September  24,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
281 
Cyclamen  Culture. 
Cattleya  x  Pittiana,  Wllson-Potter’s  variety. 
The  flower  received  a  first-class  certificate  on  Septemljor  1.  Our 
figure  on  this  page  is  a  very  true  likeness  of  the  flower,  with  its  wavy 
petals  of  a  tawny  brown  colour,  and  reddish  flush.  The  lip  broadens 
in  front,  and  is  rich  mauve-purple. 
Dendrobium  Phalaenopsis. 
This  magnificent  Orchid  is  now  about  to  flower  on  this  season’s 
growths.  Everything  should  be  done  to  get  them  developed.  Water 
must  be  given  till  after  flowering,  and  no  shading  is  necessary. 
Tbe  Week’s  Cultural  Notes. 
A  constant  supply  of  fre.sh  air  is  one  of  the  most  necessary  details 
in  Orchid  culture  just  between  the  seasons,  as  at  present  it  is  apt  to 
be  neglected.  Thinking  to  economise  fire,  perhaps  the  ventilators  at 
the  bottom  of  the  house  will  be  closed  and  kept  closed  during  the 
night,  but  this  is  not  economy  by  any  means.  Beside  robbing  the 
plants  of  the  necessary  air,  it  causes  the  moisture  to  condense  on  the 
glass  and  from  there  to  fall  upon  the  plants,  cold  chilling  drip  tiiat 
does  more  harm  in  an  hour  than  can  be  put  right  in  a  year.  Many 
fine  specimens  of  Phalienopsis  and  Angraecum  have  been  lost  owing 
to  this  icy  cold  moisture  falling  into  the  centre  of  growth. 
During  the  summer  and  well  into  the  autumn  a  little 
air  should  be  put  on  top  and  bottom  a  couple  of  hours  after 
closing  time,  a  nice  fresh 
feeling  in  the  morning 
resulting  from  this. 
Even  in  winter  a  chink 
of  air  below  at  least 
should  be  allowed  even 
in  the  Avarm  houses, 
Avhile  in  the  interme¬ 
diate  and  cool  structure 
a  little  top  air  must  be 
allowed  except  in  the 
very  coldest  nights, 
always  providing,  of 
course,  that  the  heating 
apparatus  is  capable  of 
keeping  the  correct 
temperature  Avithout 
ovei’heating  the  pipes. 
This  is  important,  hot 
pipes  causing  a  dry 
atmosphere  and  very 
unpleasant  smell  in¬ 
jurious  to  the  plants. 
In  the  cool  house 
the  plants  Avill  be  taking 
on  that  rusty  appear¬ 
ance  that  only  comes 
from  cool  airy  condi¬ 
tions,  and  it  is  a  pleasui  e 
to  AA'ork  among  them. 
Foliage  that  is  hard  and 
rustling,  instead  of 
flabby  and  pale  green, 
is  a  sure  sign  of  health 
and  a  forerunner  of 
plentiful  floAvering.  Just 
as  the  plants  have  been 
repotted  or  surfaced, 
a  slightly  closer  atmo¬ 
sphere  may  be  giv'en 
for  a  feAv  days  to  re¬ 
establish  them,  but 
Avhen  this  has  not  been 
done  the  autumn  air,  laden  with  moisture  as  it  often  is  at  night,  must  I 
be  fully  and  freely  admitted.  As  long  as  the  temperature  I'anges 
someAvhere  betAveen  55deg.  and  60deg.  as  a  minimum  none  of  the 
Odontoglossums,  cool  Oncidiums,  Disas,  Lycastes,  and  the  general  run 
of  alpine  Orchids  Avill  take  any  harm. 
September  is  getting  Avell  on,  and  toAvards  its  end  frosts  are  sure 
to  occur,  consequently  all  Orchids  outside  must  be  placed  under 
cover,  the  semi-hardy  kinds,  such  as  Bletia  hyacinthina,  being  left 
until  last.  The  deciduous  Dendrobiums  may  still  be  left  in  a  sunny 
frame.  They  are  hardier  than  generally  supposed,  and  rest  more 
surely  and  floAver  more  freely  from  having  a  good  airing  noAv.  The 
evergreen  kinds  are  better  in  the  house,  but  these,  again,  must  be 
cool  and  fairly  dry,  though  not  sufficiently  so  at  the  roots  t  i  cause 
the  pseudo-bulbs  to  shriv’el. — H.  R.  R. 
Cattleya  x  Pittiana,  Wilson -Potter’s  var, 
Cyclamens  arenOAV  cultiA'ated  more  extensively  than  ever.  FIoAver- 
ing  as  they  do  throughout  the  Avinter,  they  help  to  fill  the  gap  between 
the  last  of  the  Chrysanthemums  and  the  first  of  the  bulbs.  The  old 
method  of  groAving  Cyclamens  Avas  to  groAV  the  conns  year  after  year. 
When  the  plants  had  finished  floAvering  they  Avere  dried  off,  and  after 
being  rested  for  a  time  Avere  shaken  out,  repotted,  and  started  again. 
This  method  is  still  in  vogue,  although  not  on  such  a  large  scale  as 
preAuously. 
The  system  generally  adopted  noAv  is  to  groAv  the  plants  Avithout 
a  cheek  from  the  seedling  to  the  floAvering  stage  each  year.  Soav  the 
seed  at  the  latter  end  of  August  in  Avell-drained  pans.  Good  drainage 
is  an  essential  factor  from  start  to  finish  for  the  successful  cultiA^ation 
of  Cyclainens.  The  seed  should  be  soAvn  thinly  and  evenly  OA’er  the 
surface  of  the  soil,  pressed  in,  and  coA’ei-ed  lightly  Avith  fine  soil. 
Cover  the  pans  OA'er  Avith  glass,  and  place  m  a  cool  frame  to  germinate. 
Remove  the  glass  covering  as  soon  as  the  seedlings  appear  above  the 
soil,  and  raise  the  pans  up  to  the  glass  to  prevent  them  from  getting 
draAvn.  So  soon  as  the  plants  can  be  handled  prick  them  off  into 
other  pans  filled  AA'ith  a  similar  compost,  and  keep  the  plants  groAving 
in  a  night  temperature  of  50deg.,  rising  to  GOdeg.  in  the  day  until  the 
ncAv  year. 
In  January  pot  them  off  singly  into  2in.  and  3in.  pots,  according 
to  the  size  of  tlie  plants.  For  potting  use  tAvo  parts  loam  and  one 
of  leaf  soil,  adding  sufficient  charcoal  and  broken  lime  scraps  to  make 
the  soil  porous.  The  lime  scraps  are  used  instead  of  sand.  Cycla¬ 
mens  root  Avith  exceptional  freedom  Avhere  they  are  employed.  As 
the  roots  of  the  Cyclamens  emanate  from  the  base  of  the  conns  only, 
a  good  half  of  the  latter  should  be  above  the  soil  Avhen  the  potting 
is  finished.  A  great  mistake  is  made  in  completely,  or  nearly  so, 
covering  the  corms  Avith  soil,  as,  apart  from  causing  them  to  rot,  it 
encourages  a  disease 
Av  h  i  e  h  sometimes 
attacks  the  plants, 
and  failure  is  the 
result. 
At  this  stage,  in 
particular,  care  must  be 
taken  not  to  alloAv  the 
soil  to  become  dry,  for 
if  that  occurs  the  bullj 
Avill  become  hard,  and  it 
Avill  be  some  time  ere 
it  commences  to  groAV 
again.  Maintain  a  moist 
atmosphere  in  the  house 
or  frame  Avherein  the 
plants  are  groAving,  and 
syringe  them  lightly 
during  bright  Aveather. 
By  the  middle  of  April 
the  plants  Avill  require 
a  shift  into  large  60-size 
pots.  The  Aveather  by 
this  time  should  be 
favourable  enough  to 
admit  of  the  plants 
being  put  out  into  cold 
frames,  Avhieh  should 
be  filled  up  Avith  ashes, 
so  that  Avhen  the  plants 
are  placed  on  them  they 
Avill  be  quite  near  to 
the  glass.  Keep  the 
frame  closed  for  a  fcAv 
days,  and  then  air  may 
be  admitted  Avhen  re¬ 
quired,  and  shade  lightly 
from  bright  sunshine. 
Towards  the  end  of 
June  the  plants  Avill 
have  filled  the  pots 
with  roots,  and  Avill  re¬ 
quire  potting  into  48’s 
and  32’8,  in  Avhieh  they  Avill  floAver.  Use  tlie  same  compost  for 
potting,  and  pot  firmly.  Keep  them  close  for  a  day  or  tAvo  after 
potting,  and  then  gradually  increase  the  amount  of  air.  Syringe  the 
plants  morning  and  afternoon  during  bright  Aveather.  From  July  to 
September  remove  the  lights  at  night  time  Avhen  the  Aveather  is 
favourable. 
Cyclamen  are  very  apt  to  throAv  up  adventitious  floAver  buds,  and 
these  must  be  pulled  out  as  they  appear.  Turn  the  plants  round 
occasionally  to  promote  an  even  balance  of  groAvth  on  all  sides,  and 
Avhere  a  large  number  of  plants  are  groAvn  it  is  advisable  to  divide 
them  into  batches ;  the  first  coming  in  the  middle  of  October,  the 
others  being  brought  on  as  required.  Afford  the  plants  Aveak  manure 
Avater  as  soon  as  they  shoAV  the  floAver  buds  cn  the  croAvn  of  the  bulb. 
— G.  R.,  Waddesdon. 
