January  31,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
89 
Orchids  of  Small  Stature. 
{  Some  of  the  smallest  species  of  Orchids  are  amongst  the  loveliest 
when  closely  looked  into,  and  the  majority  are  very  interesting. 
Unfortunately  they  are  as  a  rule  difficult  to  cultivate,  the  reason 
being  that  being  so  small  and  containing  so  little  stamina,  as  it 
were,  they  are  very  easily  incommoded  by  slight  checks.  These 
may  be  occasioned  by  sudden  or  severe  drops  in  the  temperature, 
by  a  dry  atmosphere,  by  too  much  moisture  or  too  little,  and 
therefore  it  may  be  taken  as  an  axiom  that  the  more  regular  the 
atmosphere  and  temperature  is  kept  the  better  for  them.  This  is 
in  a  measure  true  of  all  Orchids,  small  or  large,  but  a  stout  growing 
Cymbidium  or  a  Phaius,  will  stand  with  comparative  impunity 
a  check  that  would  severely 
injure  a  growing  plant  of,  say, 
Ionopsis  paniculataor  Oncidium 
tetrapetalum. 
For  a  rooting  medium 
nothing  seems  so  well  suited 
to  the  requirements  of  these 
small  growing  species  as  a 
moderately  large  piece  of  Tree 
Fern  stem.  They  are  often 
established  on  these  and  sent 
home,  and  when  they  arrive 
in  this  way  cultivators  are 
wise  who  leave  them  on  it 
and  do  not  experiment  with 
them  much.  The  pretty  Zygo- 
petalum  max'll lare  and  its  cou- 
gener  Z  Gautieri  are  never  so 
much  at  home  or  so  vigorous 
in  any  other  way  as  on  this 
material,  the  natural  rough¬ 
ness  of  which  forms  just  the 
right  holding  for  their  roots, 
and  retains  moisture  in  sufficient  bulk  for  and  not  in  excess  of 
their  needs. 
Keeping  the  foliage  free  of  insects  is  another  point  of  prime 
importance  in  the  management  of  these  weak  growing  species. 
Having  in  most  instances  no  pseudo-bulbs  or  only  very  small 
ones,  they  have  no  stores  of  nutriment  to  provide  for  the  loss  of 
it  that  the  presence  of  any  insect  entails,  and  a  bad  attack  of ' 
scale  is  often  fatal  to  their  health.  It  is  a  case  of  keeping  them 
healthy  or  not  keeping  them  at  all,  they  dwindle  away  very 
rapidly  or  else  keep  growing  ;  there  is  no  half  measures  with  them. 
Almost  equally  important  is  the  grouping  of  the 
species  in  proper  temperature.  Take  the  pretty  Sophro- 
nitis  violacea  for  instance.  This  cannot  be  grown  in 
the  rough-and-tumble  manner  that  its  fellow  species 
S.  grandiiflora  can,  simply  because  the  latter  has  more 
bulk.  Not  that  this  is  a  giant  by  any  mean^,  nor  so 
well  fitted  as  others  that  may  be  mentioned,  to  rough  it. 
Still  it  will  grow  in  the  coolest  house;  it  thrives  in  a 
temperature  slightly  higher,  and  it  will  grow  moderately 
well  with  the  Cattleyas.  It  is  not  a  fastidious  plant,  in 
fact.  These  few  points,  then,  should  be  kept  in  mind 
by  those  who  hope  to  shine  in  their  culture,  and  although 
not  by  any  means  easy,  it  is  quite  possible  to  keep 
them  alive  and  healthy  for  a  number  of  years. 
Cypripedium  Gertrude  Hollington. 
We  can  tell  “Young  Orchid  Grower”  that  C.  Ger¬ 
trude  Hollington  was  first  exhibited  early  in  the  summer 
of  1895,  when  it  attracted  much  attention  and  was 
greatly  admired  by  both  experts  and  visitors.  Resulting 
from  a  cross  between  C.  ciliare  and  C.  bellatulum, 
both  flower  and  plant  partake  of  the  character  of  each 
parent.  The  flower  is  broad  and  of  stout  texture,  and 
should  last  for  some  considerable  time  after  expansion. 
The  dorsal  sepal  is  white  tinged  with  green  and  striped 
with  dull  red,  while  the  pouch  is  of  the  latter  colour 
and  of  medium  size.  The  ground  colour  of  the  petals 
is  a  rather  dirty  white,  and  very  heavily  spotted  with 
brownish  red.  They  are  broad,  slightly  drooping,  and 
very  substantial.  This  Cypripedium  was  exhibited  by 
Messrs.  H.  Low  &  Co.,  Clapton,  and  received  a  first-class  certificate 
from  the  Orchid  Committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
Phaius  grandifolius. 
I  noticed  a  really  fine  batch  of  this  old  Orchid  recently,  and  I 
could  not  help  thinking  that  if  only  half  the  attention  that  is 
bestowed  upon  other  and  far  less  worthy  kinds  were  given  it  what  a 
fine  thing  it  would  be.  The  plants  referred  to  were  grown  by  Mr. 
G.  Neville,  Lord  Chesham’s  capable  head  gardener,  at  Latimer  House, 
and  as  seen  with  the  great  spikes  rising  from  the  deep  green,  healthy 
foliage,  they  were  very  handsome.  Mr.  Neville  believes  in  feeding 
rather  liberally  at  the  roots,  and  whatever  may  be  the  result  as  far  as 
the  eventual  health  of  the  plants  is  concerned  they  certainly  like 
their  quarters  now. 
Oiten  one  sees  the  leaf  tips  browned  and  partially  decayed  at 
the  time  the  flower  spikes  open,  but  here  the  leaves  are  green  and 
healthy,  greatly  adding  to  the  appearance  of  the  plants.  P.  grandi¬ 
folius  can  be  easily  grown  by  anyone  having  a  warm  moist  house 
at  command.  The  plants  may  be  potted  in  spring  in  a  compost  of 
peat,  loam,  and  chopped  moss,  with  plenty  of  rough  lumps  of  charcoal 
and  crocks.  Usually  the  growths  start  so  tnickly  as  to  need  a  little 
thinning,  aod  in  any  case  those  left  are  more  vigorous  for  this.  It 
requires  a  very  full  water  supply  when  both  root,  and  top  growth  is 
active  and  occasional  supplies  of  weak  liquid  manure. 
Zygopetalum  leucochilum. 
I  was  very  pleased  with  this  pretty  hybrid,  which  Messrs.  Yeitch 
included  in  their  interesting  group  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  January  15th. 
It  is  across  between  Z.  Burkei  and  Z.  Mackayi;  it  has  been  exhibited 
before,  but  has  improved  considerably  since  then.  The  sepals  and 
petals  are  greenish,  spotted,  mottled,  and  striped  with  brown.  The 
lip  is  white,  with  bright  bluish  lines  about  the  ruff.  The  plant 
exhibited  was  a  fine  one  and  carrying  six  flowers  upon  the  spike,  each 
bloom  some  2  inches  across.  There  is  not  a  great  deal  of  variety 
amoDg  the  Zygopetalums,  and  we  have  room  for  all  the  hybrids  we 
are  likely  to  get  in  this  section. 
Fhalsenopeis. 
Many  growers  as  soon  as  the  days  begin  to  lengthen  commence  to 
pull  their  Orchids  about  generally  at  the  roots,  the  Moth  Orchids  among 
the  number.  But  these  are  far  better  left  alone  for  some  time,  cold 
weather  in  March  often  greatly  checking  plants  tha'  have  bsen  disturbed 
at  the  roots.  The  conditions  are  not  yet,  nor  will  they  be  for  a  long 
time,  favourable  to  active  growth  of  root  or  foliage,  and  until  this  is 
the  case  the  plauts  ought  to  be  kept  a  little  on  the  dry  side,  and  left 
severely  alone  as  far  as  interference  with  the  roots  is  concerned. 
Overpotting  Odontoglossums. 
There  is  great  danger  in  overloading  the  roots  of  any  Orchids 
with  compo4,  and  especially  those  popular  species,  0.  crispum  and 
its  allies.  All  must  be  made  firm  in  their  pots,  but  this  is  easily  done 
without  putting  2  inches  or  3  inches  of  solid  peat  that  the  roots  can 
never  find  their  way  through.  Far  better  to  give  too  thin  a  compost 
and  keep  the  atmosphere  moist,  for  it  is  well  known  among  Orchid 
collectors  that  rough  winds  in  their  native  habitats  bring  down  the 
plants  owing  to  the  slight  hold  they  have  on  their  host  trees.— H.  R.  R. 
Cypripedium  Gertrude  Hollington. 
