October  22,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
369 
OaK  Leaves  from  Mountain  Ledges. 
It  may  be  news  to  inany  folks  when  we  say  that  a  Journal 
reader  carries  on  a  business  amongst  tlie  Welsh  mountains,  his 
work  consisting  in  gathering  pure  Oak  leaves  from  the  ledges  of 
rock  in  the  mountain  woods,  overlooking  the  sea  at  Trawsfynydd, 
R.S.O.,  Merionethshire.  Our  friend  is  Alfred  Johnson,  F.R.H.S, 
(Bala  Sphagnum  Supplj'),  who  employs  quite  a  number  of  men 
at  this  season. 
Cypripadium  Lawrencianum  Gratrixlanum. 
This  is  a  very  pretty  Cypripedium,  formal  in  shape  neverthe¬ 
less.  It  is  comparable  to  C.  Lawrencianum  Hyeanum,  which  is 
coloured  green  and  white  ;  but  our  present  subject  has  in  addi¬ 
tion  a  pale  rose  tint  on  the  petals  and  sepals.  When  shown  by 
T.  M.  Crook,  Esq.,  of  Hoghton,  near  Preston,  before  the  R.H.S. 
Orchid  Committee  on  September  16,  it  received  an  award  of  merit. 
Our  figure  is  from  a  drawing  by  Mr.  George  Shayler. 
The  Week's  Cultural  Notes. 
Propagation  of  Orchids  by  the  removal  of  back  breaks  and 
potting  these  on  is  a  recognised  method  of  procedure,  but  one 
often  gone  about  in  the  wrong  way.  They  are  usually  taken  off 
in  spring  and  potted  up  at  once,  disturbing  root  and  branch, 
so  to  speak,  at  the  same  time.  Many  plants  may  be  prepared 
for  this  disturbance  by  severing  the  rhizome  now  and  leaving 
the  several  portions  to  grow  alongside  the  parent  plant  until 
spring.  Besides  propagating  purposes,  this  cutting  of  the  rhizome 
will  induce  the  formation  of  back  breaks,  that  serve  to  make  a 
specimen  more  equally  furnished  with  growths. 
Late  autumn  is  also  the  best  time  for  this  latter  operation, 
the  dormant  buds  plumping  up  during  winter  and  being  ready 
to  start  with  the  rest  in  spring.  If  delayed  until  the  latter 
season,  the  growths  start  late  in  consequence,  and  are  behind  all 
the  year.  Lselia  superbiens  is  a  case  in  point  where  cutting  the 
rhizome  is  productive  of  good  results.  As  imported,  this  is  one 
of  the  mo.st  difficult  species  to  get  into  shape,  untidy,  straggling 
specimens  being  the  rule;  but  if  back  breaks  are  produced  by 
the  above  means,  and  the  plants  pulled  into  shape  a  little  at 
every  repotting,  this,  and  the  removal  of  the  old  and  shapeless 
bulb,  will  gradually  induce 
a  more  tidy  plant  and 
better  habit.  There  are 
many  other  plants  that 
may  be  improved  in  ap¬ 
pearance  by  these  means ; 
in  fact,  the  great  majority 
of  pseudo-bulbous  species. 
But  strong  plants  only 
must  be  chosen  ;  for  weak, 
badly  rooted  .specimens 
may  be  .seriously  injured  by 
the  cutting.  Nor  should 
rare  or  valuable  specimens 
be  operated  upon  until 
some  experience  has  been 
gained  with  cheaper  and 
commoner  sorts.  In  the 
case  of  small  growing 
Cattleyas,  or  Lselias, 
Odontoglossums,  and  dwarf 
species  generally,  it  is  ad- 
visa.b!e  to  notch  the  rhi¬ 
zome  rather  deeply  at  first, 
to  check  the  flow  of  .sap, 
but  to  leave  the  actual 
severance  until  roots  are 
forming  on  the  part  to  be 
severed. 
Naturally,  after  the  di.s- 
turbance  and  check  to  the 
plant  following  this  cut¬ 
ting,  a  careful  regime 
is  necessary.  Both  the 
parent  plant  and  the  off¬ 
shoot  must  be  kept  rather 
warmer  and  closer,  not  ex¬ 
posed  to  draughts  or  cold 
air  while  in  their  convales¬ 
cent  state.  As  the  roots 
obtain  a  fresh  hold,  they 
may  graclually  be  returned  to  tlie  ordinary  growing  quarters  and 
treated  similarly  to  established  plants.  Before  commencing  any 
of  these  operations  it  is  necessary,  of  cour.se,  to  consider  whether 
or  not  the  value  of  the  plant  will  be  enhanced  by  them.  Thev 
must  not  be  rushed  info  just  for  the  sake  of  experimenting,  and 
R  should  be  kept  in  mind  that  a  fine,  healthy  specimen  of  a  good 
II™1  worth  more  than  a  number  of  scraggy  pieces.— 
Phalsanopsls  amabilis  Rimestadiana. 
The  genus  PhaIa?nopsi.s  is  unquestionably  among  the  finest 
Orchids  yet  introduced,  and  although  nearly  all  varieties  are 
beautiful,  the  subject  of  our  notes  is  considered  decidedly  the 
best.  The  subject,  Phalsenop.sis  amabilis  Rimestadiana,  was 
imported  from  Java,  where  it  was  found  growing  at  a  higher 
elevation  than  any  other  .species  of  Phalsenopsis,  con.sequently  it 
can  be  successfully  grown  in  the  Cattleya  house,  as  it  does  not 
require  the  heat  of  other  varieties.  Its  free  growing  habit  and 
the  freedom  with  which  it  produces  its  large  flowers  make  it 
quite  an  acquisition  to  our  Orchid  liomses.  This  variety  has 
been  quite  extensively  distributed  throughout  England  and  the 
continent  of  Europe  during  the  past  year.  It  is  easily  dis¬ 
tinguished  from  the  Bornean  variety  by  its  light  green  foliage 
and  dark  green  flower  spike,  whereas  in  the  Bornean  variety  the 
stem  is  yellow.  The  plant  (says  the  “American  Florist”)  has 
just  flowered  in  the  collection  of  Dr.  R.  Schiffmann,  St.  Paul, 
Minn.,  U.S.A. 
Storing  Pollen. 
In  the  crossing  and  hybridising  of  Orchids,  Daffodils,  or  other 
flowering  plants,  the  hybridist  has  many  times  intended  to  make 
certain  thought-out  crosses,  but  waits  to  find  that  the  pollen  and 
the  stigma  of  two  chosen  agents  are  far  removed  in  the  date  of 
their  nece.ssary  adaptability.  What  has  he  (or  she)  to  do?  In 
the  case  of  Daffodils,  the  pollen  has  often  to  be  kept  for  two  or 
three  weeks,  and  it  still  remains  vital.  We  learn  from  the 
“  Orchid  Review  ”  (October  number)  that  the  pollen-masses  in 
the  flowers  of  Cattleyas  and  some  other  genera  of  Orchids  can 
also  be  excised  and  stored  for  quite  extended  periods  without 
losing  their  fertilising  power.  We  may  be  allowed  to  quote  what 
Emily  Thwaites  .says  on  pages  292  and  293  of  the  “  Review.”  In 
opening,  she  writes: — “I  tried  various  means,  and  the  one  I 
have  found  most  success- 
.  ,  ful  seems  too  simple  to 
Avrite  about.  It  is  to  re- 
...  ,  move  the  pollen  carefully 
from  thei  flower;  wrap  in 
the  blue  tissue  paper 
florists  use;  write  name 
and  date  on,  and  put  in  a 
tin  box.”  She  then  names 
certain  species  rrlmse  pol- 
linia  were  tried. 
Continuing  :  — “  I  might 
say,  too,  that  in  raising 
thd  plants  true  from  seed, 
it  is  not  wise  to  use  a 
flower’s  own  pollen,  but 
rather  to  get  it  from 
another  plant  of  the  same 
variety.  For  instance, 
last  November  I  fertilised 
two  flowers  of  Cattleya 
labiata  Amesiana,  one 
with  its  own  pollen,  and 
one  with  labiata  R.I.  Mea¬ 
sures  variety.  The  former 
stayed  on  six  montlis  only, 
and  on  being  sown  proved 
)  all  chaff ;  the  other  has 
gone  on  all  right.  Then 
Cattleya  Trianse  alba,  self- 
fertilised,  burst  at  six 
months,  and  we  fear  there 
is  little  chance  of  the  seed 
being  good,  Avhile  Cat¬ 
tleya  Mossise  Wageneri 
feidilised  Avith  its  own 
pollen,  though  hanging 
throughout  the  year,  Avas 
Aery  bad  seed,  and  avo 
only  got  a  few  seedlings. 
At  the  same  time  I  ought 
to  say  that  Dendrubium  nobilo  virginale,  self-fertilised,  resulted 
in  a  good  pod  of  .seed,  and  avo  got  a  good  many  seedlings  up. 
“Of  all  the  pollen  avo  haAm  used,  too,  taking  it  all  round,  I 
think  that  that  of  Brassavola  Digbyana  has  iiroA'ed  the  most 
vigorous.  It  gives  splendid  results;  even  Avhon  put  on  Cattleya 
DoAviana  aurea  Ave  got  a  line  pod  of  seed,  and  aureas  as  a  rule 
are  very  bad  .seed  parents.” 
C.  Lawrencianum  Qratrixianum. 
