322 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [NovEMBER, 1923. 
in search of them can hardly expect to see the little plants themselves 
perched amongst the branches, but he readily catches sight of the slender 
roots that traverse trunk and branch to the slightest twig, and following 
them to their source he perceives the little epiphyte itself, from the centre of 
which depend spikes of flowers, the perfume of which spreads far and wide 
under the dense foliage of fig or sassafras. —R. D. FitzGERALp, in 
Australian Orchids. 
SALE OF THE ST. Mary’s CoLLEecTion.—Messrs. A. Keeling & Sons 
have received instructions to dispose of the important collection of Orchids 
formed by the Rev. J. Crombleholme, St. Mary’s, Accrington, Lancs., who 
is changing his residence. This collection is noted for the fine series of 
choice Cypripedium hybrids, most of which have been raised by the owner. 
Further particulars will be found in our advertisement pages. 
Disa TENUIFOLIA.—Bolus states that this is one of the commonest of 
the South African Orchids, and has a wide vertical range extending to the 
very summit of Table Mountain. The colour of the flowers is a bright 
yellow. Large specimens with six and eight flowers are very handsome, 
but are rarely seen ; the smaller forms are abundant enough, and stud the 
mountain-tops in the dry mid-summer with their gay golden stars (Orchids 
of the Cape Peninsula). 
TEAK-woop Rarrs.—There are some Orchids that on account of their 
straggling habit of growth succeed best when secured to teak-wood rafts 
with the addition of a small quantity of fibre and moss. A few of these 
plants, such as Bulbophyllum virescens, grow best when the rafts are 
suspended like trays in horizontal style, but others, having a climbing or 
ascending mode of growth, and of which Oncidium Leopoldii and 
Maxillaria Gautheri are examples, require the rafts to be placed in a 
vertical manner, The usual method of construction is for several 
teak-wood bars to be fastened together by shorter ones placed at right 
angles, the compost being packed in between the bars and the plant 
secured by means of copper wire. An improvement on this latter method 
can be seen in the collection of B. J. Beckton, Esq., Irlams-o’-th-Height, 
Manchester, were several Orchids are cultivated on a new form of raft, 
contrived by his able gardener, Mr. W. A. Stewart. It consists of additional 
long bars placed on the back of the raft, parallel with the other long bars; 
but separated from them by about an inch, which space is filled up 
with a larger amount of compost than could be applied in the old method. 
All the plants so cultivated appear to benefit greatly by this extra nutriment 
and moisture, Phalznopsis being especially noteworthy in this respect. 
