HYBRIDISING ORCHIDS 67 



CHAPTER XIX 



HYBRIDISING AND RAISING SEEDLING 

 ORCHIDS 



A NEW interest has been added to Orchid culture by the 

 pursuit of hybridising and raising seedling Orchids, which 

 commenced with Calanthe Dominyi, raised in the nurseries 

 of Messrs. Veitch and recorded in the Gardeners' Chronicle 

 in 1858. The practice has now become general, and a 

 large number of Orchidists arrange for the production of 

 new Orchids from seeds, while even in small collections 

 some attention is given to the matter. When the engrossing 

 pursuit is first taken up, the operator should neglect no 

 opportunity to make himself conversant with the structure 

 of the flowers. This may be done effectually by carefully 

 examining any available flowers, and by making longi- 

 tudinal sections of the bloom by cutting them in two, 

 commencing at the apex of the column and finishing at 

 the ovary and pedicel. This operation exposes the various 

 organs that are concerned in the fertilisation of the 

 flower. 



In most Orchids, such for instance asLaelias and Cattleyas, 

 it will be seen that the pollen masses are situated at the 

 apex of the column covered by the anther cap, the stigma 

 being in a cavity in the face of the column beneath it. 



In Cypripedium there are two developed anthers ; the 

 viscous pollen masses are not enclosed in cases, but are 

 placed opposite each other ; the stigma is a shield-shaped 



