THE ORCHID REVIEW. 359- 



leaf-mould, although Mr. Young remarked that they do not root into it 

 much. But they are surface-rooting plants, and the luxuriant foliage 

 shows that they get the food they require, probably in great part from the 

 gradual decay of the leaves. 



Cymbidium Lowianum and the cool growing Cypripedes do remarkably 

 well in the Rock house, and here Odontoglossum coronarium was showing 

 for flower, and we noted two plants of the natural hybrid Cymbidium X 

 FAnsoni, which it is believed are the only ones in the country. Mr. Young 

 pointed out a plant of Oncidium insculptum, which last winter produced 

 one of its remarkable rambling spikes, which was trained to the roof, and 

 during a spell of sharp weather some of the flowers were encased in masses 

 of ice, but, curiously enough, when the thaw came these flowers had 

 apparently not suffered the least for their novel experience. 



In the Cattleya houses we observed many plants growing remarkably 

 well in the new compost, C. Mossiae and Mendelii being specially pointed 

 out. Here we observed some good C. Bowringiana and the pretty lilac- 

 coloured variety Lady Wigan, C. labiata alba and various coloured forms in 

 bud, Laelio-cattleya X Frederick Boyle and L.-c. X Liptoni throwing 

 up spikes, the former closely resembling the Lselia anceps parent in 

 habit. Both the white and coloured forms of L. anceps were showing 

 plenty of spikes, and it was pointed out in several cases that the 

 spike was being developed on bulbs that had failed to produce a leaf. 

 This was mostly among the white forms, and it is a new experience to 

 Mr. Young, who cannot suggest a cause for the peculiarity. Sophrolselia 

 X Eros was bearing two fine flowers of the most intense blood-crimson, 

 and a plant of Scuticaria Hadwenii carried four flowers. There were also 

 pans of the charming little Pleione maculata, two plants of the beautiful 

 Cypripedium insigne Sanderse, and several good forms of C. X Leeanum, 

 C. Spicerianum, &c. Some plants of C. bellatulum that had been in leaf- 

 • mould for two years were pointed out, and they were in the most robust 

 health, also two of the variety album, one of which was in flower. C. 

 X Godefroyae leucochilum was equally robust, and no better results could 

 be desired. 



Some good Dendrobium Phalaenopsis and D. formosum were in flower, 

 and it was interesting to see a batch of about ten seedlings of the latter, 

 which were found on some imported plants and potted up separately. 

 Cattleya superba carried an inflorescence of three buds, one of four flowers 

 being over; the remarkable Paphinia cristata was also just past. Some 

 seedling Spathoglottis (Vieillardii ? X Kimballiana) were in flower, the 

 character of the seed parent largely predominating. And a plant of 

 the richly-coloured Phragmipedilum X Perseus carried a strong panicle 

 with five expanded flowers and several buds. 



