THE ORCHID REVIEW. 259 
decaying fibre, or with some porous materials, as broken potsherds, 
charcoal, &c. 
Then again, it need not be anticipated that the new compost will prove 
equally suitable for all kinds of Orchids. I think there is sometimes a 
tendency to reduce Orchids too much to a dead level in the matter of com- 
post, or at all events to treat certain kinds in away that they are not 
accustomed to in a wild state. For most of the terrestrial Orchids which 
we cultivate, a liberal admixture of leaf-mould in the compost should prove 
just the right thing, also for many epiphytic kinds which grow upon 
accumulations of decaying vegetation in the forks and on the branches of 
trees, as many Odontoglossums ; but for those which produce a large num- 
ber of aerial roots it may not prove so suitable. I think those who have 
tried the new compost for some time should give us the benefit of their 
experience. 
Another little note on the incongruous in nomenclature has just reached 
me :—‘‘ Of all the grotesque absurdities of nomenclature,” writes L. B. in 
American Gardening for July 27th (vol. xxii., p. 520), ““commend me to 
“Cattleya Mossie var. Shamrock II,’ which was lately given an Award of 
Merit in London. One naturally looks for queer names in Orchids nowa- 
days, but this is too unreasonable. Shamrock II, as applied to the new cup 
challenging yacht, is good, very good, but transferred to a Cattleya is 
meaningless and inappropriate.” I am no advocate of such names, and 
should like to see all varietal names limited to a single word—which might 
be descriptive of some peculiarity in the variety, or commemorative of its 
introducer, or owner, or of the gardener in charge of the collection in 
which it appeared—and although I do not consider the above pilloried 
example worse that some others which have recently appeared, I wish it 
could be agreed to rule such names out of court altogether. While they 
continue to be recognized their number seems certain to increase, whether 
meaningless and inappropriate or not. 
Not long ago we had a discussion on the registration of varieties, and 
the following has just caught my eye (Amer. Gard., vol. xxii., p- 536) :— 
NEW PLANT REGISTERED. 
By the Society of American Florists and Ornamental Horticulturists. 
CATTLEYA Mossi@ var. EVELYN SLOANE.—Flower pure white, with 
yellow blotch on lip, very faint flush of mauve colour on lower portion of 
lip; bold flower, finely fringed ; originated at Wyndhurst, Lenox, Mass. 
By Alfred J. Loveles, Lenox, Mass. W. J. Stewart, secretary. 
