HYBRIDISING ORCHIDS. 



45 



Passy (France), and Mr. Pilcher, gardener to S. Rucker, Esq., 

 of Wandsworth. Perhaps the most brilliant success has 

 attended the patience and perseverance of Mr. Dominy, of the 

 Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, who has succeeded in crossinj^ 

 several reputed genera, amongst which may be mentioned 

 Phajus with Calanthe, and Calanthe with Limatodes. 



I have here compiled a list of hybrid Orchids, with theif 

 parents, where known. More might be added, but this is 



1. Column of an Orchid. A, anther; B, atigmatic cavity. 2. Pollinia of 

 Vandae (Burlingtonia). 3 and 4. Pollinia of Epidendrese (Laelia and 

 Cattleya) . 5. Pollinia of Malaxidese (Deudrobium) . 6. Pollinia of Ophrydc:e 

 (Disa). 7. Pollen grains separated by maceration, and seen under a 

 microscope. 



sufficient to show that much has alreadj'- been done ; and we 

 may fairly ask, have these results done nothing for botanical 

 science ? By hybridisation and grafting we may prove the 

 natural affinity of plants far better than by poring over her- 

 barium specimens — if not so quickly, with far greater cer- 

 tainty. Unfortunately for horticultural science, neither Mr. 

 Dominy ror Mr. Pilcher have as yet given us the details of 

 their successful experiments. 



