152 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
Seedlings should be pricked off, or potted on, without further delay, in 
order that they may have a long season of growth. When a pod of seed is 
ripe enough for sowing, which can be known by its beginning to split, the 
contents should be shaken on the surface of an Orchid having had new 
material recently given. Seeds germinate and grow much more freely 
when sown on pans or baskets which are suspended. With the exception 
of Cypripediums, they rarely come up if sown on pots on the side stages, 
unless near the glass. 
The question whether manure is good for Orchids is one which frequently 
occurs to amateurs. I would advise them to be cautious, remembering that 
Orchids are easily ruined, though perhaps difficult to kill. A favourite 
maxim of one of the most successful Orchid growers the present generation 
has seen was, ‘‘ Orchids are the easiest of all plants to keep, but the most 
difficult to grow,” though he succeeded in growing most species well 
enough, having then the best grown collection of Orchids in England, and 
to his practice and writings much of the present successful cultivation can 
be traced. I allude to the late Mr. J. C. Spyers. But manure was not much 
used by him. An abundant supply of fresh water and the admission of 
pure air were his chief stimulants. But it is a well-known fact that a few 
species are benefited by the use of stimulants, such as those mentioned in 
the last Calendar, though, as a general rule, I do not advise its use. I 
think I have noticed that some species of Dendrobium are to some extent 
assisted by manure for the first year of its application, but the following 
year a collapse has taken place, and no manure in the world would restore 
that plant to a healthy state again. 
A few degrees increase in temperature may be allowed, in all the houses, 
to the figures given last month, in accordance with the increase in the 
outside conditions. Keep a sharp look out for the Cattleya fly (see February 
number), also for the Dendrobium beetle, and other noxious insect pests. _ 
ORCHID FORTRAMES: 
CaTasETUM Ropicastanum, Rolfe, VAR. TENEBROSUM.. A dark variety.— 
Lindenia, t. 406. 
_ CHONDRORHYNCHA CHESTERTONI, Rchb. f. A handsome and very siicilie 
able species, originally introduced by Messrs. F. Sander and Co., St. Albans, 
in 1879, and now re-introduced by Messrs.. Linden, L’ Horticulture Inter- 
nationale, Brussels. It has light buff-yellow flowers, with —— lip and 
soe antateanat tz 495. : 
- CHYSIS_ BRACTESCEN ann Sart H ort.; Apri 5th, pp- 222, 223, fig. 43: 
\ CGLOGYNE crIsTATA.. Specimen plants grown by Mr: Robert, gr. to Sir 
David: Solomon, Bart., Tunbridge Wells—Gard. World, April 21st, p. 533. 
