April  7,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
291 
orchidists,  cold  nights  and  very  bright  mornings  being  followed 
by  cold  storms  in  the  afternoon,  a  cold  piercing  wind  blowing 
even  when  the  snn  is  at  its  brightest.  Early  morning  ventila¬ 
tion  has  been  necessary,  but  only  the  least  chink  of  air  must  be 
allowed  at  first,  not  sufficient  to  cause  a  draught.  Stages, 
floors,  and  walls  must  be  constantly  damped,  and  the  warm 
bouse  closed  soon  after  midday,  only  sufficient  heat  being  kept 
on  the  pipes  to  maintain  the  temperature.  'I'he  lower  ventilators 
in  the  brickwoi’k  where  provided  may  now  be  left  slightly  open 
day  and  night,  and  as  the  days  get  warmer  opened  to  their  full 
extent  by  about  10  a.m.  —  H.  R.  R. 
Cyppipedium  insig'ne  Sanderae. 
In  a  recent  issue  “American  Gardening”  figures  what  it 
terms  “the  finest  known  specimen  of  this  rare  orchid.”  The 
illustration  is  taken  from  a  plant  in  the  collection  of  C.  G. 
Roehling,  Esq.,  Trenton,  N.J.  The  variety  was  imported  with 
what  is  now  known  as  the  “  montanum  ”  form  of  C.  insigne, 
and  which  has  been  very  prolific  in  fine  and  distinct  varieties. 
Cypripedium  insigne  Sanderse  first  came  into  gardens  in 
tlie  last  decade  of  last  century,  and  was  at  once  divided  into  two 
plants,  one  being  sold  at  auction  for  350  dollars,  and  the  other 
going  to  Baron  Schroder  for  a  like  sum.  From  the  former 
New  Dahlias  lor  1904, 
Although  it  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  many  varieties  of 
Dahlias  which  receive  first  class  certificates  eventually  are 
failures,  yet  so  well  do  the  committees  sift  out  the  best  that 
I  might  say,  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred,  the  finest 
flowers  are  the  ones  which  receive  most  recognition,  and  very 
few  indeed  are  the  good  things  which  fail  to  win  honours.  In 
the  following  arrangement  I  have  given  the  certificated  varietie.s 
of  last  autumn. 
A  very  notable  feature  of  this  year’s  novelties  is  the  addition 
of  several  which  are  of  light,  delicate  colouring,  several  lovely 
pinkish  varieties  being  amongst  them.  This  is  a  great  advance, 
as  up  to  this  year  pink  and  similar  shades  have  been  sadly 
wanting  in  Cactus  Dahlias,  and  it  is  to  he  hoped  that  at  least 
some  of  these  now  appearing  for  the  first  time  will  become 
standard  flowers.  One  or  two  varieties  are  also  very  distinct 
in  other  colour^  the  lot  as  a  whole  bidding  fair  to  prove  an 
addition  to  the  Cactus  family. 
,  The  recognised  leading  Dahlia  committees  are  those  attending 
the  National  Dahlia  Society’s  two  shows — i.e.,  London  and 
LaElio=cattleya  x  i  Digbyana  Trianae. 
have  been  propagated  all  the  plants  in  cultivation  to-day,  and  Manchester;  and  also  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  s  seveial 
very  many  thousands  of  dollars  have  been  made  by  it.  Mr.  meetings,  together  with  the  London  Dahlia  Lnion.  Un  ®ep- 
F.  L.  Ames  had  the  first  plant  to  come  to  America.  The  plant  tember  1  and  2  last  year  something  like  seventy  seedlings  '' 
which  went  to  the  Baron’s  collection  has  never  been  divided,  placed  before  the  committee,  and  six  received  first  class  certiti- 
but  grown  on  as  one  plant,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  Royal  cates,  many  very  fine  flowers  being  passed  over,  .some  without 
Horticultural  Society  in  London  on  December  last  was  shown  '  a  proposal,  others  failing  to  secure  a  majority  when  put  to  the 
with  eight  flowers;  another  plant  at  the  same  time  was  shown  '  vote.  The  six  certificated  were: — 1.  Mrs.  H.  L.  Brousson,  of  a 
by  Mr.  Norman  Cookson  having  ten  flowers,  and  was  awarded  delicate  salmon  colour,  large  flower,  fine  petals,  and  a  stiff 
a  cultural  certificate  as  being  the  fine.st  specimen  to  date.  stem,  form  slightly  incurving.  This  variety  was  also  awarded 
