THE ORCHID REVIEW. 179 
now very rarely to be seen in the Orchid collections of this country” 
(Veitch Man. Orch., vii, p. 117). Unfortunately, the localities of some of 
Lobb’s plants were confused—a fact well known—and it is highly probable 
that Lobb met with the species during his journey to Khasia. The species 
is not included in the Flora of British India, and no wild specimens are 
known, but considering our limited knowledge of the Flora of the district 
in question this is not surprising. A figure was given by Lindley soon 
after the original description appeared (Bot. Reg., 1847, t. 58), but the one 
given in the Botanical Magazine (t. 5326), as S. miniatum is erroneous, 
being the allied S. curvifolium, Lindl., which has different leaves and 
larger flowers. It is probable that Lindley himself fell into the same error, 
for one of the two racemes preserved on the sheet in Lindley’s Herbarium 
belongs to S. curvifolium, and this is presumably the one alluded to as from 
Mr. C. B. Warner, but unfortunately its origin is not stated. The other 
one is carefully labelled “‘ Java, Mr. Rucker, 27 Feb., 1847,” and is the one 
from which the figure was prepared, and therefore the type specimen. It 
is remarkable how many errors have been incorporated into the history of 
this pretty little plant. 
RSAER: 
ee 
DRYING ORCHID FLOWERS. 
A CORRESPONDENT writes asking the best way of drying Orchid flowers, so 
as to keep their colour, and suggests that some notes on the subject in 
the Orchid Review would be interesting to other readers. If it is desired to 
preserve the shape as well as the colour, the flowers may be placed in a 
box, on a layer of dry sand, the ovary being first cut off to facilitate drying, 
after which the box may be carefully filled up with sand and placed in a 
warm place for a few days, until the moisture has evaporated. The secret 
is to get the flower dried before the tissues become at all decomposed, and, 
if this is done, many Orchids keep their colours very well for a long period. 
An account of this method was given at page 233 of our first volume. 
Dried in this way, however, they are not so easily stored afterwards as 
when pressed flat, which is the method we should recommend. The flowers 
should be laid between sheets of porous paper of some kind—blotting paper 
answers well—and then placed under a moderate weight, changing the 
papers every day or two, until the flowers are dry. Plenty of paper should 
be used, so as to absorb the moisture. The flowers can then be mounted 
on sheets, or stored between the leaves of scrap-books, care being taken to 
arrange them in such a way that they can be found when wanted. Some 
varnish them after mounting, and say it helps to preserve the colours; but 
it gives them an unnatural shiny appearance, which we do not admire. A 
