Thomas Moore

“ Disa grandiflora.—We received a wonderfully fine spike of this superb Orchid from Mr. Thomas Speed, the Duke of Devonshire’s gardener, at Chatsworth. The spike was two feet six inches in length from the pot, and bore twelve flowers of large size and fine colour—a bright scarlet and crimson, the lip veined with pink, which gives a nice contrast. It is a most charming cool-house Orchid that every one may grow who has an ordinary greenhouse. Mr. Speed is a most successful cultivator of this fine plant. ”

“ There is no doubt that the species of Aërides rank among the most beautiful of the East Indian Orchids. The one we now introduce to the notice of our readers is very distinct in its manner of flowering, and also in its foliage, the general aspect of the plant being much like that of Vanda teres, whence the name given it by Professor Reichenbach of Aërides Vandarum. The flowers are large and the manner of its growth makes it a very interesting subject. Few cultivators, however, have seen it in blossom. ”

“ This species is best grown in a pot with rough fibrous peat and sphagnum moss, and should have good drainage, which is very essential for securing the healthy condition of the roots of the plant; indeed, unless a plant makes good roots, and they are kept in a healthy condition, there is not much chance of its doing well for any length of time. When Orchids are making their roots, it is important that all insects, and other destructive pests, should be kept away from them, so that their root-points may not be eaten away, but kept in a growing state. ”

“ The present is a free-growing species if the plant is in good health. It begins to grow when the flowering is over, and this is the best time for repotting if the plant requires it; but care must be taken not to over pot it, as this is dangerous in some cases, especially if the soil should get into a bad state, for then the roots go rotten, and the plant becomes sickly. If this should happen, shake away all the soil from the roots and wash them well, afterwards repotting the plant in as small a pot as the roots will allow; the fresh roots will then begin to work about the new soil. ”

“ A great deal of the success of the plant depends on getting strong and well matured growth, which also causes the flowers to come more freely, to open of a brighter colour, and to last longer in bloom.
We find Cattleya labiata pallida to thrive best at the warmest end of the Cattleya house. It must be kept free from insects, as cleanliness is with all plants a great help towards successful development. The thrips and white scale attack these, and if not removed their foliage soon becomes disfigured, and the growth is often mortally injured. ”

“ The Lælias form a glorious class of Orchids, including many noble species which certainly rank amongst the most beautiful of the whole family. Their flowers embrace nearly every shade of colour, including bright orange, yellow, pure white, magenta, rose, and many others. They are all extremely beautiful, notwithstanding that some of them produce large flowers, while those of others are much smaller, for the latter are often of a more brilliant colour than the larger kinds, which is an ample compensation. ”

“ It must not, however, be expected that every purchaser will obtain a plant of the some character as that represented in our Plate, as we have seen but few that have proved to be equal to the one we figure. There is an abundant supply of plants imported as C. Percivaliana, but they vary greatly in merit—more so in this than in any other Cattleya that has come under our notice. Many of the species of Cattleya yield 96 variety both as to the colour and size of their blossoms, though they are generally all good enough to cultivate or to use as decorative plants ”

“ Beddoes, the gardener at Birkdale, grows this plant in the same house with Cattleya Trianæ, of which Mr. Percival has a remarkably fine collection. The house in which they are grown, is a good-sized one, and is so built and glazed that there is plenty of light admitted. It is also a well ventilated structure, so that plenty of water may be used about the house in their growing season, when the temperature is right both inside and outside the house. This a most important item in the successful cultivation of Orchids, as well as of other plants. ”

“ When kept too wet the plants often become too sappy, and then after the growth is matured the cultivator may be startled to find the stems and foliage turning black and rotting away—a state of things which may frequently be attributed and often traced to over-watering. Before proceeding to water plants their requirements should be studied. Orchids require much forethought in reference to their treatment, especially as regards the temperature of the house compared with that of the atmosphere outside, the time of year making a considerable difference, as does the condition of the plants. ”

“ By growing them here as we have indicated, above the pot rim, the water passes off and most of the roots enjoy what is natural to them. They require a good amount of moisture when in vigorous growth, but should never be kept too wet, as this causes the soil to become soddened, and in this way are brought about the many failures that we hear of. Some cultivators imagine that because a plant is in vigorous health and growing freely nothing can hurt it, but this is a mistaken idea, as that really is the time during which they require more than ordinary care and attention. ”

“ This new species is both distinct and rare. It is, moreover, very beautiful and one that every lover of Cypripediums will be looking after. There are some cultivators who do not care for this class of Orchids, and there are some others who grow all the species and varieties they can procure, making the collecting of them a hobby. We can fully understand the pleasurable feelings of these latter, as the plants are ornamental in foliage as well as in flower, thus always keeping up a good appearance; they are also very easy of cultivation, and most of them take but little room to grow in. ”

“ The Thunias form a small genus of very beautiful Orchids, which have the further recommendation of being easy of cultivation. They are deciduous in habit, losing their stems and leaves after they have bloomed and completed their growth. That which we now figure, T. Marshalliana, is a most distinct and showy species. Our sketch of which was taken from a well grown plant belonging to W. Cobb, Esq., Silverdale Lodge, Sydenham, who has a well selected and finely grown collection of Orchids. This plant was indeed a marvel of cultivation, and did great credit to Mr. Catt, the gardener. ”

“ There may be others of a rosy hue, and it is frequently the case that seedlings come intermediate in colour. We hope our collectors may be fortunate enough to find pure white forms of other species in bloom, as they are so charming. The variation of colour which occurs in some of the species in their native country, is no doubt due to the intervention of insects, the action being just the same as that of the hybridizer in our plant-houses. ”

“ Lælia Dayana is a compact evergreen plant, growing about six inches high, the stems being terminated by the short oblong leathery green leaves; it produces its flowers with the young growth from the top of the stem, and these are of 72 large size, the sepals and petals being of a light lilac-mauve and the lip of an intensely dark magenta-purple, with a light throat, the crest much darker in colour. It blossoms during the autumn months, and lasts about four weeks in bloom if the flowers are kept dry. ”

“ We have no hesitation in stating that this is the most wonderful Orchid that has been introduced for many years—one which all growers will be delighted to possess, as it belongs to a most noble section of the Orchid family, of which there have long been many beautiful species in cultivation. ”

“ There is a range of glass houses consisting of vineries, and greenhouses. Then we come to the Orchid houses, in which there is a well-grown collection of these plants, which are doing well and making fine growth. The centre table has a row of good plants, such as Vanda tricolor Dalkeith variety, also a beautiful Vanda suavis which was reported to be a fine variety, and some other good Vandas. We, moreover, noticed a telling plant of Cattleya Harrisoniana violacea finely in bloom, which, with its violet-coloured flowers, is very showy. ”

“ It is a very lovely species. Our drawing of this rare variety was taken from a plant in the Victoria Nursery, Upper Holloway, where we have had the different forms flowering during the months of May and June, many of them growing on a back wall on blocks of wood, and producing a fine effect with their spikes of yellow blossoms hanging over the foliage. Even when grown in pots or baskets they have a pleasing effect, and take but little space.
Dendrobium Farmerii aureum is a compact evergreen species from Moulmein. It grows about ten inches high, with dark green shining foliage. ”

“ We grow our plants at the cool end of the East Indian house, giving them plenty of light, and no more shade than is necessary to keep the foliage from burning. Light is the grand agent in ripening the stems; and it is thorough ripeness which induces them to make vigorous growth, and to develope their flowers freely. ”

“ We often see when there are Orchids at Flower Shows that the visitors flock around them, admiring their beauties of form and colour, but in the flower tent such a glorious and gorgeous effect as that produced by Mr. Bull’s display is never realized. ”

“ Speed treats it is to grow it in a common greenhouse, where it gets plenty of fresh air and light, and here it requires nothing but plenty of water in the growing season. It is grown in sphagnum moss and rough fibrous peat and loam. There is no doubt that this plant does not get shifted from the place where it was found to do well. This is a great secret in plant culture. When a plant is found doing well, let it remain where it is, unless on trial another place is found to be equally suitable. Few people grow this Disa well. ”

“ On one of the spikes there were five of these charming flowers, each measuring three inches across. We saw this plant last year, and a most wonderful old specimen it is. It is trained cylindrically, and forms a grand massive plant, curious, withal, on account of its terete dark green climbing stems, thinly clothed with leaves, which are also terete, and of the same colour. No doubt it is one of the most distinct-looking of Orchids, and one, moreover, that few growers succeed in flowering well. ”