Ornameutals. cq 



orchids, usually so rich in new prizes for the cultivator, is 

 there any one plant of extraordinary interest or beauty equal 

 to those we already possessed, though there are not a few 

 which might be classed as first-rate acquisitions did they not 

 resemble so closely others already in cultivation. The ques- 

 tion naturally arises, how is it that so few good plants are in- 

 troduced now, compared with the rich harvest each year 

 brought, say in Dr. Lindley's time, or even later ? Have 

 nurserymen and others interested discovered that more can 

 be made out of the material already at hand by cross-breeding, 

 selection, etc., than out of new introductions ? It cannot be 

 that the ground is exhausted, that everything worth having 

 has been secured. There are scores, one may safely say hun- 

 dreds of beautiful plants known to botanists which have never 

 yet been seen in the garden. China, Upper Burmah, New 

 Guinea, Madagascar, Africa and South America teem with 

 good garden plants of all kinds. Even ground already beaten 

 over by collectors contains many beautiful plants unknown in 

 horticulture, while among early introductions, which have 

 since disappeared from gardens, there are a great number of 

 first-rate things. Of course we have an enormous number of 

 beautiful plants in every department of the garden, and, as 

 many would say, more than sufficient for our needs. Yet a 

 new introduction of sterling merit is certain to find general fa- 

 vor, and while we all love old favorites we are always ready to 

 welcome new friends. 



"Orchids. — Perhaps the most interesting new orchid of 

 1890 is Aloorea irrorata, a new genus, which flowered at Glas- 

 nevin, and is named in compliment to the curator, Mr. Moore. 

 It is allied to houlletia, has a spike eighteen inches long, 

 bearing a dozen fleshy flowers, two inches across, and colored 

 rich reddish-brown. Unfortunately, Mr. Moore's plant is 

 unique, and w^e do not even know of what country it is a native. 

 Dejidrobiiim Macfarlanei, introduced and flowered by Messrs. 

 J. Veitch & Sons, is beautiful in flower, but it comes -from 

 New Guinea, and, like almost all the dendrobiums from that 

 region, it is, unfortunately, too difficult to manage to ever 

 find general favor. Among cattleyas the only new introduc- 

 tions of note are C. War oc que ana, C. Lrndeni and C. Rex, of 

 the Messrs. Linden. The first-named is an improved C. Gas- 

 ke//ia?ia, the second a good C. labiata, and the third not unlike 



