ORCHIDS AND HYBRIDIZING. 237 
dently expected to catch the public fancy, as 
has been said. I advise my readers to be 
daring, even desperate. It is satisfactory to 
learn that Mr. Cookson intends to make 
a study of bi-generic hybridization hence- 
forward.’ 
The common motive for crossing orchids is 
that, of course, which urges the florist in other 
realms of botany. He seeks to combine tints, 
forms, varied peculiarities, in a new shape. 
Orchids lend themselves to experiment with 
singular freedom, within certain limits, and their 
array of colours seems to invite our interference. 
Taking species and genera all round, yellow 
dominates, owing to its prevalence in the great 
family of Oncidium ; purples and mauves stand 
next by reason of their supremacy among the 
Cattleyas. Green follows—if we admit the whole 
group of Epidendrums—the great majority of 
which are not beautiful, however. Of magenta, 
the rarest of natural hues, we have not a few 
instances. Crimson, in a thousand shades, is 
frequent ; pure white a little rare, orange much 
rarer ; scarlet very uncommon, and blue almost 
' Mr. Cookson writes to me: “ Give some of the credit to 
my present gardener, William Murray, who is entitled to a 
large proportion, at least.” 
