easures, a leading amateur, is pale
buff, speckled with chocolate, the ends of the sepals and petals
charmingly tipped with the same hue. Within the last few months Mr.
Sander has obtained _G. multiflorum_ from the Philippines, which seems
to be not only the most beautiful, but the easiest to cultivate of those
yet introduced. Its flowers droop in a garland of pale green and yellow,
splashed with brown, not loosely set, as is the rule, but scarcely half
an inch apart. The effect is said to be lovely beyond description. We
may hope to judge for ourselves in no long time, for Mr. Sander has
presented a wondrous specimen to the Royal Gardens, Kew. This is
assuredly the biggest orchid ever brought to Europe. Its snakey
pseudo-bulbs measure nine feet, and the old flower spikes stood eighteen
feet high. It will be found in the Victoria Regia house, growing
strongly.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 6: _Vanda Lowii_ is properly called _Renanthera Lowii_.]

[Footnote 7: _Vide_ page 100.]

THE LOST ORCHID.

Not a few orchids are "lost"--have been described that is, and named,
even linger in some great collection, but, bearing no history, cannot
now be found. Such, for instance, are _Cattleya Jongheana_, _Cymbidium
Hookerianum_, _Cypripedium Fairianum_. But there is one to which the
definite article might have been applied a very few days ago. This is
_Cattleya labiata vera_. It was the first to bear the name of Cattleya,
though not absolutely the first of that genus discovered. _C.
Loddigesii_ preceded it by a few years, but was called an Epidendrum.
Curious it is to note how science has returned in this latter day to the
views of a pre-scientific era. Professor Reichenbach was only restrained
from abolishing the genus Cattleya, and merging all its species into
Epidendrum, by regard for the weakness of human nature. _Cattleya
labiata vera_ was sent from Brazil to Dr. Lindley by Mr. W. Swainson,
and reached Liverpool in 1818. So much is certain, for Lindley makes
the statement in his _Collectanea Botanica_. But legends and myths
encircle that great event. It is commonly told in books that Sir W.
Jackson Hooker, Regius Professor of Botany at Glasgow, begged Mr.
Swainson--who was collecting specimens in natural history--to send him
some lichens. He did so, and with the cases arrived a quantity of
orchids which had been used to pack them. Less suitable material for
"dunnage" could not be found, unless we suppose that it was thru