsis  Schroderi- 
anuni  for  your  in¬ 
spection,  thinking 
they  might  interest 
you.  The  plants  we 
find  to  be  of  most 
easy  culture,  and 
are  throwing  from 
two  to  three  spikes 
of  bloom  to  each 
new  pseudo-bulb.  I 
grow  fifty  plants, 
and  they  are  now  a  grand 
hear  Park,  Wokingham. 
[We  were  greatly 
Phalamopsis  with  which 
of  exceptional  length, 
coloured.  In  form  and 
favourably  with  any  we  have  seen.  We  are  much 
Ashman,  and  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  details  of  his  system  of 
culture  would  be  read  by  contributors  to  the  Journal  with  pleasure. 
The  procedure  must  be  good,  or  such  spikes  could  not  be  produced.] 
OdONTOGLOSSUM  GRANDE. 
Had  Mr.  G.  Ure  Skinner  done  no  more  than  discover  arxl  intro¬ 
duce  this  fine  species  to  our  gardens  he  would  have  rendered  a  great 
service  to  horticulture.  It  was  one  of  the  first  Orchids  I  ever  saw  in 
liower,  and  every  season  as  it  comes  round  increases  my  admirafion  for 
it.  A  fine  specimen  I  had  under  my  charge  in  the  West  of  England 
filled  a  pan  about  15  or  16  inches  across,  and  annually  jiruduced  five 
or  six  spikes  of  flower.  In  general  appearance  the  plant  is  so  well 
known,  and  the  blossoms  are  so  universally  admired,  that  little  in 
the  way  of  introduction  or  description  is  necessary.  In  short,  then, 
it  is  the  largest  flowered,  the  most  brilliantly  coloured,  and  most 
Fig.  58. — Cyrripedium  hirsuto-Sallieri, 
sight. 
-F.  Ashman,  The  Gardens,  iMlli^g 
interested  in  the  spikes  of  Dendrobium 
our  correspondent  favoured  us.  d'hey  were 
and  the  several  flowers  were  beautifully 
size  the  individual  blooms  compared  very 
obliged  to  Mr. 
generally  useful  Odontoglossum  in  existence 
number  of  beautiful  plants  this  favourite  g' 
praise  indeed. 
Its  cultivation  differs  somewhat  from  that  of  the  crispurn, 
triumphans,  and  similar  sections  of  the  genus.  It  delights  in  a  rather 
higher  temperature  than  either  of  these  kinds  or  their  varieties,  but, 
like  them,  delights  in  abundant  moisture.  Its  habitat  is  described'  as 
“dark  ravines  near  Guatemala— in  situation  where  it  is  secure  of 
moisture  and  abundant  shade.”  But  in  the  usual  Odontoglossum 
house,  if  this  is  kept  as  it  should  be  for  the  truly  Alpine  kinds,  there  is 
not  much  fear  of  0.  grande  getting  too  little  shade.  Indeed,  it  is  more 
than  likely  that  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  it  is  far  too  heavily  shaded 
to  get  the  best  results.  It  is  true  the  sun  must  not  be  allowed  to 
shine  on  the  young  leaves  and  growths,  but  when  these  are  lully 
developed  and  the  blossoms  past  there  is  no  doubt  a  little  sun  helps 
to  consolidate  the  whole  system  of  the  plant,  and  prepares  it  more 
thoroughly  for  its 
winter  rest. 
There  are  in  many 
places  ferneries  kept 
at  about  a  green¬ 
house  tempjerature, 
fairly  heavily  shaded 
during  the  summer, 
and  kept  moist ;  but 
in  autumn,  when  the 
Ferns  have  finished 
their  growth,  or 
nearly  so,  more  light 
is  allowed.  These 
are  ideal  places  for 
0.  grande,  and  in  a 
few  seasons  siuall 
bits  make  fine  handy 
specimens,  that  from 
now  onward  until 
Christmas  may  be 
depended  upon  to 
keep  up  a  fine  show. 
Several  plants  here 
in  5-inch  pots  are 
carrying  a  dozen 
and  upwards  of  the 
characteristic  11  ower, 
the  effect  of  which 
when  grouped  with 
some  of  the  fine 
forms  of  Adiantums, 
is  very  fine.  In 
arranging  the  plants 
it  is  wise  to  let  a 
little  of  their  natural 
foliage  be  seen,  as 
this  greatly  helps 
the  effect. 
With  regard  to 
the  treatment  of  the 
roots,  their  appear¬ 
ance  is  the  best 
guide  to  the  class  of 
compost  needed.  It 
will  be  noticed  that 
these  are  c  'iisiderably  larger  and  more  tles^hy  than  those  of  the  ^ffant 
with  which  I  com[»ared  them  above,  and  conseipiently  they  re([uire  a 
rougher  and  very  open  make-up  of  material.  A  clean,  well-dried 
peat,  broken  in  lumps  about  the  size  of  a  pigeon’s  egg,  and  fresh 
green  sphagnum  moss,  in  equal  proportions,  suit  the  plant  well ; 
but  as  this  of  itself  would  run  very  closely  together,  plenty  of  rough 
material,  as  potter’s  ballast,  charcoal  broken  in  lumps,  or  rough  crocks, 
should  be  added.  About  two-thirds  of  the  depth  of  the  pots  used 
should  be  filled  with  drainage,  the  remaining  third  being  ample  room 
for  compost. 
As  tlie  roots  are  fairly  strong  a  pot  at  least  2  inches  larger  than 
the  plant  eveiy  ivay''  should  be  used  for  large  specimens ;  for  pnaller 
ones  the  margin  should  be  comparatively  narrower.  In  removing  the 
jJant  from  the  old  pot  care  is  necessary  to  detacli  the  roots  without 
injury,  but  is  well  repaid  by  the  difference  in  plants  so  treated  and 
those  roughly  handled.  Any  chance  bits  that  may  be  decayed  should 
be  cut  out  clean,  and  also  the  greater  portion  of  the  old  compost. 
Often  the  roots  come  away  with  pieces  of  charcoal  or  crocks  attached, 
and  it  is  important  that  these  are  not  severed  if  it  can  possibly  be 
avoided.  If  the  pseudo- bulbs  are  at  all  crowded  and  riding  on  each 
other  a  few  of  the  oldest  and  weakest  may  with  advantage  be  removed, 
but  never  cut  away  one  bearing  foliage  or  one  likely  to  produce  a 
