February  11,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
113 
Cypripedium  x  Morteni. 
This  decidedly  distinct  and  interesting  hybrid  was  shown  at 
the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on  January  26, 
by  Mr.  W.  Appleton,  Weston-super-Mare,  when  it  I'eceived  an 
award  of  merit.  The  parents  are  C.  Chamberlainianum  and  C. 
Leeanum.  The  lip  is  rosy  purple,  the  narrow  i>etals  having  a 
sinuous,  irregular  edge,  and  marked  a  chocolate  colour,  the 
dorsal  sepal  dark  at  the  base  and  white  at  the  tip. 
Cultural  Notes  :  Dendrobiums. 
The  Dendrobiums  are  very  interesting  now,  and  for  the  next 
three  months  they  will  be  greatly  in  evidence  in  the  flowering 
house.  There  are  not  many  orchids  that  give  so  good  a  return 
for  the  trouble  spent  on  their  culture.  Their  one  fault  is  a  dis¬ 
position^  to  give  way  after  they  have  been  a  little  while  in 
cultivation,  plants  that  for  a  year  or  two  after  being  imported 
grow  and  flower  remarkably  well,  going  wrong  all  of  a  sudden 
and  without  any  apparent  cause.  Others  again  in  the  same 
house  will  go  on  and  improve  year  by  year,  making  flne 
specimens. 
From  the  success  I  have  had  with  “  miffy  ”  Dendrobiums 
in  Pine,  iMelon,  and  other  houses  where  some  at  least  of  the 
heat  is  derived  from  fermenting  material  inside,  I  am  positive 
that  an  ammoniated  atmosphere  is  of  the  greatest  benefit  to 
them  ;  and  although  one  can  hardly  introduce  beds  of  leaves  or 
manui-e  into  the  orchid  house,  yet  much  may  be  done  by  damp¬ 
ing  with  licpiid  manure  or  soot  water,  sprinkling  a  little  soot 
and  lime  about  where  drip  will  reach  it  and  cause  a  constant 
supply  of  ammonia  to  be  given  off,  or  by  placing  sulphate  of 
ammonia  in  the  heating  troughs.  The  result  will  soon  be  seen 
in  the  increased  health  of  the  plants,  the  leaves  taking  on  a 
deeper  green. 
The  lack  of  sun  last  autumn  will  be  against  freedom  of 
flowering  with  the  long-bulbed  s;ection  of  the  genus,  such  as 
D.  P  issardi,  D.  Devonianum,  and  others,  for  unless  these  get 
a  thorough  ripening  and  a  good  rest  aftei'wards  only  a  few  of 
the  stronger  nodes  will  flower.  There  is  not  the  same  fear  now 
of  the  flower  nodes  ])roducing  growths  that  there  was  earlier 
in  the  season,  and  for  plants  that  are  showing  any  signs  of 
swelling  a  rather  sudden  change  from  the  cool  house  to  a  warm 
one  may  result  in  more  satisfactory  flowering  than  a  gradual 
ri-se. 
It  will  also  have  the  effect  of  starting  them  quickly  iiito 
growth,  giving  them  more  time  to  finish  while  there  is  yet  sun 
to  ripen  them.  At  the  roots  they  will  still  be  comparatively 
quiet,  .so  no  water  must  be  given  unless  the  stems  show  signs 
of  sh levelling,  when  a  thorough  .'oaking  in  a  pail  or  tub  is 
essential.  They  .mmst  then  be  allowed  to  get  thoroughly  di’y 
again  before  repeating  the  do.se.  Nothing  is  more  likely  to 
cause  damping  and  loss  to  the  young  leads  than  constant  light 
waterings,  which  do  no  good  to  the  majority  of  tho  roots,  but 
they  keeii  out  the  air  from  the  compo.st  by  soddening  the 
surface  and  making  it  unfit  for  the  new  tiers  of  roots  to  run 
in  when  they  are  formed. — H.  R.  R. 
The  Yanilla. 
Vanilla  is  an  orchid  which,  in  the  West  Indies,  creeps  over 
trees  and  walls  like  Ivy.  A  substance  called  “.salep,”  somewhat 
resembling  ai’rowroot  or  sago,  is,  according  to.  the  “Family 
Doctor,”  obtained  from  the  tubers  of  a  variety  that  grows  in 
Turkey  and  Persia,  where  it  is  highly  esteemed.  The  genus 
Vanilla  furnishes  the  only  edible  products  of  the  Orchidacese, 
the  pods  of  V.  planifolia  containing  in  their  centre  the  substance 
which  is  extracted  and  used  for  flavouring  in  confectionery,  d’he 
Vanilla  is  often  grown  in  hothomses,  and  very  successfully  so  at 
Sion  House  garden. 
Ada  aurantiaca. 
This  orchid  may  be  grown  in  any  cool,  moist  house.  The 
bright  orange-coloured  blos.soms  are  greatly  admired  during  this 
month,  and  contrast  strikingly  with  the  other  occupants  in  the 
cool  house.  It  is  a  colour  infrequently  met  with  amongst  orchids, 
which  fact  increase.s  its  value,  and  makes  it  worthy  of  a  place  in 
every  collection.  When  well  grown  it  amply  rewards  attention 
'bestowed  upon  it  by  a  wealth  of  its  telling  flowers.  The  cultural 
detail.s  are  simple  in  character — one  to  be  observed  is  that  it 
resents  annual  disturbance,  and  for  this  reason  the  potting  should 
be  done  with  thoroughness,  clean  pots,  equally  clean  drainage, 
and  enough  space  being  allowed  for  root  development  to  last  the 
plants  at  least  two  seasons.  When  well  established,  water  freely 
all  the  year  round,  and  nlace  in  a  position  where  a  moist  atmo- 
.sphei'e  can  be  maintained.  A.  aurantiaca  is  the  only  species  well 
known  and  worthy  of  merit. — F.  W.  Goocii. 
Carnation: 
Mrs.  Lkopold  de  Rothschild,  syx.  Mdlle.  Th.  Fr.wco. 
As  a  thoroughly  good  and  reliable  winter  blooming  Carnation 
the  above  named  variety  still  maintains  a  high  position,  as  it 
commences  to  bloom  in  the  early  winter  months  and  continues 
to  do  so  profusely  until  March.  To  obtain  good  xflants  for  flower¬ 
ing  next  winter  cuttings  should  be  put  in  now. 
Many  xieoxile  exiierience  a  difficulty  in  striking  the  cuttings, 
but  if  the  following  iilan  is  adoiited  this  trouble  will  be  easily 
overcome: — Crock  the  required  number  of  small  60-,sized  pots 
as  for  ordinary  cuttings,  and  fill  with  a  mixture  of  finely  sifted 
soil  comxiosed  of  equal  xn'oportions  of  loam,  leaves,  and  silver  sand, 
and  over  each  xiotful  give  a  sxn'inkling  of  sand.  Prexiare  the 
cuttings  fi’om  young  side  growths  in  the  usual  way  and  insert 
four  or  five  cuttings  round  the  edge  of  each  pot.  Should  thq 
soil  be  rather  dry  a  soaking  of  water  will  be  required  after  the 
cuttings  are  iiut  in,  but  if  the  soil  is  nice  and  moist  this  will  not 
be  needed. 
The  x^ots  should  then  be  xilungcd  in  moss  in  projiagating  boxes 
and  xilaced  in  a  light  position  on  the  hot  water  xiipes  in  a  house 
the  temxierature  of  which  does  not  fall  below  58deg  F.  If  this 
is  not  convenient  they  should  be  xjlungcd  in  some  fermenting 
material  instead.  The  boxes  should  be  keiit  close  and  the  atmq- 
sxfliere  rather  moist,  and  in  about  eight  or  ten  days  a  little  air 
can  be  given,  which  may  be  increased  as  the  cuttings  root. 
So  soon  as  sufficiently  rooted  to  require  potting  they  should 
I 
Cypripedium  x  Morteni. 
be  transferred  to  small  60-sized  pots,  in  a  compost  made  up  of 
two  parts  loam,  one  of  leaves,  and  one  of  sharp  road  grit,  and 
placed  in  a  liglit  and  airy  position  in  a  temperature  of  about 
Jfideg  F.  ;  and  when  well  cstabli.shed  they  may  be  stopped  one  > 
to  induce’ them  to  break.  Before  they  get  pot-bound  they  wi'l 
need  to  be  potted  into  tS-sized  pots,  this  time  using  a  compost 
similar  to  the  one  previously  stated,  with  the  addition  of  a  littl.' 
finely  broken  charcoal. 
The  time  of  the  year  will  now  allow  of  them  to  be  removed 
to  a  bed  of  moist  ashes  in  a  cold  frame,  where  tliey  should  be  keiA 
close  for  a  day  or  two  until  well  growing  again,  after  which  air 
can  be  freely  admitted  on  suitable  occasions;  and  during  the 
summer  months  the  lights  may  with  advantage  be  lemoied 
entirely,  excexit  to  ward  off  heavy  rains. 
If  good  growth  has  hern  made  throimh  the  summer  (hey  .shouhl 
be  potted  some  time  during  August  into  their  fliiwering  pqfs, 
j  vhich  should  be  of  7in  in  diameter.  Jhe  comxicsl  for  thi'  x'ottmg 
