120 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
ORCHIDS AT THE LINNEAN SOCIETY. 
AT a meeting of the Linnean Society, held at Burlington House, Piccadilly, 
on March 15th, Mr. R. A. Rolfe, A.L.S., exhibited a series of Paphiopedilum 
capsules obtained in the collection of Reginald Young, Esq., of Sefton 
Park, Liverpool, together with coloured drawings of flowers of the different 
kinds. Mr. Rolfe pointed out that some months previously Mr. Young had 
sent him a photograph showing a plant of Paphiopedilum concolor carrying 
seven capsules, which varied considerably between themselves, and, as they 
had been obtained by hybridising with various other kinds, the question 
arose whether the variation might be due to the influence of the pollen 
parent, as had been recorded in the case of some other plants. No opinion 
could be formed on this point without knowing what the capsules of the 
different pollen plants were like, and this information not being forth- 
coming, he had suggested that Mr. Young should make a few test 
experiments with common species of which several flowers were available 
at the same time. Two such species were therefore selected, and the pollen 
of two flowers was carefully transferred, so as to effect the cross and the 
reverse cross; and at the same time a flower of each parent was carefully 
self-fertilised so as to show what the normal capsule was like. The process 
was repeated with several pairs of species so as to minimize the risk of 
failure (for a single failure would break the series to which it belonged). 
Of course there were some failures, but three complete sets of four capsules 
each were obtained, two of which were exhibited. These were, normal 
capsules of P. Mastersianum and P. tonsum, together with hybridised 
capsules of each, and the same with P. insigne and callosum. The two 
normal capsules were markedly distinct in each case, and the hybridised 
capsules each conformed to its own type, so that the influence of the pollen 
parent seemed to be entirely negative. In the second case, normal seeds 
from each parent, and hybrid seeds, were shown under the microscope, and 
here again the normal seeds were markedly distinct in shape and colour, 
and the hybrid seeds conformed to the type of the seed parent, so that here 
also no influence could be traced. If the hybrid seeds germinated, the 
resulting plants would, of course, be intermediate between those of the two 
parents in the capsules, as well as in the leaves and flowers, in proof of 
which a few sets of capsules were shown, together with coloured drawings, 
both of the hybrids and their parents. The seven capsules of P. concolor 
above alluded to were also shown, and of these an account was given at 
page 331 of our last volume. The present experiment, however, suggests 
that the differences between these capsules was the result of natural varia- 
tion rather than of any direct influence exerted by the respective pollen 
parents, 
