246 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
mistake. There are many varieties of Cattleyas almost white, and being so, 
the magic name of alba is often added on the labels, under which name the 
plants pass from one collection to the other, consequently this misconception 
is so very excusable. We will take for instance C. Triane. Very few of 
these out of the great number so named are really white when seen in 
flower. Depend upon it, the true, pure white forms of this lovely species 
are still few and far between, and are therefore rare and costly. The same 
may be remarked of C. Gaskelliana, the true albino forms of which are, I 
believe, even more scarce and more difficult to obtain than with the first- 
named species. I have seen very few indeed, but those that I have seen 
are constant beyond a doubt. Who can say that they have ever seen a C. 
Mossie Wageneri or a C. M. Reineckiana, which are perhaps the most 
common albinos amongst Cattleya, to flower any other than their original 
colours ? 
Regarding the rich and dark coloured varieties of Cattleyas and other 
Orchids, even including Vanda ccerulea, the colours, so far as my experience 
goes, are constant. One thing, however, must be borne in mind, which is 
that the colouring matter does undoubtedly, and quite naturaily, too, vary 
in its intensity. The perfect coloration goes hand in hand with the health 
and vigour of the plant. Thus a considerable period may possibly elapse, 
after seeing a certain flower in its most perfect condition, before we again 
see it in all its most brilliant hues and glory. This is when the plant has, 
through some reason or another, got into a feeble state of health—a most 
undesirable state of affairs, of course, but one which we must all admit does 
occur at times, however hard we fight against it. It is, then, to successful 
cultivation that we must aim if we wish to obtain the best results. It is this 
that brings out size and colours, supposing they were formerly there. But 
cultivation, however successful, will not turn a bad variety into a good one, 
nor, on the other hand, will bad cultivation ever turn a good variety into a 
worthless one. 
In reference to the Dendrobium Wardianum (page 95), at first sight this 
strange action would certainly appear to be most puzzling. I have flowered 
hundreds of D. Wardianum, but never remember a case quite parallel. It 
may often, however, be observed that one pseudobulb from a plant of many 
may produce flowers of much inferior quality to the others. This may be 
that there are two varieties in one pan, or that the particular pseudobulb is 
stricken with a disease so peculiar to the species. No doubt whatever exists - 
in my mind that the top flowers of Mr. H. J. Elwes’s plant were the variety, 
and that the bottom ones were injured, though probably not perceptibly so, 
which checked the normal and healthy flow of sap. 
H. A. BuRBERRY. 
