April, KJ15.J I 111' (JKCllin WOKI.l). 151 



W. L. Lvans are also sent; the latter is 

 richly coloured, and on that account gained 

 an A.M., M.O.S., March 4th, 191 5. 



Cypripedium Maurice. — A lahotograph 

 of this attractive hybrid has been kindly sent 

 by Mr. Alf. J. Paine, Athenlay, Wanstead, 

 who has, unfortunately, no record of its 

 parentage. The dorsal sepal as well as the 

 lateral petals are well developed, giving the 

 flower a chubby appearance. C. villosum is 

 evidently contained in its history, and it is 

 just the kind of flower one would expect from 

 the use of nitens (insigne x villosum) and 

 aureum (nitens x Spicerianum). However, the 

 doubt surrounding its parentage in no way 

 detracts from its meritorious nature. 



Odontoglossum HARVENGTENSE. — In 

 the early days this hybrid between triumphans 

 and crispum was only known as a natural one, 

 which appeared occasionally m importations ; 

 for some time it was recognised under the 

 name loochristiense. At the request of Mr. 

 H. F. Goodson, of Fairlawn, Putney, Mr. Geo. 



E. Day sends an excellent variety which has 

 been raised by the use of triumphans and 

 crispum Lily Bourdas, the flower showing an 

 unusual amount of reddish-brown blotching. 

 From the same source comes a richly blotched 

 form of Od. crispum, obtained by crossing 

 two specially fine varieties, the flower giving 

 promise of further improvement as the plant 

 gams in strength. 



Cymbidium Alexanderi aureum. — A 

 flower of this distinct variety comes from Mr. 



F. J. Flanbury, of Brockhurst, East Grinstead. 

 The sepals and petals are rose tinted, but the 

 labellum is yellowish, both inside and out, the 

 front lobe having a few red spots. The under 

 part of the column is yellowish, the upper 

 part deep rose. A good variety of Cymbidium 

 Lowio-grandiflorum also comes from the same 

 collection. 



Odontoglossums.— From Mr. C. J. 

 Lucas, Warnham Court, Sussex, has arrived 

 an interesting series of Odontoglossum 

 hybrids, the best being exultans (crispum x 

 excellens), the new Crispothell and Excelator, 

 both promising flowers, Fairlawn (Edwardii x 

 Wilckeanum) of varying shades of red-purple, 

 and Doris (crispum x Ossulstonii). 



EARLY REMINISCENCES OF 

 ORCHID GROWING. 



{Continued Jrom page 139). 



TIME and events march along hand-in- 

 hand with all of us, upon some they 

 fall lightly and in varying degrees 

 upon others. Circumstances unforeseen 

 cropped up and I disposed of my collection, 

 much to my regret, but I made a resolve that 

 I would resume my hobby at the first 

 opportunity. Several years elapsed before 

 this occurred, and which came about through 

 an advertisement in a gardening journal 

 offering surplus plants for sale. 1 did not 

 trouble much about it at the time, except to 

 write for particulars, which, when forthcoming, 

 seemed too good to be true, but it was 

 perfectly genume I afterwards found. 



A week or more passed, and this 

 opportunity kept impressing itself and 

 perplexed me somewhat. At last I made up 

 my mind to visit the place and see what was 

 going. It was a large establishment in the 

 suburbs of London, containing a good 

 collection. On seeing the plants decision was 

 prompt and I selected five dozen, which cost 

 me less than £1, and some of them large 

 plants. Impossible, some may say, but there 

 it is ; these are facts. This event occurred 

 about eight years ago when residing in 

 London. I have some of these plants now, 

 but not all, for on leaving London I disposed 

 of most of my collection, bringing away with 

 me about one hundred of the choicest. Being 

 enthusiastic over renewing my favourite 

 pastime, it was not long before considerable 

 additions were made from time to time to the 

 original five dozen, until the collection totalled 

 over 300 plants. My expenditure was never 

 more than I felt justified in, and, of course, 

 as cheap lines came along so the opportunity 

 was accepted. One characteristic stands out 

 prominently, and that is, the remarkable 

 improvement in the vigour of my plants since 

 residing in Tunbridge Wells, the purer 

 atmosphere and light going far towards this 

 result ; but, nevertheless, this need not deter 



