ORCHIDS AND HYBRIDIZING. 227 
one may say, the wrong side up. On entering the 
next flower, it does not commonly present the 
surface necessary for impregnation, but a sterile 
globule which is the backing thereof. We may 
suppose that in the earlier age, when this genus 
flourished as the later forms of orchid do now, it 
enjoyed some means of fertilization which have 
vanished. 
Under such disadvantages it is not to be expected 
that seed capsules would be often found upon im- 
ported Cypripeds. Messrs. Veitch state that they 
rarely observed one among the myriads of plants 
that have passed through their hands. With some 
species, however, it is not by any means so un- 
common. When Messrs. Thompson, of Cloven- 
fords, bought a quantity of the first Cyp. Specerianum 
which came upon the market, they found a number 
of capsules, and sowed them, obtaining several 
hundred fine plants. Pods are often imported 
on Cyp. znsigne full of good seed. 
In the circumstances enumerated we have the 
explanation of an extraordinary fact. Hybrids 
or natural species of Cypripediums artificially 
raised are stronger than their parents, and they 
produce finer flowers. The reason is that they get 
abundance of food in captivity, and all things are 
made comfortable for them ; whilst Nature, anxious 
Q2 
