232 
Mnrch  2^,  1899, 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
to  the  trellis.  The  boxes  are  handy  for  placing  on  wooden  stages  at 
the  sides  of  span-roof  or  other  structures,  thus  utilising  them  for 
Tomatoes  in  summer  without  interfering  with  the  arrangements  for 
plants  in  the  winter.  With  the  plants  2  to  3  inches  from  the  sides 
(there  are  no  ends  in  a  square  box),  stakes  can  be  placed  outside,  so 
that  plants  will  be  trained  about  15  inches  apart,  allowing  proper  space 
between  the  boxes. 
Boxes  3  feet  long,  1  foot  6  inches  wide,  and  1  foot  2  inches  deep, 
are  hardly  portable  Avhen  occupied  with  plants.  They  are  serviceable 
for  placing  at  the  end  of  a  Cucumber  house,  or  along  the  sides  of 
structures  in  continuous  order  for  jdants  to  be  trained  to  trellises. 
Single  plants  can  be  put  in  15  inches  distance,  and  fast  or  strong¬ 
growing  varieties  18  iriches,  or  the  plants  introduced  18  inches 
asundet  on  both  sides  of  the  box  on  “  opposite  vacancy  ”  order,  the 
outer  plants,  or  those  next  the  side  of  the  structure,  being  trained  to 
wires  about  8  inches  from  the  glass,  and  the  inner  ones  to  a  trellis  a 
foot  lower.  If  stood  at  the  ends  of  houses  four  pairs  of  plants  may  be 
placed  in  a  3-foot  long  box,  or  even  five  jiairs  lor  early  work, 
arranging  them  conveniently  for  staking  outwardly  on  each  side. 
After  a  red-hot  iron  has  been  run  through  the  drainage  holes  to 
char  the  edges,  paint  once  inside  and  three  times  outside  when  perfectly 
dry,  with  a  irreparation  of  Stockholm  tar  thinned  to  the  consistency  of 
thin  paint  with  petroleum  or  parafiin  oil,  alloAving  each  coat  to  dry 
before  following  with  the  other.  If  desired  a  coat  of  lead  and  oil 
colour  may  be  given  to  harmonise  with  the  woodwork  of  the  structure. 
Drain  the  boxes  thoroughly,  and  place  in  fo  much  soil  that  the  top  (»f 
the  ball  of  the  plants  will  be  a  quarter  the  depth  of  the  box  below  the 
upper  edge,  making  the  compost  below  and  around  the  roots  quite 
firm,  then  in  the  boxes,  as  well  as  in  pots,  space  will  be  lelt  for  top¬ 
dressing  the  plants  after  the  first  trusses  of  fruit  are  set  and  swelling. 
Odontoclossum  crispum  Sultax. 
The  display  of  Orchids  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  the  14th  inst.  was  an 
exceptionally  rich  one,  for  uot  only  were  many  of  the  seasonable  kinds 
grandly  staged,  but  new  hybrids  and  varieties  Avere  numerous  and  of 
excellent  quality.  Such  being  the  case,  this  section  of  the  shoAV  was 
the  centre  of  more  than  ordinary  attention,  and  visitors — expert  and 
otherAvise — clustered  before  the  tables.  One  of  the  most  charming  of 
the  Odontoglossums  Avas  Sultan,  of  which  the  woodcut  (fig.  57) 
Avill  convey  an  admirable  idea  as  to  size  and  form.  It  is  one  of  the 
Jiandsomest  varieties  that  we  have  seen  of  late,  and  the  first-class 
certificate  recommended  by  the  Orchid  Committee  to  the  exhibitor, 
Mons.  Jules  Hye,  was  Avell  deserved.  The  Avhole  of  the  central 
portion  of  the  flower  is  bright  chocolate  red,  with  margins  and  very 
I'ccasional  bars  of  Avhite.  The  large  white  lip  is  very  brightly  spotted. 
The  spike  shown  carried  three  floners. 
Dendrobium  Boxalli. 
This  pretty  plant  is  doubtless  a  natuml  hybrid,  its  reputed  parents 
being  D.  crystallinum  and  D.  Devonianum.  It  resembles  the  latter 
most  both  in  the  floAvers  and  habit,  and  is  equally  beautiful.  The 
plants  now  in  flower  should  he  kept  cool  only  as  long  as  they  remain 
dormant.  As  soon  as  signs  of  growth  appear,  they  should  go  at  once 
into  a  brisk  moist  heat  in  a  house  Avhere  they  can  get  ample  light. 
Growth  is  most  free  from  small  pots  or  baskets,  in  Avhich  the  roots  are 
rather  crow'ded.  They  cannot  endure  a  large  amount  of  compost  about 
them.  When  the  growth  is  fully  made  and  ripened,  a  good  rest  should 
be  giA’en  in  a  cool  house. 
Hybrid  PHALiEXOPSis. 
The  cut  of  the  fine  ucav  hybrid  Phalaenopsis  on  piage  195  reminds 
one  how  numerous  these  lovely  hybrids  are  getting.  The  first  to 
floAver  in  this  country  was  P.  intermedia,  and  this  Avith  its  fine 
varieties,  P.  i.  Portei  and  P.  i.  Brymeriana,  had  long  been  known,  and 
suspected  to  be  a  natural  hybrid,  'i'his  IMessrs.  Veitch  proved  by 
raising  and  floAvering  it  from  seed,  the  result  of  crossing  P.  Aphrodite, 
or  as  it  is  better  known,  P.  amabilis,  and  P.  rosea.  The  flowering  of 
this  kind  is  a  little  remarkable,  for  though  for  so  many  years  growers  liad 
tried  without  success  to  hj’bridise  these  beautiful  plants,  only  four  years 
elapsed  between  the  sowing  of  the  seed  (1882)  and  its  flowering  (1886). 
A  good  deal  like  it  is  P.  Hebe,  one  of  IMessrs.  Veitch’s  more  recent 
successes,  it  having  flowered  in  their  nursery  a  little  over  two  years 
ago.  Its  jiarents  are  P.  leuchorrhoda  aud  P.  rosea,  so  the  likeness  to 
P.  intermedia  is  easily  accounted  for.  P.  John  Seden,  again,  is  a 
beautiful  hybrid,  Avell  worthy  to  bear  the  name  of  the  most  successful 
hybridist  living.  It  also  originated  under  his  own  hand,  and  is  a  cross 
betAveen  P.  amabilis  and  P.  Luddemanniana,  the  purple  spots  and 
markings  seen  on  the  latter  species  being  reproduced  in  the  hybrid. 
Many  others  of  Messrs.  Yeitch’s  raising  might  easily  be  named;  in. 
Pig.  r)7.— Odontoglossdm  crispum  Surtax. 
fact,  Mr.  Seden  has  never  looked  back  since  his  first  success,  and  has- 
added  a  lovely  section  to  the  most  beautiful  of  Orchid  genera. 
Other  growers  have  also  entered  the  field,  and  quite  recently  Messrs. 
Hugh  Loav  &  Co.,  of  Bush  Hill,  exhibited  a  hybrid  at  the  Drill  Hall. 
This  was  raised  from  P.  Stuartiana  and  P.  Schilleriana,  and  had  the 
handsome  foliage  and  flowers  that  one  would  expect  to  see  from  such  a 
cross.  Messrs.  Sander  &  Co.,  of  St.  Albans,  are  also  responsible  for  at 
least  one  hybrid,  Avhile  a  look  through  the  houses  at  either  of  these 
large  establishments  will  show  quite  a  number  of  healthy  hybrid  pdants 
in  all  stages  of  development,  'i'he  number  of  hybrids  there,  although 
already  large,  Avill  now  increase  rapidly,  especially  as  some  of  the 
leading  private  groAvers  are  taking  up  this  phase  of  culture. 
Shading  Orchids. 
It  is  surprising  what  an  amount  of  care  is  needed  in  shadings 
Orchids  during  the  trying  days  of  March  and  April  ;  we  need  to  be 
always  on  the  look-out  Avhere  young  assistants  have  this  part  of  the 
Avork  under  their  charge,  for  either  the  shading  is  neglected  dunng 
bright  spells,  or  it  is  left  doAvn  A\dien  there  is  no  need  tor  it.  Though 
the  injury  from  the  latter  may  uot  be  so  immediately  apparent,  it  is 
done  none  the  less,  for  the  plants,  after  our  dull  sunless  winter, 
require  every  ray  of  light  piossible.  Especially  in  the  cool  house  is 
this  necessary,  plants  from  the  high  lands  in  New  Grenada  and  other 
semi-alpine  localities  pining  for  light  badly  at  this  time  of  year. 
But  they  are  often  in  flower,  and  in  order  to  conserve  the  blossoms 
the  blinds  are  droppied,  while  the  young  shoots  cannot  stand  the  effect 
under  glass  of  bright  sunlight.  Just  at  the  present  time  the  value  of 
the  lath  roller  blinds  is  brought  strikingly  to  notice,  these  being  fin- 
better  than  any  description  of  woven  material.  During  the  midday 
or  dinner  hour  it  is  ahv-ays  best  to  have  one  assistant  at  least  on 
duty.  Sunday  mornings,  again,  have  much  injury  to  answer 
for,  and  it  is  quite  imperatiAm  that  whoever  is  on  duty  shall  be  out  at 
the  same  time  as  on  any  other  day  in  the  Aveek. 
Cattleya  Laavrexceaxa. 
A  good  form  of  this  fine  Cattleya  is  very  striking  and  shoAA-y  just 
noAv.  It  is  a  free  growing  plant  Avhere  Avell  suited,  liking  a  rather 
higher  temperature  and  more  light  than  the  majority  of  Cattleyas. 
Not  but  that  it  Avill  grow  freely  enough  in  a  shady  house,  but  there  is 
alAvays  a  risk  of  it  not  floAvering  unless  the  groAvth  is  well  ripened  by 
exposure  to  sun.  The  roots  of  C.  Lawrenceana  are  not  so  large  as 
those  of  the  labiata  section,  nor  do  they  require  so  much  room  in  pots 
or  baskets.  Fine  specimens  may  be  reared  in  the  6-inch  size,  and 
plants  Avith  only  one  or  tAVO  leaves  will,  of  course,  need  much  less 
room. 
WlicreA-er  possible  keep  the  plants  well  up  in  the  house,  and  avoid 
syringing.  Light  syringing  -on  hot  days  may  do  no  harm,  but  the 
Avater  is  apt  to  collect  in  the  young  groAvths  to  their  detriment 
Avheu  a  large  quantity  of  it  is  placed  about  them.  The  flower  spikes 
