36 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
DIES ORCHIDIANZ. 
AN interesting experiment is being made by the Royal Horticultural So 
in offering a series of special prizes for new plants of 1896, “with the ho 
of encouraging individual effort and original research.” Among oth 
things, Medals are offered for the best introduced Orchid and for the b 
home-raised seedling, both in open classes and in others limited to amateut 
The competition will be of a novel character, as it is to extend throughou a 
the year, with the exception of the Temple and Crystal Palace shows, and 
“the judging is to be by points, which will be duly kept and recorded, a 
the winners will be announced at the end of the season.” I also note tha 
“‘as many details as possible should be given about the exhibits, as fulne 
Le 
the prizes if none of the exhibits are considered worthy of marked honour. p 
The classes are not necessarily limited to novelties of 1896, as the only 
I am rather interested in this novel competition, and shall keep ee eye 
open for future developments. The word “ New,” for example, is mentioned 
in the conditions, and it will be interesting to observe how the term i 4 
defined. With respect to introduced Orchids, will it be limited to bona-fide 
new species, or will varieties of well-known garden plants be also admitted ? ” 
And in the latter case, especially, what steps will be taken to ensure that 
they are really new? The point is an important one, judging by rea | 
developments. With Tespect to hybrids, is the competition to be limited q 
to bona-fide new crosses, or will varieties of existing hybrids be also eligible? E 
To put it in another wa: , Is the competition still open to further cros se 
between C. barbatum and C, bellatulum, which have already receiv 
Certificates? The point is an important one. The rules drawn up by 
Society’s Nomenclature Committee some few 
some of these points, i 
in accordance with these rules should be disqualified. I shall doubtl 
tecur to this subject as occasion arises. 
A correspondent again calls my attention to Cypripedium x Marchionsa : 
of Salisbury, and as it has a distinct bearing on the above question I aa i 
quote his remarks. “ How is it,” he asks, “ that the Orchid Commi 
