January  15,  1903. 
47 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTIGULTUIIE  AND 
C JTTA GE  GA IIDENER. 
Cypripedium  Galatea  majus. 
This  is  a  seedling  which  resulted  from  a  cross  between  C. 
Harrisianum  and  C.  insigne.  The  flowers  of  C.  G.  majus  have 
a  fine  bold  appearance,  very  distinct  and  beautiful.  The  dorsal 
sepal  is  edged  with  pure  white,  the  centre  heavily  spotted  with 
deep  crimson;  the  lower  sepals  pale  green,  with  a  few  .spots. 
The  petals  are  purple  tinted,  tipped  with  green,  and  the  lip  is 
of  moderate  size,  with  a  polished  shining  surface,  and  of  a 
purplish  colour. 
The  Week's  Cultural  Notes. 
There  would  be  fewer  mistakes  in  Orchid  cultivating  if 
growers  thought  a  little  more  of  their  requirements  at  potting 
time.  Orchid  potting  is  quite  distinct  from  that  of  any  other 
class  of  plants.  In  potting  an  Orchid,  the  principal  points  to 
study  are  how*  to  provide  what  may  be  termed  a  mechanical 
support  and  a  slight  protection  or  moisture  conserver  to  the 
Toots.  The  first  is  the  more  important  and  must  be  attended 
to,  for  a  plant  is  bound  to  be  unsatisfactory  if  so  loosely  placed 
■in  position  that  it  rocks  about  when  the  pot  is  shaken.  The 
new  roots  as  they  form  will  be  bruised  and  die  off,  being 
extremely  brittle  and  tender,  consequently  the  plants  never 
establish  themselves  properly. 
This  is  true  not  only  of  the  true  epiphytal  kinds,  sucli  as 
Phalaenopsis  and  Dendrobiums,  but  also  of  those  liking  more 
of  a  terrestrial  holding,  such  as  Cypripediums.  But  with  these 
latter  a  much  more  liberal  amount  of  compost  is  necessary, 
consequently  the  fixing  process  is  more  easily  carried  out,  and 
the  operation  comes  nearer  to^  that  of  ordinary  potting.  In  the 
case  of  heavy  specimens  of  anj^  of  the  former  class,  stakes,  ties, 
and  various  other  supports  have  to  be  used,  and  a  very  firm 
base  be  ijrovided  for  the  plants  to  rest  on. 
The  mound  of  crocks  should  come  up  sufficiently  high  for 
this  purpose,  there  being  usually  plenty  of  room  for  all  the 
compost  needed  about  the  stems  and  p.seudo-bulbs  and  around 
the  outside  of  the  plant.  In  most  cases  the  base  of  the  plant 
should  be  elevated  a  little  above  the  rim  of  the  pot  in  order 
that  the  water,  when  poured  on  may  run  off  again,  and  not 
remain  stagnant  about  it.  Amateur  growers  will  probably  find 
considerable  difficulty  in  securely  fixing  plants  of  the  Dendro- 
bium  Pierardi  and  D.  Devonianum  class  in  anything  like  a 
natural  position. 
The  weight  of  the  long  pendant  stems  or  pseudo-bulbs  is 
very  considerable,  and  as  they  only  need  very  small  pots,  pans, 
or  baskets,  and  have  no  roots  alive  when  imported,  it  seems 
impossible,  without  burying  the  base  of  the  stems,  to  properly 
fix  them.  I  have  many  times  used  small  rough  blocks  of  woo'd 
for  fixing  these  plants  to,  wiring  them  on  firmly,  and  placing 
the  blocks  entire  in  the  pot  or  basket.  A  few  crocks  and  a 
light  surfacing  of  moss  and  peat  complete  the  arrangement, 
and  owing  to  the  immobility  of  the  block,  plants  so  treated  arc 
in  a  fair  way  to  long-continued  health  and  free  flowering. — 
H.  R.  R. 
The  Orchid  Review.* 
The  January  number  of  the  “Orchid  Review”  commences 
the  eleventh  volume  of  this  invaluable  work.  We  have  not 
recently  had  the  opportunity  of  bringing  the  “  Orchid  Review  ” 
to  notice,  and  therefore  seize  the  in’esent  occasion  for  detailing 
what  its  aims  are.  Part  of  the  original  programme  of  its  pro- 
motei’s  is  reprinted  in  the  current  is.sue  of  the  Review,  and, 
summarily  stated,  the  objects  of  this  Orchid  journal  are  to 
furnish  a  monthly  repertorium  of  information  on  every 
important  branch  of  Orchidology,  and  to  present  it  to  the  reader 
in  a  form  suitable  both  for  present  use  and  future  reference. 
Its  pages,  during  the  ten  years  through  which  it  has  passed, 
contain  a  concise  history  of  Orchid  cultivation,  and  of  the  prin- 
cipad  events  in  the  Orchid  world. 
The  “History  of  Orchid  Hybridisation,”  from  its  commence¬ 
ment  about  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century  to  date,  was 
detailed  in  the  first  volume,  and  the  “  Histoiy  of  Orchid  Culti¬ 
*  “  Th^  Orchid  Review,  an  Ilhistratetl  .Tournal  of  Orchidology.”  .Ian.,  1903.  j 
Mo.  121,  vol.  xi.  .  Price  6d.  monthly  ;  post  free,  7s.  per  annum,  payable  in  advance.  1 
vation  covers  the  period  from  1732,  when  the  first  tropical 
Orchid  (Bletia  verecunda)  flowered  in  Kngland,  down  to  1847, 
the  period  the  editor  has  now  reached. 
The  interesting  .series  of  articles  that  have  appeared  in  the 
Review,^  entitled  “  Notes  on  Orchids  in  the  Jungle,”  by  the  late. 
Major-General  Berkeley,  are  types  of  many  which  have  been 
devoted  to  Orchids  in  their  native  homes.  From  time  to  time 
accounts  of  the  leading  collections  are  given,  with  some  in  the 
United  States  and  on  tlie  Gontinent. 
In  the  pre,sent  number  we  find  the  following  titles  to 
articles:  Zygopetalum  Mackayi  as  a  parent;  Slugs!  Snails! 
and  Woodlice!  Fpidendrum  x  Kewense ;  Orchids  in  Leaf- 
mould;  Barbaric  Methods  [of  treating  Orchids];  Orchids  in 
Season;  The  Hybridist;  and  a  Calendar  of  Operations  for 
January.  These  are  but  the  headings  of  the  more  prominent 
articles,  the  lesser  and  desultory  notes  extending  over  a  number 
of  pages.  The  Urill  Hall  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
i_ociety  are  briefly  reported,  and  these  reports  are  truly  in  the 
nature  of  a  reference  record.  New  or  rare  varieties  are  figured 
from  photographs  and  accurately  described. 
It  may  be  of  more  interest  to  practical  Orchid-growers  to 
know  that  the  calciidarial  directions  are  supplied  by  IMr.  John 
Mackay,  grower  to  Mr.  Chamberlain  at  Highbury.  He  briefly 
notes  the  month’s  work  for  (1)  the  cool  house;  (2)  Cattleyas ; 
and  (3)  intermediate  and  Fast  Indian  house;  whence  he  pro¬ 
ceeds  to  furnish  cultural  and  critical  notes  on  certain  noted 
genera  and  species,  as  Lselia  Jongheana,  Cattleya  Triaiue  and 
C.  Percivaliana,  Lselia  anceps  and  its  many  varieties,  and  on 
Dendrobiums  and  Calanthes  ainongst  others.  A  department  of 
the  Review  is  devoted  to  Orchid  portraits,  being  a  record  of 
the  illustrations  of  flowers  or  plants  of  the  order  which  appear 
in  contemporary  class  journalism. 
We  cannot  conclude  this  insufficient  notice  of  an  orderly 
and  inv'aluable  serial  publication  without  naming  the  editor, 
Mr.  R.  A.  Rolfe,  A.L.S.,  who  is  its  mainstay,  as  ho  doubtle.ss 
was  its  chief  inceptor.  Mr.  Rolfe  is  a  distinguished  member 
of  the  Herbarium  Staff  at  the  Royal  Gardens.  Kew,  where  he 
lias  been  trained,  and  is  the  chief  botanical  authority  on  Orchids 
in  England.  Communications  in  connection  with  the  '*  Orchid 
Review  ”  slioidd  be  addressed  to  him  at  Lawn  Crescent,  Kew. 
