ee THE ORCHID REVIEW. [JANUARY, 1909. 
EVENTS OF 1908. 
IN summarising the ‘horticultural events of the past year we may first 
mention the great Quinquennial Exhibition at Ghent, which also celebrated 
the Society’s Centenary. As usual, it brought together the leading 
horticulturalists of Europe, while the display of Orchids was certainly very 
fine, and what it might have been is difficult to imagine, for prizes were 
offered in eighty-one classes, though only twenty-seven were filled, and in 
several of these there was only a single exhibit. The group staged by M. 
Firmin Lambeau, of Brussels, which gained the Gold Medal offered by His 
Majesty the King of the Belgians, was excellent, and that staged, not for 
competition, by Major G. L. Holford, of Westonbirt, was remarkable in 
every respect, occupying an area of over 300 square feet, and containing — 
many very fine specimens and some brilliant novelties The group of 
hybrid Odontoglossums exhibited in a long glass case by M. Ch. Vuylsteke, 
of Loochristi, was equally remarkable, nothing like it having been staged 
before. 
OTHER EXHIBITIONS. 
The great shows held by the Royal Horticultural Society at the Inner 
Temple Gardens and at Holland House have never been surpassed, perhaps 
not equalled, in the brilliant display of Orchids brought together, while the 
usual fortnightly meetings have rarely failed to produce a fine show of 
Orchids, or some brilliant novelty. The Manchester and North of 
England Orchid Society have also had a very successful year, and the 
various Cup Competitions have led to a keen but friendly rivalry, all of 
which testifies to the growing popularity of these beautiful plants. 
a NOVELTIES. 4 
The striking novelties of the year have been almost exclusively of hybrid _ 
origin, and the progress which has been made.in this department is | 
remarkable, and seems likely to increase year by year. A number of new 
species have been described, several interesting in themselves, but nothing 
of striking horticultural merit. Several fine varieties of existing species, 
however, have appeared, and among them the beautiful albinos, Vanda 
coerulea Charlesworthii, Cypripedium Charlesworthii Bromilowianum, and 
C. macranthum album. 
HyYsrRIDs. 
Hybrid novelties have been so numerous that one hardly knows where 
to begin. One of the most brilliant, however, is Odontioda Charles- 
worthii, whose uniform crimson colour came as a surprise, considering that 
one parent was the strongly marked Odontoglossum Harryanum. O. St.- 
Fuscien, O. keighlyensis and O. Thwaitesii are also very promising 
acquisitions. Diacattleya Colmaniz and Chondropetalum Fletcheri at 
