September  13,  1900.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
239 
Habenaria  Susaunse. 
This  Orchid  is  so  rarely  seea  that  we  cannot  be  surprised  to  learn 
that  “A  Journeyman”  has  not  seen  it  in  flower.  It  has  occasionally 
been  exhibited  at  the  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society, 
and  on  one  of  these  was  recommended  by  the  Orchid  Committee  for 
a  first-class  certihcate.  At  the  time  that  this  honour  was  awarded 
to  it  we  wrote  in  the  paries  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  as  follows  : — 
“  This  is  a  charming  Orchid,  bat  it  is  said  to  be  somewhat  difficult 
to^' grow,  which  may 
account  for  its  scarcity 
in  gardens.  The  flowers 
are,  however,  very  beau¬ 
tiful,  and  were  it  possible 
to  induce  Habenaria 
Susannas  to  grow  and 
blossom  freely  it  would 
be  a  decided  acquisition. 
Theengraving  pcurtrays 
the  character  of  the 
flowers  so  well  that  a 
description  of  them  is 
euperduous.”  We  trust 
this  information  will 
meet  the  wants  of  our 
correspondent,  and  that 
he  may  soon  enjoy  the 
sight  of  one  of  these 
beautiful  flowers. 
Xtattleya  Eldorado. 
The  varieties  of  this 
Orchid  are  numerous, 
varying  as  they  do  from 
pure  white  tothe  darkest 
shades  of  colour,  and 
are  invaluable  for  orna¬ 
mental  purposes  as  well 
as  for  cutting  during 
the  autumn  months.  To 
grow  the  plants  well 
they  should  be  grown 
at  the  warmer  end  of 
a  heated  greenhouse, 
where  a  good  supply  of 
moisture  can  be  ma  n- 
tained  during  the  season 
of  growth .  T hey  appear 
also  to  enjoy  more  water 
at  their  roots  than  the 
majority  of  Cattleyas. 
Where  the  plants  have 
been  grown  warm  they 
will  have  completed 
their  growth  and  have 
commenced  to  show 
their  flower  sheaths. 
When  they  reach  this 
stage  remove  them  to 
the  coolest  and  lightest 
end  of  the  house,  so 
that  their  pseudo-bulbs  will  become  thoroughly  ripened.  The 
supply  of  moisture  may  be  gradually  diminished,  but  on  no  account 
should  they  be  allowed  to  become  so  dry  as  to  prematurely  ripen 
them.  Although  this  Orchid  enjoys  liberal  supplies  of  water  at 
its  roots  during  the  growing  season,  it  cannot  endure  large  quantities 
of  wet  unoccupied  soil.  Being  only  of  moderate  growth  it  does  best 
when  somewhat  limited  in  its  root  space ;  in  fact,  succeeds  admirably 
'in  a  basket  suspended  from  the  roof,  or  on  a  good  sized  block  with  a 
.little  sphagnum. — Specialist. 
Oncidium  flexuoaum. 
Though  this  species  is  thought  little  of  iKiwadays  there  can  be  no 
two  ideas  as  to  its  great  utility  for  cutting  or  its  beauty  either  on  the 
plant  or  cut.  It  is  so  easy  to  cultivate  that  anyone  with  a  small  green¬ 
house  with  a  moist  atmosphere  and  fairly  well  heated  may  grow  it  to 
perfection.  I  have  always  found  it  the  best  way  to  let  the  plant  have 
its  way,  so  to  speak,  and  to  flower,  rest,  or  grow  as  it  likes,  not  to 
force  it  to  rest  or  grow  at  any  given  time.  Several  spikes  are  very 
often  produced  from  the  same  bulb,  and  these  being  cut  fairly  high, 
break  again  into  a  number  of  small  and  pretty  sprays,  useful  for 
buttonholes. 
As  distinct  from  0.  altissimum,  0.  sphacelatum,  and  similar  kinds, 
0.  flexuosum  has  far  more  graceful  panicles,  and  the  stems  being  small 
and  wiry,  the  flowers  look  very  light  and  pretty.  To  do  it  well  a  fairly 
large  pot  is  necessary,  and  a  rough  open  compost.  But  small  or  weak 
bits  must  be  carefully  treated  if  they  are  to  make  good  plants,  small  and 
shallow  pans  with  very  little  compost  being  best  for  them. —  H.  R.  R. 
Oncidinm  Jonesiauum. 
Few  Orchids  are  more  beautiful  suspended  from  the  roof  of  a  house. 
The  lip,  which  is  pure  white,  is  very  conspicuous  with  the  richly  spotted 
sepals  and  petals 
beh’ud.  The  free- 
doni  with  which  it 
flowers  and  the 
length  of  time  tl:  at 
the  flowers  Rst 
should  commend 
it  in  this  respect 
to  all,  however 
limited  the  collec¬ 
tion  may  be.  It  is 
only  right,  how¬ 
ever,  to  point  out 
that  few  Orchids 
are  more  seriously 
injured  than  this 
by  flowering  early 
and  the  flowers 
remaining  on  the 
plants  until  they 
fade,  Imported 
plants  very  often 
flower  profusely, 
even  before  they 
have  established 
themselves.  It  is 
a  mistake  to  allow 
them  to  do  so,  or 
even  allow  them  to 
retain  their  flowers 
long  after  the  first 
season’s  growth. 
Plants  that  are 
allowed  to  flower 
from  the  first 
gradually  dwindle 
and  eventually  die. 
They  will  be  found 
to  do  best  on  blocks  of  wood  that  are  moderately  rough  outside,  so  that 
they  are  capable  of  holding  moisture  for  a  greater  length  of  time.  A 
little  sphagnum  on  the  block  is  also  useful  for  this  purpose.  It 
:  thrives  far  better  in  the  Odontoglossum  house  than  in  the  structure 
devoted  to  Cattleyas. 
Cattleya  Gaekelliana. 
‘♦‘This  favourite  species  also  is  now  in  full  beauty,  and  it  is  very 
valuable  on  account  of  its  flowering  after  C.  Mossiae  is  over.  There 
are  some  splendid  types  in  cultivation,  many  of  them  coming 
near  to  0.  gigas  in  size,  and  very  richly  coloured.  If  the  plants 
are  removed  to  a  cooler  and  drier  atmosphere  while  in  bloom  it  will 
serve  the  double  purpose  of  ripening  the  bulbs  and  conserving  the 
flowers  over  a  longer  period  than  would  be  the  case  if  they  remained 
in  the  house  where  grown. 
Disa  lacera. 
This  has  repeatedly  been  described  as  the  “  blue  Disa,”  and 
generally  excites  some  interest.  The  flowers  are  small,  of  a  bluish 
I  purple  hue,  and  are  produced  on  a  slender  scape  without  leave.s. 
j  Alone  it  is  not  a  very  conspicuous  plant,  but  associated  with  others 
I  the  flowers  have  a  good  appearance,  owing  to  their  distinct  colour, 
though  this  is  by  no  means  the  brilliant  blue  some  might  be  led  to 
expect  from  glowing  descriptions  given  in  past  times  of  the  blue 
Disas  at  the  Cape.  It  has,  no  doubt,  been  carefully  determined,  but 
several  reliable  authors  mention  D.  lacera  as  having  white  or  whitish 
flowers. — Orchidist. 
Fu;.  03. — Habenaria  Susanna;. 
