June  30,  1901. 
jnunXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
.553 
Odontoglossum  cnispum  vap.  Harold 
This  exceptionally  fine  variety  was  staged  at  the  meeting  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  held  on  May  17  in  the  Drill 
Hall,  Janies  Street,  Buckingham  Gate,  by  Mr.  Norman  C. 
Cookson  (gardener,  Mr.  H.  J.  Chapman),  Oakwood,  Wylam-on- 
Tyne,  when  it  received  a  first-class  certificate.  The  raceme 
bore  seven  good  flowers  of  fine  form  and  large  size  (as  shown  in 
the  drawing).  They  are  white,  each  petal  with  one  red  spot 
in  the  middle;  the  dorsal  sepal  and  the  two  lower  ones  are 
spotted  numerously. 
s 
Caelogyne  pandurata  at  Birming-ham  Botanical  Garden. 
Coelogyne  pandurata  has  just  come  into  flower  for  the  first 
time  at  the  Botanical  Gardens,  Edgbaston,  and  should  be  seen 
by  all  who  are  interested.  Coelogyne  pandurata  was  first 
found  in  1852  by  Sir  Hugh  (then  Mr.)  Low,  growing  on  tree 
trunks  in  swampy  districts  of  that  portion  of  Borneo  which, 
under  the  name  of  Sarawak,  will  be  associated  for  all  time  with 
the  rule  of  Rajah  Brooke.  The  flowers,  about  4in  in  diameter, 
are  of  the  liveliest  pea-green  colour,  while  the  long  green  lip 
has  cre.sts  and  ridges  of  a  deep  velvety  black,  curiously  curved 
into  the  semblance  of  a  violin — whence  the  specific  name  pan¬ 
durata,  or  fiddle-like.  As  one  of  somewhat  flamboyant 
imagination  once  described  it,  the  whole  flower  is  like  nothing 
so  much  as  a  green  frog  with  a  long  black  tongue.  There  are 
two  spikes  of  flowers,  one  bearing  five,  the  other  four  blooms, 
which,  in  addition  to  their  striking  form  and  colour,  have  a 
beautiful  fragrance.  The  plant  is  a  rare  one  in  cultivation,  pro¬ 
bably  owing  to  the  fact  that,  though  of  exceptional  merit  when 
in  bloom,  there  is  gi’eat  difficulty  in  persuading  it  to  flower.  The 
Slant  at  the  gardens,  which  is  now  flowering  for  the  first  time, 
as  been  in  possession  of  the  society  for  at  least  twelve  years. 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
After  midsummer  the  number  of  orchids  in  flower  gradually 
declines,  and  although  as  yet  there  is  a  fine  show  in  representa¬ 
tive  collections,  growers  wdl  be  turning  anxiously  to  the  autumn 
flowering  sorts.  Miltonias  of  the  spectabilis  group  are  very 
useful  in  this  respect ;  they  are  now  throwing  up  their  flower 
spikes,  and  owing  to  the  small  amount  of  compost  used  for 
them,  they  will  require  very  frequent  attention  to  watering  if 
the  best  results  are  looked  for.  A  constantly  saturated  state  is 
not  to  be  aimed  at  at  any  time,  but  the  roots  must  be  dry  now 
for  a  very  short  time  only. 
These  plants  like  more  heat  at  this  time  of  year  than  is 
usually  allowed,  but  it  must  be  tempered  with  plenty  of 
atmospheric  moisture,  and  a  clear  light  without  the  sun  actually 
reaching  them  direct  is  to  their  taste.  The  popular  M.  vexillaria 
is  going  out  of  flower,  but  the  growths  may  not  be  quite  com¬ 
plete  in  all  cases,  and  the  roots  will  still  need  ample  sustenance. 
The  shrinking  in  size  often  noted  in  the  pseudo-bulbs  of  this 
species  will  not  be  so  marked  if  the  moisture  is  kept  going  in 
proper  ratio  with  the  activity  of  the  roots.  The  later  flowering 
varieties  are  coming  into  line,  and  a  fine  display  over  a  long 
season  may  be  had  by  growing  stock  of  each  section. 
The  scandent  flowering  Oncidiums  of  the  macranthum 
section  are,  many  of  them,  past,  and  a  slight  rest  will  be  neces¬ 
sary.  But  it  must  not  be  lost  sight  of  that  the  production  and 
maintenance  of  these  long  spikes  of  flower  constitute  a  great 
strain  upon  the  plants,  and  to  dry  them  much  at  the  roots 
weakens  them.  More  light  than  they  have  had,  and  a  moderate 
amount  of  moisture,  prepares  the  plants  for  a  rest  later,  without 
which  they  seldom  flower  freely  the  ensuing  season.  O.  super- 
biens  is  still  in  flower,  and  also  the  rarer  and  more  nearly 
related  O.  loxense,  so  these  must  still  be  kept  on  the  moist  side. 
Dendrochihun  filiforme  is  coming  into  floAver,  and  the  pseudo¬ 
bulbs  are  developing  at  the  same  time,  so  an  ample  Avater 
supply  is  needed.  D.  glumaceum  and  others  of  the  earliest 
floAvering  section  are  past,  and  the  pseudo-bulbs  nearly  finished. 
Keep  them  going  until  finished,  then  remove  the  plants  to  a 
cool  light  house,  and  only  Avater  them  sufficiently  to  keep  the 
pseudo-bulbs  fi’om  shriAmlling.  Repot  any  plants  of  Odonto- 
gio.ssom  citrosmum  needing  this  attention,  and  allow  those  not 
requiring  repotting  an  abundant  Avater  supply.  The  best  com¬ 
post  for  this  species  is  peat  and  sphagnum  ;  it  should  be  groAvn 
in  suspended  receptacles,  and  giAmn  an  intermediate  tem¬ 
perature. — H.  R.  R. 
The  Strawberry  Boom. 
The  StraAvberry  season  came  in  Avith  a  rush  on  the  morning 
of  June  21,  and  everything  at  Covent  Garden  gave  Avay  before 
che  mighty  mass  of  luscious  fruit.  The  previous  evening  (says 
the  “Daily  Express”)  good  StraAvberries  Avere  selling  at  8d. 
and  lOd.  a  pound,  but  yesterday  (.June  21)  Avitliout  a  note  of 
Avarning,  the  Metropolis  Avas  invaded  by  hundreds  of  costers’ 
barroAvs  piled  high  AA'ith  large,  shining  StraAvberries,  the  best 
the  season  can  hope  to  produce,  and  they  Avere  selling  at  6d., 
4d.,  and  even  3d.  a  pound.  Covent  Garden,  in  the  early  hours 
of  the  morning,  presented  a  sight  that  is  probably  unequalled 
in  Europe.  The  market  Avas  given  up  to  one  particular  traffic, 
for  Avhen  His  Majesty  the  StraAvberry  arrives  in  force  fruit 
salesmen  do  not  expect  much  business  in  other  directions.  By 
noon  25,000  baskets,  each  containing  about  4ilb,  had  been  re¬ 
ceived  at  the  market,  Avhich  means  that  before  evening  nearly 
120,0001b  had  been  distributed  over  London.  This  enormous 
supply  Avas  expected  to  be  exceeded.  The  explanation  of  the 
rush  is  that  the  Hampshire  supplies  Avere  about  a  fortnight  late ; 
the  crops  from  Kent  and  Middlesex,  on  the  contrary,  are  rather 
Odontoglossum  crispum  Harold. 
earlier  than  usual.  The  result  is  that  three  of  the  most  pro¬ 
ductive  districts  sent  their  supplies  together,  a  state  of  things 
from  Avhich  the  public  Avill  reap  most  of  the  benefit.  In  addi¬ 
tion  there  are  small  supplies  arriving  from  other  districts.  The 
.strain  of  the  Strawberry  now  selling  is  the  Royal  Sovereign, 
which  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  most  popular  varieties  in  culti¬ 
vation.  French  StraAvberries  are  now  out  of  season.  Returns 
from  fifty  English  parishes  shoAv  that  in  tAventy-four  cases  the 
Strawberry  crop  is  from  10  to  25  per  cent,  above  the  average ; 
in  fifteen  cases  the  average  is  Avell  maintained,  and  in  no 
instance  is  there  any  failure  of  importance.  Many  districts 
report: — “The  largest  crop  ever  known.”  Salesmen  at  Covent 
Garden  state  that  for  the  next  six  Aveeks  there  Avill  be  little 
demand  for  any  other  fruit.  The  Cherry  crop  has  been  some- 
Avhat  disappointing.  In  England  it  has  been  the  worst  crop  of 
the  year.  In  several  places  the  yield  is  put  at  25  per  cent, 
below  the  average.  An  excellent  promise  Avas  spoiled  by  night 
frosts  while  the  fruit  Avas  stoning.  France  has,  however,  kept 
the  market  avcU  supplied  Avith  a  splendid  strain  knoAvn  as  the 
Royal  Hortense.  Gooseberries  promise  exceptionally  aacII.  The 
yield  of  Raspberries  is  expected  to  be  from  half  to  tlu-ee-quarters 
of  the  average.  There  Avill  probably  bo  a  plentiful  supply  of 
Red  Currants,  but  Black  Currants  will  certainly  be  bad.  Fruit 
blossom  honey  has  noAV  begun  to  make  its  appearance  in  the 
market.  Experts  regard  this  as  the  finest  honey  of  the  3’ear, 
for  it  is  free  from  the  sAveet  insipidity  of  the  sycamore  lioney 
and  the  strong  flavour  of  the  heather  variety.  Tlie  experts  sav 
that  the  big  houses  mix  their  various  supplies,  but  tlie  small 
bee-keeper  is  careful  to  keep  each  season’s  lioney  .separate,  as  its 
excellence  depends  on  the  floAA'ers  on  Avhich  the  bee  feeds. 
