.May,  11,  1899.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  381 
Epidendrum  elegantulum  luteum. 
In  the  spring  of  1896  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  staged  at 
one  of  the  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  Epidendrum 
elegantulum,  for  which  they  received  a  first-class  certificate.  This 
was  stated  to  be  a  hybrid  from  E.  Endresio-Wallisi  and  E.  Walli.'i, 
and  it  was  greatly  admired.  Following  this  up  the  same  firm  sent 
to  the  Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday,  May  2nd,  E.  elegantulum  luteum,  and 
received  for  it  an  award  of  merit.  The  flower  as  shown  in  the 
engraving  (fig.  85)  is  of  chaste  beauty,  and  attracted  the  attention  of 
all  visitors.  The  colour  of  the  sepals  and  petals  is  clear  yellow,  and 
that  of  the  beautifully  fringed  lip  pure  white. 
Masdevallia  Shutteyana. 
There  is  probably  not  a  more  handsome  Masdevallia  in  cultivation 
than  this  beautiful  hybrid,  and  an  especially  fine  form  of  it  was  shown 
recently  at  the  Drill  Hall  from  the  celebrated  Burford  Lodge  collec¬ 
tion.  It  was  a  plant  carrying  about  a  dozen  flowers,  and  rarely 
has  a  more  interesting  exhibit  in  this  section  been  staged.  The  Orchid 
Committee  gave  it  a  first-class  certificate,  which  everyone  agreed  was 
well  deserved,  for  the  plant  was  a  magnificent  one,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  fine  variety. 
It  was  labelled  Chamberlain’s  variety,  and  was  raised  in  the 
Highbury  collection,  the  parentage  being  M.  Shuttleworthi  and 
M.  Harryana,  both  handsome  species.  The  flowers  are  intermediate 
in  shape,  and  very  distinct,  the  long  curving  tails  being  bright  yellow 
at  the  tips,  shading  off  to  a  deep  magenth  tint,  this  being  continued 
over  the  broad  part  of  the  sepals,  the  bases  of  which  are  spotted  with 
brownish  purple.  The  dorsal  sepal  is  yellow,  with  markings  of  purple, 
the  lip  white.  The  splendid  habit  of  these  hybrid '  forms  is  very 
noticeable,  this  one  being  a  really  fine  grower,  though  one  at  least  of 
its  parents  is  not  noted  for  robustness.  It  may  be  mentioned  that  the 
original  type  of  M.  Shuttryana  was  raised  at  Burford  in  1892. 
Dendeochilum  glumaceum. 
This,  when  well  grown  into  a  fine  specimen  and  well  flowered,  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  Orchids  in  cultivation,  the  long  amhing 
racemes  of  yellowish  flowers  hanging  about  the  plant  like  “gold 
filagree  work  chains.”  These  occur  upon  the  forming  growths,  and 
occasionally  the  plants  are  checked  by  being  kept  in  a  cool  dry  house 
to  conserve  the  flowers.  There  are  few  plants  that  are  exposed  to 
moister  conditions  (in  their  habitat)  than  these,  for  a  distinguished 
French  traveller  who  has  seen  them  growing  in  situ  remarks  that 
they  grow  attached  to  the  tree  trunks  from  6  fret  to  12  feet  high,  the 
forests  in  which  they  are  found  being  so  damp  that  for  nine  months  in 
the  year  leeches  live  there  as  if  they  were  terrestrial. 
This  being  so  it  is  obvious  that  a  drying  at  the  time  when  the 
growths  are  barely  formed  must  be  a  serious  check,  and  anything  of 
this  kind  is  bound  to  bring  insects  in  its  train  to  the  further  detriment 
of  the  plant.  Their  epiphytal  habit  points  to  the  fact  of  little  being 
needed  in  the  way  of  compost,  and  when  grown  in  pans  for  suspending, 
these  ought  to  be  almost  filled  with  drainage,  just  the  top  inch  or  so 
being  made  up  of  clean  sphagnum  moss,  peat,  and  charcoal.  While 
growing  freely  give  ample  root  moisture,  but  when  the  plants  are 
at  rest  onlv  sufficient  to  keep  the  pseudo-bulbs  plump  is  needed. 
— H.  R.  R.‘ 
Cattleya  citeina. 
ThrouGHODT  the  sixteen  years  during  which  I  have  grown  this 
plant,  it  has  always  been  a  kindly  grower.  Its  “personal  attractions” 
are  so  great,  and  its  habit  of  growth  so  curious,  that  I  had  said  if  ever 
I  grew  an  Orchid  it  should  be  Cattleya  citrina.  So  it  came  to  me 
from  the  first,  in  spite  of  assurances  that  it  would  be  “bad  to  do.” 
Why  it  has  done  well  I  hardly  know,  beyond  that  I  fell  in  love  with 
it  at  first  sight,  and  watched  its  ways. 
I  saw  by  the  marked  preference  its  roots  have  for  getting  away 
from  coverings  of  any  kind  that  an  almost  naked  raft  suffices  for  it, 
and  that  any  kind  of  material  in  decay  is  an  abomination.  The  plant 
must  be  attached  in  its  own  peculiar  position,  which,  to  the  eye,  looks 
like  an  upside  down  one.  But  as  the  rich  heavy  flower  is  pendent, 
and  no  water  must  lodge  between  the  leaves  of  young  growths,  the 
natural  position  of  head  downwards  is  at  once  the  easiest  and  the  best. 
The  young  foliage  is  thus  placed  thatchwise,  protecting  its  own  heart, 
and  “  turning  water  ”  as  perfectly  as  a  Nasturtium  leaf  surface  does. 
However,  in  giving  water  by  dipping  the  plant,  it  is  possible  that 
some  may  be  held  back,  where  young  leaves  meet ;  and  if  only  a 
“bead”  or  two  be  retained  among  them,  then  one  or  more  ruinous 
black  spots  are  likely  to  appear,  which  will  eventually  destroy  the 
whole  leaf,  unless  the  affected  parts  are  cleanly  and  entirely  cut  out. 
Syringing  might  do,  if  the  water  could  fall  like  a  tropical  rain ;  but 
the  squirting  charge  is  apt  to  scatter  and  lodge  a  few  water-pellets  in 
a  young  heart.  Whichever  way  is  adopted,  the  plant  should  be  well 
shaken  to  dislodge  any  water  from  between  growing  leave.a,  which 
will  often,  with  misplaced  confidence,  conceal  it.  f- 
On  the  flower  stems  of  Cattleya  citrina,  twin  blossoms  are  generally 
proposed,  but  not  very  often  carried  out.  If  a  pair  get  a  fair  start  in 
life  together — i.e.,  leave  their  bract  simultaneously,  each  may  live  to 
be  a  flower  (if  the  plant  has  health  and  strength)  ;  but  a  bud,  with  a 
trifling  lead,  will  increase  it  so  fast  that  the  other  one  soon  gives  up  in 
despair.  The  plant  rests  awhile  after  the  flowering  period,  which, 
with  a  fair  number  of  plants,  is  with  me  a  very  extended  one,  though 
they  all  grow  together  in  one  house  the  year  round. 
I  never  grew  Cattleya  citrina  in  a  cooler  than  a  full  Cattleya 
temf  erature.  It  is  a  decided  grower  through  the  winter  with  me 
and  I  did  not  think  that,  at  periods  of  active  growth,  it  would  be 
best  pleased  with  a  winter  residence  in  a  low  degree  of  warmth. 
The  plants  are  kept  as  close  to  the  glass  as  possible,  and  as  long  as 
any  roots  are  active  I  do  not  entirely  withhold  moisture.  C.  citrina  is 
very  moderate  in  its  requirements  in  this  respect  at  its  quiet  times, 
but  I  have  never  allowed  the  pseudo-bulbs  to  shrivel.  Neither  can 
I  say  from  experience  that  it  will  not  flourish  in  a  cool  house,  and  it 
is  only  in  response  to  a  kind  invitation  from  the  Journal  for  corre-, 
spondents  to  say  what  they  have  done  with  Cattleya  citrina,  that  I 
make  bold  to  state  my  way  with  it. — F.  D.  Horner. 
BROCCOLI. 
In  a  season  when  green  vegetables  are  scarce,  the  value  of  good 
quarters  of  Broccoli  can  hardly  be  over-estimated.  Snow’s  Winter 
White,  for  instance,  is  one  of  the  most  useful,  filling  the  breach  after 
the  autumn  Cauliflowers  are  past.  It  is  hardy  and  good, 
a  medium  sized  nice  white  curd  on  stems  about  18  inches  high. 
Only  too  often  the  Snows  sold,  especially  by  local  seedsmen,  grow 
nearer  a  yard  in  height,  and  either  they  do  not  show  a  curd  at  all,  or 
we  get  one  about  2  inches  across  late  in  the  season,  when  better 
varieties  are  in.  There  are  plenty  of  good  midseason  sorts  that  will 
keep  up  a  succession  from  quite  early  in  the  year  until  the  end  of 
April.  “Two  capital  ones  are  Vanguard  and  Safeguard,  the  former 
bein*^  earlier  than  the  latter,  but  not  so  hardy.  Eclipse  may  be  grown 
where  medium  size  heads  are  required,  and  though  after  the  end  of 
April  Broccoli  is  hardly  needed,  if  there  is  room  for  growing  hand-light 
and  frame  Cauliflowers,  there  are  many  places  whe:e  conveniences  do 
not  exist  for  the  purpose.  ,  .  t  u 
I  grow  a  large  number  of  late  Broccoli,  and  two  of  the  best  1 
tried  are  Methveu’s  June  and  Late  Queen.  There  are  few  more  useful 
