August  2,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
97 
Lselio-Cattleya  Canhamiana  alba. 
This  bigener  was  exhibited  for  the  first  time  at  a  meeting  of  the 
Boyal  Horticultural  Society,  held  in  the  Drill  Hall.  Buckingham  Gate, 
'Westminster,  on  June  26ih,  1894,  when  it  was  adjudged  a  well 
was  exhibited  by  Mr.  W.  H.  White,  Orchid  grower  to  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence,  Bart.,  Burford  Lodge,  Dorking,  and  attracted  a  consider¬ 
able  amount  of  attention  from  the  people  present.  The  basal  colour 
of  the  sepals  is  green  with  white  at  the  lower  portion  and  brown 
blotches  ;  the  petals  are  practically  of  the  same  hue. 
Oncidium  Lanceanum. 
We  have  few  more  beautiful  Oncidiums  than  this  in  cultivation. 
When  in  good  condition  the  fine  spotted  foliage  alone  is  very  orna¬ 
mental,  but  the  flowers  have  a  charm  about  them  that  is  difficult  to 
describe.  The  grotesque  shape,  the  pleasing  contrast  of  the  rich 
chocolate  and  yellow  petals  with  the  violet  ]  urple  lip,  and  the 
fragrance  all  combine  to  make  this  a  truly  beautiful  flower. 
■  merited  first-class  certificate  by  the  Orchid  Committee.  It  is  a 
decidedly  handsome  flower,  that  resulted  from  a  cross  between  Lselia 
purpurata  and  Cattleya  Mossiae,  and  it  is  admirably  portrayed  in  the 
illustrat'on  (fig.  26).  As  will  be  seen,  the  flower  is  large;  and  whilst 
the  sepals  and  petals  are  white,  the  lip  is  rich  crimson  purple,  with 
yellow  lines  at  the  base  of  the  inner  portion.  This  is  in  particular 
reply  to  “H.  T.  M.,”  but  will  also  be  of  interest  to  other  readers  of 
-the  Journal  of  Horticulture. 
Maxillaria  scurrilis. 
This  very  remarkable  Orchid  was  exhibited  at  the  Drill  Hall  on 
July  17th,  and  was  recommended  for  a  first-class  certificate  by  the 
Orchid  Committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  Our  illustration 
(fig.  28,  page  99)  represents  M.  scurrilis  at  half  size,  as  had  it  been 
reproduced  natural  size  the  extraordinary  ribbon-like  sepals  and  petals 
would  have^  spread  over  about  three-quarters  of  a  page.  The  plant 
0.  Lanceanum,  unfortunately,  is  n^  t  easy  of  cultivation,  and  it  is 
sad  to  see  so  many  fine  plants  imported  yearly,  only  to  drag  out  a 
miserable  existence  for  a  few  seasons  and  then  be  consigned  to  the 
rubbish  heap.  .  ,  . 
A  frequent  cause  of  failure  is  leaving  it  too  long  m  the  same 
compost,  especially  if  this  is  largely  composed  of  peat.  Although  th’s 
Oncidium  dislikes  frequent  disturbance  at  the  root,  it  must  have  new 
material  by  surfacing  or  otherwise  at  l^st  every  second  year,  ihe 
growth  is  always  finer  from  peat  fibre  than  from  sphagnum,  but  1 
invariably  use  more  of  the  latter  than  the  former  when  potting  this 
Orchid.  This  seems  rather  paradoxical,  but  the  future  of  the  plant  has 
to  be  considered,  and  it  is  better  to  be  content  with  mediurn  results  tor 
an  indefinite  period  than  to  have  more  vigorous  growth  for  a  tew 
seasons  and  to  run  the  rhk  of  ultimate  co'lapse.  Peat,  even  ot  the 
best  description,  when  decayin?,  leaves  a  sour  humus  behind  very 
injurious  to  the  roots  of  epiphytal  Orchids.  This  cannot  be  removed 
