December  23,  1897. 
<■'<^2  JOURNAL  OF  HORTTGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Cattleya  Olivia, 
It  is  probable  that  no  section  of  the  great  Orchid  family  i.s  mere 
generally  popular  than  that  which  embraces  the  Cattleyas.  Amongst 
them  may  be  found  flowers  of  all  colours,  from  white,  through  all  the 
tones  of  rose,  to  the  deepest  red,  with  many  of  beautiful  yellow 
shades.  Notwithstanding  the  already  enormous  number  of  species, 
hybrids,  and  varieties,  a  new  one,  if  distinct,  and  a  marked  advance  on 
those  existing,  is  sure  to  be  received  with  favour.  One  of  the  most 
attractive  that  has  recently  been  exhibited  is  Cattleya  Olivia,  of  which 
we  give  an  illustration  (fig.  88).  This  was  staged  by  Messrs.  J.  Vcitch 
and  Sons,  Ltd.,  Chelsea,  at  a  meeting  of  tlie  lioyal  Horticultural 
Society  held  on  October  26th  of  this  year,  and  the  Orchid  Committee 
recommended  an  award  of  merit  being  given  to  it.  It  is  a  hybrid  result¬ 
ing  from  a  cross  betw'een  C.  intermedia  and  C.  Trianse,  the  flower  being 
of  great  beauty.  The  colour  of  the  sepals  and  petals  is  delicate  blush, 
the  outer  portion  of  the  lip  being  rose,  and  tlie  inner  part  cream.  '^I'he 
flower  is  of  excellent  form  and  substance. 
SopimoNiTis. 
When  Dr.  Lindley  founded  this  genus  upon  the  typical 
S.  cernua  he  doubtless  hit  upon  a  good  name  for  it — viz.,  the  Creek 
word  meaning  modest.  Nothing  could  have  been  more  applicable  to 
it,  for,  as  is  Avell  knoAvn,  it  is  a  small  tmassuming-looking  little  plant, 
growing  so  close  and  dwarf  as  almost  to  appear  to  be  trying  to  hide 
itself  from  view.  But  when  this  was  done  the  splendid  showy  kind 
with  which  we  are  all  now  so  familiar — S.  grandiflora — was  unknown, 
and  to  this  species  Lindley’s  name  seems  out  of  place.  But  it  is 
euphonious  and  also  easily  remembered,  and  as  not  one  orchidist  in  a 
dozen  troubles  much  about  the  derivation  of  their  names,  it  is  a  matter 
of  small  importance  to  many. 
To  the  botanist  explorer  Gardner  the  credit  of  introducing  the 
Sophronitis  in  qnantity  to  this  country  is  due,  though  at  least  two  out 
of  the  three  species  were  known  to  science  beforehand.  Their  culture 
is  not  difScult  if  due  care  is  exercised,  but  being  small-growing  plants 
they  are^  more  subject  to  checks  than  their  grosser  growing  congeners, 
the  Laelias  and  Cattleyas.  To  compare  a  Lselia  of  the  purpurata  type, 
say,  with  a  Sophronitis  seems  to  the  uninitiated  a  curious  proceeding, 
bnt  the  fact  of  their  so  freely  crossing  the  one  with  the  other  proves 
the  near  relationship.  To  groiv  them  well  and  cause  them  to  flower 
freely  a  house  rather  higher  than  the  Odontoglossum  house,  but  cooler 
than  the  compartment  where  Cattleyas  are  grown,  is  necessary. 
Instances  of  successful  culture  in  the  coolest  house  are  on  record, 
but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  like  a  few  degrees  more  heat  than 
the  Peruvian  and  New  Granadan  species  herein  grown.  S,  cernua  is 
a  plant  that  seems  to  delight  in  clinging  close  to  its  support,  Avhether 
it  be  wood,  cork,  or  compost ;  and  this  evidence  of  a  true  epiphytic 
habit  must  be  kept  in  mind  when  providing  a  root-hold  for  it.  If 
pans  are  used  these  should  be  nearly  filled  with  clean  crocks,  only 
about  half  an  inch  being  left  for  compost.  This  may  have  a  slight 
rise  to  the  centre,  and  the  plants  wired  so  firmly  on  this  that  they 
are  not  likely  to  be  moved  in  the  least  when  the  pans  are  taken  down 
for  watering  or  examination. 
Sound  fibry  peat  and  sphagnum  suit  it  well  for  compost,  and 
though  in  the  resting  season  it  must  have  a  sensible  reduction  in  the 
amount  of  water  given,  yet  a  very  dry  regime  is  to  be  avoided.  About 
three  of  the  charming  little  flowers  are  produced  on  each  peduncle, 
which  only  rises  a  little  above  the  squat  little  bulb  and  foliage,  and 
they  are  a  delightful  combination  of  cinnabar  red  and  yellow,  the 
latter  colour  occurring  principally  upon  the  lip.  Although  so  small, 
the  flowers  last  a  very  long  time  in  good  condition,  and  brighten  up  many 
a  house  during  the  dull  days  preceding  Christmas.  Its  habitat  is 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  whence  it  was  sent  to  Mr.  Harrison  of  Liverpool  many 
years  ago  by  a  relative  in  Brazil. 
Much  more  showy,  and  a  plant  quite  indispensable  at  this  season, 
is  S.  grandiflora,  the  best  in  the  genus,  and  a  remarkably  fine  Orchid. 
So  free  flowering  is  it  that  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  flowers  are 
produced  on  only  medium-sized  plants,  and  what  is  most  surprising  is 
the  fact  that  these  beautiful  blossoms,  some  2^  to  3  inches  across,  are 
produced  and  maintained  for  six  weeks  or  more  liy  tiny  ])seudo-buIbs 
scarcely  above  an  inch  in  length.  Such  a  glowing  scarlet  mass  of 
flowei  is  not  produced  by  any  other  Orchid  of  its  size,  so  one  ceases  to 
wonder  at  its  great  popularity. 
As  far  as  my  experience  goes,  it  is  not  possible  to  determine  the 
varieties  of  this  species  by  their  habit,  but,  as  a  rule,  it  may  be  taken 
that  the  rich  crimson  flowers  are  generally  produced  on  long,  thinnish, 
bulbed  plants,  those  of,  the  crimson  purple  type  usually  occurring  on 
the  more  obese  bulbed  plants.  Their  culture  is,  of  course,  the  same, 
and  does  not,  in  fact,  differ  materially  from  that  noted  for  S.  cernua. 
If  any  difference  is  made,  S.  grandiflora,  being  the  stronger  growing 
of  the  Lvo,  may  have  a  little  more  compost  than  the  other,  and 
rather  wider  receptacles  to  grow  in.  It  first  flowered  in  this  country  in 
1841  with  Messrs.  Loddigos  of  Hackney,  to  whom  it  was  sent  by  the 
collector  named  above.  It  must  be  a  very  abundant  siiecies  in  iis 
native  habitat  — the  Organ  Mountains  in  Brazil — when  we  consider 
the  enormous  number  of  plants  of  it  that  have  been  imported  since 
then. 
Perhaps  the  least  known  of  all  is  S.  violacea,  though  it  is  a  very 
pretty  little  plant.  In  habit  it  differs  Irom  the  others  in  that  the 
]iseudo-bulbs  occur  on  a  creeping  rhizome  at  some  little  distance  apart 
instead  of  clustering.  The  bulbs  are  about  an  inch  high,  fusiform  and 
fluted,  and  the  leaves  are  about  3  inches  in  length.  The  scapes  bear 
one  or  two  flowers  of  a  pretty  rosy  magenta  hue,  paler  in  tlie  centre 
than  on  the  outer  segment.  This,  too,  flowers  in  the  winter  months, 
and  is  rather  more  difficult  to  cultivate  than  the  other  species. 
Owing  to  the  rambling  habit  mentioned  it  is  not  suited  for  growing 
in  pans,  but  does  much  better  when  it  is  allowed  perfect  liberty.  I 
know  of  no  better  holding  for  the  roots  than  pieces  of  Tree  Fern  stems 
cut  into  suitable  lengths.  If  the  plants  are  firmly  wired  to  these  they 
will  take  no  harm  afterwards,  each  little  bulb  and  portion  of  rhizome 
pushing  its  own  quota  of  roots  into  the  soft  bark  of  the  Fern.  No 
compost  is  necessary,  the  roughness  peculiar  to  these  stems  being 
ample  for  their  needs.  Some  growers  use  blocks  of  cork  or  wood  more 
or  less  lightly  dressed  with  sphagnum  moss,  and  I  have  seen  nice 
specimens  grown  this  way.  In  either  case  the  chief  points  to  be 
observed  are  room  for  the  full  extension  of  the  rhizomes  and  available 
support  for  the  roots.  This,  coupled  with  a  regular  and  constantly 
moist  atmosphere  and  freedom  from  insects,  will  enable  anyone  who 
has  had  a  little  experience  with  Orchids  to  grow  it  well. — H.  E.  R. 
HERBS  AND  AROMATIC  PLANTS. 
It  is  often  a  matter  for  surprise,  to  me  at  least,  that  so  little 
attention  is  paid  to  the  culture  of  these  plants  in  many  gardens  which 
in  other  respects  leave  little  or  no  opening  for  adverse  criticism. 
This,  in  allusion  to  herbs  or,  more  correctly  speaking,  pot  herbs— a 
designation  which,  if  not  always  pointed  in  application,  has  at  least 
the. merit  of  being  an  old-fashioned  name  for  rather  a  large  family. 
It  may  be  that  modern  cookery  on  the  one  hand  demands  less  from 
the  herb  border  than  in  days  of  yore,  and  on  the  other  we  are  too 
“  up-to-date  ”  to  retain  faith  in  but  a  tithe  of  the  virtues  ascribed  to 
the  “herbes  and  simples”  by  our  grand-dams.  However  that  may 
be,  no  garden  can  be  considered  complete  if  unable  to  furnish  such 
things  under  this  head  as  may  be  occasionally  called  for  by  the  chef  de 
cuisine;  or  is  our  renascent  love  for  old-fashioned  plants  sincere 
without  some  recognition  of  those  whose  aromatic  qualities  endeared 
them  to  our  ancestors.  The  latter  are,  indeed,  pregnant  with  tender 
associations  of  tlie  past;  they  are  indelibly  printed  in  the  earlier 
history  of  gardening,  and  no  later  attemjit  to  delineate  a  modern 
edition  of  this  good  old-fashioned  work  can  afford  to  miss  so  important 
a  page  of  it. 
With  few  exceptions  the  culture  of  these  simple  plants  requires 
only  the  most  ordinary  attention — but  this  they  do  require,  and  pro 
bably  the  majority  will  admit  they  are  worthy  of  it;  and  their  demands 
in  the  way  of  either  space,  soil,  or  situation  are  so  limited  that  no  excuse 
is  provided  for  their  exclusion.  These  remarks  spring  from  two 
sources ;  the  one  is  in  repeatedly  observing  in  really  good  gardens  how 
poor  an  apology  for  a  herb  border  is  the  meagTe  patch  of  impoverished 
plants  bearing  that  title  ;  the  other  is  in  having,  long  since  truly, 
been  called  upon  by  a  very  arbitrary  chef  for  some  special  thing  on 
particular  occasions,  and  found  wanting.  This  led  to  some  attention 
being  given  to  the  matter,  by  devoting  a  border  to  their  culture,  and 
forming  a  collection  sufficiently  comprehensive  to  meet  all  the  real  or 
imaginary  wants  of  the  most  exacting  of  chefs. 
The  advantages  of  devoting  a  special  plot  or  border  to  the 
cultivation  of  herbs,  to  be  known  as  “  tlie  herb  bed”  or  “  border,”  are 
sufficiently  important  to  be  noticed,  for  when  the  many  species  and 
varieties  are  so  gathered  together  and  legibly  and  permanently 
labelled  no  margin  is  left  for  mistakes  in  obtaining  what  is  required, 
mistakes  which  may  have  unpleasant,  if  not  serious,  consequences  to 
him  who  is  responsible  for  those  who  by  ignorance  or  carelessness 
make  them.  It  is  here  proposed  to  give  a  brief  list  of  such  plants 
which  are  either  essential  lo  or  are  worthy  of  being  included  in  a 
general  collection,  with  some  simple  directions  for  culture,  to  be 
followed  by  some  notice  of  those  aromatic  plants  which,  whilst  yet 
adorning  some  old-fashioned  gardens,  are  too  often  conspicuous  by 
their  absence  from  more  pretentions  ones. 
For  the  convenience  of  attention  in  the  way  of  weeding  and 
