THE ORCHID REVIEW. 69 
“Hybridist’s Notes’? contributed by Mr. Mead. Both the subjects 
treated of are important ones, on which further information might profit- 
ably be contributed by others who have made experiments. And now 
that attention has been specially called to these points, additional obser- 
vations are sure to be made. It is very curious to find that the influence 
of the pollen parent should be seen at such an early stage as the ripening 
of the embryo, though such a thing might perhaps have been expected. 
But the subject of hybridisation is:still almost in its infancy. 
ARGUS. 
BOTANICAL ORCHIDS AT KEW. 
In the recently issued Hand List of Orchids cultivated at Kew, it is 
remarked that while the collection contains representatives of all the most 
beautiful and popular species, it is more particularly rich in others which 
at first sight are not particularly attractive, though, on careful examination, 
most of them will be found to possess no small degree of charm and 
interest. There are many collections in which a few of these so-called 
“ Botanical Orchids” are grown, and a few notes respecting those in this 
representative collection may, perhaps, serve to draw more attention to a 
somewhat neglected but very interesting class of Orchids, many of which 
are easily grown, very floriferous, and take up but little space, though they 
are often somewhat deficient in the size or colour of the flowers as 
compared with their more favoured brethren. Armed with a good magni- 
fying glass, however, some of them are found to possess charms quite 
unsuspected by the casual observer, and when grown in masses, as these 
Plants should be, many of them are very attractive. Perhaps the term 
“Botanical” may be held to include all those which for various reasons 
are not generally cultivated, and these only it is intended to include. The 
usual showy species are, of course, equally well represented. It is hardly 
hecessary to add that the plants are open to the inspection of the public 
every afternoon in the week, and attract a large number of visitors. 
Perhaps the most charming thing noted in walking through the houses 
was a pan of Hzmaria Dawsoniana, bearing several of its dainty eens 
of white flowers, which are not less beautiful than its elegantly variegated 
leaves. Some would deny it a place among botanical Orchids, but I an 
it can fairly be admitted. Mazxillaria variabilis, in both its egies 
purple varieties, was flowering very freely, also M. ochroleuca er h ag 
Porphyrostele, whose names are both equally descriptive of : ot 
peculiarities. The dark purple column and light greenish os eases s 
the latter afford a curious contrast. Allied to the preceding A cies the Ca zm 
diums, of which O. densum and O. confertum are two curious little species 
now in flower. 
