574 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  24,  1903. 
Cypripedium  x  Arthurianum  pulcliellum. 
Cypn'pedinni  Arthnrianum  resulted  from  a  cross  between  C. 
insigne  and  C.  Fairrieanum.  It  is  fairly  well  known,  and  is  a 
good  grower.  The  petals  are  pale  greeii  faintly  spotted  with 
purple  in  the  lower  half,  veined  with  deep  crimson  in  the  upper 
half,  and  turned  downwards  like  C.  Fairrieanum.  The  dorsal 
sepal  is  pale  yellowish  green,  broadly  margined  with  white  on 
the  upper  part,  veined  with  blackish  crimson.  The  lip  is  veined 
and  mottled  with  brown  on  a  pale  greenish  yellow  ground.  The 
flowers  appear  in  the  autumn  months  and  continue  a  long  time 
in  perfection.  C.  Arthnrianum  pulchellum  is  much  superior  to 
the  preceding,  having  a  broader  donsal  sepal,  which  is  covered 
with  larger  spots,  and  is  richer  and  deeper  in  colour.  The 
former  was  first  shown  on  October  10,  1882,  and  the  latter 
(J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited)  November  1,  1892. 
Masdevallias. 
There  is  probably  no  more  interesting  or  fascinating  genus  of 
Orehicls  in  cultivation  than  Masclevallias,  and  certainly  no  other 
contains  such  a  wondrous  vai’iety  of  form  or  beautiful  combinations 
of  colouring. 
The  lover  of  the  grotesque  will  delight  in  such  exquisite  little 
gems  as  M.  Estradte  and  M.  trochilus,  or  the  wonderful  M.  Chimtera, 
while  those  who  look  for  brilliant  colour  and  simple  form  will  find 
ample  to  please  them  among  the  Harryana  and  Lindeni  section. 
Masdevallias  as  a  genus  are  not  difficult  to  cultivate,  but  they  show  the 
results  of  indifferent  treatment  sooner  than  many  others.  For  instance, 
an  Odontoglossum,  or  even  a  Cattleya,  may  not  have  a  sound  root 
in  the  pot  in  which  it  is  growing,  and  yet  an  inexperienced  person 
Avould  not  for  a  time  detect  anything  wrong  by  the  appearance  of  the 
pseudo-bulbs  or  leaves,  because  the  stored-up  nutriment  in  the  former 
keeps  the  plant  going  for  a  time  wuthout  much  assistance  from  the 
roots,  and  may  perhaps  produce  a  few  flowers.  Masdevallias,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  once  the  roots  get  in  a  bad  way,  show  the  effect  almost 
at  once,  as  they  have  no  pseudo-bulbs  to  sustain  them,  and  are 
naturally  more  sensitive  to  atmospheric  changes. 
The  roots  then,  and  how  to  conserve  them,  must  be  the  grower’s 
first  care.  Anyone  Avho  has  had  a  little  experience  with  Orchids 
Avill  have  noticed  how  these  delight  in  rambling  about  over  the  hard, 
porous  surface  of  the  pots  where  they  are  fully  exposed,  often  quite 
dry,  and  have  nothing  of  a  close  nature  about  them.  Here  then  is  the 
cue  for  root  preservation,  and  in  preparing  the  compost  for  these 
beautiful  plants  growers  must  keep  in  mind  the  necessity  of  providing 
for  a  constant  supply  of  air  to  the  roots,  at  the  same  time  checking 
too  rapid  evaporation,  and  providing  the  necessary  nutriment.  The 
plants  must  not  be  dried  at  the  roots  at  any  season,  but  no  stagnant 
moisture  must  bo  allowed  to  collect  about  them.  They  all  thrive  in  a 
cool  house  during  the  summer,  and  must  have  a  light  airy  position 
shaded  from  bright  sunshine. 
The  winteij  temperature  must  not  be  allowed  to  fall  much  below 
50°  for  the  Chinifera  group,  while  45°  is  quite  low  enough  for  the 
Harryana  and  Veitchi  sections,  and  in  fact  for  any  cool  house  Orchid. 
The  chief  insect  enemy  to  Masdevallias  is  the  yellow  thrip,  and  unless 
constant  war  is  waged  against  these  they  soon  get  the  upper  hand, 
ruining  the  appearance  of  foliage  and  flowers.  M.  amabilis,  M. 
Harryana,  M.  Chelsoni,  M.  Veitchi,  M.  ignea,  M.  coecinea,  and  M. 
I.indeni  will  be  found  a  good  selection  of  the  showy  flowered  tvpes. 
These  are  natives  of  Peru  and  New  Granada  except  Chelsoni,  which 
is  a  hybrid  raised  by  Messrs.  Veitch  &  Sons  from  M.  Veitchi  and  M. 
amabilis.  M.  tovarensis  is  the  only  well-known  wdiite  flowering  kind. 
M.  ChimaBra,  M.  Baekhouseana,  M.  Bella,  and  M.  Wallisi  are 
amongst  the  most  marvellous  productions  of  the  whole  Orchid  family, 
and  I  hope  to  refer  to  the  culture  of  these  more  fully  in  the  near 
future.  Of  the  small  flowered  section  M.  triaristella  and  M. 
triangularis,  as  well  as  those  named  above,  are  free  flowering,  elegant, 
and  very  interesting  species. — Bkistol  Grower. 
Sophronitis  grandiflora. 
Few  plants  are  so  cliarining  during  the  dull  winter  days  as 
the  Sophronitis,  especially  this  fine  species.  It  produces  flowers 
of  immense  size  when  compared  with  that  of  its  pseudo-bulbs, 
and  this,  too,  with  great  freedom,  dhe  individual  flowers  are 
upwards  of  2in  across,  of  a  glowing  scarlet,  and  thriving  as  it 
('oes  in  quite  a  cool  house,  it  is  an  excellent  plant  for  all  classe.s 
of  growers.  Like  all  dwarf  Orchids  it  dislikes  a  large  amount  of 
conipost  about  its  roots,  but  likes  a  thin,  well  drained,  firm 
medium  that  will  keep  in  good  condition  for  several  years  with¬ 
out  disturbance. 
Small  pans  suspended  near  the  roof  of  the  Odontoglossum 
house  or  a  house  kept  a  trifle  warmer  are  suitable  for  this  and 
its  variety  purpurea,  but  the  dwarfer  tufted  sort,  S.  cernua. 
thrives  well  on  a  lightly  djressed  rough  wooden  block.  S.  vio- 
lacea  is  more  difficult  to  grow  that  either,  the  best  plants  I 
have  had  being  grown  on  a  piece  of  Tree  Fern  stem.  It  is  less 
tufted  than  either  of  the  others,  and  not  so  sHowy.  S.  cernua 
is  the  oldest  species,  having  been  in  cultivation  since  1826,  the 
others  having  been  introduced  at  a  later  date  from  various 
stations  in  Brazil. — Grower,  Bristol. 
Orchids  at  Chelsea. 
Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  of  the  Royal 
Exotic  Nursery,  Chelsea,  recently  had  a  very  rich  display  of 
Orchids  in  flower.  The  dense  fog  of  two  weeks  back  must  have 
scorched  and  destroyed  hundreds  of  the  tenderer  blossoms,  yet 
more  have  opened  and  are  .still  opening.  It  was  surprising  to 
learn  that  such  large  quantities  of  certain  species  are  grown. 
Thus  of  Cattleya  labiata,  some  700  plants  are  cultivated; 
C.  Mendeli,  400;  C.  Trianse,  500;  C.  Mossiae,  500;  and  C. 
Schrbderae,  500.  All  of  these  are  flowering  well,  or  ready  to 
unfold.  The  plants  are  healthy,  with  green  coriaceous  leaves 
and  fre.sh,  plump  white  roots.  Laelia  purpurata  was  represented 
by  a  large  collection  of  specimen  plants  in  10-inch  pots,  each 
plant  having  four  or  five  leads. 
Dendrobium  Wardian nm  hangs  from  the  roof  of  a  warm  Lily 
house,  in  small  pans,  and  the  stock  of  D.  nobile  was  also  large 
and  highly  satisfactory.  C.  Bowringiana,  whose  flowers  are  so 
u.seful  for  breast  bouquets,  was  in  fine  condition,  and  of  course 
Oncidium  Forbesi,  O.  tigrinum,  and  O.  crnithorhyncum  were  in 
full  beauty  of  blossom.  Cattleya  Dowiana  in  hanging  pots,  and 
C.  D.  aurea  in  large  pots  well  up  to  the  light,  were  objects  of 
envious  interest.  Vanda  cserulea,  the  “true  blue,”  is  always 
worthy  of  attention. 
There  tvere  some  attractive  new  hybrid  Cypripediums  in  the 
smaller  pits.  C.  x  Little  Gem  was  one.  It  resulted  from  cross¬ 
ing  C.  Harrisianum  superbum  with  C.  x  Baron  Schroder.  The 
dorsal  sepal  is  bold  and  fine,  flushed  a  blush-purple,  and  edged 
white.  The  petals  droop  a  little ;  the  pouch  is  rosy. 
C.  X  Catherine  came  from  callosum  Sanderse  and  superbiens 
(syn.  Veitchi),  pale  creamy  ground,  the  delicate  petals  and  sepal’s 
spotted  with  dark  red.  It  is  a  very  graceful  and  sweet  little 
flower. 
C.  X  Memnon  from  C.  Spiceranum  and  Charlesworthi  shows 
the  trace  of  both  parents,  but  the  latter  predominates.  It  has 
a  pretty  rose-mauve  dorsal  sepal,  with  a  deep  greenish-brown 
base,  and  a  brown  pouch.  The  Leeanum  varieties  were  particu¬ 
larly  sturdy. 
Cultural  Notes ;  Saccolabiums,  Dendrobiums,  Vandas. 
Saccolabium  giganteum  and  its  varieties  are  now  in  flower  or 
approaching  it,  and  the  elegant  spikes  are  very  Avelcome.  It  is 
not  one  of  the  best  of  growers,  though  for  a  feAV  years  after 
importation  it  gets  along  fairly  Avell,  and  it  is  not  wise  to  allow 
the  .spikes  to  remain  on  too  long.  The  fact  of  their  appearance 
at  the  dead  of  winter  is  against  the  health  of  the  plants,  and 
frequently  leads  to  a  shrivelled  state  of  the  leaves  from  which 
they  recover  slowly  and  with  difficulty.  A  moderately  dry  state 
at  the  roots  and  in  the  atmosplicre  is  necessary  now  to  induce 
rest  until  the  spring,  when  the  conditions  for  groAvth  will  be 
more  suitable. 
Among  other  Dendrobiums  advancing  for  floAver  Avill  be  the 
quaint  Australian  species  D.  speciosum  and  D.  Hilli,  and  though 
very  often  the  pseudo-bulbs  of  these  Avill  often  be  consider¬ 
ably  shrivelled  OAving  to  the  drying  in  autumn,  it  is  not  Avell  to 
ovei’Avater  them  yet.  There  Avill  be  ample  time  later  to  put  all 
this  right.  Should  signs  of  neAv  roots  appear  as  they  occasion¬ 
ally  do,  a  little  surface  dressing  may  be  given;  but  the  plants 
must  not  be  disturbed  at  the  roots.  The  A-ariety  Bancroftianum 
is  a  more  slender  groAver,  but  a  veiy  charming  plant.  It  usually 
floAvers  later  than  the  type,  and  from  noAv  until  the  spikes  show 
plainly  must  be  kept  dry. 
Drip  is  a  source  of  much  danger  to.  Orchids  at  all  times,  and 
especially  noAV  AA’hen  the  inside  temperature  is  so  much  higher 
than  the  outside.  Basket  plants  suspended  from  hooks  screAved 
into  the  rafters  are  almost  sure  to  suffer,  as  the  hook  and  Avire 
carry  the  drip  direct  to  the  centre  of  the  plant.  In  all  cases  it  is 
better  to  liaAm  a  liglit  iron  or  brass  rod  running  the  Avhole  length 
of  the  house  for  suspending  ba,skets  from.  These  can  then  be 
hung  betAV'een  the  rafters,  AA'lien,  of  course,  the  risk  is  much  less. 
Cattleyas  and  other  kinds  that  form  cup-like  groAvths  must  be 
frequently  examined  noAv  and  turned  upside  doAvn  to  alloAV  any 
Avater  that  has  gathered  to  escape. 
Vanda  Amesiana  e.s  it  goes  out  of  floAver  may,  if  necessary, 
be  top-dressed  Avith  a  little  sphagnum  and  crocks,  but  any  plants 
that  require  a  ncAV  basket  must  not  be  pulled  about  yet,  as  there 
Avould  be  considerable  risk  of  their  not  re-establishing  them- 
seL^es.  When  groAvn  too  cool  the  stems  of  this  pretty  species 
are  apt  to  decay  just  above  the  surface  line  of  the  compost,  and 
Avlien  this  occurs  the  iflants  .should  be  shaken  quite  clear  of 
the  pot  or  basket  and  replaced  a  little  loAver.  using  only  clean 
crocks.  More  Avarmtli  should  then  be  alloAved,  and  the  plants 
treated  like  neAvly  imported  .specimens. — H.  R.  R. 
