360 THE ORCHID REVIEW. | DECEMBER, 1907. 
fine glossy appearance after being sponged. It is called “ Mitchell’s Reliable 
Insecticide,” and the sole agent is Mr. W. H. Young, late Orchid grower at 
Clare Lawn and now of the Mercury Nursery, Romford. As this becomes — 
known I am sure it will be used in all collections of plants and Orchids. 
In completing the series of Calendarial notes for the year, I wish to 
thank those who have so kindly expressed their appreciation of my efforts 
to place before them the system of cultivation carried out at Gatton. Those 
of us who are always ready for any hint that may assist in improving the 
plants under our charge will welcome another opinion on this important 
matter, as many of us differ considerably in cultural details, and it is from 
contrary opinions that advances are often made in mastering this and other 
difficult problems. ; 
DENDROBIUM FORMOSUM. 
(See Frontispiece.) 
THE Frontispiece to the present volume represents a very fine specimen of 
the handsome Dendrobium formosum from the collection of Major G. L. 
Holford, Westonbirt, Tetbury (gr. Mr. H.G. Alexander). It is the finest of 
the white-flowered species, and when thus grown is remarkably effective, 
_ though a good many people have found a difficulty in its culture, probably 
from unsuitable treatment. The species has been known for nearly a 
century, for Roxburgh states that it was sent to the Calcutta Botanic 
Garden from Sylhet, in 1811, by Mr. M. R. Smith (Hort. Beng. p. 63). It 
was introduced to European gardens in 1837, by Gibson, when collecting for 
the Duke of Devonshire in the Khasia Hills, and flowered at Chatsworth in 
May of the following year. It is widely distributed in north-eastern India 
and Burma, and is also abundant in the Mangrove swamps of the Andaman 
Islands. It is a lowland species, and CoJ. Benson remarks that in Burma 
he never saw it growing at any particular elevation, or at any distance from 
the sea. Its favourite habitat is on low trees in open situations, where it 
gets little shade beyond that of the trees when in leaf, and where it 
gets much shrivelled in the hot dry season from February to April. 
The late Major-General Berkeley has given very full particulars of the 
conditions under which it grows, in our second volume (pp. 137-138), which 
may be briefly summarised asa hot atmosphere, well charged with moisture, 
and plenty of light. For its successful culture a light warm position is 
necessary, and at Gunnersbury Park it is grown with great success suspended 
near the roof of a Fig house, with little or no shading, the hot humid 
atmosphere favouring vigorous growth and consequent floriferousness, and 
a plant grown in this situation, with native seedlings round it (one being in 
flower), received a Cultural Commendation from the R.H.S. in September, 
1900. It is a most beautiful Orchid when well growa. 
