6 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [JANUARY, IQII. 
Rosii majus are chiefly in bud, and instead of crowding a number of small 
plants in one pot we pot each plant separately, and from the size of the 
bulbs and the fine bloom which results it is worth the trouble. A fine plant 
of Oncidium macranthum has a spike fifteen feet long, and is just throwing 
out side branches. Odontoglossum Harryanum and Lelia prestans grow 
nicely, the latter having three fine blooms. Last year we grew it in 
Intermediate temperature, and the result was poor growths and flowers. 
Dendrobium Jamesianum and D. Falconeri do splendidly and flower well. 
Our Odontoglossum seedlings have eighteen spikes amongst them, and a 
few weeks ago we had a fine example of retrogression between two flowers of | 
O. Fascinator x crispum Starlight. One wasa fine bloom, profusely spotted, 
and the other very small with three spots on each sepal. The few Cochlioda 
hybrids flowered have been rather disappointing, and I fancy there should 
be some fine hybrids produced between the richly-coloured Odontioda 
Charlesworthii, Vuylstekeez, and the fine red Odontoglossum eximium 
varieties and spotted crispums. Increased size should also result. I only 
regard primary Cochlioda hybrids as suitable subjects for the hybridist. 
It is surprising the difference in growth of seedlings from the same cross. 
Some we have at the flowering stage, others which have not yet formed 
their first bulbs, and some will neither move up nor down. 
At the coolest end of the Cattleya house, near the ventilator, is a fine 
batch of Dendrobium Wardianum giganteum which were imported two 
years ago, and they are a surprise packet for our visitors, and one gardener 
described them as being like knob-sticks (walking-sticks). I wonder if the 
tallest growth is a record? It measures 4ft. 3in. in height, and also has a 
finished secondary growth of two feet. Not only do they beat the native 
growths in length, but they do so in thickness and shortness of stem 
between the flower nodes; evidently the treatment must suit them better 
than in their native hills. We pot with Odontoglossum compost, i.e., 
osmunda two parts, leaves one part, and moss one part. In their 
growing season they occupy the lightest place in the Cattleya house, and 
get the sun from about three o’clock in the afternoon, and, being under the 
ventilator, get abundance of air as well, and plenty of liquid cow-manure-on 
watering them. Last year they were a show when in flower, and two plants 
had flowers 5ins. across. 
I have stated the composition of our Odontoglossum compost, and when 
potting we place the crocks edgeways instead of flat, and any roots of the 
plant which, from their length, would double under the compost, we cut 
so as to nicely go down the pot sides. The roots, when bent, only rot, but 
when cut, they push a number of small roots from the remainder. We 
treat tiny seedlings in the same way, and, instead of being checked, they 
rush along. 
