38 ORCHID HYBRIDS. 



A word to those I am under obligation to. 



We have been subjected to the most contemptible 

 treatment from the " Autocrat from Hamburg " for such 

 a number of years, that we had to rub our eyes and ask 

 whether all this was true, after the hero was deprived 

 of the sheltering robe of life. I hate to have the name 

 of kicking dead donkeys. But while I may be called 

 guilty of dealing in poundmasters' traits, I have wit- 

 nesses for having attempted to disrobe rascals in science 

 and profession ere this while they were still wielding 

 the murdering cleaver to chop whatever did not stand 

 in humble disgrace the administering of their insults. 

 Let us look back for a moment and contemplate what 

 this H. G. Reichenbach fil. has done for our orchids. 

 Did he not die and leave not as little as the most wretched 

 handbook to guide us through the mess which he 

 stirred up? Has he done anything but name species, 

 plain and simple, the recognition of which would have 

 been easy prey for any student who could have examined 

 the material usurped by him? As soon as it came to 

 puzzling objects, Reichenbach had a stunning ability in 

 applying the trick of breaking Gordian knots. Do not 

 challenge me for proofs, they are common property, and 

 aside from them I have a whole store of bunged-up 

 private ones, the odor of which would render abashed 

 the effects of a smashed jug of bi-sulphide of carbon. 

 A man who has to take refuge to registered letters only 

 to send his numbered missives, and then even looks 

 about for a third person to address them to, his soul 

 must have a hovel in the black of depravity. But he 

 did not know that pottingshed-boys were roasting their 

 bloaters with his pages; he feared, but never knew it 

 would have killed him that his leaves of criminal docu- 



