May, 1914.] 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



177 



The most interesting feature is the two 

 inflorescences, one of which carries only 

 female flowers, with the lip uppermost, while 

 the other bears three flowers, one of which is 

 a female, while the remaining two are males, 

 with the lips underneath. Concerning their 

 fertilisation Darwin wrote : " Nature has 

 endowed these plants with, what must be 

 called for want of a better term, sensitiveness, 

 and with the remarkable power of forcibly 

 ejecting their pollinia even to a considerable 

 distance. Hence, when certain definite points 

 of the flower are touched by an insect, the 

 pollinia are shot forth like an arrow, not 

 barbed however, but having a blunt and 

 excessively adhesive point. The insect, 

 disturbed by so sharp a blow, or after having 

 eaten its fill, flies sooner or later to a female 

 flower, and whilst standing in the same 

 position as before, the pollen-bearing end of 

 the arrow is inserted into the stigmatic cavity, 

 and a mass of pollen is left on its viscid 

 surface." 



Several distinct varieties of C. fimbriatuin 

 have been described, one of the most recent 

 being aureum, which received an Award of 

 Merit, Royal Horticultural Society, Oct. i ith, 

 igio, when exhibited by Mr. J. Gurney 

 Fowler. This had pale green sepals and 

 petals spotted with rose, and the labellum 

 green with an extensive golden-yellow 

 centre. 



While mentioning tiic Biddick Hall 

 collection allusion may be made to the fine 

 show of Dendrobiums, which has attracted 

 much attention during a period of many 

 weeks. Mr. Bentley obtains excellent results, 

 and the strong bulbs have been a mass of 

 bloom. In a photograph of the Dendrobium 

 house quite a pretty ])icture has been 

 produced by the graceful manner in which the 

 flowering bulbs hang m pendulous style from 

 baskets suspended from the roof. Surcl}', 

 this is with many species not only the most 

 natural, but the most effective manner. 



Mr. H. M. Stobart, the owner of the 

 Biddick Hall collection, has just reason to be 

 proud of his plants, and the keen manner in 

 which he is interested in them will always 

 ensure their responsive good results. 



ORCHIDS: THEIR POPULARITY 

 AND CULTURE. 



AT a recent meeting of the Cardiff 

 Naturalists' Society a very interesting 

 and instructive lecture was given by 

 Mr. H. G. Alexander on " The Popularity and 

 Culture of Orchids." The success of the 

 evening was mainly due to the capable and 

 extensive manner in which the lecturer 

 handled his subject, and to the large number 

 of lantern slides, and excellent paintings of 

 plants in the Westonbirt collection, which 

 enabled the audience of over 300 persons to 

 fully appreciate the beauties and interesting 

 points of the various Orchids. 



Mr. Alexander commenced by giving a 

 description of the natural habitats of terres- 

 trial as well as epiphytal Orchids, and then 

 spoke on the rise and progress of their 

 culture, remarking that " there is no branch 

 of modern horticulture that e.xhibits such 

 wonderful progress as is shown in the culti- 

 vation of Orchids. Their popularity to-day 

 is greater than any other class of plants that 

 requires to be grown under glass, and the 

 ranks of their admirers are ever increasing." 



Popular, showy and useful kinds received 

 due attention, the various botanical differ- 

 ences which serve to distinguish the various 

 genera were carefully explained, and by 

 means of photographic lantern slides the 

 audience were able to form a very realistic 

 idea of the horticultural importance of the 

 great Orchidean family. The leading sections 

 embraced Orchids with fringed lips, giant and 

 minute plants, curious Orchids, including the 

 cradle and the lady's slipper, the Vanilla 

 Orchid, and an extensive selection of the 

 most easily grown kinds. The botanical 

 structure and pclonsm also received due 

 attention. 



The breeding and raising of seedling 

 Orchids is one of the greatest of modern 

 horticultural achievements, consequently this 

 subject when in the hands of Mr. Alexander 

 was listened to with close attention. He 

 said : " This important branch of Orchidology 

 has created an entirely new interest, and has 

 made the fancier independent of the collector. 



VOL. IV. 



24 



