136 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
hybrid Orchids are not raised in a year, and those who might have been’stimu- 
lated to commence operations by the offer of these prizes had they been 
extended over a series of years could not feel any inducement to begin by a 
competition for one season only. To some extent this also applies to 
introduced plants. And it is well-known that no Orchid of particular merit 
was introduced in 1896, unless Cypripedium Fred Hardy and Cattleya x Le 
Czar be excepted, which presumably were not entered for the competition. 
Among hybrid Orchids several handsome novelties appeared, at all events 
meritorious enough to gain the Society's awards, though they do not figure 
in the special competition ; presumably not entered, also. And this leads me 
to suggest that in this case, as in that of new plants generally sent for the 
Society’s awards, the formality of entry might be dispensed with. It is 
obvious that if the awards had been made in accordance with the plants 
exibited, and certificated through the year, the competition would have been 
of a totally different character. I commend these observations to the 
consideration of the Council, for it is unfortunate that their good intentions 
should have met with such limited success, 
nomenclature, and if the Society devotes its energies to encouraging the 
extension of Orchid culture generally, and continues to work in harmony 
with the Royal Horticultural Society, it has my best wishes for its success. 
ARGUS. 
age 
ARE VARIETIES CONSTANT ? 
A NOTE on this question, which was discussed at pages 63 and g5, has 
been sent by Dr. R. B. Macbean, St. Mary’s Gate, Lancaster. Some time 
ago he flowered a very finely-spotted variety of Odontoglossum crispum, but 
the next spike produced showed quite an ordinary form, and almost 
unspotted. It would be interesting to watch a plant of this kind, with a 
view of discovering, if Possible, the cause of such variation—especially how 
far it is connected with differences in culture and the strength of the plant. 
The general experience is that most varieties keep fairly constant from year 
to year, though a certain amount of variation in the spots may be observed, 
even between different flowers on the same spike. 
