THE ORCHID REVIEW, 131 
DIES ORCHIDIANZ. 
WE are now in the midst of the busy season, With the Manchester Show 
almost within sight, and the annual display at the Inner Temple Gardens 
close at hand, there is little time for theorising. Orchids generally are 
looking extremely well, and with fine weather the success of these two 
events should be assured. The season is an unusually early one—already, 
in the third week in April, I have Orchis mascula in full flower in an 
ordinary border, and it is also out in the fields—so that the spell of dull 
weather which seems to be setting in will be welcome to keep things a little 
in check. The Royal Horticultural Society is making an experiment in 
extending the exhibition over three days, which I hope will be successful, 
though I have heard the question put as to what will be the effect of a third 
day’s exposure in those windy tents-if the weather be cold. Perhaps the 
fates will be favourable once more. 
It is pleasant to see the returning prosperity of the old Society; but 
there is one feature of the very interesting meetings at the Drill Hall to 
which I think a little more attention might be paid. I have frequently 
found a difficulty in ascertaining to whom some particular plant belonged, 
and find that others have a similar experience. At times, too, the plants 
are unduly crowded, though want of space is a matter more difficult to cope 
with. Perhaps the two evils are not altogether unconnected, though I 
cannot help thinking that some better means of indicating the limits of the 
various groups could be devised. 
Speaking of Orchis mascula, I have often wished that more attention 
were paid to these hardy terrestrial Orchids. It is true that some of them 
are rather capricious, but others succeed admirably when planted in a 
moist, turfy spot, and when in flower they are charming little plants. Mr. H. 
Correvon, of the Jardin Alpin d’Acclimatation, Geneva, now calls attention 
to them in the pages of the Gardeners’ Chronicle, and considers that they are 
greatly neglected by plant lovers. He has attempted to cultivate as many 
of the European species as possible at Geneva, and has only succeeded with 
twenty-five, a few of them being familiar British species. I find that 
several species grow and flower well in an ordinary border, while others 
fail to put in an appearance the second year, It is highly probable that a 
little more attention to the conditions under which these delightful little 
plants grow naturally would lead to more success in their culture, and to 
this the article alluded to points the way. Some particulars respecting 
them were also given at p. 246 of the last volume of the Orchid Review. 
They are certainly deserving of more attention. 
