—— 
. 
The Orchio ‘IRev & 
b&b eview ak 
VoL. XXVIII. Nov.-DeEc, 1920. No. 335-336, 
g£ OUR NOTE BOOK. 
ela a ae to recent meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society must 
have been impressed, not only with the quality of the exhibits and the 
steady progress that is being made in hybridisation, but also with the 
general display. The awards made at the Septemberand October meetings 
(at one of which groups were not admitted) include no fewer than six First- 
class Certificates, seventeen Awards of Merit, and fifteen Medals, and it 
must be admitted that the standard of merit set up is a severe one, and new 
varieties have to. stand the test of comparison with those previously 
certificated, a painting being kept in all cases. Even with the severest 
compression our report extends to over seven pages. At the meeting held 
on November 2nd, there were two magnificent Gold Medal groups, the 
report of which will probably be cut down by exigencies of space to a few 
lines. It all affords welcome evidence of progress, and is an earnest of what 
may be expected when normal conditions return. In spite of the long 
set-back of the war, autumn-blooming Orchids are better and more 
numerous than ever, and we hope that the Society will see its way to hold a 
special exhibition next November, on the lines of that held in 1912. Many 
of our readers will be able to recall the magnificence of a display which still 
stands unique, and of which our report occupied eight pages (vol. xx. pp- 
366-374). We believe that only the opportunity is needed to repeat the 
success. 
A Ben character about the Orchids which now succeed in gain- 
ing awards is that nearly all are hybrids, and the great majority of secondary 
Origin, that is to say the parents are themselves hybrids, and have only been 
selected for further experiment because possessing qualities which it is 
desirable to perpetuate or improve. The work is being continued on 
thoroughly progressive lines, accompanied by rigid selection of parents, and 
a distinguished horticulturist has just remarked to us that it is the history of 
the Fuchsia and the Florist’s Pelargonium over again. He is right, but we 
hope that everything will not be reduced to a rigid circle. The charm of the 
Orchid flower is its uncoventionality. Even the unity of detail conferred 
161 
