ORCHIDS AND HYBRIDIZING. 215 
the terrestrial species, and no other hybrid has yet 
been raised among them. We have here one of 
the numberless mysteries disclosed by hybridiza- 
tion. The epiphytal Calanthes, represented by 
C. vestita, will not cross with the terrestrial, repre- 
sented by C. veratrefolia, nor will the mules of 
either. We may “give this up” and proceed. In 
1859 flowered C. Veztchit, from C. rosea, still called, 
as a rule, Lzmatodes rosea, x C. vestitta. No 
orchid is so common as this, and none more simply 
beautiful. But although the success was so strik- 
ing, and the way to it so easy, twenty years passed 
before even Messrs. Veitch raised another hybrid 
Calanthe. In 1878 Seden flowered C. Sedenz 
from C. Vettchit x C. vestita. Others entered the 
field then, especially Sir Trevor Lawrence, Mr. 
Cookson, and Mr. Charles Winn. But the genus 
is small, and they mostly chose the same families, 
often giving new names to the progeny, in ignor- 
ance of each other’s labour. 
The mystery I have alluded to recurs again and 
again. Large groups of species refuse to inter- 
marry with their nearest kindred, even plants 
-which seem identical in the botanist’s point of 
view. There is good ground for hoping, however, 
that longer and broader experience will annihilate 
some at least of the axioms current in this matter. 
