350 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [NOVEMBER, IgIo. 
CATTLEYA x HARDYANA VAR, COUNTESS OF DERBY. 
THE five-flowered inflorescence of the magnificent Cattleya x Hardyana 
var. Countess of Derby, to which a Silver Medal was awarded by the 
Manchester and North of England Orchid Society on October zoth, is sent 
from the collection of J. J. Holden, Esq., Southport, by Mr. R. Johnson, 
who was in charge of the Stand Hall Collection when it originally appeared 
there in 1894. It received a First-class Certificate from the R.H.S. on 
September 11th, 1894, under the name of C. Warscewiczii var. Countess of 
Derby, when we pointed out its unmistakable hybrid character, and named 
it as above (O.R., ii. pp. 294, 336). Mr. Johnson remarks that it was then 
considered as the finest Cattleya ever seen, and one of the best judges of 
Cattleyas in England regards it as still the finest Cattleya in existence. It 
is a plant of remarkable beauty, the white sepals and petals contrasting so 
effectively with the very deep velvety purple-crimson lip, while the two 
yellow eyes in the throat serve to enhance the effect. Although so distinct 
from most other forms of C. x Hardyana, the influence of C. Dowiana 
aurea is seen in the short, less spreading petals, the yellow veining on the 
side lobes of the lip, and the intense velvety crimson colour. Mr. Johnson 
must be congratulated on being again able to show the plant in such fine 
condition. Southport was famous for its Orchids some twenty years ago, 
when the late Mr. R. Perceval and his Orchid grower, George Beddoes, got 
together one of the finest collections of the period, but it could not be com- 
pared with the one formed by Mr. Holden, which contains over one hundred 
white Cattleyas, species and hybrids, and many of the choicest Cypripedes - 
and Odontoglossums. 
PAPHIOPEDLIUM INSIGNE SANDER FROM SEED. 
FLowers from five different seedlings of Paphiopedilum insigne Sandere 
are sent from the establishment of Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, at 
Langley, Slough. This plant was twice self-fertilised by Mr. Seden, in 
1895 and again in 1904, and the flowers sent are from the latter batch. 
They are as beautiful as their parent, and one might repeat the current 
phrase that they have come “true from seed,” but it would not be quite 
correct—which biologically is the point of interest. In two cases we 
cannot detect the trace of a brown dot on the dorsal sepal, even with a 
lens and when held up against the light. One has eight small dots, another 
about forty minute dots, and the last has about seventeen small brown dots 
near the base, and about twice as many minute paler splashes above them. 
There are also slight variations in size, shape, and in the breadth of the 
dorsal sepal. These differences are important from the standpoint of 
heredity, on which our remarks must be deferred. We suspect that similar 
