HYBRIDISING ORCHIDS 67 
CHAPTER XIX 
HYBRIDISING AND RAISING SEEDLING 
ORCHIDS 
A NEW interest has been added to Orchid culture by the 
pursuit of hybridising and raising seedling Orchids, which 
commenced with Calanthe Dominyi, raised in the nurseries 
of Messrs. Veitch and recorded in the Gardeners’ Chronicle 
in 1858. The practice has now become general, and a 
large number of Orchidists arrange for the production of 
new Orchids from seeds, while even in small collections 
some attention is given to the matter. When the engrossing 
pursuit is first taken up, the operator should neglect no 
opportunity to make himself conversant with the structure 
of the flowers. This may be done effectually by carefully 
examining any available flowers, and by making longi- 
tudinal sections of the bloom by cutting them in two, 
commencing at the apex of the column and finishing at 
the ovary and pedicel. This operation exposes the various 
organs that are concerned in the fertilisation of the 
flower. 
In most Orchids, such for instance as Lzelias and Cattleyas, 
it will be seen that the pollen masses are situated at the 
apex of the column covered by the anther cap, the stigma 
being in a cavity in the face of the column beneath it. 
In Cypripedium there are two developed anthers ; the 
viscous pollen masses are not enclosed in cases, but are 
placed opposite each other ; the stigma is a shield-shaped 
