JUNE, t910.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 167 
DIES ORCHIDIANI. 
THERE is always a little curiosity as to what the surprise is to be at the 
Temple Show. Six years ago the sensation was the remarkable Odontioda 
Vuylstekez, to which a First-class Certificate was awarded, anda Silver-gilt 
Lindley Medal “for progress.’”” Now we have the pleasure of seeing some 
of its hybrids. The first, I believe, appeared a few weeks ago at the Horti- 
cultural Exhibition recently held in Brussels, under the name of Odontioda 
Sensation. Odontoglossum crispum is said to have been the pollen parent, 
and the hybrid is described as having a white ground, with a cinnabar-red 
blotch on each segment, and the crest bright yellow. M. Ch. Vuylsteke 
was, of course, the exhibitor, and he was able to send two others to the 
Temple Show. These were Odontioda King George V., of which Odonto- 
glossum X laudatum is said to have been the pollen parent, and which 
gained a First-class Certificate. The other, which gained an Award of 
Merit, was called Odontioda Rosy Gem, and the pollen parent is said to 
have been C. X ardentissimum. They were very beautiful, and a great 
advance on the original Odontioda Vuylstekez in point of size, though 
scarcely as brilliant in colour, which might have been expected. It is 
hardly necessary to state that they formed a great centre of attraction. 
Their value I shall not attempt to estimate, but I note that one horticul- 
tural expert writes: ‘‘ Monsieur Ch. Vuylsteke had one Odontioda upon 
which a price of £1,200 was placed. This was guarded all day by a 
constable.” And no wonder, after the experience of one unfortunate 
exhibitor a few years ago. By the way, I never heard whether that 
mystery was cleared up, and I never see a plant of the beautiful Odonto- 
glossum luteopurpureum Vuylstekeanum without recalling the circumstance. 
This, however, is a digression. 
Another surprise was an albino of Cattleya Lawrenceana, the first which 
has appeared, though the species has been cultivated for a quarter of a 
century. It was exhibited by Messrs. Charlesworth & Co., and received a 
First-class Certificate under the name of Cattleya Lawrenceana Mary- 
Regina. It is a very charming thing. Considering how variable many 
of the Cattleyas are it is curious that C. Lawrenceana should show such a 
slight tendency to vary. 
The Orchid exhibits at the Temple formed a really remarkable series, 
and the remark “ Better than ever” was, I think, justified. The really 
large number of brilliant Odontiodas in the different groups was remarkable, 
considering that only six years has elapsed since the first of them flowered, 
and that the second did not flower until nearly two years later. So greata 
