198 THE ORCHID REVIE INV. 
My plants are in loam—not good loam, but the best procurable here—and 
limestone. I purchased a short time ago a plant that had gained an Award 
of Merit at the Drill Hall, and was figured in the Gardeners’ Chronicle (May 
15th, 1897, p. 321, fig. 110). This plant is so far the picture of health, but 
it is potted entirely (as far as I can see) in peat and sphagnum. 
A well-known grower told me the other day that they were growing their 
plants cool, and very successfully also. I may add that the atmosphere 
here is generally near saturation. 
R. BROooOMAN WHITE. 
Arddarroch, 
Garelochead, 
Dumbartonshire. 
The illustration above-mentioned shows a fine healthy plant with nine 
flowers, but no particulars of the method of treatment adopted are given, 
except the hint that “if a suitable position in a tolerably warm and moist 
house be found, they thrive without special treatment.” It would be very 
interesting to have the experience of those who have tried different methods 
of treatment, with respect to compost, watering, and temperature, and 
particularly for a period of over a year. Mr. White should refer to the 
article by Reginald Young, Esq., at page 45 of our last volume, which 
seems conclusive as to the benefit derived from a loam, limestone and 
rubble compost, and occasional dippings when the compost is dry, instead 
of watering overhead. At Burford similar treatment is followed, and the 
plants are vigorous and free from spot. The latter plants are in the Warm 
house, but Mr. Young, and his namesake at Clare Lawn, both think that 
it does better in the Intermediate house, though its allies prefer the warmer 
treatment.—-Ep. | 
CATASETUM BARBATUM é. AND ¢ 
A PLANT of Catasetum barbatum in the collection of E. S. Clarke; Esq., 
Oak Alyn, Cefn-y-bedd, near Wrexham, has produced a raceme with male 
and female flowers intermixed on the same spike. Of the ten flowers the 
four basal ones and the sixth were males, and the upper four females, while 
the fifth flower was in an abnormal intermediate state. The upper female 
flower was also slightly abnormal, as the dorsal sepal was spotted with brown. 
The female flowers are green, with short fleshy sepals and petats anda galeate 
lip, and the males have longer thinner sepals and petals spotted with brown, 
and a white lip broken up into many thread-like segments. The effect of 
the two kinds of flowers intermixed on the same raceme was very curious. 
R.A. K. 
