THE ORCHID REVIEW. 247 
for Orchids, and maintain that for the majority it is far better in the end if 
it is never used. A few, Lowever, such as I have mentioned, may be assisted 
by its use occasionally, but it should always be applied so largely diluted 
with water as to render it perfectly harmless. 
Amongst the various pests in an Orchid house the common brown Ant 
is not the least. In some collections they render great havoc amongst the 
genus Phalaenopsis, by piercing the leaves, and causing a sweet watery 
matter to exude, upon which they feed, and so greatly is it relished by 
them that they very soon sap away the vitality of the plants, causing 
them to gradually dwindle away and die. Generally a few of the plants 
are attacked more severely than the others, and such may quickly be 
detected by the continual stream of these busy insects to and fro, and also 
by the edges of the leaves assuming a yellowish hue. Ants are also a great 
nuisance in many other respects such as carrying dirt and scale about. 
Orchid seed in its various stages of germination is likewise greatly displaced 
and ruined by them, and altogether they are anything but desirable, and 
should be kept in check. 
Should there be any defects whatever with the heating apparatus now 
is the best and most convenient month to have them remedied, and put in 
thorough working order, for nothing is more vexatious than to have break- 
downs or ill-working hot-water arrangements at a time when we dare not 
let out the fires on account of the cold weather. 
MANCHESTER AND NORTH OF ENGLAND ORCHID 
SOCIETY. 
THE meeting held on June 29th, attracted many choice Orchids, 43 of 
which were brought under notice of the Committee. The Members present 
were :—Messrs. G. Shorland Ball (in the chair), Law-Schofield (vice-chair- 
man), Warburton, Leemann, Duckworth, Parker, Holmes, Johnson, 
Cypher, Dr. Hodgkinson, Dr. Sidebotham, and Mr. Weathers (hon. sec.) 
G. W. Law-Schofield, Esq., Rawtenstall, (gr. Mr. Shill), showed 
Lelio-cattleya x Fire King var. Frances Mary (First-class Certificate), 
L.-c. xX Eudora, L.-c. x E. New Hall Hey variety (A.M.), L.-c. X 
Canhamiana alba, L.-c. x C. Edward André, Cypripedium x Shillianum 
(Gowerianum x _ Rothschildianum) (A.M.), and C. X Gowerianum 
Magnificum (A. M.) 
J. Leemann, Esq., Heaton Mersey (gr. Mr. Edge), showed Dendrobium 
ochreatum (Cambridgeanum), Lzlio-cattleya x Eudora, L.-c. x E. alba, 
Cattleya x Gaudii (Leopoldi x Loddigesii), C. Mossi# Fire King, and 
two good forms of Odontoglossum crispum. He also staged a very fine 
§toup of miscellaneous Orchids, amongst which the above and many other 
Striking varieties were included, for which he obtained a Silver Medal. 
