AUGUST, 1903.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 237. 
ORCHIDS AT GLASNEVIN. 
THE Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, have long been known as the home 
of rare Orchids, and cut examples of interesting species frequently make: 
their appearance at the meetings of the R.H.S., of which the remarkable: 
Moorea irrorata and Eulophiella Peetersiana may be mentioned as 
examples. But these convey a very faint idea of the extreme richness of 
the collection, more especially in what are often called botanical rarities, a 
fact which a detailed examination alone enables one to realise. It is 
doubtful whether there is another collection in existence that is quite its 
equal in this respect. There are several causes for this. Mr. F. W. Moore,. 
the Curator, is a great enthusiast, and for many years has been collecting. 
these plants—indeed, it may be said that nothing in the shape of an Orchid 
comes amiss to him. And he is particularly successful in their cultivation,. 
being well equipped in the matter of houses and pits for their reception, in 
which suitable climates for the majority can be found. It is probable that 
the somewhat moister climate and comparative absence of urban fog are: 
also beneficial factors. But whatever the cause, the collection is in a very 
satisfactory condition, and many of the-plants have been there ever since 
their original introduction. 
Having obtained an Orchid, Mr. Moore’s next aim is to grow it, and in 
some cases a good deal of shifting about has to be done before a suitable 
position is found. Even then some are very intractable, and a few were 
pointed out that are only kept with difficulty, and can scarcely be increased 
after years of culture. And there are the inevitable fatalities, but these are 
less numerous than might be expected, for Mr. Moore sets out with the idea 
that an Orchid that can be got home alive can also be grown, if one only 
goes the right way to work, and such a belief is an important aid to: 
success. Just how rich the collection is it would be impossible to say, for 
no list has been published up to the present time, but it is remarkably 
complete so far as the commonly cultivated species are concerned, besides 
containing many that are only found in a few other collections, and some that 
we have not seen elsewhere. Artificial hybrids, however, are only 
sparingly represented, these chiefly consisting of a few of the older kinds. 
Some details must now be given, but it is difficult to give an idea of such a 
collection without compiling a catalogue. 
The genus Masdevallia is one of Mr. Moore’s special favourites, and there 
is scarcely a species that is obtainable that is not represented. It contains 
the almost unique M. velifera, the rare M. minuta, M. striatella, M. 
Ortgiesiana, M. O’Brieniana, M. auropurpurea, and M. peruviana (Rolfe), 
an interesting little plant, allied to M. auropurpurea, but differing in having: 
the lateral sepals closely and minutely dotted with dusky purple on a paler’ 
