302 THE ORCHID REVIEW. (OCTOBER, 1923. 
ORCHIDS AT HAYWARDS_ HEATH. 
W4EARS ago, at a time when the principal collections were composed 
y mainly of Orchid species, the firm of Charlesworth & Co. was 
established at Bradford, and there an extensive assemblage of the most 
popular kinds then required by amateurs was cultivated. But in 1908 an 
entirely new establishment was erected at Haywards Heath, where every- 
thing that means progress in Orchidology is to be seen. 
The late Mr. Charlesworth was an early worker in the art of hybridising 
and seed-raising, and until the end of his life never tired of experimenting or 
working out better methods. Sometime before 1895 he had raised several 
crosses of Lelia cinnabarina, and the one he put most faith in was this 
species crossed with Cattleya aurea, for he anticipated the production of a 
large flower having the glorious colours of both species. But when the 
first of these seedlings reached maturity in the year 1goo0, the flowers were 
found to be much below the expected size. Noticing his disappointment, 
a friend suggested to Mr. Charlesworth that although the flower appeared 
inferior, matters might be partially remedied by putting a good name upon 
it and calling it Lzliocattleya Charlesworthii. Even at the present time 
this hybrid is much in request on account of its decorative nature, while the 
good name of Charlesworth has spread to every part of the world where 
Orchids are cultivated. 
Of the many years that have since passed, each one has seen the first- 
flowering of numerous new hybrids that have been raised by this firm. 
Almost all sections have been taken in hand at one time or another, with 
the result that the attractions of hybrid Orchids have been greatly 
increased. Messrs. Charlesworth & Co. were the pioneers of the Pure 
Culture method of raising seedlings, and through its use they have made 
advances into regions that have hitherto been regarded as impenetrable. It 
is only necessary to refer to the illustration on page 81 of our last volume 
to gain an idea of the extensive manner in which the seed is raised, for 
hundreds of glass flasks contain the fungus-infected compost upon which 
the seed germinates in multitudes. An adjoining house, also too feet in 
length, is entirely filled with literally hundreds of thousands of tiny seedlings 
that have been pricked off several in a small pot. Ina third house of equal’ 
size the seedlings are slightly larger, while in a fourth they are to be seen 
each one in a separate pot. It is surprising how many of these little pots 
can be neatly arranged in a house 100 feet in length: six thousand is a low 
estimate. 
There are no less than 24 houses, each a 100 feet in length, and as 
several of them are wide enough to admit of a large central staging, the 
total number of plants cultivated can only be reckoned by tens of thousands. 
