SEEDLING ORCHIDS. 27 



not get disturbed, and where the peat or moss is in a rough 

 state; do not cover the seed, but give a little water with a 

 fine-rosed pot, just to settle it. The rough blocks of wood on 

 which another plant is growing also afford a capital situation 

 to sow upon, but the surface should always be kept a little 

 moist. After germination, those which were sown on pots 

 should be placed in small pots quite close to the inside edge, 

 and when the plants get strong enough, they may be potted 

 singly in the material already recommended, or be placed 

 on blocks. In potting and taking them up, care must be 

 taken not to break the roots. 



One of the surest roads to success in hybridising is to select 

 only fine species or varieties for experiment. It is possible, 

 indeed, there may exist in a flower of inferior merit some 

 quaUty which would induce the operator to undertake its 

 improvement, or endeavour to transfer the desired feature to 

 some more favoured kind. It is, therefore, highly desirable 

 that many should begin to raise hybrids, not only with the 

 view of obtaining finer flowers than we already possess — 

 though that would be a real acquisition ; but for the additional 

 purpose of raising sorts that might succeed in cooler houses. 

 Odontoglossum grande and many others, for instance, do better 

 in a cool house than in a warm one ; how desirable to com- 

 municate this quality to others. Cypripedium insigne will 

 thrive well in a greenhouse ; if, then, we could cross this 

 with some of the other kinds, such as C. superbiens, C. 

 hirsutissimum, C. Lowii, or C. barbatum superbum, something 

 good might be the result. There are also several hardy 

 Cypripediums, such as C. macranthum, G. pubescens, and C. 

 spectaUle, which might be induced to play an important part 

 in the operation. Since these remarks were first published, 

 several hybrid Cypripediums have flowered in the establish- 

 ment of Messrs. Veitch, and have fuUy borne out my pre- 



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