AUGUST, 1903.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 229 
It seems to be a constitutional peculiarity, as no other plant in the collec- 
tion is like it, and it was some time before the cause of the mischief was 
‘discovered. Phaiuses do remarkably well in leaf-mould, as do most other 
things, and Mr. Grogan now uses it largely. Singularly enough, it consists 
chiefly of beech leaves, this tree largely preponderating in the woods where 
it is collected, and Mr. Grogan’s success should disprove a remark that we 
have heard more than once, that beech leaves were unsuitable. 
Hybridising operations were much in evidence, and some young 
seedlings between Sophronitis grandiflora @ and Cattleya Lawrenceana ¢ 
should develop into a fine hybrid. Seedlings of Lelia purpurata x C. 
intermedia are getting strong, and should once more prove the parentage of 
Leelio-cattleya Xx Schilleriana. Those from C. Warscewiczii xX L. 
tenebrosa were in a younger stage. We also noted good capsules of L. 
flava xX C. Loddigesii, C. Bowringiana xX L. Perrinii, L. crispa xX 
€. granulosa, L. xX flava xX L. Jongheana, C. Schilleriana x C. 
Warscewiczii, &c., with in some cases the reverse cross, for Mr. Grogan 
usually makes the reverse cross if possible. Other interesting crosses were 
Dendrobium Findlayanum crossed with both D. Wardianum and D. 
Phalznopsis ; Lycaste Skinneri crossed with Bifrenaria Harrisonz and with 
a yellow hybrid Lycaste, also the reverse crosses ; and Zygopetalum Mackayi 
x Odontoglossum grande, with the reverse cross, one of these being 
germinating. Seeds of O. Hallii x O. Edwardi had been sown, both here 
and in the Odontoglossum house, in the hope of finding a suitable position 
for the germination of the seed. 
The Odontoglossum house is a curious structure, evidently built long 
ago, for quite another purpose. It has a south-east aspect, and has no top 
ventilation, and only a rough approximation to bottom ventilation. It is 
also heated in the winter by means of an ordinary flue, which is entirely 
covered over with a bed of leaves. The glass is whitened in the summer, 
and it is said that in this somewhat moist climate the house never gets too 
hot. The floor is composed of cinders. It is not at all an orthodox 
structure for Odontoglossums, but the plants are growing well, and 
the atmosphere in the house felt just what Odontoglossums like. All 
are grown in leaf-mould from the adjacent wood, with an admixture of 
moss and coarse sand, some having bracken rhizomes for drainage, and 
others beech husks, the usual crocks being quite discarded. These beech 
husks are somewhat of a novelty, but, being abundant there, they were tried as 
an experiment, and proved thoroughly successful, both here and in the 
Cattleya house, but they seem unsuitable for Cypripediums. Sophronitis 
grandiflora and Lelia Jongheana were both doing well suspended from 
the roof. Oncidium macranthum and Odontoglossum Edwardii were 
making excellent growths, and O. Uroskinneri was in bud. Several plants 
