234 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [OcroserR, 1916. 
And the dwarf, compact habit is not to be overlooked, for such plants, 
when grown suspended in shallow pans, are particularly effective. 
—- 
We have received another interesting note respecting the proper treat- 
ment of Oncidium splendidum, to which allusion was made at page 209. 
It is said that in its native home the species gets a long dry time, hence its 
hard, Cactus-like habit, but during the rainy season there is abundant 
water, and it is then that it makes its growth. When the plants are at 
Test very little water is required, unless during the winter the compost 
should become abnormally dry, owing to the use of extra pipe heat. 
Osmunda fibre.is recommended, with the addition of a little fibrous loam 
(the dust being sifted out), and the amount of root action is said to afford a 
guide as to the amount of water required. Under such treatment strong 
spikes are produced in the autumn, and flowers about Christmas. We 
ourselves have seen it with branched spikes some three feet long, and 
bearing a profusion of its brilliant flowers, and it is interesting to know the 
mode of treatment adopted. 
The article on Herbaria and their uses (pp. 194-197) has brought us two 
interesting communications, one of them from a very old correspondent, 
who remembers well the sensation caused by the sealing up of the 
Reichenbachian Herbarium for a quarter of a century. It is remarked that 
the contents of that Herbarium were largely the result of the great develop- 
ment of Orchid culture in England, which sent Orchid collectors into 
almost every region of the tropics in search of novelties, to be in turn sent 
to Hamburg for classification and description. Such a collection should 
have been available fer reference from the outset. 
No doubt this ought to have been the case, but the only remedy that 
we can suggest is that a Herbarium of this kind should be public property. 
Incidentally it also shows how much this work may depend upon 
the tastes and energy of some particular individual. Dr. Lindley carried 
on the work for many years, and, fortunately, preserved his materials, which, 
at his death, were acquired for the nation, but as no one was found or was 
encouraged to succeed him, the work drifted to Germany, with results that 
are too well known. In the same way Mr. R. D. F itzgerald took up the 
study of Australian Orchids, and executed a number of beautiful drawings, 
but as he could never be indticed to look at a dried specimen all his 
materials were lost. It may not have mattered so much where detailed 
drawings were made, but, unfortunately, he also named and described 
briefly a number of others which were apparently not drawn, and some of 
these remain doubtful. Even some of Lindley’s specimens were not kept 
