THE ORCHID REVIEW. 105 
latter is one of three from a large pseudobulb, but two years ago when the 
growth produced a single flower it was much larger, and last year 
the raceme bore four flowers, but larger and better coloured than at 
present, while two years ago the plant bore a single larger flower. This 
falling off seems to indicate weakness and the necessity of some change in 
the treatment. A small but remarkable variety of Paphiopedilum insigne 
is also sent; which was obtained from the Woodall collection as var. 
purpureo-album. The petals are closely spotted almost to the extreme 
apex, and the dorsal sepal is very heavily blotched almost to the apex, the 
blotches being confluent in the lower half. A second more normal form is 
also sent, together with a good Ccelogyne cristata and Epidendrum xX 
O’Brienianum. 
Other beautiful Dendrobiums from the collection of G. Shorland Ball, 
Esq., Ashford, Wilmslow, include the beautfful D. nobile Amesiz, the 
pretty little D. crassinode albiflorum, a three-flowered inflorescence of the 
beautiful D. Wardianum ochroleucum, D. Findlayanum, D. X Schneideri- 
anum, a beautiful hybrid between the last-named species and D. aureum, 
D. X Juno, D. x Ainsworthii roseum, and the large and richly-coloured 
D. X Rubens grandiflorum. All of them are very well grown and form a 
very charming little group. 
SPONTANEOUS HYBRIDS OF HARDY ORCHIDS. 
In a series of articles in the Gardeners’ Chronicle entitled ‘‘ Spontaneous 
Hybrids of Hardy Plants,” by Mr. C. Wolley Dod, the following note 
occurs :—‘‘ Orchis foliosa makes hybrids with O. maculata. I have for 
many years grown O. foliosa as a hardy plant. Some years ago I noticed 
spotted leaves among them, but now that I have picked out many of these 
hybrids, I find plain leaves are as common in them as spotted. The 
flower-spike is longer, the flowers smaller, and the general character and 
habit partake of both parents. They make excellent border plants. O. 
maculata comes up spontaneously in such spots of the garden as it fancies, 
the seed being plentifully present in the soil. A favourite spot for it to 
come is the centre of a mass of German Iris. I may mention, asa sign of 
the prevalence of O. maculata in the native soil, that near the garden is a 
field which had been for many years ploughed land, but became full of this 
flower two years after it was laid down for pasture. In that case the roots 
may have been dormant in the soil, but I am sure that those in my garden 
came from seed” (J.c., 1899, XXV., p- 179). This is very interesting, and 
we believe that this particular hybrid has not previously been recorded, for 
the two do not grow together in a wild state. Nor do we remember a 
_ Previous record of a garden hybrid among hardy Orchids, though wild ones 
_ 4f€ comparatively common in South Europe. 
