222 THE ORCHID REVIEW. (Sept.-Oct., 1918. 
elegans, Schilleriana, and Celia purpurata have been imported aad 
cultivated, that the presence of this and the preceding hybrid have not 
previously been known or suspected, as it is quite reasonable to suppose 
that as we have natural hybrids between Cattleya Leopoldiii, Lelia purpur- 
ata, and Cattleya intermedia, those hybrids must in some cases, and as the 
two undermentioned now prove, have crossed between themselves and with 
the parent species. There can be no doubt as to the correctness of the 
parents ascribed, as fortunately flowers of the true Lc. Schilleriana were at 
hand for comparison.”’ 
We are not equally confident. Nothing further seems to be known 
about the plants, no specimens appear to have been preserved, and no 
mention of them can be found in Boyle’s account of the Woodlands 
collection, where several pages are devoted to the group. The records may, 
of course, be correct, and other of the twelve possible secondary hybrids 
may be included among the numerous named varieties of Lc. elegans and 
Le. Schilleriana, but in the absence of specimens, and in view of the known — 
behaviour of secondary hybrids generally, we cannot regard the evidence as 
convincing. One or two experiments might throw further light on the 
matter. R.A.R. 
ORCHID DRYING IN THE TRopics.—Several well-dried flowers are sent 
by two esteemed correspondents. Some of them have been folded in pieces 
of blotting paper, and are well preserved and without mould. Others 
appear to have been pressed under a hot iron, and the pollinia are missing OF 
crushed beyond recognition, so that in one or two cases the genus remains 
uncertain. The former method is preferable, because the materials are 
more easily examined afterwards. Some of the flowers are gummed to 
thin cards, and it is remarked that flowers curl up under the process, and 
some were thrown away. Mounting might be limited to the specimens 
retained, and for this loose sheets of uniform size are the best, so that 
additions and rearrangements can be made as desired. For these the us 
of a corrosive sublimate solution as a preservative against insects 18 
important. Fairly complete materials should be dried, so that any novelties 
‘can be properly described. Some of the specimens are accompanied by 
photographs, or outline sketches in pencil, natural size, with notes on the 
colour of the flowers, and these are excellent. Duplicates are being kept, 
with corresponding numbers, so that the names can be added when reported. 
Sending by post will probably be less difficult in the near future. AS regards 
the question of drying leaves and pseudobulbs, it will be found that a little 
of the corrosive sublimate solution applied with a brush will kill the 
protoplasm, after which they will dry quickly. Some things change colout 
in drying, but this does not impair their value. 
