THE ORCHID REVIEW. 85 
grown to a height of about one and a half inches, when, one night, a vulgar 
snail devoured the precious morsel at a single meal. Another case occurred 
in Messrs. Veitch’s establishment. A single seedling had been obtained 
from a pod of Phalznopsis Aphrodite crossed with P. rosea, and they were 
particularly anxious to save it because it was hoped that it might solve the 
origin of P. x intermedia, a suspected natural hybrid with this parentage. 
The plant had developed three healthy leaves, and stood on an inverted 
flower pot in a pan of water, but one morning, to Mr. Seden’s great dismay, 
it was discovered that a slug had eaten two of the best leaves. It was 
certain that unless the marauder was caught the plant was doomed. A 
strict watch was therefore kept for hours, and the moss was repeatedly 
ducked in water to unearth the delinquent. At length the culprit issued 
from his hiding place, and here the curtain falls, though we doubt not that 
a dreadful tragedy was enacted. We may add that the plant lived to tell 
the story — namely, that those who desire plants of Phalenopsis x 
intermedia have only to set about crossing the two Philippine species P. 
Aphrodite and P. rosea. Slugs must be ruthlessly hunted down, but asa 
further safeguard any choice seedlings should be stood on inverted. pots in 
pans of water. 
Thrips are terrible pests, even to established plants, and from their 
minuteness are difficult to cope with. But when they attack young 
seedlings the case is serious. It is recorded that a single thrip is sufficient 
to compass the death of a young Odontoglossum if it once gets into the 
heart. A constant watch must therefore be kept for these pests, which 
must be kept in check by the usual remedies. 
(To be continued.) 
Speaking of Orchid Hybridisation, I notice in Frederick Boyle’s very 
charming book About Orchids, page 241, that he lays great stress on the 
necessity of exposing the ripening seed to the full blaze of the sun. Now, 
my best results have been obtained in the shade, and I know of others 
whose experience is the same. I will cite one instance, I crossed a flower 
of Cypripedium x politum with the pollen of C. Boxallii atratum, both 
plants being grown in a house where the sun’s rays rarely penetrate. The 
seed pod ripened in January, 1892, the plant remaining all the time in the 
same shady spot, and the seed was sown on a pot of C. x chloroneurum 
similarly situated. Seedlings were first noticed in June of the same year, 
and since then I have potted off some fifty plants, fresh seedlings making 
their appearance as late as last December. 
I would here remark that apparently two years at least may elapse 
after sowing the seed without visible result, before the nea need 
despair of success. 
