THE ORCHID REVIEW. 339 
AN IMPROVED ORCHID STAND. 
WE have received from Mr. William Murray, The Gardens, Oakwood, 
Wylam-on-Tyne, a metal stand for Orchids, which has been patented, 
and is intended to replace the ordinary inverted flower pot. It is made 
of two flat rings of metal, the smaller one above, supported by three thin 
rods, and thus allows the air to circulate freely about the plant. Mr. 
Murray states that after long observation his belief is that more deaths 
occur from fungoid diseases caused by bad circulation of air among the 
plants upon the stages than from any other cause, especially when a 
grower has more plants than he has room for. Great care is usually 
taken in building a new house to secure proper ventilation, and at the 
same time prevent draughts, but not always with complete success. 
When inverted pots are used to elevate the plants, the air in the pots 
is nearly stagnant, and fungoid growths of a web-like nature occur, 
which work mischief if they get to the roots of the Orchids, as has 
been observed, especially among Cattleyas. These metal stands, which 
are made in various sizes, allow a free circulation of air about the roots. 
The advantages of open stages have long been admitted, and the present 
invention is a further development of the same idea. The stand is light, 
strong, and practically indestructible, in addition to its other advantages, 
and will doubtless secure a fair trial by Orchid growers. 
THE HYBRIDIST. 
L#&LIO-CATTLEYA X THORNTONI. 
WE have now a third hybrid from the remarkable Lelia Digbyana to 
record. The previous ones were raised by Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, 
Cattleya Mossiz and C. Triane being the seed parents. The present 
one was raised by T. W. Thornton, Esq., Brockhall, Weedon, Cattleya 
x Gaskelliana in this instance being the seed parent. The cross was 
made in August, 1891, the seed was sown in the July following, and 
now the first flower has appeared. As would naturally be expected, 
it bears a considerable resemblance to its two predecessors in shape and 
in the beautifully fringed lip, but whereas L.-c. x Digbyano-Triane 
is decidedly darker in colour than the original L.-c. x Digbyano-Mossiz, 
this one is as much lighter, and may be described as delicate blush-pink, 
with a pale lemon yellow throat to the lip. The flower is rather smaller 
than in the two previously mentioned, which, however, is not to be 
wondered at, as the plant is only five years old and still small. When 
it becomes stronger the flowers will probably equal those of its predecessors, 
