August  13,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
143 
Cattleya  Rex. 
This  South  American  species  (Andes  of  Peru)  is  of  the 
labiata  section,  flowering  in  summer,  and  has  creamy-white  to 
yellow  sepals  and  petals.  The  lip  is  crimson  veined  with  j'ellow, 
shaded  white  and  yellow,  with  a  white  fringe.  It  requires  a 
warm  house  to  succeed  with  it. 
The  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
of  the  Victoria  and  Westburn  Parks,  in  the  Victoria  Park  hot¬ 
house.  The  plant,  which  is  of  the  genus  Stanhopea  (a  large 
genus  of  handsome  flowered  epiphytes,  named  in  honour  of  Earl 
Stanhope),  and  of  the  species  tigrina,  has  two  large  pendant 
flowers,  and  it  may  be  mentioned  that  there  was  a  third  flower, 
which,  however,  did  not  thrive  as  the  others  did.  The  follow¬ 
ing  description  of  the  plant  is  given  in  ‘‘  Cassell’s  Popular  Gar¬ 
dening  ”  :  “  S.  Tigrina. — This  .specie.s  produces  the  largest  flowers 
in  the  whole  genus,  often  measuring  Sin  across.  Sepals  and 
petals  very  thick  and  waxy,  the  ground  colour  a  rich  yellow, 
irregularly  blotched  and  striped  with  rich  brown.  Lip  tawny 
yellow,  dotted  with  reddi.sh-brown.  It  yields  a  very  strong 
odour,  somewhat  between  vanilla  and  melon,  and  very  aromatic. 
Summer  months,  Mexico.”  The  specimen  on  exhibition  is  an 
excellent  one,  verj'  creditable  to  the  skill  of  Mr.  Walker  and 
his  staff  as  floriculturists,  even  with  their  limited  hothouse 
accommodation.  _ _ 
The  Angulcas  are  now  finishing  their  growth,  and  it  is  im¬ 
portant  that  they  are  encouraged  to  do  this  well,  strong, 
healthy  pseudo-bulbs  being  always  followed  by  fine  flowers,  pro¬ 
vided  the  former  are  properly  developed.  Where  recently  ro- 
Ijotted  the  roots  will  by  now  have  sufficiently  penetrated  the 
new  compost  to  take  a  full  supply  of  water  without  injury,  and 
this  must  be  allowed.  After  the  bulbs  ai'o  fully  grown  the 
plants  will  be  better  for  a  week  or  two  in  the  open,  air  if  the 
garden  is  sheltered.  But  they  must  not  be  exposed  to  the  full 
sun  at  first,  the  tissue  of  the  plant  requiring  to  be  hardened  a 
little  by  slight  exposure  in  a  frame. 
The  shade  of  a  fruit  tree  or  shrub  is  sufliciemt  protection  if 
a  frame  is  not  at  com¬ 
mand,  and  the  water 
supply  must  at  first  be 
quite  as  liberal  as  when 
under  glass.  After¬ 
wards  much  less  will 
suffice,  until  in  winter 
only  enough  to  keep 
the  bulbs  plump  need 
be  given.  There  are 
now  many  plants 
coming  from  the 
flowering  house  to  be 
returned  to  the  grow¬ 
ing  quarters,  and  these 
require  a  little  more 
care  than  usual,  not 
allowing  the  sun  to 
shine  fully  upon  them 
at  first,  and  maintain¬ 
ing  a  moist  atmosphere 
about  them ;  a  kind  of 
convalescent  treatment, 
in  fact. 
The  deciduous  Ca- 
lanthes  have  almost 
finished  growing,  and 
will  require  plenty  of 
room.  The  removal  of 
some  of  the  earlier 
plants  of  Dendrobium 
from  the  warm  house 
will  pi'obably  allow  of 
the  Calanthes  being 
spread  out  a  little,  this 
allowing  the  light  to 
reaoh  all  parts  of  the 
foliage  and  the  embryo 
flower  spikes,  to  their 
benefit.  Keep  the  water 
supply  going  fully  to 
the  roots  until  the 
foliage  begins  to  turn 
colour,  after  which  it  is 
useless,  as  at  this  time 
the  roots  commence  to 
decay  also.  This  does  ,  .  . 
not  apply  to  C.  oculata  gigantea  and  similar  late  flowering  sorts. 
While  allowing  an  increased  amount  of  sunlight  to  most  of 
the  intermediate  and  warm  house  species,  carefully  screen 
those  of  tender  foliage,  instances  that  occur  to  mind  being  the 
Paphinias  and  Promenieas.  It  is  just  possible  that  some  of  the 
■former  may  require  attention  to  the  compost,  their  fleshy  roots 
simply  refusing  to  enter  sour  or  waterlogged  soil.  Green 
sphagnum  tips  and  a  sprinkling  of  loam  fibre  is  very  favourite 
compost  for  these  sensitively  rooted  species. — H.  R.  R. 
A  Beautiful  Orchid  In  Aberdeen. 
At  present  there  is  being  displayed  in  the  shop  window  of 
Messrs.  Cardno  and  Darling,  florists,  Guild  Street,  a  rare  and 
beautiful  Orchid,  grown  by  Mr.  Robert  Walker,  superintendent 
EartMpg  Celery. 
This  is  an  operation  that  requires  considerable  care  if  the 
gardener  desires  to  secure  finely  blanched  clean  sticks,  or  heads, 
of  good  cj[uality ;  but  it  is  often  done  in  a  slovenly  and  careless 
manner,  which  cannot  possibly  give  the  best  results.  The  time 
is  now  on  us  for  attending  to  this  most  important  operation. 
Some  growers  make  a  practice  of  earthing  all  at  one  time;  but 
where  the  extra  time  and  labour  in  giving  more  attention  to  it 
can  be  spared,  the  results  are  very  much  more  satisfactory.  It 
is  far  better  to  accomplish  it  in  three  different  operations,  with 
intervals  of  ten  days  or  so,  before  the  final  earthing  up  is  com¬ 
plete.  Some  time  during  August  the  earliest  Celery  should  be 
ready  for  the  first  earthing,  which  should  only  be  slight.  The 
greatest  care  is  required  to  prevent  any  soil  from  dropping 
between  the  leaves  into  the  centre  of  the  plant.  All  suckers 
should  be  removed  and  the  loose  soil  gently  but  firmly  pressed 
round  with  one  hand.  Where  possible  it  is  much  better  to  mix 
some  sharp  sand  with  the  soil  lying  close  against  the  plant, 
which  acts  as  a.  preventive  against  slugs.  On  completion  the 
tips  of  the  leaves  only  should  .show  above  the  top  of  the  trench, 
the  sides  of  which  should  be  firmly  made  into  a  sliaiq)  slope. 
The  old  method  of  binding  round  the  plants  with  paper,  sti'aw, 
large  leaves,  and  other  materials,  which  at  best  only  harbour 
slugs  and  ether  pests  having  a  taste  for  this  esculent  vegetable. 
