THE ORCHID REVIEW. 

 well as the Americans an 



The illustration of the noble specimen of Cattleya Mendelii given at 

 page 253, and Mr. Millican's account of the distribution of the species, and 

 the conditions under which it grows, are both extremely interesting, and 

 make one wish that more of our collectors would give us such graphic 

 ■details of the beautiful species with which they have enriched our collections. 

 In many cases no particulars of the climate, or natural conditions under 

 which the species grow, are stated, so that the cultivator has to find out how 

 to treat them as best he can, and the wonder is that failures are not more 

 frequent than they are. This remark, of course, applies chiefly to new 

 introductions, but there are several old inmates of our collections of whose 

 distribution very little is known, and now that our nurserymen raise most 

 of their Orchids at home, instead of importing them from abroad, there 

 seems little hope of further information coming to hand. 



Shall we ever get rid of " Confusion in Nomenclature" ? I have twice 

 alluded to the question of Odontoglossum X ardentissimum, or whatever 

 the correct name may be, but no sooner does it seem settled that the plant 

 is a variety of O. X armainvillierense than we are told that connoisseurs 

 say that it has no relation with that plant. The records at all events state 

 that both were derived from the same two species, and until these have been 

 proved erroneous the name had better remain as it is at present. 



Argus. 



CULTURE OF ORCHIDS IN LEAF-MOULD. 



In a recent issue of American Gardening (p. 513), Mr. A. Dimmock writes 

 on the use of Belgian leaf-mould for hybrid Phaius, of which a fine 

 specimen, showing a profusion of roots outside the pot, is reproduced from 

 a photograph (fig. 108) :— 



" Much has been written of leaf-mould culture for all kinds of Orchids. 

 The photo sent is one of our hybrid Phaius, of which we now have some 

 thousands. The plant is evidently happy and the roots in perfect health. 

 The fresh green moss and the robust foliage demonstrates that the compost 

 is right. Please note the decided improvement in this season's over the 

 older growth. The plants were formerly grown in loam and peat ; the 

 present growth is the result of changing the compost. Many of the plants 

 cannot be removed for repotting without destroying the present pot to save 

 the roots. 



