226 : NOTES ON BRITISH ORCHIDER. 
ever, seen in their wild localities; secondly, that O. militaris and 
O. macra are distinct species; thirdly, that O. arachnites isa” 
hybrid ; and fourthly, that the markings on a separate mesh of 
the reticulated covering of the germ, or seed, are a tolerably sure 
diagnostic of each species. 
First, The above table is intended to show the maximum 
growth of each Orchis, the approximate times of their first ap- 
pearance aboveground, and also their flowering. To attain the 
above growth, very great care must be given in the following 
particulars. The pots should be selected according to the num- 
ber of Orchises to be planted in each, and according to the 
growth of the roots of the various species; they should be 
drained with broken bricks, etc., to one-third their height, 
superimposed by a layer of pure chalk m lumps. The soil: 
should imitate, as nearly as possible, that m which each grows 
in a wild state, with a little living moss on the surface. Worms 
in the pots are certain destruction to the plants. Stand each 
pot in a pan, and always water from below (never over the 
plants), as circumstances may suggest, and according to the 
natural requirements of each, and let the watermg be done in 
the cool of the evening. Rain will not hurt them, but is always 
beneficial. Place them during summer in a southern aspect, 
partially shaded by trees of thin foliage. In winter the pots 
should be plunged in ashes in a cold but light frame, open a 
little in front and back during night, and quite open during the 
day, unless the weather be very severe or snowy. 
Secondly, It will be seen, on reference to the table, that in 
O. militaris and O. macra the difference in the time of their first 
appearance above ground is about two months and a half, and 
that on the midvein of the leaves of O. militaris there are short 
hairs which drop before flowering, and which are totally wanting 
in O. macra, (True Orchis militaris has never, as far as I am 
aware, been found in Kent, but O. macra has frequently.) 
Thirdly, Ophrys arachnites is a hybrid between O. apifera and 
O. fucifera. Out of three fully developed capsules selected from 
each for their large size, those of O. apifera and O. fucifera had 
perfected nearly all their seeds, there beg many hundreds. in 
each ; whilst in those of O. arachnites, which were equally plenti- 
ful, I could only detect one perfect seed, and that a very small 
one, as shown in the table. It is my belief, also, that where O. 
