﻿October, 1904.] 



THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



3i5 



ZYGOPETALUM x CLAYI. 



Does Zygopetalum X Clayi occur wild? As is well known, it is a hybrid 

 which was raised in the collection of Col. Clay, of Birkenhead, from Z. 

 maxillare and Z. crinitum, and flowered for the first time in cultivation in 

 1877. But in 1889 appeared the following record of a plant sent for deter- 

 mination to a meeting of the R.H.S., held on March 26th of that year :— 

 " Zygopetalum sp. imported, from T. G. H. Eley, Esq., Hatcham. Mr. 

 O'Brien said this was identical with a form of Z. X Clayi raised in this 

 country, and was doubtless a natural hybrid of the same parentage " 

 (fourn. R. Hort. Soc, xi., Proc. p. 44). The question occurs whether this 

 determination is correct, for we have several times met with the plant 

 incorrectly named, once quite recently. Does the plant still exist ? or, 

 was a specimen preserved ? If the record is correct it is very interesting, 

 but one's faith is shaken by meeting with ordinary Z. Mackayi labelled Z. 

 X Clayi on two or three occasions. The moral seems to be that in the 

 case of such important records vouchers should be kept ; in other words 

 that flowers should be dried and preserved for future reference. 



R. A. Rolfe. 



ORCHIDS IN BASKETS. 



Baskets have long been favourite receptacles for growing Orchids in, and 

 although not so much used, perhaps, as formerly, they are indispensable to 

 a mixed collection. We seldom see the large baskets, made of hazel rods 

 or other lasting wood, 2ft. or more across, that were used for the cultiva- 

 tion of large heavy Vandas or Aerides a couple of decades ago. They had 

 a fine appearance and the plants did remarkably well in them, but they 

 were apt to harbour insects, and did not last long enough in the moist heat 

 of an Orchid house, so large pots have taken their place. 



The well-known teak basket, in its various sizes, is a capital receptacle 

 for all Orchids of slender growth and pendant spikes of flower. Burling- 

 tonias, Coelogynes, Dendrobiums, of the Pierardi and Devonianum class, 

 Odontoglossum citrosmum, Masdevallias Chimaera and Backhousiana, 

 small Angrascums and Phalsenopses are only a few of the many that may 

 be so grown, while the basket is often used to bring weak or unhealthy 

 specimens back to a vigorous condition. Owing to the freedom with which 

 air enters the compost, the roots dry regularly, and the plants rapidly 

 improve in health. 



The wire basket is not so much used as the wooden article, but it 

 is excellent for Orchids that push their spikes down through the compost 

 instead of upwards. Stanhopeas and Acinetas are the most generally 



