^  *0 
September  ti,  l.KK) 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
217 
Odontoglossum  Adrianae  Couatess  of  Morley. 
Orchids  were  extremely  scarce  at  the  meetinp;  ol  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  held  in  the  Drill  Hall  on  the  28th  ult.,  but  one 
or  two  were  of  exceptional  merit.  Mr.  A.  Chapman,  gardener  to 
Captain  Holford,  We.stonbirt,  Tetbury,  exhibited  about  half  a  dozen 
plants,  amongst  which  were  the  hand¬ 
some  Cypripediura  Milo  Westonbirt 
variety  (see  Journal  of  norticuUure, 
November  30th,  1899,  pige  469),  and 
"Odontoglossum  Adrianas  Countess  of 
Morley  (fig.  56).  This  is  a  very 
charming  variety,  with  flowers  of  fine 
form  and  considerable  substance.  The 
prevailing  ground  colour  is  creamy 
white,  with  spots,  bars  and  blotches 
of  chocolate  at  frequent  intervals  over 
the  whole  of  tlie  surlace.  The  Orchid 
Committee  showed  its  appieciation  by 
recommending  an  award  of  merit. 
Scnticarla  Eeyaeriana. 
This  Scuticaria,  “  G.  Lingard,”  was 
introduced  from  the  Roraima  district 
a  few  years  ago,  but  it  does  not 
appear  to  have  found  its  way  into 
many  collections.  It  has  the  same 
habit  as  the  other  species,  S.  Steeli, 
S.  Hadweni,  and  S.  Dodgsoni,  which 
are  all  South  American,  the  leaves 
being  several  feet  long,  cylindrical  or 
quill-like,  and  pendulous  ;  the  flowers 
(fig.  57)  fleshy,  with  broad  petals  and 
sepals  heavily  spotted  with  purplish 
marcon  on  a  yellowish  ground ;  the 
lip  broad,  open,  and  streaked  with  a 
similarly  dark  colour  on  a  ligoter 
base.  The  plant  is  a  handsome  one, 
owing  to  the  clear,  well  -  defined 
markings. 
Cypripedium  Stonei. 
This  Orchid  Slipper  is  worth  a 
place  in  all  gardens  where  these 
popular  flowers  are  appreciated  and 
the  requisite  heat  can  be  provided. 
Imported  and  small  partly  established 
plants  are  cheap,  and  therefore  within 
the  reach  of  all.  The  scape  carries 
two  or  three  flowers,  according  to  the 
etrength  of  the  plant.  These  rise  well 
above  the  dark  green  fob  age,  and  last 
a  long  time,  either  cut  or  upon  the 
plant.  The  flowers  are  much  more 
useful  for  cutting  than  is  the  case 
with  many  kinds  of  a  heavier  nature, 
of  which  C.  Parishi  may  be  noted  as 
an  example. 
C.  Stonei  does  well,  in  fact  grows 
luxuriantly,  in  a  stove  where  a 
general  collection  of  plants  is  accom¬ 
modated.  The  amount  of  heat,  shade, 
air,  and  moisture  usually  given  to  these  plants  where  properly 
grown,  appears  to  suit  this  Cypripedium  exactly.  It  sh  mid  be  grown 
in  a  pot  or  pan  liberally  drained,  and  in  a  compost  of  fibrous  peat  and 
sphagnum  moss  in  equal  proportions,  with  charcoal  in  lumps  freely 
intermixed.  It  will  also  grow  freely  in  fibrous  loam,  sand,  and 
charcoal,  b  it  this  compost  is  only  safe  in  the  hands  of  skilful 
cultivators,  for  it  is  liable  to  become  sour  quickly.  Peat  fibre 
from  which  the  particles  of  soil  have  been  removed  will  last  in  good 
condition  for  at  least  two  years.  The  system  of  potting  that  will  be 
recommended  may  be  sifely  followed  with  certainty  that  the  compost 
used  IS  in  a  pi;rfectly  sweet  condition  ab  mt  the  roots  of  the  plant. 
The  secret  of  growing  not  only  this,  but  all  Cypripediums,  is  to 
retain  the  medium  in  which  their  routs  are  working  sweet  and  healthy. 
The  pots  or  pans  use!  should  be  at  least  three  parts  full  of  drainage, 
carefully  arranged  with  the  hollow  side  downwards,  and  over  these  a 
thin  layer  of  living  sphagnum  moss.  Peat  fibre  will  answer  the  same 
purpose,  and  this  is  preferable  on  account  of  its  lasting  qualities.  Trie 
pot,  almost  level  to  its  rim,  should  be  filled  entirely  with  peat  tib'o 
and  charcoal,  carefully  worked  amongst  the  roots,  n  >  moss  being  used. 
The  remaining  portion,  or  all  that  is  placed  above  the  rim  of  the  pot, 
should  condst  of  the  peat  fibre,  sphagnum  moss  in  a  livin j;  state,  and 
charcoal,  mixed  together,  with  a  good  layer  of  the  moss  on  the  surface, 
which  should  be  induced  to  grow  freely.  By  this  method  of  potting, 
the  moss,  which  decomposes  in  a  season,  can  be  picked  out  every 
spring  just  as  growth  commences  and  new  supplied.  The  moss  need 
only  be  removed  the  first  season  after  potting,  and  the  fibre  as  well  the 
following  season — that  is  the  whole  above  the  rim  of  the  pot.  This 
will  insure  the  roots,  or  at  least  the  majority  of  theoi,  being  in  perfectly 
fresh  sweet  material  until  the  plants  require  repotting  or  larger  pots, 
which  will  be  the  case  after  the  second 
year  if  they  grow  and  do  well.  When 
repotting  them  every  particle  of  the 
compost  used  should  be  removed  from 
amongst  the  roots  and  replaced  with 
new,  which  will  insure  the  plants 
remaining  perfectly  healthy  provided 
the  other  treatment  is  satisfactory. 
While  growing  this  plant  requires 
abundance  of  water  both  over  the 
loliage  and  at  the  roots ;  in  fact  at  no 
season  of  the  year  should  the  mate¬ 
rial  about  the  roots  be  allowed  to 
become  dry.  Great  care  must  be 
exercised  not  to  apply  cold  water 
direct  from  the  main,  either  to  the 
foliage  or  the  roots,  or  the  foliage  of 
this  variety  will  spot,  which  dis¬ 
figures  them.  The  foliage  should  be 
kept  perfectly  free  from  in-ects,  and 
grown  in  a  winter  temperature  of 
■  60°  to  65°  by  night,  with  a  rise  of  5° 
or  10°  by  day.  During  summer  the 
night  temperature  should  range  from 
70°  to  75°,  with  a  corresponding  rise 
of  10°  or  15°,  or  even  more  by  sun 
heat  after  the  house  has  been  closed. 
—A.  S.. 
Notes  from  Ireland. 
Fig.  57. — Scuticaria  Keyseriana. 
Big  with  promise  came  the  summer 
of  the  passing  century  ;  now,  as  au¬ 
tumn  rapidly  approaches,  hopes  de¬ 
ferred  have  slowly  but  surely  become 
fears  realised.  Tiue  it  is  that  circum¬ 
stances  bring  this  more  forcibly  home 
to  the  farmer  than  to  the  gardener,  for 
the  latter  may  possibly  find  sufficient 
satisfaction  to  balance  sad  reflections. 
The  garden  and  the  field,  however, 
are  very  near,  so  near  (in  Ireland,  at 
least)  that  duties  which  commence  in 
the  one  only  end  in  the  other,  bo 
gardening  and  farming  often  go  hand 
in  hand,  and  no  amount  of  fruit  will 
compensate  for  damaged  hay,  bad 
Potatoes,  and  rotting  corn.  The  ultra 
luxuriance  of  the  most  important 
crops  has  been  their  downfall,  as 
electric  forces  opened  wide  the  flood¬ 
gates  of  heaven  and  the  burden  of 
waters  saturated  the  land.  With  such  stern  facts  daily  presented  to 
one’s  mind  in  some  shape  or  form  it  is  difficult  to  prevent  notes  being 
monopolised  by  them  to  the  exclusion  of  brighter  things  in  strict 
relation  to  the  garden.  . 
As  we  are  now  trimming  up  the  Strawberry  beds  pleasant  recol¬ 
lections  prevail  of  the  marvellous  crop  which  commenced  ripening 
early  in  June.  Fruit  of  Royal  Sovereign  from  last  year’s  runners  was 
simply  superb,  and  Strawberries  generally  through  the  county  of 
Dublin  were  ouickly  transformed  by  sunshine  and  shower  from 
snowy  sheets  of  bloom  into  what  is  now  but  a  happy  memory. 
General  observation,  rather  than  personal  experience,  can  also  bear 
witness  to  satisfactory  conditions  with  bush  fruits  generally.  Apples 
and  Pears,  too,  have  swelled  up  under  the  late  abnormal  rainfall  into 
bright,  handsome  fruit.  From  farther  afield  good  reports  of  the  fruit 
crops  are  to  hand.  Mr.  Bedford,  writing  from  Straffan,  Kildare,  says, 
