.78 



NATURE 



[December 22, i J 



The accompanying illustrations, selected from those in 

 the Report, illustrate the mode of applying the latter 

 remedy. 



We may add that other countries have become alarmed 

 at the ravages of the San Jose Scale in America ; and in 

 Germany, in particular, it is not only absolutely forbidden 



can form an idea of the large numbers of hybrid orchidi 

 that have been raised by hand. 



Primary Hydrids. 

 Of the Soo hybrids from distmct crosses, now on 

 record, some 500 are primary hybrids, i.e. hybrids of tha 



nting with bydrcicy 



I block 01 2500 B.nnlett pear-trees infested with San Jose' Scale. 



to import any living plants of any kind from America, 

 but even from any other country, without a satisfactory 

 ■declaration that they are not of American origin. 



W. F. K. 



CURIOSITIES OF ORCHID BREEDING. 

 \ FEW years ago the raising of hybrid orchids was 



entirely in the hands of a few English experts, but 

 quite recently it has been taken up with great success by 

 many growers of these rare and beautiful plants, not 

 only in England, but also on the continent and in 

 America. 



Consequently orchid hybrids have become very 

 numerous, while new ones are constantly being brought 

 to light. Up to the year i860, we find but four flowered 

 hybrids recorded, raised from distinct crosses : during 

 the thirty years following the numbers gradually in"- 

 creased. until in 1890 there were about 200 enumerated. 

 But it is in the present decade that the most rapid 

 strides have been made, the numbers having increased 

 by leaps and bounds until at the present time there are 

 on record no less than 800 orchid hybrids, raised by 

 hand from distinct crosses These have all flowered in 

 gardens, and have been duly described or recorded in 

 various journals. .And when we remember that many 

 of these 800 crosses have been repeated in the same 

 garden, and in other gardens, and that many individual 

 plants may have been obtained from each capsule, we 



NO. 1521. VOL. 59] 



first generation between two different species. A careful 

 e.xamination of these primary hybrids shows that, as 

 a rule, they are fairly intermediate between their parents, 

 partaking of the characters of both, and at the same 

 time perfectly distinct from either. The latter fact 

 is most remarkable, and at once serves to distinguish 

 primary hybrids clearly from all other hybrids. For 

 example, Cypripcdiuin x Lecanuin is a typical primary 

 hybrid, and has perhaps been raised more frequently 

 and in larger numbers than any other orchid hybrid. 

 It was obtained originally by crossing C. insigtie 

 (Wallich), 9, with C. Spiceriamim (Rchb. f), $, 

 both well marked and distinct species. The hybrid is 

 fairly intermediate both in its outward characters and in 

 its inner structure (see Prof Macfarlane on " Minute 

 Structure of I'lant Hybrids," Trans. Roy. Sec. Edin., 

 1891, xxvii. p. 245), and although it has innumerable 

 minor and indi\ idual varieties, yet it is always perfectly 

 distinct from both of its parents. 



.Nor has any intrinsic difference been observed in the 

 reciprocal cross, the same forms appearing equally in 

 the ob\ crse and reverse crosses. Often many varieties 

 are obtained from the same capsule, differing slightly in 

 colour, form and size, but all are specifically C. x 

 Lccitnuiii, and cannot be mistaken for anything else. 

 As it is with C. x I.eeaniim so it is with other primary 

 orchid hybrids, so far as experiments have been made. 

 In short, «e find that primary hybrids are, as a rule, so 

 intermediate between their parent species, and so com- 



