THE ORCHID REVIEW. 245 
shrivel, and very frequently the roots themselves perish. It is then 
advisable to suspend collecting operations. Of course, the dry periods, 
two of which occur annually, are more pronounced some years than others. 
Thus, the vegetative functions in the dry seasons are severely checked, 
and horticulturists know how advantageous it is to check continuous 
growth in order to incite the flowering capacity of plants. These conditions 
are also strikingly illustrated in tropical regions, where agriculture 
languishes under the baneful influence of abnormal and continuous rainfall, 
as compared with the matured productiveness begotten of seasonable 
sunshine. In this connection I may say that, as head of the Jamaica 
Botanical Department for many years, I had ample opportunities for 
arriving at practical conclusions on these points. 
I may mention that I hope to be able to turn to some practical account 
the modus operandi demonstrated by the plants in their native habitat, with 
a view to assure the early flowering of even small plants, some thousands of 
which I have brought from the best Pacho region. Moreover, a glance at 
these small plants shows the dry broken fragments of former inflorescences 
still attached to a large proportion of them. 
ROBERT THOMSON. 
[It is interesting to know something of the conditions under which 
Odontoglossum crispum occurs in a wild state, in which connection we may 
allude to a former article from Mr. Thompson’s pen (see pp. 45-48 of 
our last volume). Messrs. Low’s plant, however, was quite exceptional in 
its retarded period of flowering, as in other characters, and it seems 
possible that it may have been a seedling plant flowering for the frst time. 
Seedlings from the same capsule sometimes vary considerably in the time 
they require to reach the flowering stage. It would be interesting to know 
the future behaviour of Messrs. Low’s plant.—ED.] 
BOTANICAL ORCHIDS AT KEW. 
A few more of the constant succession of botanical Orchids at Kew must 
be mentioned this month, some of them being extremely distinct and 
attractive. Unfortunately, many are not found in the every-day catalogues 
of our large firms, and it is probable that if some of them could be 
introduced, and brought into the market, other growers would pay more 
attention to these interesting plants. 
Amongst the Cool and Intermediate kinds, one of the most charming is 
the pretty Japanese Angrecum falcatum with its pure, white, scented 
flowers. Colax viridis and  Bartholina pectinata, both previously 
mentioned, are still in flower and seem to last month after month. A few 
summer-flowering species are just now opening, amongst which are the 
distinct Polystachyas Kirkii, odorata and luteola, which thrive very well 
