JuNE, 1903.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 163 
hope that the event opens a new chapter in the history of the coveted 
distinction. The news will interest Mr. Parkes if he is still living. 
The further information about raising seedling Odontoglossums given at 
page 131 is interesting, and it is quite evident that the difficulties formerly 
encountered are being gradually overcome. I also noticed several 
artificially raised seedlings at the Temple show, and it may be added that 
four out of the seven Odontoglossums which gained awards had been raised 
by hand. The next few years will proba, witness a great development in 
this department. 
ARGUS, 
ORCHIDS: BY MR. F. W. MOORE. 
THE closing lecture for the session of the Irish Gardeners’ Association 
was given by Mr. F. W. Moore, Curator of the Royal Botanic Garden, 
Glasnevin, the subject being “‘ Orchids,” and a report appears in a recent 
issue of the Irish Farming World. The lecturer remarked that a great many 
people thought Orchids were air plants. Air and water was the pabulum on 
which the Orchid could no more support its framework than any other 
plant. When they considered the existence of plant life and this question, 
they should remember that there were mineral matters in every plant. In 
this connection they had also to note that Orchids contained ten of the 
essential elements of plant life. No plant could live, grow, and thrive with- 
out containing these important constituents. They included oxygen, 
hydrogen, nitrogen, and potash. ‘Nitrogen i is obtained by the Orchid in the 
form of ammonia. We find the leaves acting as feeders. Nature was an 
no way wasteful, and made special provision for this. Some Orchids grow 
in the forks of trees, and obtain their sustenance from the decayed leaves. 
The air, too, conveyed to the plant a certain amount of animal matter. 
‘There was the constant death of insects, which acted as fertilisers. Mr. 
Burbidge grew his Orchids successfully on bones, because in the bones 
there was a good supply of lime and other mineral matters. In cultivating 
‘Orchids it is impossible to keep them alive without these materials. There 
was one other fact to be borne in mind. This was that though present in 
only very small quantities, sometimes not more than five in every hundred 
and sometimes even as low as two per cent., yet if one of these elements 
was missing the plant would be lacking in perfection. 
They had heard a good deal about the cultivation of Orchids in leaf 
mould. This was a new thing, and was not the first new thing that had 
been sprung upon Orchid growers. The leaf mould system was undoubtedly 
very good, but in the course of nature the Orchid, while it took advantage 
