JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 10, 1881. ] 
195 
and pistil with the view of illustrating the process by Orchids, of 
which Messrs. Yeitch, Sir Trevor Lawrence, and Mr. Williams con¬ 
tributed very fine groups. He first pointed out methods of attraction 
afforded by plants to insects in order to secure fertilisation by inter¬ 
crossing, that although the corolla or the perianth was the normal 
organ, yet bracts and calyx were sometimes utilised by being bril¬ 
liantly coloured. Anthurium Schertzerianum and A. Andreanum .as 
well as Tillandsias illustrated this peculiarity. This change of function, 
so to say, often took place, and at the same time illustrated the prin¬ 
ciple of compensation, by which one organ undertook the functions of 
another, not infrequently becoming modified accordingly. Some plants 
of Guelder Rose and double Cinerarias were taken to illustrate this, to 
which corollas had grown abnormally at the expense of the essential 
organs, or stamens and pistils ; a plant of Xylophyllum with flattened 
branches superseding leaves also showed the same phenomenon. 
Mr. Henslow then proceeded to describe the structure and method 
of fertilisation of several Orchids, such as Phalsenopsis, Dendrobium, 
Cattleya, and Coryanthes, principally following the details as ex¬ 
plained Jay Mr. Darwin in his work on the “ Fertilisation of Orchids.” 
VIOLET “ ODORATISSIMA.” 
Mr. Cannell of Swanley has sent us blooms of the above variety 
of remarkable size and substance, and deliciously perfumed. 
Last year Mr. Abbey wrote as follows on this Violet:—“ It has 
fine blooms, freely produced, and very sweet; it greatly surpasses 
the Russian, Czar, Giant, single white and single red.” The 
flowers we have received confirm that statement. They have also 
very long and stout footstalks, which add greatly to their “ bunch¬ 
ing” and using in bouquets. How far the soil of Swanley has 
contributed to the production of such fine flowers and how much 
of his “ invigorator ” Mr. Cannell has given to the plants we know 
not, but larger and more fragrant Violets we have never seen. 
The annexed engraving by Mr. Smith, which we have obtained 
from Swanley, shows this excellent variety in good condition. 
Some of the flowers sent to us were more than li inch across and 
of a bright pleasing colour. Many of our readers, we doubt not, 
will endeavour to produce flowers of Violet odoratissima similar 
to those represented, and they may succeed with young plants 
established in good soil and a suitable situation. 
Cinchona Consumption. —A writer in the Colombo Observer, 
referring to this subject, says :—“ I do not think I am overesti¬ 
mating the number of Cinchonas that will be planted in 1880 
throughout the island at 20,000,000 ; allow 5,000,000 for failures, 
