August  £9,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
.193 
The  Week’a  Cultural  Notes. 
Often  at  this  time  of  year  the  sphagnum  on  the  blocks  whereon  are 
growing  such  species  as  Ionopsis  paniculata,  Oncidiums  Kramerianum 
and  Jonesianum,  Zygopetalum  maxillare,  and  others  of  a  similar  habit, 
will  be  gettmg  very  long  and  green,  and  consequently  will  hold  a 
great  deal  of  water  in  suspension.  In  some  cases  it  will  be  necessary 
to  tr  m  this  back  a  little,  but  as  long  as  the  hot  weather  lasts  it  may 
remain.  It  is  when  dull  skies  and  rain  are  prevalent  that  it  is  apt  to 
do  harm  ;  as  it  is,  the  moisture  around  the  forming  bulbs  is  refreshing 
and  beneficial.  Only  be  on  guard,  as  it  is  too  late  to  rectify  the 
mischief  when  the  bulbs  begin  to  decay. 
Thunias,  Anguloas,  Dendrobiums,  and  similar  plants,  that  have 
been  placed  in  the  open  air  to  ripen,  should  now  be  covered  at  night. 
On  several  <  ccas’ons  recently  the  temperature  has  been  dangerously 
Odontoglossum  Leeanum. 
Though  this  fine  species  was  honoured  by  certificates  for  the  first 
j  time  in  the  year  1882,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  more  recent  intro¬ 
ductions  in  the  same  genus  have  surpassed  it  both  in  size  and  beauty; 
yet  wherever  we  find  it,  Odontoglossum  Leeanum  is  sure  to  be  held  in 
respect  by  the  grower,  first  for  its  usefulness,  and  also  for  its  own 
showiness.  From  its  having  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  private 
cultivator  early  after  its  introduction,  it  remained  for  a  considerable 
time  almost  unknown.  It  is  now  offered  by  the  St.  Albans  firm, 
however.  Messrs.  Veitch  were  the  introducers.  The  markings  of 
the  flower  are  suggestive  of  0.  excellens,  now  well  known.  The 
sepals  and  petals  are  bright  pale  yellow,  with  numerous  small  rich 
chocolate  spots.  The  flowers  are  borne  on  short  racemes,  the  habit 
of  the  plant  being  very  neat  and  compact. 
Masdevallia  nycterina. 
The  Chimaera  section  of  Masdevallia  has  always  been  a  favourite 
one  with  growers,  the  flowers  being  singularly  quaint  and  beautiful 
M.  nycterina  is  no  exception  to  the  rule,  and  if  grown  in  some 
receptacle  that  may  be  suspended  above  the  line  of  vision,  it  is  sure  to 
attract  attention.  The  flowers  appear  on  short  decumbent  spikes,  and 
ODONTOGLOSSUM  LEEANUM. 
near  to  freezing,  if,  indeed,  it  has  not  touched  the  point,  and  although 
-even  a  degree  or  two  of  frost  may  not  harm  them,  the  plants  are 
better  without  it.  Just  a  thin  covering  of  tiffany,  garden  net,  or 
some  similar  material  will  do,  as  if  frost  should  come  it  only  lasts  a 
very  short  time  at  this  season,  and  the  least  protection  is  sufficient. 
Stanhopeas  are  often  neglected  at  this  time  of  year.  There  are 
other  plants  that  are  growing  in  the  same  house  ;  these  have  perhaps 
finished  their  bulbs,  and  are  ripening,  the  atmosphere  being  in 
consequence  kept  in  a  drier  state.  Little  thought  is  given  to  the 
Stanhopeas,  hung  up  under  the  roof  in  the  hottest  part,  consequently 
red  spider  and  other  insects  make  headway.  The  syringe  should  be 
well  plied  about  the  foliage  several  times  daily,  and  the  roots  kept 
moist,  then  all  will  bo  well.  Another  plant  often  mismanaged  in  this 
way  is  the  lovely  Dcmdrobium  infundibulum  and  its  variety 
Jamesianum.  A  cool  and  moist  atmosphere  is  what  these  delight  in, 
and  only  under  these  conditions  will  they  be  satisfactory. 
Where  seedling  laisiDg  is  carried  on  the  small  plants  must  be 
ex  mined  and  all  that  need  it  repotted,  as  this  operation  will  not 
much  longer  be  safe  for  this  season.  The  peat  and  moss  for  these 
should  be  finely  chopped,  and  crock  dust  well  washed,  with  the  finest 
particles  removed  by  sifting,  added.  It  is  best  not  to  handle  the 
compost  for  these  delicate  tiny  plants  much,  and  instead  of  using  the 
fingers  to  press  it  into  position  have  a  blunt  dibber;  firm  it  as  well 
as  possible,  and  trim  off  all  ragged  ends  with  a  pair  of  scissors. 
Water  moderately  alter  repotting  until  the  tiny  roots  are  seen  to  be 
again  progressing. 
the  prevailing  tints  of  colour  on  the  triangular  segments  are  a  dusky 
purple  red  and  light  yellow.  The  sepals  are  often  spotted  with  black, 
and  bear  a  number  of  short  bristly  white  hairs.  The  culture  of 
M.  nycterina,  and  others  of  this  group,  differs  rather  from  that  of  the 
showy  flowered  section.  In  the  first  place,  they  will  not  stand  with 
impunity  the  same  cold  in  winter  that  M.  H  my  ana  and  M.  amabilis 
enjoy.  During  the  summer  months  they  can  hardly  be  kept  too  cool, 
but  in  late  summer  they  should  be  placed  in  a  house  the  temperature 
of  which  never  falls  below  50°,  excepting  in  the  very  coldest  weather, 
when  a  slight  drop  is  preferable  to  pushing  the  fire  heat  unduly.  As 
many  of  the  spikes  push  downwards  the  plants  are  safest  when 
grown  in  baskets,  these  being  two-thirds  filled  with  drainage,  the 
remaining  third  with  equal  parts  of  peat  and  sphagnum  moss. 
Masdavallia  muscosa. 
This  plant  is  very  pretty  and  interesting,  but  as  a  garden  Orchid 
not  comparable  with  some  others.  The  flower  stems  are  covered  with 
small  white  hairs,  that  seem  to  be  a  protection  of  Nature  against 
crawling  insects.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  of  the  ordinary  character, 
but  the  lip  has  the  singular  property  of  closing  up  as  it  is  touched,  a 
characteristic  not  observed  in  any  other  Masdevallia.  Doubtless  this 
has  something  to  do  with  the  fertilisation  of  the  flowers  ;  possibly 
winged  insects  alight  on  it,  and  in  endeavouring  to  release  themselves 
take  away  the  pollen.  It  is  a  native  of  New  Grenada,  thriving  well 
in  the  cool  house. — H.  R  R. 
