446 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  26, 1904. 
Cyppipedium  Le  Doux^. 
This  most  distinctive  and  handsome  hybrid  Cypripedinm  was 
exhibited  trom  the  garden  of  Sir  Ti’evor  Larvrence,  Bart.,  Bnr- 
ford,  Dorking,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Boyal  Ilorticnltnral  Society 
in  the  Drill  Hall,  Westminster,  diiring  Fehrnary.  We  inquired 
the  parentage  trom  iMr.  ^^hite,  Sir  Trevor’s  orchid-grower,  but 
he  was  unable  to  intorm  us  offhand  ;  Init  Mr.  Shayler’s  drawing 
r6pr0S8iits  tliG  torni  of  tho  flowor  adniii'cibly.  TIig  siiiffiCG  of  tlio 
segments  and  pouch,  which  are  rich  dark  brown,  is  snioqth  and 
glossy.  It  is  of  easy  culture,  and  flowers  freely,  requiring  a 
warm  house. 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
Newly  imported  Cattleyas  and  Lmlias  are  often  overdone 
with  compost  the  ffi'st  season,  the  usual  course  adopted  being  to 
lay  moss  and  peat  on  the  crocks  directly  signs  of  growth  take 
place.  But  if  these  were  left  in  the  crocks  only  for  the  first 
summer  at  least,  they  would  be  all  the  better  for  it,  the  first 
roots  to  assist  the  plants  much  usually  appearing  after  the  first 
set  of  growths  are  almost  mature.  Although  there  are  often  a 
few  straggling  roots  from  the  older  stems,  they  do  not  amount 
to  much,  and  are  more  likely  to  live  among  crocks  than  peat 
and  moss. 
Besides  this,  the  real  new  roots,  when  they  do  come,  would 
have  to  enter  half-worn-out  material  if  this  is  placed  on  early, 
whereas  if  placed  later,  jnst  as  the  roots  start,  the  moss  and 
peat  will  he  fresh,  will  take  water  freely,  and  be  in  every  way 
more  satisfactory.  M'ith  Dendrobiums  it  is  rather  different, 
many  of  these  beginning  to  root  freely  from  the  new  growths 
at  a  very  early  stage  of  the  latters’  careers,  and  the  compost 
is  necessary  for  them  to  obtain  the  full  cultural  advantage. 
Cypripediums,  again,  are  almost  always  rooting,  and  beyond 
spreading  out  for  a  few  weeks  in  a  moist  house  nothing  further 
need  be  done  until  they  are  potted  in  the  usual  way,  only  using 
a  rather  lighter  make  up  than  for  established  plants. 
These  latter  are  amongst  the  easiest  of  orchids  to  e.stablish 
when  received  in  anything  like  good  condition,  and  in  this  way 
differ  from  such  plants  as  Bolleas,  Pescatoreas,  Warscewiczellas, 
and  similar  sorts.  I  have  frequently  had  what  appeared  to  be 
healthy  clumps  of  these,  with  sound  hard-looking  eyes,  yet  they 
would  not  start  freely  or  establish  themselves  quickly.  The 
best  plan  is  to  pot  them  at  once,  after  cleaning,  in  pure  crocks, 
without  any  moss  or  other  ingredient,  to  place  them  in  a 
moi.st,  shady,  and  well-heated  house,  and  water  the  crocks 
twice  daily. 
If  after  a  week  or  two  of  this  convalescent  treatment  the 
buds  at  the  base  swell  up  and  start  freely  a  healthy  plant  may 
he  the  result ;  hut  if  the  specimens  do  not  take  with  a  will  to 
their  new  quai'ters  the  first  season,  the  probability  is  that  they 
never  will,  and  for  all  practical  use  they  are  they  may  as  well 
he  thrown  on  the  rubbish  heap.  All  this  class  of  orchid  like  a 
])roken  light  rather  than  heavy  shade,  the  kind  of  light  thrown 
by  interposing  climbers  on  the  roof. — ri.  R.  R. 
Cymbidiums. 
Although  the  number  of  Cymbidiums  usually  cultivated  is  not 
large,  they  form  an  important  genus  to  the  cultivator  having  a 
display  to  keep  up,  some  being  really  noble  plants  for  exhibition, 
lasting  a  very  long  time  in  full  beauty.  It  is  a  well  marked  and 
distinct  genus,  containing  many  more  species  than  those  noted 
below;  but  these  are  the  best  known,  and  most  generally  useful. 
Most  of  them  are  thick,  fleshy  rooted  plants,  liking  in  conse¬ 
quence  fairly  large  pots  and  good  sound  compost.  Drainage 
should  have  especial  attention  owing  to  the  large  amount  of  root 
moisture  needed. 
The  larger  growing  Cymbidiums,  such  as  C.  giganteuin  and 
C.  Lowianum,  when  thoroughly  healthy  and  strong,  are  almost 
aquatic  in  their  needs,  and  rapidly  make  immense  specimens. 
But  if  neglected  they  are  apt  to  get  hare  in  the  centre,  and  as 
nothing  can,  as  a  rule,  be  done  to  remedy  this  defect,  it  is  usual 
to  split  siich  plants  up  into  a  number  of  smaller  ones.  And  it  is 
no  light  job  as  a  rule  to  get  them  apart,  the  rhizomes  and  old 
nseudo-bulbs  getting  very  hard  and  woody.  I  have  often  had  to 
bring  a  mallet  and  stout  chisel  into  use  for  this  purpose. 
A  few  good  leads  must  be  secured  to  each  division,  and  all 
decayed  roots,  dead  bulbs,  and  sour  compost  must  be  removed 
before  placing  in  the  new  pots.  A  rather  lighter  compost  than 
usual  may  be  used  for  this  first  potting,  adding  the  usual  quan¬ 
tity  of  loam  at  sirbsequent  renewals.  Most  of  the  Cymbidiums 
do  well  in  the  intermediate  house,  but  C.  Lowianum  may  be 
grown  quite  cool  if  necessary.  None  of  them  nnist  be  really  dry 
at  any  time,  but  more  moisture  is  necessary  durine  summer  than 
winter.  Hie  leaves  are  often  attacked  by  a  small  brown  scale, 
that  adheres  most  tenaciously,  and  often  occasions  a  lot  of 
trouble  to  remove. 
C.  Devonianum  is  a  pretty  and  interesting  species,  its  blos¬ 
soms  being  very  variable  in  colour,  and  borne  on  pendent 
racemes  that  .spring  from  the  last-formed  p.seudo-bulbs.  Olive- 
green,  yellow,  and  purple  are  the  predominating  colours.  The 
plants  make  neat  specimens  'for  baskets,  in  which  they  do  well, 
aud  the  flowers  are  shown  to  perfection.  A  native  of  the 
Khasia  Hills,  Sikkim,  Assam,  and  other  localities,  it  was  sent 
home  to  the  Chatsworth  collection  as  far  back  as  1837  by  the 
late  IMr.  Gibson,  who  introduced  so  many  fine  orchids. 
The  superb  C.  eburneum  is  fortunately  cheap  enough  to  be 
included  now  in  all  collections,  though  once  it  was  very  rare. 
Of  handsome  habit,  it  looks  well  in  the  house  at  any  time, 
while  its  deliciously  fragrant  flowers  are  the  finest  in  the  genus. 
They  are  produced' two  or  three  on  a  spike,  from  the  axils  of  the 
upper  leaves  ;  the  sepals  and  petals  are  pure  ivory  white,  the 
lip  white,  stained  with  yellow,  and  often  dotted  with  purple. 
The  habit  of  C.  eburneum  is  rather  singular,  young  specimens 
having  a  good  deal  the  appearance  of  a  Vanda  or  other  dis¬ 
tichous  orchid.  As  the  stems  get  older  they  thicken  at  the 
base  into  a  pseudo-hulb.  though  at  first  there  is  no  sign  of  this. 
It  is  a  native  of  the  Khasia  Hills,  and  found  at  great  eleva¬ 
tion,  this  fact  doubtless  accounting  for  the  difficulty  at  first 
experienced  in  importing  it  alive. 
C.  giganteuin,  trom  the  Himalayas,  is  a  handsome  species, 
with  stoutish  pseudo-bulbs,  and  iiale  green,  flag-shaped  leaves. 
The  spikes  contain  many  flowers,  the  sepals  and  petals  being 
yellowish-green,  with  dotted  lines  of  crimson,  the  lip  much 
brighter  in  colour.  It  thrives  in  quite  a  cool  house.  The 
flowers  of  C.  grandifloruin  are  almost  entirely  green  excepting 
the  lip,  and  this  perhaps  accounts  for  its  lack  of  popularity.  It 
is  useful  where  a  representative  collection  is  aimed  at. 
C.  Lowianum  is  perhaps  the  most  popular  of  all,  and  an 
excellent  exhibition  orchid.  The  yellow  sepals  and  petals  are 
lined  with  red,  and  the  lip  has  a  deep  maroon  purple  blotch  in 
front.  Introduced  by  Messrs.  Low  through  their  very  success¬ 
ful  collector,  .Mr.  Boxall,  in  1877,  it  rapidly  made  its  way  to  the 
front ;  it  is  a  native  of  Burmah,  flowering  in  spring,  the  blos¬ 
soms  lasting  a  very  long  time  in  perfection.  C.  Tracyanum  is 
a  fine,  handsome  plant,  very  like  C.  giganteuin,  but  superior. 
It  is  named  after  Mr.  Tracy,  of  Twickenham,  who  purchased 
the  original  plant  among  some  C.  Lowianum. 
C.  eburneo-Lowianum  is,  as  its  name  implies,  a  hybrid 
between  these  two  species,  and  it  combines  the  beauty  of  its 
parents,  having  longer  spikes  and  more  flowers  than  C.  ehur- 
neum,  the  outer  segments  pale  yellow,  the  lip  having  a  V-shaped 
blotch  of  reddish  crimson.  It  thrives  well  in  an  intermediate 
hou.se. — H.  R.  R. 
Odontog-lossum  grande  and  O.  eitPosmum. 
Odontoglossum  grande  will  be  one  of  the  principal  inter¬ 
mediate  orchids  requiring  attention  this  month.  Hitherto  they 
have  had  a  good  rest,  being  kept  on  the  dry  side  since  their 
bulbs  matured.  New  growth  has  already  started,  and  root 
action  will  soon  follow.  Any  potting  required  should  be  done 
just  as  the  roots  show  at  the  base.  I  find  the  best  compost 
for  these  plants  is  leaf  soil,  surfaced  over  with  fresh  chopped 
sphagnum  moss.  Growth  and  root  action  is  wonderfully 
vigorous,  and  one  is  also  assured  of  good  strong  flower  spikes. 
I  need  not  say  that  in  this  mixture  very  little  water  is  required, 
a  slight  moistening  of  the  surface  moss  being  quite  sufficient. 
Odontoglossum  citrosmum  is  one  of  the  most  pleasing  and 
delightfully  scented  orchids  now  in  flower.  They  are  grown  here 
in  shallow  pans,  so  that  they  may  be  suspended,  the  flowers  are 
thus  shown  to  more  advantage.  As  soon  as  the  spikes  are  off 
top-dressing  or  repotting  should  begin,  using  peat  and  moss  in 
equal  proportions.  They  should  not  be  kept  long  in  a  saturated 
condition,  but  allow  them  to  get  moderately  dry  before  giving 
them  a  fresh  supply  of  water.  Give  them  a  fair  amount  of 
sunshine  and  air.  "Whilst  in  florver  it  is  best  to  keep  the 
atmosphere  much  drier,  so  that  the  florvers  will  last  longer  in 
good  condition  without  spotting. — “  Orchid  Review.” 
- - : - 
Asparagus  in  the  Slums. 
Quite  recently  the  enormous  consignments  of  Asparagus  to 
the  London  market  created  a  glut  which  brought  down  prices' to 
an  abnormal  figure,  and  so  plentiful  was  the  supply  that  even 
the  hawkers  carried  what  in  ordinary  circumstances  may  be 
regarded  as  an  aristocratic  vegetable  into  the  unfamiliar  regions 
of  the  East  End.  Again  large  quantities  of  Asparagus  have 
been  received  at  Covent  Garden  during  the  last  few  days,  and 
prices  are  consequently  down.  Although  much  of  the  Aspara¬ 
gus  is  French,  a  good  half  is  English,  with  the  bright  green 
.stalks  and  delicate  flavoiir  beloved  of  the  epicure. 
