Orchids at Woolton Wood, Liverpool, the Seat of H. Gaskell, Esq.—We have had great pleasure in visiting this place, and may state that we were greatly surprised to find such a fine collection of Orchids brought together in so short a space of time. Mr. Gaskell has commenced in the right way, in that he has built good houses for the various Orchids that come from different climates, and require a distinct mode of treatment. No doubt this collection will take rank amongst the finest in the country, especially as it is the good kinds only that are being added to it. This, indeed, is the only way in which a really select collection can be made; but when this is done, the plants are of real value, and every day become more and more interesting to the owner. In this case, Mr. Davis, who has the care of the plants, takes great interest in their welfare, the result being that they are thoroughly well attended to.
We noticed in the Woolton Wood collection some fine specimens of Cattleya labiata in full bloom, one plant having had several grand spikes of flowers upon it; there were also in bloom C. exoniensis, C. gigas, and a very fine C. maxima, which were extremely showy. In the same house, along with many other fine Orchids, were the lovely Vanda cœrulea, with fifteen finely-coloured blossoms; a superb variety of Cymbidium Mastersii in full beauty, and some grand Cattleyas and Lælias. We also noticed a wonderful specimen of C. Skinneri alba, such as we had no idea was to be found in the country.
In the next house was a fine lot of plants, many of them in bloom. Among the Calanthes, which make a grand show at the dull season of the year, we noticed many fine Odontoglossums, including some good varieties of O. Alexandræ in full bloom. The cool Orchids were thriving well in the different houses.
We were glad to see that Mr. Gaskell intends to have a good collection of East Indian Orchids. We noted some fine specimens of Phalænopsis, Saccolabium, Vanda, &c. These genera rank amongst the finest of their race. In addition to the Orchids there are here other valuable plants, and a nice fernery, which is always interesting, as the plants associate so well with the Orchids. We regret that our space is too limited to permit us to give further details of this charming collection.—B.S.W.
PL. 81. CATTLEYA CRISPA BUCHANANIANA.
CATTLEYA CRISPA BUCHANANIANA.
[[Plate 81].]
Native of Brazil.
Epiphytal. Stems clavate, eight to ten inches long, furrowed, monophyllous. Leaves evergreen, coriaceous, about a foot long, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, emarginate. Scape emerging from a large oblong compressed leafy spathe, which is obliquely acute at the apex, and bearing a four to seven-flowered raceme. Flowers large and very handsome, with a beautifully crisp-edged and veined lip; sepals lanceolate-obovate, that is, broadest upwards, the margins revolute at the base, the tips recurved, of a very delicate tint of blush white; petals of the same colour as the sepals, much broader, ovate, with the base cuneate, and the margin strongly undulated and crisped; lip with the basal part or side lobes rolled around the column, recurved in front, crisped at the edge, and showing a feathery blotch of purplish-crimson on a white ground: the throat bright yellow with several purple-crimson streaks in the middle part, these passing outwards to the antical portion, which is broadly ovate acuminate, recurved at the tip, strongly frilled or crisped, of a bright rich rosy crimson, margined with white, and charmingly reticulated over the apical portion. Column enclosed, elevate, semiterete, marginate.
Cattleya crispa Buchananiana, supra.