January, 1¢06.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. sf 
‘Commendations have been given, and the Lindley Medal has been awarded 
on at least three occasions, showing that the cultural side of the question 
chas been equally well to the fore. In fact progress has been written large 
-over the year’s doings. 
LOSSES DURING THE YEAR. 
The hand of death has removed from our midst Mr. H. G. Moon, the 
-well-known artist, and Mr. John Bidgood, while almost as we write comes 
mews of the decease of an old friend, in the person of Mr. F. W. Burbidge. 
The two latter were members of the R.H.S Scientific Committee. 
The prospects for the coming year are particularly bright, and the 
scheme of exhibitions organised by the R.H.S., as reported in our October 
issue, should keep our favourites to the front from January to December. 
May the promise be fulfilled, and may our readers all have a share in the 
“year’s progress! Lastly, to one and all, we wish 
“A HAPPY NEW YEAR.” 
ORCHIDS AT WILDERSPOOL, WARRINGTON. 
It was recently my great pleasure to visit the Orchid houses of William 
Bolton, Esq., Mayor of Warrington. An intelligent observer could not 
fail to learn much in Orchid culture there, even if alone, but in the com- 
-pany of Mr. Bolton and his intelligent gardener, Mr. W. H. Cain, the visit 
became trebly interesting. Mr. Bolton has about thirty houses devoted 
‘solely to Orchids, varying from 40 to 75 feet long, and from 9 to 13 feet 
wide. The houses are entered from a long corridor running north and 
:south, from which the different structures branch off at right and left angles. 
They are mostly one type, built low, with span roofs, and top light only. 
The floor is the natural soil, beaten and trodden quite firm, the stages are 
-covered with coke breeze, and are very low, not above eighteen inches from 
the ground, which enables one to look right down on the plants, giving 
great facility for inspection, small watering tanks are placed at convenient 
-distances for watering purposes. 
The first thing to strike the eye on entering one of the houses was a 
Magnificent batch of about 200 plants of Cypripedium insigne Sandere, 
mearly all in flower. Never before has it been my pleasure to see such a 
-splendid sight, whilst under Mr. Bolton’s system of cultivation, the quality 
and substance of the flowers were brought out to the highest perfection. 
“One flower pointed out for my inspection was a real gem. It has been 
raised from C. i. Sandere fertilised with its own pollen, and not only was 
the flower finer both in form and substance, but a beautiful golden band, 
dividing the white from the green of the dorsal sepal, gave it an air of great 
distinction. | At a modest computation there would be well over two 
