38 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [FEBRUARY, 1914. 
BRASSAVOLA DIGBYANA AND ITS HYBRIDS. e| 
N your article on Brassavola Digbyana and its hybrids, in the January 
issue of the Orchid Review, you ask (at page 17) if anyone has 
intercrossed Sophronitis grandiflora, or any of its hybrids, with Brassavola 
Digbyana. At ‘“‘ Chessington” the endeavour has been made literally 
hundreds of times. Some years ago Sophronitis grandiflora was successfully 
fertilised with the pollen of Brassavola Digbyana, and about twenty 
seedlings raised from the pod ; but of these only one plant has been saved, 
and this has not yet flowered. No other success has been obtained here, 
either on to Sophronitis direct or any of its hybrids. As a matter of fact 
the endeavour has been given up, because there are other and better ways 
of obtaining the desired object. 
For a long time now many have realised that Sophronitis grandiflora 
will be to Cattleyas that which Cochlioda Neetzliana has been to 
Odontoglossums, and by the introduction of Brassavola Digbyana as one 
of the parents I am of the opinion that some most glorious flowers will be 
produced, and that the height of one’s ambition in this direction will be 
reached. Sophronitis grandiflora has the desired colour and shape, but it is 
small and badly wanting in the lip. Its hybrids, with few exceptions, are 
very fine, and the lips (when crossed with Cattleyas) are more in proportion 
to the rest of the flower, but they are still wanting in size. It is by using 
these hybrids that the easiest road to a scarlet Cattleya will be found. 
Brassavola Digbyana has size, and a lip as abnormally large as the lip 
of Sophronitis grandiflora is abnormally small, but it is badly wanting in 
shape and colour. Many of the hybrids of B. Digbyana are very fine, and by 
carefully selecting these and mating them with selected Sophronitis hybrids 
we surely must obtain a scarlet Cattleya of perfect shape, and well balanced as - 
regards the lip. By this means one overcomes the difficulty of intercrossing 
B. Digbyana directly with S. grandiflora or its hybrids, and even supposing 
that one could obtain flowers from crosses between them we should only 
arrive at part of the way on the journey. Asan instance that perfect shape 
will probably be obtained, I need only refer to the yellow Brassocatleelia 
The Baroness, which was obtained along similar lines, the red Sophronitis 
grandiflora being replaced by the yellow Lelia xanthina as a grandparent. 
So much for the theoretical side. As regards the practical side, the 
limit in patience is required to carry out this work. The proverb, ‘‘ If at 
first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again,” is applicable to Sophronitis 
hybrids. If at the fiftieth time there is no success, one must still be 
prepared to try again. In some instances here the fortieth and fiftieth time 
has been reached, before even seed pods have been obtained, and then, with 
SEE Ornette ree ae Nae TT, ae i cial 
