November  25.  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  ANU  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
490 
Dendrobium  bigibbum. 
When  seen  in  good  cultural  condition  there  are 
few  more  beautiful  or  brighter  Dendrobiuras  than 
this  North  Australian  species.  Not  only  are  the 
individual  blossoms  very  fine  and  richly  tinted,  but 
they  are  produced  in  considerable  number  upon  the 
spikes,  the  latter  occurring  both  on  the  apex  of  the 
new  pseudo-bulbs,  and  also  from  the  sides  of  the 
older  .ones.  It  grows  from  a  foot  to  18  inches  in 
height,  the  blossoms  being  about  2  inches  across,  of 
a  rich  deep  magenta  in  the  type,  the  lip  being 
a  deep  purple  shade  in  front.  The  variety 
superbum  is  larger  and  brighter  in  colour,  while 
album  or  candidum  has  the  sepals  and  petals  pure 
white,  the  lip  having  a  deep  purple  blotch  on  either 
side. 
Like  most  of  the  Australian  kinds,  D.  bigibbum 
requires  rather  different  treatment  from  that  of  the 
deciduous  and  the  ordinary  evergreen  kinds.  As 
often  as  not  the  growth  commences  just  at  the 
worst  time  of  the  year— that  is,  in  autumn.  In 
summer  it  is  easy  enough  to  keep  up  a  warm  and 
moist  temperature,  combined  with  a  brisk  and 
buoyant  atmosphere,  but  as  the  season  goes  on  and 
the  sun  gets  lower  it  becomes  increasingly  difficult 
to  do  so.  But  the  plants  must  be  kept  gently 
moving  when  once  they  have  started ;  if  they  can 
be  kept  dormant  until  the  spring  by  all  means  keep 
them  so,  but  do  not  force  them  to  rest  by  with¬ 
holding  moisture  when  it  is  apparent  that  the 
plants  are  becoming  active. 
I  have  had  good  results  by  placing  the  plants 
in  a  house  with  Phaltnnopsis  or  other  East  Indian 
kinds  of  Orchid,  but  in  many  places  nowadays  a 
separate  compartment  is  kept  for  these  Australian 
kinds  ;  anyway,  what  they  need  is  a  nice  genial  growing  temperature, 
with  not  sufficient  moisture  on  the  one  hand  to  cause  a  weak  spindly 
growth,  or  too  little,  which  brings  insect  pests  in  galore  and  checks 
the  growth.  It  is  imperative  that  every  ray  of  light  obtainable 
reach  the  plant,  and  for  this  reason  they  should  be  suspended  as  near 
the  glass  as  possible. 
Keep  up  this  nursing  treatment  until  the  new  year  is  getting 
advanced,  when  with  the  increasing  light  much  less  care  is  necessary. 
They  may  then  be  grouped  with  the  Wardianum,  crassinode,  and 
similar  kinds,  and  will  thrive  admirably  together.  A  strict  resting 
season  is  not  required — in  fact,  would  he  harmful;  but  it  is  easily 
seen  when  growth  is  at  its  lowest  ebb,  and  at  this  time  a  little  reduc¬ 
tion  should  be  made  in  the  water  supply,  and  an  airy,  conijiaratively 
dry  atmosphere  is  advisable.  While  the  plants  are  in  flower  too 
much  moisture  is  not  to  be  advised,  for  the  blooms,  though  of  good 
texture  and  lasting  quality,  are  easily  damaged  by  damping.  They 
may  not  be  actually  wetted  from  the  syringe,  but  the  moisture 
gathers  upon  them,  more  especially  at  night,  and  when  the  sun  shines 
on  them  in  the  morning  the  mischief  is  done. 
The  flowers  over  and  growth  on  the  wane,  it  becomes  necessary 
Fig.  74.— Cattleva  Fabia. 
grower,  only  be  careful  not  to  place  too  much  compost  about  the  roots, 
and  owing  to  their  dislike  of  this,  I  prefer  the  small  pans  for  sus¬ 
pending.  These  may  be  filled  two-thirds  of  their  depth  with  clean 
crocks,  about  an  inch  of  compost  being  ample  for  any  except  very 
large  specimens.  Cover  the  crocks  with  a  layer  of  rough  sphagnum, 
and  place  the  plants  so  that  the  leading  pseudo-bulbs  just  rest  on  the 
top  of  the  compost,  the  latter  being  neatly  trimmed  off  to  a  cone- 
shaped  mound. 
For  compost  use  equal  parts  of  the  best  fibrous  peat  and  moss,  the 
latter  being  used  in  a  iresh  and  living  state.  Add  small  crocks  and 
charcoal  in  plenty,  either  beforehand  or  when  placing  the  compost. 
This  must  be  firmly  placed,  as  the  roots,  though  disliking  anything 
sour  or  close,  are  partial  to  a  firm  and  fairly  solid  medium.  There  are 
not  many  insects  that  trouble  well-grown  Dendrobiums,  but  should  red 
spider  or  thrips  put  in  an  appearance  at  any  stage  of  growth,  they 
should  be  at  once  removed  by  sponging  or  tbe  vapourising  fumigator. 
D.  bigibbum,  as  noted  above,  is  a  North  Australian  species,  and 
although  it  has  been  in  cultivation  since  1824,  it  appears  to  have  been 
lost  to  sight  for  a  long  time,  and  was  subse<]uently  rediscovered  by  Dr. 
I’hornson  in  18.1.^.  — If.  1!.  11. 
to  give  new  compost  either  in  the  form  of  top-dressing,  or  a  new  pot 
or  basket.  Personally  I  have  not  much  faith  in  top-dressing  this  class 
of  Orchid.  Their  roots  are  small,  and  they  run  near  the  surface,  and 
it  is  almost  impossible  to  remove  old  material  or  to  dibble  in  the  new 
without  disturbing  some  at  least  of  these.  Then  many  beginners  in 
Orchid  culture,  inste.nd  of  mixing  crocks  and  charcoal  with  the  peat 
and  moss  for  top-dressing,  tiso  the  latter  by  itself,  and  gradually 
thicken  the  (Compost  until  it  holds  far  too  much  moisture. 
In  such  case.s  it  would  bo  safer  to  leave  the  plants  alone  for  another 
year,  and  then  repot,  turning  the  plants  carefully  out  of  the  old 
material  and  removing  all  old  decayed  compost  and  dead  roots.  This 
speci'^s  may  be  planted  in  pots,  in  pans  for  suspending,  or  in  wood 
baskets  according  to  the  fanej^  or  convenience  of  the  individual 
Cattleva  Fabia. 
At  this  season  of  the  year,  when  every  show  is  almost  Avholly 
taken  up  by  Chrysanthemums,  it  is  pleasant  to  turn  to  the  Orchids 
in  search  of  change.  This  is  not  the  time  of  year  Avhon  Orchids  are 
seen  in  their  best  dress,  but  the  Koyal  Horticul¬ 
tural  Society  rarely  fails  to  secure  a  few  choice 
specimens  at  its  Drill  Hall  exhibitions.  On  Novem¬ 
ber  9th  there  were  several  charming  plants  shown, 
and  amonsst  the  most  prominent  was  Cattleya 
Fabii,  staged  by  Mr.  J.  Smith,  Orchid  grower  to 
the  Bight  lion.  Joseph  Chamberlain,  Highbury, 
Birmingham.  It  is  a  hybrid  resulting  from  a  cross 
between  C.  labiata  and  0.  aurea.  The  sepals  and 
petals  are  rich  rose  and  the  lip  is  velvety  crimson, 
paling  slightly  towards  the 'margins.  A  flower  is 
depicted  in  the  woodcut  (fig.  74),  from  Avhlch  an 
idea  of  the  handsome  form  of  the  flower  maj^  easily 
be  had.  The  Orchid  Committee  awarded  a  first- 
class  certificate  to  C,  Fabia. 
