Lady's slipper. Twelve species, and variety. Chiefly hardy terrestrial orchids. Division. Sandy peat.

An anonymous writer gives the following correct directions for their cultivation: -

"The sorts in general cultivation are, Cypripedium venustum (purple and green); purpuratum (purple); insigne (green and purple); humile (purple and white); guttatum (yellow); ventricosum (dark purple); and our own pretty native species, Calceolus (yellow).

"Of these the three first are from warm latitudes, and consequently require the temperature of a stove; the remaining sorts come principally from North America, and are either hardy, or require but a moderate protection during the winter and spring.

"The stove kinds are found to succeed tolerably well by being potted in soil composed of rotten wood, moss, and a little silver sand; while the hardier kinds thrive best when planted in a shady situation in sandy peat.

"The American varieties require a protection of straw, or some other material, to preserve them from the effects of severe frosts, and to throw off the rain in wet seasons.

"At Messrs. Rollison's, of Tooting, they succeed remarkably well in a peat border adjoining the back wall of a heath house, being covered during the winter and spring months with sphagnum to the depth of two or three inches. Another successful method of treating them, is to pot them in good sized pots, in a mixture of sandy peat and rotten saw-dust, keeping them in a cool green-house or frame.

"They are difficult of increase. They may sometimes be propagated by division of the roots; this, however, occurs but rarely. Occasionally, in favourable situations, they will perfectseeds; especially, if care is taken, when the flowers are in a proper state, to apply the pollen to the stigma with a camel hair pencil.

"As they are plants which thrive only in shady situations, where the rays of the sun do not penetrate with sufficient power to cause a spedy evaporation, but little moisture will be necessary even during the summer, particularly if the soil be protected with a covering of moss; and during their period of rest in the autumnal and winter months, water may be entirely dispensed with." - Gard. Chron.