October  25,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
373 
Sophro-Cattleya  eximea. 
A  cross  between  the  glowing  Sophronitis  grandiflora  and  Oaltleja 
Bowringiana  one  would  naturally  expect  to  be  a  finely  coloured  and 
showy  hybrid,  and  considerable  interest  is  always  taken  in  this 
(fig.  103)  when  exhibited  as  it  was  by  Messrs.  Veitch  at  a  recent  Drill 
Hall  meeting.  It  is  by  no  means  the  most  recent  of  Mr.  Seden’s 
raising,  the  beautiful  S.-O.  Queen  Empress  of  last  season  being  a 
splendid  addition  to  a  class  now  becoming  numerous.  Anyway,  this 
able  hybridist  continues  his  good  work. 
Epldendrum  sceptrum. 
Doubtless  many  others  betide  myself  were  glad  to  rub  up  their 
acquaintance  with  this  fine  old  Orchid  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  October 
9th,  when  a  couple 
of  fine  cut  spikes 
were  shown  by  Sir 
Trevor  Lawrence.  It 
has  not  been  ex¬ 
hibited  at  all  fre¬ 
quently  of  late  years, 
and  is  by  no  means 
a  common  plant  in 
collections,  though  it 
has  been  known  for 
upwards  of  half  a 
century.  In  the 
early  forties  it  was 
discovered  by  the 
late  Mens.  Linden, 
growing,  it  is  said, 
upon  dead  and 
dying  trees  in  New 
Grenada. 
The  species  is  a 
very  fine  one  for 
autumn  decoration, 
the  long  loose  spikes 
of  flowers  being 
graceful  and  orna¬ 
mental  in  a  cool 
intermediate  house. 
The  plant  is  pseudo- 
bulbous,  and  the 
spikes  appear  at  the 
apex  of  the  growth, 
between  the  leaves. 
The  blossoms  are 
variable  in  size  and 
colouring,  the  best 
forms  being  about 
inch  across,  deep  yellow,  with  spots  of  dark  vinous  purple.  The  roots 
are  not  particularly  vigorous,  and  may  be  confined  to  pots  of  medium 
size,  these  being  well  drained  and  filled  with  a  free  open  compost  of 
peat,  moss,  and  crocks  or  charcoal.  During  the  active  growing  season 
an  ample  supply  of  water  is  necessary  at  the  roots  and  in  the 
atmosphere,  but  after  a  fair  amount  of  ripening  in  autumn  the  plants 
■should  be  allowed  cooler  andjdrier  winter  quarters. — H.  R.  R. 
- «.».» - 
.  ,  I(ardy  Flowers  in  October. 
Thebe  is  deep  pathos  in  these  autumn  days,  when  we  see  before 
us  the  withered  flowers  and  fading  leaves,  which  in  the  height  of 
summer  or  in  early  autumn’s  golden  days  gave  us  delight.  It  is  small 
consolation  to  us  to  do  what  the  poet  speaks  of  when  he  says: — 
“  And  if  one  sits  on'somerpensive  bole 
With  curtained  eyes,  when  every  wind  is  still. 
The  falling  leaves  in  grave  October’s  bowers 
Sound  just  like  April’s  gaily  pattering  showers.” 
We  feel  too  strongly  that  we  are  parting  quickly  from  our  flowers  to 
■draw  much  comfort  from  such  illusions  as  these. 
Weather  conditions  have  added  to  the  natural  gloom  of  the  time. 
Almost  unceasing  rain  for  days  at  a  time  robbed  us  of  many  flowers 
which  would  otherwise  have  been  longer  with  us.  The  Meadow 
Saffron  or  the  Crocus  loves  not  a  deluge,  and  revels  only  in  the  sunlight 
or  the  calm  weather.  Thus  we  have  not  enjoyed  to  their  full  these 
flowers,  which  in  late  autumn  are  wont  to  bring  us  pleasure  with 
their  blossoms.  Some,  more  sturdy  than  others,  witl^stood  rain  and 
wind  better  than  many,  but  even  these  did  not  show  themselves  to 
advantage,  as  they  refuse  to  open  when  the  clouds  draw  a  veil  over 
the  sun,  and  pour  rain  incessantly  upon  the  flowers.  But  for  this  we 
would  have  had  more  pleasure  than  usual  from  these  flowers.  Among 
Meadow  Saffrons  we  have  had  several  forms  of  Colchicum  speciosum, 
and  a  number  of  others  ot  greater  or  lesser  size  and  beauty.  One 
never  tires  of  such  flowers  as  Colchicum  Bornmulleri,  C.  Sibthorpi,  or 
the  double  forms  of  C.  autumnale,  besides  the  species  less  known,  such 
as  hololophum,  Kochi,  or  Bertoloni.  Even  more  delightful  are  the 
Crocuses,  with  their  more  elegant  flowers  and  more  pleasing  colours. 
As  one’s  collection  grows  more  complete,  so  does  one  grow  more 
enamoured  of  these  exquisite  flowers.  Were  these  autumnal-flowering 
species  better  known,  more  of  our  gardens  would  be  of  greater  interest 
to  those  who  own  or  visit  them.  None  pleases  me  more  than  the 
richly  coloured  and  beautifully  formed  C.  iridiflorus,  with  its  deep  and 
pale  lilac  flowers.  The  brilliant  C.  speciosus  is  charming  too,  and  we 
take  delight  in  the 
pearly-blue  flowers 
of  C.  pulchellus,  as 
well  as  in  the  varie¬ 
ties  of  C.  asturicus, 
C.  hadriaticus,  or 
C.  cancellatus.  All 
these  and  several 
more  are  charming 
when  a  sunny  day 
comes,  and  the  rift 
in  the  cloud  grows 
wide  enough  to  al  iow 
the  rays  to  reach 
the  flowers. 
Could  we  but 
have  a  yellow  com- 
anion  to  these 
owers  we  think  we 
should  be  happy, 
and  could  wish  for 
nothing  more  at  the 
time.  It  is  a  pity 
that  so  many  of  us 
can  do  so  little  with 
the  Sternbergias, 
whose  golden  blooms 
would  give  us  the 
colour  we  want 
beside  the  Crocuses 
and  Colchicums. 
Sternbergia  macran- 
tha  is  a  glorious 
thing,  and  those  who 
can  flower  it  as  a 
permanent  occupant 
of  their  gardens  will 
possess  a  plant  of  the  highest  worth.  I  believe  that  the  old 
S.  angustifolia  is  the  freest  bloomer  of  all  these  flowers,  and  that  it 
does  especially  well  in  a  chalky  or  limestone  soil. 
Trailing  up  my  little  study  wall  is  Tropaeolum  tuberosum,  yet  in 
bloom,  though  a  night  or  two  ago  the  ground  was  covered  with  hoar 
Irost,  and  the  higher  hills  in  sight  were  white  with  snow.  It  is  not, 
nevertheless,  a  really  hardy  plant,  and  its  tubers  need  to  be  lifted  and 
stored  beyond  the  reach  of  frost.  For  all  that  it  is  a  pretty  arid 
distinct  plant,  which  is  worth  what  care  it  needs.  Unfortunately  in 
many  gardens  it  grows  to  leaf,  and  produces  none  of  its  pretty  scarlet 
and  yellow  flowers.  Generally  in  this  quarter  it  is  flowerless,  and  I 
am  not  quite  sure  whether  my  success  in  blooming  it  this  year  is  due 
to  the  treatment  it  received,  or  to  my  tubers  coming  from  a  good  and 
fiee-flowering  stock.  Whatever  the  cause,  it  has  bloomed  freely 
planted  out  early  in  May  in  a  poor,  hard,  gravelly  place  in  full  sun. 
TLe  tubers  will  be  ready  to  lift  about  the  end  of  this  month,  and  will 
be  stored  in  dry  sand.  In  themselves  they  are  interesting  because  of 
their  form,  and  the  colour  some  individual  tubers  give. 
Even  the  perennial  Asters,  enduring  as  they  are,  have  not  been 
proof  against  the  weather.  Wind  and  rain  do  not  improve  their 
beauty,  and  really  cut  it  short.  They  do  not,  as  a  rule,  object  to  a 
little  frost,  but  heavy  rains  discolour  them  and  make  their  petals  less 
bright.  Yet  one  feels  how  worthy  they  are  of  the  space  they  need, 
snd  how  liberally  they  repay  one  with  their  hosts  of  flowers,  either  to 
brighten  the  garden  or  for  cutting.  Even  yet,  though  a  number  are 
