November  14,  1901.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
437 
week  growing  in  hanging  baskets,  with  small  Ferns  dibbled  in  the 
compost.  These  had  grown  up  and  formed  a  fine  setting  for  the 
dowers,  the  lack  of  foliage  at  flowering  time  being  a  drawback  to 
these  pretty  Orchids.  The  plan  is  not  exactly  new,  but  it  is  worth 
copying ;  the  only  thing  to  guard  against  is  moistening  the  compost 
too  much — in  the  interest  of  the  Ferns — at  a  time  when  the  Orchid 
roots  do  not  need  water. — H.  R.  R. 
Cattleya  X  Brownise,  Yeitch's  Variety. 
A  First  Class  Certificate  was  accorded  to  this  charming  variety  by 
the  Orchid  Committee  at  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  held  on  Tuesday,  October  29.  The  parents  of  the  hybrid  are 
■Cattleyas  Harrisoniana  and  Bowringiana.  both  of  them  small-flowered 
species,  yet  in  the  latter  case  especially,  the  numbers  of  deep  mauve- 
purple  flowers  produced  is  remarkable,  as  every  grower  is  aware  ;  and 
the  question  has  been  asked  whether  the  exuberance  which  produces 
■quantity  of  bloom  has  not  been  surprisingly  toned  down  and  concen¬ 
trated  for  the  production  of  larger  and  stouter  flowers,  though  in 
fewer  numbers.  A  glance  at  our  illustration  of  the  newly  certificated 
variety  will  show  the  great  breadth  and  stout  build  of  the  sepals  and 
petals.  It  is  a  very  distinct  and  very  beautiful  acquisition,  the  colour 
being  deep  rosy-peach,  the 
■centre  of  the  lip  orange, 
with  an  outer  band  of  rich 
crimson -purple  to  add 
greater  effect. 
Paphinia  grandiflora. 
In  the  rush  for  novelties 
many  of  the  charming 
older  species  are  in 
danger  of  being  forgotten. 
Paphinia  grandiflora.  or 
P.  grandis  as  it  is  better 
known,  has  long  been 
in  cultivation  (about  a 
quarter  of  a  century),  and 
is  a  very  fine  Orchid,  hut 
it  is  rarely  seen  in  any¬ 
thing  like  good  condition. 
The  flowers  are  6  inches 
and  upwards  across,  the 
sepals  and  petals  creamy 
white,  heavily  blotched 
with  chocolate  purple,  the 
lip  of  a  deeper  purple 
tint  with  a  whitish  disc, 
the  centre  lobe  being 
divided  into  two  sickle¬ 
shaped  processes,  and 
terminated  by  a  tuft  of 
yellow  hairs. 
The  worst  trouble  with 
Paphinias  is  keeping  out 
their  foes,  they  being 
singularly  liable  to  insect 
attacks  ;  but  this  done, 
and  the  roots  given  clean 
new  compost  about  once 
in  two  years,  they  will 
usually  be  satisfactory.  Like  their  near  relatives  the  Lyeastes,  they 
enjoy  a  good  sound  compost,  but  not  too  much  of  it ;  and  plenty  of 
water,  both  at  the  roots  and  overhead,  in  summer.  Even  in  winter 
they  must  not  be  entirely  dried  off.  P.  grandiflora  comes  from  Brazil, 
and  was  one  of  the  discoveries  of  the  Brazilian  botanist  Rodriguez. 
Oncidium  hastatum. 
There  are  too  many  of  the  small-flowered  section  of  Oncidium  for 
one  to  grow  anything  like  a  complete  collection,  but  this  is  a  pretty 
and  very  distinct  species,  that  may  with  advantage  be  included.  Its 
habitat  is  on  the  Mexican  coast,  where  it  is  said  to  be  very  abundant, 
but  probably  very  few  plants  of  it  are  imported.  The  pseudo-bulbs 
are  about  3  inches  high  only,  but  they  produce  large  branching 
panicles  of  bright  yellow  and  brown  flowers  in  profusion. 
Its  culture  is  not  difficult  in  a  house  that  suits  it.  In  a  close  or 
stuffy  atmosphere  it  seldom  flowers  with  freedom  ;  but  when  the 
plants  get  ample  sunlight,  with  an  abundant  supply  of  fresh  air,  they 
will  give  little  trouble.  Equal  parts  of  peat,  fibre,  and  moss  over 
good  drainage  suits  it  well,  and  the  pots  should  be  large  enough  to 
allow  a  margin  of  about  an  inch  all  round  the  plants.  It  does  not 
need  a  long  dry  rest,  but  in  winter,  when  growth  is  inactive,  very  little 
water  suffices.  When  growing  freely  few  species  require  more. 
O.  hastatum  was  introduced  by  Messrs.  Loddiges  in  1837. 
Pleione  lagenaria. 
This  is  usually  the  first  to  flower  of  the  Indian  Crocuses,  as  they 
are  popularly  known  ;  it  is  also  one  of  the  best  growers,  and  never 
fails  to  flower  freely.  I  noticed  some  very  pretty  plants  during  the 
Cattleya  x  Browni.e,  Yeitch’s  Variety. 
Some  Ornamental  Plants. 
Oncidium  ornithorhynchum. 
Many  Orchid  houses  will  now'  be,  or  were  lately,  brightened  by  the 
presence  of  flowering  plants  of  this  species.  To  the  numerous  lilac 
blossoms  is  added  the  charm  of  Heliotrope  fragrance.  Although  the 
flower  spikes  do  not  reach  the  height  of  those  of  the  allied  Oncidium 
incurvum,  yet  it  must  be  ranked  equal.  It  thrives  in  an  intermediate 
house. 
Bog  Plants. 
Planters  of  bog  and  w'ater  garden  who  are  anxious  to  procure 
the  newest  Water  Lilies  in  the  latest  colours  will  not  forget  to  secure 
suitable  plants  to  fringe  the  banks.  We  do  not  need  to  go  far  for 
such  subjects,  for  within 
our  sea-girt  isle  there  is  a 
wealth  of  aquatic  vegeta¬ 
tion,  both  large  and  small, 
but  chiefly  of  the  latter 
kind.  Some  of  our  water 
plants  form  masses,  the 
scenic  effect  of  which  is 
both  bold  and  beautiful. 
Others  again  need  to  be 
much  in  the  foreground, 
so  that  the  eye  may  closely 
examine  their  points  of 
interest.  Among  those  of 
stately  stature  the  Typhas 
are  unequalled.  Like  most 
grassy  leaved  plants,  they 
are  very  effective  when 
grouped  in  isolated  masses. 
Between  the  two  British 
species  there  is  but  little 
to  choose.  Typha  lati- 
folia  has  dark  brown 
flowers,  whilst  T.  angusti- 
folia  is  a  smaller  plant, 
with  spikes  of  a  lighter 
brown  colour.  Quiet  in 
tone  and  graceful  in  con¬ 
tour,  these  so-called  Bull- 
rushes  form  elegant  back¬ 
grounds  for  waters  on 
which  the  brightest  Water 
Lilies,  gilt  with  summer 
sunshine,  flourish. 
Bulbs. 
The  bustle  of  the  bulb 
season  is  now  past,  and 
enthusiasts  in  bulbs  have 
little  to  interest  them  now  beyond  planting  late  stocks  for  another 
year’s  display  in  the  garden.  Yet  there  are  a  few  bulbous  plants 
that  would  almost  make  us  believe  that  spring  is  at  hand,  there 
are  the  Colchicums  and  the  autumn-flowering  Crocuses,  nosv  all 
but  past.  The  flowers  grow  with  almost  Mushroom  rapidity,  as  if 
anxious  to  expand  before  frost  hardens  soil  and  arrests  growth. 
The  commonest  is  Colchicum  autumnale  ;  the  very  best  is  C.  speciosum, 
with  fine  purplish  flowers,  nearly  5  inches  across  when  fully  expanded. 
The  former  is  a  British  plant,  though  it  is  a  somewhat  local  one. 
I  remember  a  field,  or  rather  a  meadow,  which  owed  it*  autumn  purple 
colour  to  the  numerous  flowers  of  this  bulb  among  the  grass.  This 
was  in  the  east  of  England,  in  a  rather  low-lying  locality,  where  other 
choice  subjects,  such  as  the  Lily  of  the  Valley  and  the  Fritillarias, 
congregated.  Of  course  they  were  not  left  in  peace,  for  some  thought 
Fritillaria  Meleagris  prettier  in  their  gardens  than  in  wild  solitude. 
It  is  to  this  class  of  people  that  we  owe  the  increasing  scarcity  of 
some  of  the  most  interesting  native  plants. 
Colchicum  autumnale  was,  however,  not  attacked  ;  its  presence 
in  such  quantities  "was  due  to  the  bulbs  being  quite  9  inches  beneath 
the  grass.  Yet  if  the  roots  are  taken  out  of  the  soil  after  the 
leaves  have  died  off  they  will  often  flower  profusely  in  their  dried 
condition,  and  returned  to  the  ground  in  late  autumn  will  develop 
their  leaves  much  as  usual.  In  addition  to  a  large  variety  of 
Colchicums,  there  are  several  autumn-flowering  Crocuses,  winch 
are  every  whit  as  good  as  those  flowering  on  the  other  side  of  the 
New  Year.  Crocus  speciosus  is  the  finest;  it  is  a  good  purple, 
striped  with  deeper  shades,  and  a  succession  of  flowers  appear  for 
several  weeks. — David  S.  Fish. 
