February  26,  1905.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
177 
Notes  from  the  South  of  Ireland. 
Cypripedium  x  J.  Wilson  Potter. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on 
January  27,  this  hybrid  was  staged  before  the  Orchid  Committee 
by  J.  Wilson  Potter,  Esq.  (grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  Young),  of 
Elmwood,  Park  Hill  Road,  Croydon,  when  an  Award  of  Merit 
was  given.  It  was  thought  to  be  a  cross  between  C.  Harrisianum 
superbum  and  C.  x  Charlesworthi,  although  it  bears  a  slight 
resemblance  to  C.  x  Bingleyense.  It  is  a  beautifully  rounded 
flower,  the  dorsal  sepal  and  the  thick  petals  being  especially 
fine.  Few  Cypripeds,  too,  have  the  quality  of  substance  to  the 
degree  that  this  one  has,  and  the  smooth,  satiny  surface  reflects 
the  light  markedly.  The  dorsal  sepal  is  rose-purple,  with  a 
broad,  silvery  edge,  the  petals,  inward-curving  at  the  tips,  are 
dark  mahogany-red,  the  lip  the  same  colour.  It  is  a  very  dis¬ 
tinctive  hybrid,  and  good  in  many  special  points.  Our  figure  is 
from  a  drawing  by  Mr.  Geo.  Shayler. 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
It  seems  almost  absurd  to  be  writing  (on  a  dull  day  in 
February  when  it  has  hardly  been  light,  and  lamps  are  needed 
early  in  the  afternoon)  respecting  shading,  but  there  is  no  know¬ 
ing  how  soon  we  may  be  favoured  with  brighter  weather,  and  it 
is  best  not  to  be  caught  napping  with  the  blinds  not  up  and 
no  means  of  protection  to  the  sensitive  foliage  of  our  plants. 
Plants,  by  the  way,  are  made  still  more  sensitive  owing  to  the 
dull,  sunless  winter  recently  just  passed  through.  About  the 
methods  of  shading  and  the  various  materials  used  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  it  is  not  necessary  here  to  speak,  but  it  is  imperative  that 
these  are  got  ready,  and  that  without  delay. 
Especially  is  this  the  case  with  the  beautiful  Phalaenopsis. 
Everything  depends  upon  the  foliage  remaining  in  good  con¬ 
dition,  for  once  any  part  of  a  leaf  is  injured  it  is  a  matter  of 
a  short  time  only  before  that  leaf  falls,  to  the  great  detriment 
of  the  plant.  Again,  the  flowers  of  Cattleyas, 
Odontoglots,  and  others  of  delicate  texture  are 
ruined  in  a  very  short  time  by  bright  sunshine 
after  a  dull  period,  though  possibly  the  exposure 
of  the  plants  would  do  them  good  by  drying  up 
superfluous  moisture  about  the  leads  and  young 
roots,  enabling  the  grower  to  ventilate  more  freely. 
Miltonia  vexillaria  is  now  growing  freely,  and 
calls  for  attention.  Unlike  some  other  species, 
this  delightful  plant  forms  its  flower  spikes  in  the 
young  growth,  bringing  the  lovely  blossoms  to 
perfection  at  or  about  the  same  time  that  the 
pseudo-bulbs  are  completed.  It  will,  therefore, 
need  ample  root  moisture  now,  and  as  much 
atmospheric  moisture  as  is  consistent  with  the 
outside  conditions.  Thrips  are  well  known  and 
outside  conditions.  Thrips  are  persistent  enemies 
to  this  species,  and  fumigation  should  be  attended 
to  regularly. 
Occasional  sponging  of  the  leaves  and  pseudo¬ 
bulbs  with  .soapy  water  and  tobacco  juice  is  help¬ 
ful,  for  cleanliness  is  of  the  utmost  importance 
in  the  culture  of  this  fine  plant.  I  have  always 
found  that  a  little  more  warmth  than  the  Odonto- 
glossum  house  affords  is  be.st  for  it,  though  I 
know  I  am  going  against  the  tenets  of  some  suc¬ 
cessful  growers.  If  the  plants  are  kept  clean  the 
heat  and  moisture  of  the  Cattleya  house  is  none 
too  great  for  it  while  growing,  but,  of  course, 
if  heat  is  pressed  in  and  no  care  taken  to  keep 
down  insects,  these  rapidly  destroy  all  chance  of 
the  plant  doing  well. — H.  R.  R. 
Orchids  at  the  Drill  Hall. 
Last  Tuesday’s  meeting  of  the  R.H.S.  brought 
forward  a  very  large  number  of  Orchids  from 
different  parties.  One  of  the  best  was  undoubtedly 
Messrs.  J.  and  A.  A.  McBean’s  spotted  Odonto- 
glossum  crispum,  named  Grace  Ruby.  It  is  a 
form  likely  to  improve  as  it  gains  strength.  The 
firin  parted  with  the  plant  at  a  high  figure  wo 
believe,  and  eighty  guineas  was  refused  for  a 
much  less  meritorious  Odontoglot  on  the  same 
stand.  Mr.  Salter,  from  Reigate,  had  some  fine 
crossed  Dendrobes,  the  one  bearing  hts  own  name 
being  the  best  of  the  set.  Both  Sir  Trevor  Law¬ 
rence,  Bart.,  and  Capt.  Holford  staged  choice 
plants,  the  latter’s  group  being  exceptionallv 
There  is  a  general  consensus  of  opinion  that  the  social, 
scenic,  and_  gardening  outlook  in  Ireland  the  last  week  in 
1  ebruarjq  1903,  is  much  brighter  and  cheerier  than  for  some 
yeais  past,  notwithstanding  that,  unlike  most  other  countries 
o  the  world,  the  jiopulatiqn  still  decreases.  A  vast  amount  of 
t  le  social  side  of  Ireland  hinges  on  the  question  of  the  land,  and 
appearances  are  all  in  favour  of  a  happier  state  of  things  in 
1  ,  P’  promised  in  the  King’s  Speech,  dual  ownership 
s  lall  be  a  thing  of  the  past.  Indeed,  already  in  that  respect  the 
scriptural  picture  seems  near  realisation,  that  “  the  wolf  and 
IrdancF^”  ^  down  together  ”  in  a  happy  and  peaceful 
Heie  \ye  have  had  a  singularly  mild  winter,  with  one  short 
spell  in  the  beginning  of  January.  Vegetation  is  unusually 
roiward;  and  tor  the  past  three  weeks  the  thermometer  was 
seldom,  night  or  day,  below  45deg  Fall.  A  fortnight  since  tin' 
sou  was  so  dry,  and  in  such  a  tempting  workable  condition,  I 
got  m  my  early  Potatoes,  Broad  Beans,  early  Peas,  &o.,  but 
ordinarily  March  1  is  good  time.  Looking  through  the  fruit 
trees,  I  notice  two  Pears  unasually  precocious  in  full  blossom, 
but,  presumably,  except  no  frost  conies,  I  shall  get  no  fruit  off 
theiii.  Outdoor  wall  Peaches,  Apricots,  and  Nectarines  have 
their  blossoms  formed,  and  will  expand  in  a  few  sunny  days.  I 
piotect  mine  with  boards,  supported  overhead.  The  protection 
against  frost  is  only  nominal,  but  in  case  of  cold  drenching  rains, 
most  materia],  and  more  durable  than 
tittany,  while  not  excluding  warm  sunshine. 
In  town  gardens  like  mine,  and  with  trees  some  yeara  estab¬ 
lished,  a  mulching  of  old  rotten  farmyard  manure  and  loam 
given  even  yet,  may  help  materially,  to  retain  fruit  buds’ 
Nothing  IS  so  common  as  hearing  that  such  and  such  Pear  or 
Plum,  or  Cherry  trees,  were  covered  with  blossom,  and  that ’not 
a  vestige  of  fruit  appears.  To  prevent  this  I  am  a  firm  believer 
in  rich  top-dressings,  or  even  good  doses  of  liquid  manure,  to 
retain  the  buds  and ,  maintain  the  vitality  of  the  embryo  fruit 
buds.  Although  the  weather  has  assumed  a  more  winterlv 
aspect,  the  fields  are  a  bright  green,  and  stead3^  farming  and 
gardening  progress  has  been  the  result  of  the  past  month’s 
operations.  That  bodes  well  for  the  coming  spring  and  summer. _ 
W.  J.  Murphy,  Clonmel. 
Cypripedium  x  J.  Wilson  Potter. 
