THE ORCHID FAMILY. 415 



intermedia, Lindl. (see ' Paxt. Fl. Card.' iii. fig. 310), may be 

 a hybrid between " P. Schilleria?ia as the male and P. amabilis 

 as the female," while P. leucorrhoda appears to be a reversed 

 mule between the same parent plants. Odontoglossum Cora- 

 dinei is by Prof. Reichenbach (see 'Garct. Chron.,' 1872, p. 

 1068) supposed to be a natural hybrid between O. trtumphans 

 and O. odoratum, or some nearly-allied species. O. Murrcl- 

 lianum (see 'Gard. Chron./ 1875) is another supposed natural 

 hybrid, intermediate between O. Pescatorei and O. ncevium. O. 

 Humeanum (see 'Gard. Chron.,' 1876, p. 170) is seemingly inter- 

 mediate between O. cordatum and O. Rossii ; and Prof. Reich- 

 enbach assumes that it is a natural hybrid between these two 

 species. If the last-named species are found associated in the 

 locality whence O. Humeanum was imported, it is quite pos- 

 sible that this view of the case is a correct one ; but it would 

 be a more satisfactory solution of the question if Mr Seden, 

 or some other equally clever hybridist, would cross the two 

 (supposed) parent species, and raise us a batch of O.Humcanum. 

 The majority of Orchids are very readily multiplied; still 

 there are some that can only be propagated at long intervals. 

 The value of an Orchid depends not only on the beauty of 

 the plant or its flowers, but also on the small quantity im- 

 ported, or the difficulty of its being multiplied in our collec- 

 tions. Dendrobiums are perhaps as easy to propagate as any 

 other Orchids. The old flowering-bulbs of D. nobile may be 

 cut into lengths, the latter being inserted in a common cutting- 

 pan, covering them with a bell-glass, and plunging them in 

 bottom-heat. So treated, they break freely. D. Devonianum, 

 D. transparens, and many others, may be propagated in a 

 similar manner ; or the old bulbs may be twisted round the 

 tops of the pots and pegged down among the sphagnum. It 

 is a good plan to have a close case in the Orchid-house, the 

 bottom being covered with a layer of living sphagnum. Then, 

 as back bulbs are cut from the plants, they should be labelled 

 and laid on the moss, which should be watered or syringed 

 occasionally to keep it fresh and moist. Nearly all Orchids 

 will break freely from the old bulbs in a close humid atmo- 

 sphere, provided always that there are latent buds on the parts 

 removed. Old back bulbs of Oncidiums, Odontoglossums, 

 Zygopetalums, Miltonias, Maxillarias, and Lycastes, may be 

 placed in a cutting-pan, or laid on a layer of moss in a warm, 

 moist situation, where a large proportion of them will root 

 and break freely. Aerides, Vandas, and Saccolabiums can 

 only be propagated by lateral breaks. These last are produced 

 very freely by some strong imported plants that have accident- 



