THE ORCHID. REVIEW: 43 
THE DELL COLLECTION. 
THE marvellous collection of Orchids cultivated at. The Dell, Egham, the 
residence of Baron Sir Henry Schréder, has a world-wide fame, and is the 
admiration of all who have been privileged to see it. Whether regarded in 
its entirety or inspected in detail, no mere description can convey an ade- 
quate impression of its floral treasures, or do justice to the splendid speci- 
mens of cultural skill, or the rare and exceptional forms it contains. It is 
unique of its kind ; and by a metaphor may be likened to a repository of the 
choicest works of art into which the best efforts of great masters only are 
admitted. In like manner has Baron Schréder, with the most refined taste 
and.unerring judgment, brought together the choicest works of Nature, as 
displayed in the great Orchid family, and superadded to these the finest 
acquisitions of the hybridist. The collection has been formed by the most 
careful selection, during a long series of years, and its most prominent 
feature consists of the large number of choice, rare and unusual forms it 
contains. To enumerate all these would far exceed the space at our dis- 
posal, and we must therefore confine ourselves to mentioning the more 
salient points of this superb collection, dwelling for a moment here and there 
on objects of exceptional rarity and interest. 
We will make no attempt at classification ; the cultural requirements of 
*the different genera are such that it is necessary in many cases to grow 
different species in different houses, although as far as practicable the 
species and varieties of each important genus are brought together under 
one roof, or in one compartment. This is the case with the allied genera 
Cattleya and Lelia, with Odontoglossum, Phalzenopsis, Dendrobium, and 
Cypripedium. Altogether about twenty houses are devoted to Orchids. 
The spacious Cattleya house is a house of fine proportions, erected 
expressly for the reception of this fine genus and its. allies. Here is collected 
all that is rare and beautiful in Cattleya and Lelia, together with the 
numerous hybrids between. the two genera. The first place must be 
assigned to a grand plant of the type species, Cattleya labiata, so rare for 
more than a whole generation, but now, thanks to its re-discovery, quite 
common. C. Trianz is represented by the exceptionally fine forms. known 
as Schroederiana, Russeliana, Leeana, Dodgsoni, Osmant, and others, the 
two first named, we believe, being found nowhere else. Of C. Mossiz 
Reineckiana, the most admired form of this old favourite Cattleya, there are 
several healthy specimens, also of C. Mossiz Wageneri, and other varieties 
of merit. Other allied forms, as C. Mendeli, C. Warscewiczii, C. Dowiana, 
C. Gaskelliana, C. Percivaliana, C. Schroedere, and even C. Luedde- 
Manniana, are all represented by groups of the most select varieties, and 
With them the superb natural hybrid, C. x Hardyana. Other species of 
