16 ORCHID HYBRIDS. 



How should we Classify Orchid Hybrids? 



Let us contemplate the possibilities of a single instance 

 to illustrate how we should be guided. Let us take 

 Cypripedium barbatum and insigne, for instance. Do 

 not pay so much attention to the scrupulously scented 

 out varieties of those willing to pay for the naming of 

 such unica only. There is but one variety of barbatum 

 which claims sufficient distinction to exert a determining 

 influence in hybridizing, viz.: Crossii (more righteously 

 named Crossianum). Of Cpd. insigne nothing but the 

 three varieties, Chantinii, Maulei and Sanderse, will dom- 

 inate sufficiently in hybridizing to admit of tracing in 

 their progeny. It will never do for us to allow more 

 than the mere citing of any of those varieties recorded 

 by legion, but recognized only by those who have a 

 personal interest in any of them. We therefore have 

 the following possibilities: 



barbatum ? X insigne Ashburtonise. 



. " X insigne ? " var. 



X " Chantinii, 



Maulei or 



Sanderae. " 3 var. 

 " Crossii.. X insigne or any 



of its 3 var.. " 4 var. 



Such are the possibilities. But then, how many of 

 them will stand the critical examination of an unbiased 

 judge and pass as sufficiently distinct to deserve varietal 

 rank? Very often the reverse of the original cross will 

 turn out to be identical, and while the possibilities of 

 the above hybrid could be increased ad infinitum by 

 allowing the establishment of varieties according to 

 whichever sexes of the kinds were employed in the 

 progeny, I do not enumerate such chances, as it must 



