THE ORCHID REVIEW. 245 
bulb. If worth keeping (I am speaking of a collector’s “ fine varieties” as 
a connoisseur) when they bloom on the second bulb, cut out the third 
bulb’s spike. When the plant has attained three-quarters of its adult size 
divide it, and, as a general rule, never let a fine thing bloom two years in 
succession. Circumstances, of course, will tend to modify this theoretical 
line. The spike draws out of the plant a large amount of chemical matter 
for the flowers; does the glass structure of Europe return it to the next bulb 
as does the forest-home? Undoubtedly not! This re-payment of matter 
will be the reply to the querial heading of this letter. If we all try to 
discover the reply which we so much need, some of us may succeed. He 
who does so will deserve a perpetual memorial by all the other Orchid 
growers. 
De B. CRAWSHAY. 
THIS question, I think, can be answered in the affirmative by all growers of 
experience. Of course there are many varieties of Odontoglossum crispum 
and O. Pescatorei that have constantly varying propensities, those among 
them, for instance, that are irregularly marked. Many varieties have a spot 
here on one flower, a spot or two there on another, whilst probably one or 
two flowers on the same spike are practically clear; and I have noticed 
that such plants vary considerably from year to year, and it is of little use 
to place much confidence in them. On the other hand, let us take a 
beautifully and evenly marked form of O. crispum—TI will not include O. 
Pescatorei in this instance, for evenly marked varieties of this species are 
extremely rare, and I have never had such a luxury under my charge (a few 
only can boast of possessing them, and if they had changed their character, 
it is probable that the fact would have been made public long ere this)—it 
-_may be blotched on the lip only, or it may also be heavily marked on the 
sepals, and sometimes likewise on the petals. In either of the above cases, 
supposing that each individual flower is alike evenly and decidedly marked, 
I have no hesitation whatever in saying that I have always found such 
varieties constant. True, the flowers may be smaller, and the blotches or 
spots less pronounced and brilliant in some years, but that will be in exact 
proportion to the healthy condition of the plant. 
Exactly the same may be said regarding ill-shaped varieties. It is 
thought by some persons that a beautifully-formed variety is apt to 
degenerate, through weakness or bad culture, into a worthless starry form ; 
or, on the other hand, that the latter may, by good culture, be converted 
into a good variety. All through my long experience I have never known a 
case in point to occur. It has been said that the albino varieties of 
Cattleyas are not to be thoroughly relied upon; that they may by chance 
come more or less rose-coloured. But I venture to say that this is a great 
