February  12,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AFD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
135 
Cypripedium  oenanthum  superbum. 
Three  useful  old  Cypripediuius  have  been  concerned,  directly 
or  indirectly,  in  the  production  of  this  handsome  hybrid,  and  it 
might  therefore  be  expected  to  exhibit,  as  it  does,  a  combination 
of  excellent  characters.  One  of  the  earliest  hybrids  raised  in 
this  genus  was  C.  Harrisianum,  which  Mr.  Dominy  obtained 
from  C.  barbatmn  and  C.  villosum,  the  only  other  hybrid  Cypri¬ 
pedium  secured  by  the  same  raiser  being  C.  vexillarium  'from 
C.  barbatum  and  C.  Fairrieanum.  Emplojdng  G.  Harrisianum 
as  one  parent,  Mr.  Seden  crossed  it  with  C.  insigne  Maulei,  and 
from  the  seed  thus  obtained  C.  oenanthum  was  raised.  There 
is  always  much  difference  in  the  seedlings  from  any  cross,  and 
so  in  this  case  one  proved  much  superior  to  the  others,  and 
received  the  title  C.  oenanthum  superbum,  as  in  another  example 
we  have  C.  Leeanum,  and  C.  Leeanum  from  similar  crosses 
between  C.  insigne  and  C.  Spicerianuni.  C.  oenanthum 
supexbum,  of  which  a  flower  is  shown,  partakes  somewhat  of 
the  characters  of  C.  insigne  Maulei,  having  a  margin  of 
white  to  the  dorsal  sepal,  which  is  of  a  purplish  red  colour  in  the 
centre,  and  lines  of  nearly  black  spots.  The  petals  are  of  similar 
colour,  also  with  dark  spots,  and  the  lower  sepals  are  greenish. 
It  was  sent  out  by  Messrs.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Chelsea,  many  years 
^ago,  and  is  now  itself  largely  used  as  a  parent  by  hybridists. 
A  Cold  Medal  Odontoglossum. 
At  Tuesday’s  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  one 
Orchid  was  the  cynosure  of  all  eyes.  This  was  Odontoglossum 
crispum,  var.  Cooksonise,  a  flower  as  i^erfect  in  form  as  it  was 
bi-ight  and  distinct  in  its  colouring.  We  describe  its  characters 
under  plants  certificated  in  our  report  of  the  exhibition  in  the 
present  issue,  but  may  remark  here  that,  besides  the  F.C.C. 
awarded,  it  was  additionally  honoured  with  a  Gold  Medal,  an 
almost  unique  distinction. 
Tbe  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
The  large  single  stemmed  disti6hous-leaved  Orchids,  such  as 
Saccolabiums,  Aerides,  and  Vandas,  are  not  as  much  grown  as 
formerly,  but  many  orchidists  still  keep  to  their  old  loves. 
Just  at  present  there  is  not  much  life  apparent  in  them,  and 
they  seem  to  be  still  at  rest;  but  it  is  only  a  matter  n"ow  of  a 
week  or  two  before  they  will  be  in  full  growth,  and  as  root 
action  commences  earlier  than  with  some  other  sorts,  it  is 
important  that  new  sweet  material  is  supplied  for  the  roots  to 
take  hold  of  when  they  appear. 
There  are  often  old  leggy  specimens,  iDossibly  objects  of  mis¬ 
taken  kindness  in  the  past ;  plants  that  have  been  rushed  on 
to  specimen  size  in  great  heat  and  moisture.  These,  when  a 
cold  or  long  winter  comes,  lose  the  leaves  that  were  put  on  in 
such  a  hurry,  and  are  the  reverse  of  ornamental.  In  some 
cases  they  may  be  improved  by  lowering  them  in  the  pots  or 
baskets,  and  bringing  the  sphagnum  and  crocks  that  form  the 
bulk  of  their  compost  higher  up  the  stems.  Others  may  be  too 
far  gone  even  for  this,  and  nothing  short  of  cutting  them  oft 
and  starting  them  going  on  their  own  account  will  be  of  any 
use.  This  must  not  be  done  all  at  once,  or  probably  the  plant 
will  be  killed  outright. 
The  stem  should  be  cut  about  half-way  through,  and  some 
loose  moss  placed  above  the  point  of  notching  to  keep  the  stem 
moist  and  encourage  the  production  of  stem  roots.  Syringe 
the  moss  daily  when  bright,  and  as  soon  as  the  roots  are  seen 
to  be  pushing  freely  through  it,  sever  the  stem  entirely  and 
place  it  in  a  new  pot. 
The  old  specimen  may  then  be  kept  on  the  dry  side,  when- 
back  breaks  will  ajjpear,  making  eventually  a  better  furnished 
plant  than  before.  Where  the  plants  are  not  so  bad,  and  only 
require  a  little  rearrangement  of  the  compost,  this  can  usually 
be  done  by  burrowing  with  the  hands  and  a  pointed  stick, 
removing  all  old  and  decayed  sphagnum  and  dirty  crocks,  and 
replacing  with  new  and  sweet  material. 
Until  the  roots  are  getting  well  away,  water  only  mode¬ 
rately;  but  when  the  large  fleshy  roots  are  active,  then  few 
Orchids  need  more  moisture.  This  refers  more  particularly  to 
the  strong  growers;  for  the  weaker  ones,  such  as  the  small 
growing  Angrtecums  and  Phalsenopsis,  it  will  be  safer  to  wait 
for  a  time. 
Very  little  in  the  way  of  compost  is  needed  hero;  just  a 
light  surfacing  of  fresh  green  moss  over  a  thorough  drainage  of 
clean  crocks.  When  the  roots  are  much  entwined  about  the 
rods  of  the  baskets,  it  needs  special  care  to  remove  the  decay¬ 
ing  roots  and  moss  without  injury  to  the  living  healthy 
portions,  a  sharp  knife  in  skilful  hands  being  the  best  tool. 
Whatever  soap  is  used  in  the  cleaning  of  steins  or  roots,  sec 
that  all  traces  of  it  are  thoroughly  swilled  off. — H.  R. 
Some  Typical  Gardens. 
V. —  The  Suburban  Garden. 
A  familiar  figure  on  the  suburban  platform  at  Waterloo 
Station  is  an  individual  who  comes  in  every  morning  from 
out  Clapham  way  somewhere,  and  returns  by  the  same 
train  every  evening  as  regularly  as  clockwork,  except  on 
Saturdays,  when  he  leaves  soon  after  midday.  There  is 
nothing  extraordinary  about  him,  and  he  differs  only 
in  looks  from  thousands  of  other  tall-hatted  and  frock-coated 
individuals  who  flock  to  London  City  every  day  like  so  many 
bees.  How  he  occupies  his  time  between  the  hours  of 
coming  and  going  doesn’t  matter.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with 
his  business,  but  I  am  selecting  him  and  his  suburban 
garden  as  my  type  for  the  purpose  of  this  article  out  of  the 
host  of  individuals  known  as  City  men  Avho  are  not  at  all 
unlike  him. 
There  is  nothing  horticultural  about  the  look  of  him  in 
the  morning  as  he  steps  from  the  train  and  fights  to  be  first 
Cypripedium  oenanthum  superbum. 
.hrough  the  ticket  barrier  along  with  the  rest  of  them; 
mt  in  the  evening  he  takes  things  more  leisurely.  Moreover, 
le  frequently  carries  something  under  his  arm  that  objects 
;o  undue  crushing,  and  for  the  sake  of  this  he  steps  aside 
ind  lets  someone  else  pass  in  front.  The  something  1  le  ei 
,0  takes  different  forms.  ^  ^ 
Sometimes  it  is  a  little  bundle  of  Pansy  roots  that  he  has 
purchased  from  a  barrow^  in  Farringdon  Street;  on  another 
iccasion  it  is  a  selection  of  Rose  trees  that  he  happened  to 
jick  up  cheap  in  an  auction  room  during  his  dinner-hour, 
jr  it  may  be  a  choice  selection  of  bedding  plants,  or  a  parcel 
)f  bulbs  that  were  offered  at  a  figure  so  loiv  that  he  couldn  l 
'esist  the  temptation  ;  but  in  every  case  you  may  depend 
;hat  it  is  something  for  that  little  walled-in  enclosure  out  in 
;he  suburbs  that  he  proudly  refers  to  as  his  garden.  He  is 
i6t  the  only  man  who  returns  home  similarly  burdened,  and 
:hese  gardening  spirits  have  knocked  up  an  acquaintance- 
ihip  which  prompts  them  to  travel  in  the  same  compartment 
ind  discuss  horticultural  topics  as  the  train  passes  through 
-he  maze  of  smoke  and  chimney  stacks  till  Vauxhall  is 
^^^There  is  an  element  of  friendly  rivalry  amongst  them, 
Lvhich  is  most  apparent  in  the  morning  when  one  appears 
