‘ 
THE ORCHID REVIEW. 199 
honours both in London and Manchester. O. c. Queen Victoria is now 
here, also O. X cirrho-Hallii, which was_inijbud: A plant of O. crispum 
had the inner halves of the lateral sepals deep yellow, and lip-like in 
character. ©. Pescatorei, with purple spots on each sepal, was very good. 
We saw also the rare O. nevium, O. coronarium, ©. cirrhosum, some good 
QO. citrosmum in bud, and others which we must pass over. - Suffice it to 
say that a perfect forestof spikes was pushing up in various:stages. 
Other interesting’ plants: which we saw included Masdevallia caudata 
and Estradz, the latter crowded with flowers, the beautiful Trichopilia 
suavis, Leptotes serrulata, and some splendid examples of Cochlioda 
Noetzliana. It is curious to note that for three years efforts have been 
made to obtain capsules of this plant, many crosses being tried, but without 
success. Two pods only formed, but these ultimately went off. 
The health and vigour of the plants is remarkable and shows how com- 
pletely the proper treatment has been mastered by Mr. Stevens. One fine 
plant of O. crispum had fifteen enormous bulbs, and was throwing up seven 
vigorous spikes, and there were many others approaching it. The large 
_ specimen of O. Hallii, which was exhibited at the last Quinquennial Show, 
is as good as ever. Another plant bore a spike having one side branch and 
twenty flowers. A plant of O. X excellens had a spike in bud with as many 
as thirteen side branches. The first plant of O. crispum which entered the 
collection thirty years ago was again pointed out, and was throwing up two 
fine spikes. Mr. Stevens now uses a compost of about half polypodium 
fibre and half leaf-mould, with a little moss and sand to keep it open, and 
only about an inch of crocks at the bottom of the pot. Plenty of bottom 
ventilation is given, but top ventilation only when necessary, and cold 
draughts are carefully guarded against. As regards winter temperature, 
Mr. Stevens remarked that he did not care to see the houses much below 
50°, and if found so in the morning he would then turn on a little more heat. 
At that period the plants are gone over and watered about once a week. In 
hot weather the temperature is kept down as much as possible by judicious 
damping down, and at all times a genial moist atmosphere is provided. A 
few “ wrinkles” of this kind from such a successful grower are valuable. 
But the most interesting sight was the seedlings—about eighty nice little 
plants, in different stages and thriving condition. Some are from O, crispum 
and Harryanum, some from O. Uroskinneri and bictoniense album, but 
the parentage of others is a little doubtful. And hybrid .seeds from O. 
crispum and Rossii, and from O. triumphans and Hallii, were both germin- 
ating. There were also plants of O. X- Rolfez,-of which one superb form 
has since flowered. We saw also some Cymbidium seedlings, and plants 
of Zygopetalum Mackayi x Chondrorhyncha Chestertoni, which should be 
interesting. Thework of hybridising may be said to have only just begun, 
