October  3,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
30. > 
Cattleya  x  Hardyana  Rochfordiana. 
the  time  for  doing  so  will  vary  according  to  the  time  the  plant 
flowers. 
The  ebulbous  section  of  Oncidium,  such  as  0.  Cavendishianum, 
0.  luridum,  and  others,  are  an  interesting  and  useful  set  of  plants. 
Just  now  they  require  all  the  light  possible,  as  their  large  leathery 
leaves  act  somewhat  in  the  same  way  as  the  pseudo-bulbs  of  those 
Orchids  that  bear  them,  and  unless  they  are  properly  developed  the 
flowers  produced  will  be  few,  and  the  plants  will  suffer  in  health. 
If  they  have  been  grown,  as  they  should  be,  in  a  good  light,  and  are 
therefore  hard  and  firm  in  texture,  they  will  now  stand  the  full  sun, 
and  be  all  the  better  for  it. 
Continue  to  place  the  Dendrobiums  in  a  cool  light  house  as  the 
growths  finish,  but  see  that  the  last  leaf  is  properly  formed  and  the 
pseudo-bulb  complete  before  doing  so.  Take  especial  care  with  the 
early  plants  that  are  intended  to  flower  first,  and  keep  them  quite  dry 
as  soon  as 
the  growths 
are  sufficiently 
hardened  to 
stand  it  with¬ 
out  shrivelling. 
D.  aureum,  D. 
nobile,  and  D. 
Wardianum 
are  usually  the 
first  three  in 
the  order 
named.  It  is 
too  early  as 
yet  to  put  any 
into  heat,  but 
about  six 
weeks  should 
be  allowed  to 
the  time  when 
they  are  re- 
q  u i r  e  d  in 
flower. 
The  plant  from  which  Mr.  Shayler,  our  artis',  made  Lis  sketch 
of  the  accompanying  flower  of  the  above  hybrid  was  shown  by 
Mr.  Thomas  Rocbford,  of  Turn  ford  Hall  Nurseries,  Broxbourne,  Herts, 
at  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  meeting  on  September  10th,  and 
received  a  first-class  certificate.  It  is  a  most  beautiful  variety,  with 
lovely  white 
petals  and 
se pals,  against 
which  the  pur¬ 
plish  lip,  large 
and  frilled, 
stands  out  in 
exquisite  con¬ 
trast.  The  lip 
is  streaked  with 
orange  colour. 
According  to 
one  of  the  most 
reliable  au¬ 
thorities,  this 
variety  comes 
nearest  to  C.  X 
H.  Statteriana ; 
it  also  resem¬ 
bles  in  general 
appearance  a 
well -developed 
bloom  of  C. 
aurea.  We  re¬ 
commend  this 
as  one  of  the 
finest  Cattleyas 
now  c  e  r  t i fl¬ 
oated.  -  f.  , 
The  Week’s 
Cultural  Notes. 
mm 
It  often 
happens  that 
Cattleyas  of 
the  labiata  and 
other  sections, 
Laelias  pur- 
pu  rata  and 
superbiens  and 
similar  plants, 
get  into  a  habit 
of  concentrat¬ 
ing  all  their 
energies  to  the 
production  of 
one  8 tout  lead¬ 
ing  growth,  and 
Jail  to  push 
back  breaks. 
In  consequence 
the  plant  is 
one-sided,  and 
CATTLEYA  x  HARDYANA 
as  there  is  an 
end  even  to  the 
possibilities  of  strong  growth,  the  p'ant  may  be  said  to  waste  its 
energies.  Such  specimens  may  be  greatly  improved  by  notching  the 
rhizome  with  a  view  to  cutting  it  to  produce  back  breaks,  and  now  is 
the  best  time  to  set  about  it. 
It  is  not  wise  to  sever  the  rhizome  entirely,  as  the  value  of  the 
plant  is  thereby  lessened ;  besides  this  too  great  a  check  is  given  at  the 
outset,  and  the  end  in  view  may  be  retarded  rather  than  hastened. 
But  unless  the  incision  is  at  least  two-thirds  of  the  depth  of  the 
rhizome  it  will  be  useless.  Some  cultivators  choose  the  sprin*  for 
these  operations,  but  if  done  now  the  back  eyes  have  time  to  plump 
up  during  the  autumn  and  winter,  and  will  start  more  freely  in 
spring  ;  at  least,  this  has  been  my  experience.  There  are  other  plants, 
sucn  as  .Miltonus,  Odontoglossums,  and  Oncidiums,  in  fact  mist 
pseudo-bulbous  species,  that  may  be  improved  in  this  way,  but 
Stanliopea 
grandiflora. 
The  Stan- 
hopeas  for  some 
reason  have 
been  under  the 
ban  of  the 
cu  1 1  i  v  a  t  or’s 
displeasure  for 
some  time,  and 
many  of  the 
largest  collec¬ 
tions  contain 
only  a  very 
few  specimens 
of  which  little 
notice  is  taken. 
But  the  beau¬ 
tiful  pure  white 
S.  grandiflora 
is  a  superb 
Orchid,  and  as 
easily  grown 
and  forced  as 
any  in  the 
family.  Its 
large  waxy 
white  flowers 
are  deliciously 
scented,  a 
single  speci¬ 
men  in  flower  perfuming  the  whole  of  the  house  in  wh1ch  it  is  grown. 
The  only  thing  that  can  be  urged  against  it  is  its  somewhat  evanescent 
character,  but  as  it  flowers  several  times  in  the  year  this  is  a  minor 
matter. 
I  have  had  capital  results  by  using  rather  large  but  shallow 
wooden  baskets  in  place  of  the  usual  kind  made  of  wire.  These  love 
rough  lumps  of  ballast  in  the  bottom,  and  a  thin  surfacing  only  of 
rough  peat  and  sphagnum,  with  a  little  fibry  loam  for  the  strongest 
plants.  All  the  year  round  the  plants  are  kept  moist  at  the  roots,  and 
i  constantly  moist  atmosphere  conduces  to  healthy  foliage  free  of 
insect  pests.  A  thorough  soaking  of  the  compost  should  be  given 
just  as  the  flower  spikes  are  forming,  and  this  will  last  for  a  little 
while,  as  it  is  impossible  to  water  the  plants  when  the  blossoms  a-e 
open,  for  fear  of  injury  to  the  latter. 
ROCHFORDIANA. 
