THE ORCHID REVIEW. 139 
cults but ours), namely, a register, where all Orchids can be entered and 
recorded. I will not anticipate his ideas, but shall gladly read his 
conclusions. This Bureau of Information, as it would become, will be 
invaluable to all of us. At present, we have one authentic record of plants 
that are certified by the R.H.S. and M.O.S., viz., their paintings, but these 
are, as yet, rather inaccessible to the general body of Orchid growers, 
owing to there being in each case no Orchid expert in charge of them, who 
could at once point out the difference between them and a flower that 
might be sent up by post by its owner for determination. Therefore he 
takes the other course, and names the plant himself, placing it before the 
Committee. chancing an Award. Should he get it, the name stands good; 
if not, it may disappear at once, and, if the plant changes owners, in a 
majority of cases that name is never seen again. Here is one strong 
reason for a system of registration. There are many reasons for this 
change of name which I need not enumerate, but I know one that appeals 
to all of us; it is a new variety. It is but human to have a thing our 
neighbour does not possess, and if he owns a thing we have not, then let 
us do our best to share it with him. How many feel this, and act upon it? 
In reply to “ Argus,” anent the similarity of varieties of Odontoglossum 
crispum, I admit there are a few that have almost identical “ doubles,”’ but 
even in them the experienced eye can find a difference sufficiently marked 
to justify a name for what I consider essential, the identification of one 
from another, for botanical or horticultural, as well as commercial reasons. 
The R.H.S. Rules of Nomenclature are not applicable to these days of 
rapid movement, hence they have been almost totally disregarded. 
Though, scientifically, I deprecate the vernacular, I cannot but uphold it in 
certain cases of commemorative and dedicatory names. But I draw the 
line when it systematically brings Orchids to the level of florists’ flowers. 
It is difficult to draw the line of demarcation between the needs for 
scientific and vernacular nomenclature. : 
All who are interested in this much-vexed yet little-remedied question 
will be anxious to know to what conclusions ‘‘ Argus” comes, and, if he can 
devise a method that satisfactorily meets the need, he will have the 
support of all Orchid growers but those who wish “confusion worse con- 
founded,” and of these I hope there are none left now. 
: De B. CRAWSHAY. 
I write to express my pleasure at your having agreed to give some con- 
sideration to the question of the nomenclature of varieties of Orchids, as 
Stated in your second paragraph last month (page 97)- ow GY should not 
the R.H.S. undertake to register all varieties worth naming? Then they 
could be sent at any season when in flower ; but I would suggest a separate 
