May  19,  1904. 
of  horticulture  and  cottage  gardener. 
423 
Saccolabium  Bellinum. 
S.  Beiliniim  is  small  compared  with  most  other  Saccola- 
biums,  though  of  similar  growth,  the  leaves  being  arranged 
in  a  two-ranked  manner,  and  the  flowers  are  very  distinct  in 
form.  Their  chief  peculiarity  is  in  the  lip,  which  at  the  base 
is  expanded  in  a  strange,  cup-like  manner.  The  apex  is  flattened, 
and,  extending  at  right  angles  with  the  cup,  resembles  a  jilat- 
form  upon  which  bees  or  other  insects  may  alight.  The  sur¬ 
face  of  this  platform  is  covered  with  short  white  filaments, 
which  impart  a  strange  appearance  to  it  when  examined.  In 
colour  the  flower  is  not  very  remarkable,  though  there  are  some 
curious  contrasts.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  yellow  or  with  a 
greenish  tinge,  on  which  are  scattered  several  circular,  dark 
red  spots;  the  base  of  the  lip  is  white  with  crimson  dots,  and 
the  centre  yellow  with  purple  dots.  The  spikes  are  small,  bear¬ 
ing  from  three  to  four  flowers  each,  and  though  unpretentious 
in  general  appearance,  it  will  become  a  favourite  with  lovers 
of  many  interesting  diminutive  species  of  orchids. 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
The  group  of  Cypripediums  known  as  the  Ijellatulum  group 
are  not  so  strong  in  growth  as  the  majority  of  the  genus,  and 
many  growers  fail  with  them.  It  has  been  put  down  to  several 
-cau.ses,  such  as  the  need  of  limestone  in  the  soil,  but  after  a 
fairly  lengthened  experience  with  them  I  am  inclined  to  the 
opinion  that  their  surroundings  have  even  more  to  do  with 
success  or  otherwise  than  the  material  in  the  pots.  Some  years 
ago  I  had  a  very  nice  batch,  that  did  remarkably  well  in  the 
corner  of  a  Melon  house,  and  here  they  remained.  Other  plants, 
grown  in  what  would  appear  to  be  more  suitable  quarters  in 
the  orchid  house  did  not  thrive  nearly  as  well. 
They  certainly  like  a  clear  light  without  bright  sun  actually 
shining  uijon  the  leaves.  In  their  native  home  many  of  them 
are,  we  are  told,  subjected  to  a  rather  long  period  of  dry  rest, 
but  this  will  not  be  found  advisable  under  cultivation.  Yet  it  is 
not  wise  to  run  to  the  other  extreme,  and  keep  up  an  active 
growing  temperature.  Any  that  need  repotting  should  be  care¬ 
fully  turned  out  of  their  pots  and  the  roots  examined.  Should 
they  appear  healthy  there  will  be  no  need  to  shake  them  out, 
but  if  sour  and  worn-out  material  has  led  to  decay  of  the  roots, 
then  nothing  short  of  turning  right  out  and  washing  clear  of 
the  compost  should  be  allowed. 
In  the  former  case,  a  larger  pot  than  that  used  before  will 
be  needed,  but  in  the  latter  it  may  be  necessary  to  use  the  same 
size,  or  even  a  smaller  one,  as  it  is  useless  having  much  of 
material  about  the  roots  or  more  than  they  can  take  hold  of.  A 
fair  percentage  of  good,  sound,  fibrous  loam,  with  most  of  the 
earthy  particles  removed,  is  a  capital  addition  to  the  compost, 
clean,  chopped  sphagnum,  fibrous  peat,  and  roughly-broken 
crocks  or  limestone  making  up  the  remainder.  A  moist  atmo¬ 
sphere  and  shady  position  must  be  given  for  the  fii’st  week  or 
two  after  repotting,  but  the  foliage  must  not  be  wetted  mnch 
overhead. 
The  Phalmnop.ses,  recently  attended  to  at  the  roots,  are  not 
yet  making  much  growth,  but  the  stouter  growing  Aerides  and 
Vandas  are  pushing  fairly  in  the  new  compost,  and  can  hardly 
be  overwatered,  either  in  the  atmosphere  or  at  the  roots.  On 
bright  days  a  thorough  syringing  does  them  good,  especially  at 
closing  time  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  blinds  may  be  drawn  up 
and  a  high  temperature  residt.  When  dull,  the  syringing  must 
be  left  out;  it  is  not  needed  by  the  plants,  and  is  often  the 
cause  of  the  loss  of  the  flower  spikes  in  the  leaf  axils.  —  H.  R.  R. 
- - - 
The  Kew  Museums. 
It  i.s  not  quite  sixty  years  ago  -in  1847,  to  be  exact— that 
the  private  collections  of  Sir  William  Hooker,  who  presented 
them  to  the  Royal  Gardens,  were  arranged  in  the  central  room 
of  what  had  till  then  been  a  .storebouse  for  fruit,  and  is  now 
known  as  No.  2  museum.  These  (says  the  “  Standard  ”)  formed 
the  nucleus  of  what  was  the  first,  and  is  now  by  far  the  most 
comprehensive,  museum  of  economic  botany  in  existence.  Ten 
years  later  the  No.  1  museum,  facing  the  lake  and  the  Palm 
hou;^e  beyond,  was  built ;  and  in  1863  the  old  orangery,  built 
in  1761  for  the  Princess  Augu.sta,  was  utilised  for  the  collection 
of  timber,  and  designated  No.  3.  To  the  back  of  this  an 
annexe.  130ft  long  and  16ft  wide,  forming  a  new  gallei-y,  has 
been  added,,  and  here  the  Gymnospermous  plants  are  exhibited. 
These  were  formerly  arranged  in  the  No.  1  museum,  and  by 
their  removal  a  good  deal  of  space  has  been  gained,  no  less 
than  thirty-two  cases  being  set  free.  That  building  now  con- 
tain.s  only  tbe  Dicotyledons,  and  the  Monocotyledons  are  shown 
in  No.  2.  The  arrangement  of  these  mu-seums  follows  that  of 
Bentham  and  Hooker’s  “  Genera  Plantarum.” 
In  passing  through  the  timber  house  to  the  annexe,  some 
of  the  newer  exhibits  should  be  noticed.  At  one  end  is  a  very 
fine  show-ca.se  of  Indian  blackwood  (Dalbergia  latifolia),  carved 
with  human  and  animal  figures,  and  having  a  stepped  pyramidal 
top,  with  similar  figures  on  each  successive  stage.  At  the 
opposite  end  is  another  case  of  Indian  Cedar  (Cedrus  Deodara), 
but  with  the  carving  geometrical  and  floral  in  character.  One 
remarkable  exhibit  is  a  section,  7ft  high  and  a  little  over  22ft 
in  circumference,  of  the  Karri  (Eucalyptus  diversicolor),  one  of 
the  woods  used  for  paving-blocks.  Much  more  curious,  though 
by  no  means  so  imposing,  is  a  section  of  an  Elm,  from  Elvedeii, 
showing  a  strange  malformation.  Presumably,  after  the  heart- 
wood  had  perished,  the  bark  split,  and  the  shell  contracted, 
each  side  continuing  to  grow,  and  forming  a  spiral. 
One  of  the  end  cases  in  the  gallery  is  devoted  Jo  the 
Gnetaceae,  to  which  the  remarkable  Welwitschia  belongs.  In 
the  other  is  an  exhibition  of  Cycads,  recent  and  fossil,  among 
the  latter  being  some  specimens  of  Mantellia  (which  the  quarry- 
men  call  “petrified  birds’  nests”),  from  the  Purbeck  dirt-beds, 
and  the  type-specimen  of  Bennettites  from  the  lower  greensand 
of  the  Isle  of  Wight.  On  one  side,  in  lofty  wall  cases,  the 
conifers  are  arranged  in  tribes,  and,  wdth  the  wood,  branches, 
and  cones,  is  a  very  good  display  of  many  of  the  industrial 
products.  The  collection  of  resin  and  turpentines  from  various 
species  in  different  countries  is  well  illustrated,  the  tools  being 
shown  in  the  cases,  together  with  portions  of  tree  stems  from 
w'hich  the  bark  has  beeii  .stripped  in  order  to  allow  the  crude 
liquid  to  flow  into  metal  receptacles,  or  into  a  hole  or  pocket 
cut  in  the  trunk  itself.  It  is  said  that  the  Chrster  Pine,  from 
which  turpentine  is  obtained  in  the  Landes,  can  be  bled  for  two 
hundred  years  in  succes.sion.  From  the  needles  of  the  Long¬ 
leaved  Pine  of  North  America  a  coarse  but  very  durable  matting 
is  made,  samples  of  which  are  shown.  Opposite  is  a  small  case 
of  fossils,  containing  petrified  Pine-wood  from  Japan,  cones  of 
the  Scots  Fir,  and  lignite.  One  advantage  of  the  new  gallery 
is  that  the  wall  space  allows  of  the  exhibition  of  the  official 
maps  and  plans  of  the  Manor  and  Palace  of  Richmond,  which 
are  of  great  interest,  as  are  those  of  the  gardens  in  various 
.stages  of  development.  With  these  are  shown  the  photographs 
of  the  gardens  sent  by  the  authorities  to  the  Paris  Exhibition, 
and  of  conifers  of  various  kinds,  to  illustrate  their  growth  in 
their  proper  habitat. 
