THE ORCHID REVIEW. 187 



are allowed to become dry. This is more apparent when in flower, and 

 the bulbs will ofcen shrink after the flowers are removed, but with a 

 little attention the normal condition may soon be regained. 



MasdevaiXIAS are giving a grand display, and these will require to 

 be shaded from bright sunlight, and the house in which they are grown 

 kept as cool as possible during the summer months. The plants should 

 be examined carefully for insect pests, or else disfigurement of their foliage 

 will soon occur if neglected, and nothing looks more unsightly. 



Such plants as Cattleyas Mossiae and Mendelii, Laelia purpurata, 

 Sobralias, and others now in bloom may have attention as soon as flowering 

 is past, giving them a fresh compost whenever this is desirable, or otherwise 



Plenty will be found to do, in the way of cleaning, and nothing tends to 

 improve the look of the plants generally, than does the clean, tidy 

 appearance of foliage, pots, and stages. Give attention to any plants that 

 require a new stick, so that any fresh growths may be firmly secured. Less 

 risk is incurred if attention be given at the right time to this necessary detail. 



THE R.H.S. JOURNAL. 



The April issue of the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society con- 

 tains two papers of great interest to Orchidists. The first is entitled 

 "Mendel's 'Law' applied to Orchid Hybrids," by Capt. C. C. Hurst. 

 F.L.S., F.R.H.S. After a short statement of Mendel's formula and theory, 

 we have a note on " the advantages of Orchid Hybrids for Observations 

 in Heredity," as follows .— 



1. The natural order Orchidese contains a large number of genera 

 and species with a wide range of variation. 



2. Many of the species have attained to a high degree of specializa- 

 tion among flowering plants. 



3. Orchid hybrids, between distinct species, and even genera, are 

 now very numerous in gardens, and, as a rule, are very fertile as compared 

 with some plant hybrids. 



4. Orchid hybrids being valuable commercially, their pedigrees are. 

 as a rule, carefully kept ; and the literature devoted to them is very exten- 

 sive, containing not only written records, but also valuable reproductions 

 of paintings, photographs, and drawings, all of which are, and will be, 

 invaluable for future reference. 



5. Orchid hybridisation has progressed so rapidly of late that we 

 have already complex hybrids combining in their pedigree no less than 

 five distinct species, and further developments are confidently anticipated 

 in a very short time. 



