May  5,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
379 
Odontoglossum  crispum  Prebendary  Bevan. 
This  handsome  variety  received  an  award  of  merit  when  staged 
by  Mr.  H.  T.  Pitt,  of  Stamford  Hill,  N.,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  on  March  22nd  this  year.  Though  the  seg¬ 
ments  do  not  form  a  close  rounded  flower,  but  rather  radiate, 
yet  they  are  stoirt  and  well-expanded.  The  ground  colour  is 
white,  heavily  blotched  and  spotted  with  brownish-red ;  and  they 
are  large.  Mr.  G.  Shayler’s  drawing  shows  the  character  of  an 
individual  bloom. 
Cultural  Notes. 
The  Phalsenopses  will  have  to  be  looked  over  now,  and  given 
new  moss  and  baskets  when  necessary.  When  a  large  number  of 
plants  are  grown  this  is  rather  a  large  undertaking,  as  no  orchids  are 
so  easily  injured  by  root  disturbance  as  these  ;  consequently,  the 
greatest  care  must  be  taken  with  them.  Take  first  all  those  plants 
that  do  not  need  a  new  basket,  but  only  a  little  renovating  of  the 
compost.  As  much  as  possible  of  the  old  decayed  moss  should  be 
picked  out  from  among  the  roots  with  the  fingers  and  a  pointed 
dibber.  Where  the  roots  are  very  close  it  may  even  become  necessary 
to  use  the  syring?  and  force  out  the  loose  particles. 
Then  before  adding  new  surfaciug  moss,  put  a  few  pieces  of 
crocks  with  only  the  thinnest  layer  of  moss  below  them,  as  every- 
tliing  must  be  done  to  render  the  whole  light  and  porous.  The 
surfacing  moss  must  consist  of  green  growing  points  of  sphagnum 
carefully  selected,  the  rougher  portions  of  the  moss  being  used  for 
other  kinds,  and  for  covering  the  drainage  crocks.  Should  the  plant 
be  loose  in  the  least  make  it  thoroughly  firm  before  returning  to  the 
growing  quarters,  for  it  is  obviously  impossible  for  these  delicate 
roots  to  obtain  a  hold  on  the  compost  any  other  way.  j 
Other  plants,  owing  either  to  badly  decayed  compost  or  to 
having  outgrown  their  baskets, 
will  have  to  be  retasketed. 
Very  carefully  disentangle  the 
roots,  and  if  they  are  much 
entwined  about  the  basket  rods 
pull  these  apart  carefully  by 
drawing  the  pins  out  of  the 
corners  and  removing  those 
rods  that  have  no  roots  attached. 
In  extreme  cases  it  may  be 
necessary  to  place  the  old 
basket  entire  within  the  new 
one ;  but  I  do  not  recommend 
this  if  it  can  be  avoided,  as  it 
leads  to  trouble  another  year 
by  its  decay,  a  kind  of  fungus 
spreading  from  the  decayed 
wood  to  the  moss. 
When  free  every  bit  of  dead 
or  decaying  root  must  be  cut 
away,  the  whole  plant  washed  in 
tepid  water  and  laid  on  a  warm 
stage  to  dry  before  rebasketing. 
Practically  it  is  only  a  surfacing 
of  moss  that  these  plants  need, 
the  bulk  of  the  basket  being 
filled  with  clean  crocks.  But 
a  little  is  necessary  to  pre¬ 
vent  bruising  of  the  roots  in 
placing  the  crocks,  while  the 
plants  are  more  easily  firmed 
by  its  use.  A  tidy,  neat  surface 
is  necessary  from  the  point  of 
appearance,  and  also  because  it 
is  more  easy  to  tell  whether  or 
not  the  plant  is  dry  than  when 
left  rough.  A  pair  of  scissors 
or  shears  may  be  used  to  trim 
it,  and  I  need  hardly  say  that 
these,  and  the  compost,  and  everything  else 
be  scrupulously  clean.— -H.  E.  di. 
Epiphytic  Onchids  and  Thein  Support.  • 
It  is  known  that  most  orchids,  like  many  other  plants,  harbour  in 
their  roots  endophytic  fungi.  These  fungi  act  the  part  of  inter¬ 
mediaries  between  the  orchids  and  the  medium  on  which  they  grow, 
and  it  is  interesting  to  study  their  mutual  relations,  which  are  far 
fidm  unimportant.  In  fact,  we  know  that  epiphytic  orchids  generally 
confine  ihemselves  to  some  particular  habitat.  In  South  America 
many  orchids  affect  the  trunks  of  tree  ferns  or  of  Cresceutia  Cujete 
others  are  found  on  Pandanus,  &c. 
M.  Jacob  de  Cordemoy  has  made  a  study  of  the  relations  existing 
between  the  Vanilla  plant  and  its  support,  and  he  has  communicated 
to  the  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Paris  the  result  of  his  observations. 
He  concludes  that  there  exists  between  the  lateral  and  aerial  roots  of 
the  Vanilla  and  the  support  to  which  they  cling  a  mycorhiza,  or  a 
combination  of  the  roots  with  an  endophytic  fungus.  The  endophyte 
thro  vs  out  a  ramified  mycelium,  which  forms  a  strict  connection 
between  the  lateral  roots  and  its  living  support.  This  morphological 
connection  probably  corresponds  to  some  physiological  connection, 
the  fungus  being  able  to  find  in  the  tissues  of  the  living  sujjport 
certain  nutritive  principles  useful  to  the  growth  of  the  orchid.  In 
this  case  there  would  be  a  real  symbiotic  connection  existing  between 
the  mycorhiza  and  the  roots  of  the  orchid. — (‘'Revue  Horticole.”) 
Chysis  and  Their  Culture. 
All  the  varieties  have  roots  that  penetrate  rather  deeply  into  the 
compost,  therefore  the  plants  should  bo  grown  in  pots,  to  which  wire 
suspenders  may  be  attached,  in  order  that  they  may  be  suspended 
close  up  to  the  roof  glass.  The  pots  should  be  drained  to  about  a 
quarter  of  their  depth  with  the  fern  rhizcme  that  is  taken  out  of 
the  peat,  but  previous  to  use  it  is  advisable  to  have  it  thoroughly 
dried,  otherwise  fungoid  growths  may  appear,  and  interfere  with  the 
welfare  of  the  roots  of  the  plant.  The  best  material  to  grow  them 
in  is  a  mixture  of  peat,  leaf  soil,  and  sphagnum  moss  in  equal  pro¬ 
portions.  Fill  up  around  the  roots  with  the  compost  to  within  half 
an  inch  of  the  rim  of  the  pot,  and  finish  off  with  a  surface  of  living 
sphagnum  moss.  ° 
On  commencing  to  push  up  their  new  growths,  provided  they  are 
strong  enough  to  fiower,  the  plants  should  be  but  sparingly  watered  ; 
but  when  the  fiower  spikes  are  visible,  and  are  seen  getting  ahead  of 
the  growth,  water  may  be  more 
freely  given.  Plants  that 
show  no  fiower  spikes  should 
be  treated  as  the  others  are 
when  in  full  growth.  The 
proper  time  to  repot  Chysis  is 
immediately  after  tfie  plants 
have  done  fiowering,  or  when 
new  roots  are  seen  pushing  out 
from  the  base  of  the  yoiing 
growths.  Grow  the  plants  in  a 
warm  intermediate  or  Cattleya 
house  temperature.  Towards 
the  completion  of  growth  the 
plants  should  be  removed  to  a 
light  position  in  the  plant 
stove  or  East  Indian  house,  as 
the  extra  warmth  will  assist 
them  to  swell  up  the  pseudo¬ 
bulbs.  The  young  growths  and 
flower  buds  of  Chysis  are  liable 
to  the  ravages  of  thrqDS,  but 
these  insects  may  be  easily 
kept  down  by  the  numerous 
chemical  preparations  now  in 
use. — W.  H.  W.  (in  '•  Orchid 
Review.”) 
Odontoglossum,  Prebendary  Bevan. 
about  the  plants,  must 
Yellow  Lipped  Cattleya  cltrina. 
Cattleya  citrina,  with  the  entire  flower  of  one 
colour,  was  noticed  lately  in  a  lot  of  plants 
in 
A 
A  form  of 
uniform  yellow 
flower  with  Siebrecht  and  Sons,  New  Rochelle,  N.Y.  The 
ordinary  type  has  the  median  lobe  of  the  lip  very  pale  or  white, 
but  in  the  plant  obsei'ved  the  lip  is  of  a  deep  rich  yellow 
throughout. 
Odontog'lossums  and 
Leaf-mould. 
An  interesting  essay  on 
“  Odontoglossums  and  Leaf- 
mould  Treatment”  was  given 
at  the  monthly  meeting  of  the 
Sheffield  Floral  and  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society  by  Mr.  J. 
Marsden,  who  gave  valuable 
hints  and  mode  of  treatment 
gained  by  practical  experience. 
Certainly  those  who  have  seen  the  Odontoglossums  at  “  Milnhurst  ” 
under  IiJir.  Marsden’s  care,  grown  in  leaf-mould,  must  admit  the  fine 
growths  and  the  healthy  appearance  of  them  ;  and  from  the  results 
obtained  Mr.  Marsden  is  convinced  that  they  delight  in  a  compost 
very  largely  composed  of  leaf-mould. 
Oncidium  leochochilum. — This  old  favourite  Avas  admirably 
shown  in  two  of  the  groups  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday  last. 
The  flower  spikes  are  long  and  arching,  while  the  flowers  are 
yellowish-green,  with  blotches  of  dark-browil,  the  lip  pure  wh.ito. 
