January  12,  1899'. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
25 
•Bedfordshire  sand,  and  say,  one-sixth  part  of  limestone  scraps,  has 
been  found  most  saiisfaclory.  Fur  all  sections  pans  and  crocks  must 
he  scrupulously  clean,  and  one  of  the  most  important  points  in  the 
culture  of  these  plants  is  an  abundant  supply  of  water  when  they  are 
growing  strongly,  and  are  in  vigorous  health,  and  it  is  therefore  neces¬ 
sary  to  afford  as  nearly  as  possible  perfect  drainage.  The  material 
Fig.  5.— Cattleya  Bowringiaxa  Lady  Wigan. 
used  must  be  so  p’aced  that  avater  applied  will  pass  rapidly  away,  and 
should  from  half-way  to  two-thirds  fill  the  pots.  The  amount  avill 
vary  according  as  the  plant  is  a  strong  or  a  feeble  rooted  one. 
Unlike  many  Orchids  Cypripediums  hare  no  pseudo-bulbs  in  which 
to  store  food,  and  consequently  cannot  withstand  drought.  There  must 
be  no  lack  of  water,  thougli  on  the  other  band  the  compost  should 
never  reach  saturation.  Naturally  the  amount  of  water  will  largely 
depend  on  the  compost  in  which  the  plan's  are  growing  ;  the  heavier 
this  is  the  less  water  the  plant  will  require,  and  the  reverse.  Per¬ 
sonally  I  ana  firmly  of  the  opinion  that  the  great  secret  of  pTant 
cultivation  lies  in  the  proper  administration  of  water,  or  in  other 
words  having  a  thorough  grasp  of  avhen  to  apply  and  when  to  with¬ 
hold.  As  a  matter  of  fact  there  is  as  much  difference  in  the  highly 
finished  touches  of  one  of  our  finest  artists  and  in  the  veriest  daub  one 
ever  saw,  as  in  the  result  achieve  1  l)y  the  man  who  waters  hispalants 
properly,  and  one  whose  application  lacks  common  .sense  and  judgment. 
It  is  the  power  to  concentrate  the  mind  on  apparently  small  things  that 
leads  to  success  in  the  greater,  and  for  this  reason  I  wish  to  forcibly 
impress  the  importance  of  careful  waterings  as  well  with  Cypripediums 
as  with  any  other  plant  in  cultivation. 
As  these  plants  are  essentially  shade  loving,  if  the  sun  shone 
directly  upon  them  for  any  length  of  time  the  leaves  would  soon 
be  disfigured  by  scorching  iMcans  must  therefore  be  taken  to 
provide  shade.  For  this  purpose  a  raised  blind  or  blinds  of  laths 
is  the  most  satisfactory,  as  while  breaking  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun,  it  admits  a  certain  amount  of  light,  and  also  allows  air  to  pass 
freely  between  the  blind  and  the  roof  of  the  house.  The  necessity  of 
the  closest  observation  of  the  individual  requirements  of  each 
plant  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed  on  the  cultivator,  as  experience 
teaches  that  some  which  would  fail  hopelessly  in  strong  light  would 
luxuriate  in  a  shady  corner.  For  example,  neither  C.  superbiens  nor 
C.  Schlimi  will  tolerate  strong  light.  Equally  as  important  as  the 
points  that  have  been  adverted  to  is  the  ventilation,  to  which  the 
closest  attention  should  bo  paid.  The  necessity  of  avoiding  draughts 
has  already  been  briefly  referred  to,  but  the  other  extreme  of  not 
admitting  fresh  air  at  all  :s  equally  disastrous  to  plant  life. 
It  should  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  plants  are  living  things 
that  must  be  rationally  treated.  In  admitting  air  do  not  use  the  top 
ventilators  more  than  is  necessary,  as  these  allow  the  moisture  to  escape. 
A  little  air  may  be  cons'antly  admitted  through  the  ventilators  in 
the  wall  beneath,  as  previously  recommended,  but  these  should  be 
open  half  inch  only  in  cold  and  windy  weather.  As  perfectly  developed 
leaves  arc  the  main  source  of  strength  in  these  ])lants  every  possible 
means  should  be  taken  to  preserve  them  in  health.  Broadly  speaking, 
they  are  the  lungs  of  the  pl.int,  and  as  such  must  be  kept  free 
from  impurities.  It  is  obvious  that  when  the  jiores  are  full  of  dust 
they  cannot  perform  their  pn'per  functions,  and  the  plant  suffers 
immediately.  Cleanliness  is  one  of  the  greatest  aids  to  successful 
]ilant  culture,  as  it  encourages  the  leaves  to  do  their  work,  and  it  is  certain 
tint  periodical  sponging  with  a  very  weak  solution  of  some  approved 
insecticide  is  more  than  repaid  by  the  increased  vigour  and  health  of 
the  plants  being  dealt  with.  Many  cultivators  have  doubtless  been, 
as  I  have,  called  upon  to  take  in  hand  a  collection  of  dirty  plants, 
and  they  will  know  the  worry  and  disappointment  that  are  incumbent 
upon  such  a  task.  Energy  and  perseverance  are,  however,  all-powerful, 
and  in  skilful  hands  the  recuperative  powers  of  neglected  plants  are 
nothing  short  of  remarkable.  _ 
Whilst  healthy  Cypripediums  have  few  enemies,  the  name  of  the 
pests  that  attack  weak  plants  is  legion.  No  doubt  everyone  has 
observed  how  an  unhealthy  plant,  like  an  unhealthy  person,  seems  to 
be  heir  to  all  sorts  of  ailments,  and  the  weaker  the  plant  the  more 
disastrous  will  be  the  effects  of  the  attack.  The  pest  most  to  be 
dreaded  is  black  thrips,  as  the  foliage  is  so  soon  disfigured  ;  but  if  the 
atmospheric  moisture  and  damping  of  the  surfaces  are  properly  attended 
to  it  will  not  cause  much  trouble,  and  should  it  show  itself,  one  or  two 
operations  with  the  XL  vaporiser  will  usually  prove  effectual  in 
destroying  it.  Scale  of  various  sorts  will  sometimes  be  found  on  the 
plants,  but  if  the  sponging  is  done  as  suggested,  there  need  be  little 
fear  of  serious  damage.  Woodlice,  snails,  and  slugs  are  fond  of  young 
roots,  and  sometini'^s  flowers,  and  are  most  readily  trapped  in  Potatoes, 
the  cqtitres  of  which  have  been  hollowed  out.  Cockroaches  and 
crickets  have  eaten  the  edges  of  the  leaves,  and  also  the  flowers, 
and  must  bo  eradicated  by  one  of  the  several  advertised  remedies. 
Syringing  ought  not  to  bo  practised,  as  the  water  often  gets  in  the 
young  growths,  and  cau  es  them  to  decay. 
To  name  all  kinds  and  varieties  would  be  an  impossibility,  but  I 
will  enumerate  a  few,  and  suggest  in  which  house  they  are  likely  to 
do  best.  For  the  stove  take  the  niveum  section  in  its  entirety — viz., 
niveum,  bellatulum  and  its  variety  album,  Godefroyse  and  its  variety 
leucochilum  (fig.  6),  concolor,  and  most  hybrids  in  which  either  of  these 
species  is  a  ])arent.  In  addition  to  these  there  are  Chamberlainianum, 
ciliolare,  Curtisi,  Haynaldianum,  Hookerse,  Imvigatum,  longifolium, 
Lowi,  Mastersianum,  Kothschildianum,  Sanderianum,  Stonei,and  many 
of  the  Seleuipediums,  and  also  hybrids  in  which  any  of  these  species 
Pig.  6. — Cypripedium  Godefroy.®  leucochilum. 
are  parents.  The  majority  of  those  named  will  exist  in  the  inter¬ 
mediate  house,  but  as  time  is  money',  and  many  of  them  will  grow 
much  faster  in  the  warmer  structure,  the  cultivator  must  use  his 
discretion,  and  place  the  plants  accordingly. 
Strides  made  in  the  collection  of  no  class  of  plants  have  been  so 
rapid  as  with  Cypripediums,  and  I  recommend  to  all  plant  lovers  about 
to  commence  the  cultivation  of  Orchids  to  try  a  few  of  them,  as  the 
plants  are  of  the  easiest  cultivation,  and  last  in  bloom  over  a  very  long 
period  ;  while  to  those  who  like  subdued  and  refined  colours  nothing 
could  possibly  be  more  pleasing. — J.  Barker,  Hessle. 
