Orchids in France.—The Chateau de Ferrières, the country seat of Baron Alphonse de Rothschild, in the department of Seine et Marne, is situated about 33 kilometres from Paris, and about two miles from the station Ozouer la Ferrière, on the Ligne de Mulhouse. Orchid growers, when in Paris, would do well to pay this wonderful place a visit, since it is unequalled both for size and beauty by any other place in France. Here Orchids are well cared for, Mr. Bergman, the gardener, being very successful in their cultivation, admirably seconded as he is by his son, who passed some years in this country, studying gardening in all its branches.
Commencing with the Vanda house we were pleased to find these noble plants so much at home, there being several remarkable specimens of V. suavis, V. tricolor, and V. tricolor insignis, marvels of cultivation. Vanda cœrulea is doing well and flowering profusely. V. Lowei is represented by a plant of enormous dimensions, having four strong growths, and is one of the finest plants we have ever seen. The species of Phalænopsis are also well grown here, in company with the Vandas, and right well do they seem to like their company, since there are some wonderful plants of nearly all the species, thriving well and making strong flowering spikes. In the Cattleya house are some fine healthy plants of all the best species and varieties thriving admirably. Mr. Bergman gives his plants plenty of light, which causes them to look somewhat yellow, but he gets his bulbs ripened off well, and flowers them in greater profusion. Passing from here to the new Odontoglossum house we find a grand collection of these favourite Orchids. These plants are grown very largely here, as cut Orchids are in great request.
In another house are some other fine Vandas, associated with ornamental Stove Plants. Doing well in the same house, near the door, are a quantity of plants of Vanda teres, planted out in a compost of moss and charcoal, which is kept together on the stage of the house by a wirework edging. Here the plants are allowed to grow freely until they touch the glass, when they are cut down and replanted. All the light possible is given them, together with a copious supply of water, and the plants flower luxuriantly every year. Mr. Bergman, Jun., informed us that last year 651 flowers were cut from these plants. We recommend cultivators to give this plant a trial in the way above described, as it is one of the richest gems of the Orchid world. Cœlogyne Massangeana was doing well; one plant, having ten spikes, was suspended from the roof, and was an object never to be forgotten.
H. Williams.
PL. 64. ODONTOGLOSSUM ROEZLII.
ODONTOGLOSSUM ROEZLII.
[[Plate 64].]
Native of Colombia.
Epiphytal. Pseudobulbs narrowly ovate, two inches long, compressed, with acute margins. Leaves elongately linear-lanceolate, acuminate, nearly or quite a foot in length, keeled behind, and there marked with nine nervose striæ, the colour a clear pale green. Scapes short, slender, terete, three to six-flowered (according to Rchb.), erect, with subulate pale green bracts shorter than the pedicels, which pass gradually into the slender grooved ovary. Flowers three to four inches across, flat, exceedingly chaste and effective; sepals obovate-oblong acute, sub-equal, snow-white; petals similar to the lateral sepals in form, but rather broader, pure white, marked with a distinct transverse purplish-red band at their base; lip large, two and a half inches across, broadly obcordate, or cuneately flabellate, obtusely bilobed, with a mucro in the sinus, sagittate or bearing a spur-like horn directed upwards and backwards on each side at the base of the short claw, and having three short slender keels on the disk in front of the horns, and a pair of short calli interposed; the disk has a largish yellow blotch streaked with red, while the rest of the surface is snow-white. Column short, wingless.
Odontoglossum Roezlii, Reichenbach fil., in Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1873, 1302, fig. 269; Id. Xenia Orchidacea, t. 182, fig. 1; Hooker fil., Botanical Magazine, t. 6085; Bateman, Monograph of Odontoglossum, t. 30; Floral Magazine, ser. 2, t. 90.
This grand Odontoglot, which has been designated “a first-class beauty,” and which comes near to Odontoglossum vexillarium, was introduced in 1873 by Mr. B. Roezl, the very successful traveller and Orchid hunter, who has so well worked up the greater part of the Western hemisphere in the search after these plants, and to whose zeal and energy Orchid growers are so deeply indebted for the many rich gems he has introduced to cultivation. The species was most properly named by Professor Reichenbach after Mr. Roezl, and we are glad to be able to figure it, in order to remind Orchid growers how much they owe to the unflinching perseverance of one who has now retired from active life among his favourites. The best compost in which to cultivate this plant, is a mixture of peat and moss, with good drainage.