THE ORCHID REVIEW. 307 
CULTURE OF ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISPUM. 
ODONTOGLOssUM crispum is undoubtedly our most popular Orchid. It 
may not exist in a greater number of collections than some others, for it 
will not succeed where a few warm Orchids are cultivated as ordinary stove 
plants, nor will it thrive long in an ordinary greenhouse, like Cypripedium 
insigne, but it is, at all events, the most plentiful in the majority of collec- 
tions, and one might suppose that by this time we had learned how to 
cultivate it. But have we? 
Mr. W. Swan, of Bystock, not long ago, (Gard. Chron., 1898, XXill, 
p. 164) called attention to the fact that on several occasions some six thousand, 
eight thousand, fifteen thousand, and yet other large consignments of the 
Pacho varieties of O. crispum have been sold at Messrs. Protheroe & Morris’ 
rooms in Cheapside; which should set one wondering whether the stock of 
O. crispum is so near exhaustion as we were led a few years ago to believe, or 
whether the collectors are endeavouring to make a clean sweep for the time 
being. 
‘“‘T remember well,” he remarks, “‘ Mr. H. Blunt coming down from the 
Messrs. Low & Co., of Clapton, to Mr. J. Day’s, to inspect the different 
species of Odontoglossum then included in the collection, so that he might 
see O. nevium and O. Pescatorei, of which there were just two plants of 
each species in the collection at that time.” He also alludes to the splendid 
O. nevium from the Warner collection (Warn. Sel. O., 1., t- 7), and O. 
Pescatorei from Messrs. Veitch (t. 25), and a plant there mentioned of the 
latter, in the collection of T. Dawson, Esq., of Meadowbank, that had 
‘borne branched spikes with fifty flowers.” These are mentioned, however, 
‘to show the great rarity of the finer varieties of Odontoglossums when the 
first collectors went to Bogota, the region of the Magdalena river, the 
Pacho district, or any other spot likely to reward their quest. 
‘“‘ Since that time what enormous quantities have come over, of both O. 
crispum and Pescatorei! And to-day the question naturally arises, where 
are they? Are the finest plants now met with those that have been under 
cultivation for ten, fifteen, or twenty years ? Can many collections show 
good specimens of the plants that H. Blunt sent over? Or are there many 
pieces still in culture which Chesterton collected? I fear not; most of 
those early ones grew well for a time, then not quite so well ; then may be 
the plants changed ownership, or a fresh grower had them in charge, and 
SO on, occasional improvements taking place with recurring relapses, until 
a fresh consignment gave opportunity for the purchase of 5% 100, ora 
greater number; then the collection was considered to be improving, because 
vigour, that he did his utmost to develop, and with some little knowledge, 
