4 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [JANn.-FeB., 1920. 
Be | ORCHIDS AT BLETCHLEY PARK. 
S}| 
WENT Y years ago the Orchids at Bletchley Park were better known 
than they have been in recent years, and in those far-off days, when 
the producing of Orchids from seed was still the work of a select few, two 
very fine hybrids were raised and flowered here—namely, Leliocattleya 
bletchleyensis and Cattleya Maggie Raphael. These have been produced 
in considerable numbers in other collections since that time, and the 
Cattleya hybrid is quite one of the best and surest flowerers of all Cattleyas 
at Christmas and the New Year ; unlike so many hybrids—notably those of 
the second degree—being consistent and fixed in its season, and just the 
season when Cattleya flowers are scarcest and in most demand. C. Maggie 
Raphael is the result of crossing C. Triane with C. Dowiana aurea, and 
there are now numerous fine white forms in collections, a on white form 
of Trianz making one of the parents. 
Sir Herbert and Lady Leon are both very keen gardeners, and take a 
great pleasure and interest in their Orchid collection. Sir Herbert is. 
fond of large blooms of good colour, such as are represented by the primary 
Lelia purpurata crosses—Lzeliocattleya callistoglossa, Lc. Dominiana, and 
suchlike, and a fair number of these are in the collection. Albino 
Cattleyas and those of yellow tints are also much admired, but few 
Orchids exist, probably, that when healthily grown and flowered, they 
would not admire, and the collection is a very Catholic one, the three 
great sections—Cattleya, Odontoglossum and Cypripedium being well 
represented, and besides there is a good collection of the less showy kinds, 
_ which are broadly classed as botanical Orchids. 
Early in the war, when labour was scarce or inexperienced, the a 
at Bletchley passed under the management of Mr. W. T. Watson, the 
agent. Mr. Watson is first and foremost a farmer, whose forte is cattle 
breeding, and he is known far and wide in this important industry, the 
herds at Bletchley have produced endless prize-winners, but notwithstand- 
ing his many interests and duties he applied himself to gaining some 
knowledge of the Orchids, and is now quite at-home with the nomenclature: 
and has a very good eye for a well-grown and clean plant, and is sound in 
his judgment of a good variety. Being unable to find a man at this period 
to take charge of the collection, he presuaded his elder daughter to become 
grower pro tem., and this position she held until the close of the war. She 
entered into the work with enthusiasm, seeking information and advice 
when opportunity offered, and became at once an interested and keen 
- Orchid grower, and not only successfully brought the collection through, 
