eg GS 
c, ~The Orebid Review & 
Ze VOL. XXV. AucusT, 1917. No. 296. a 
~ 
Ss) 
sn 
HE abnormal conditions of the time and the curtailed railway facilities 
have led to a greatly reduced number of exhibits at our R.H.S. 
meetings, but there is plenty of evidence of the steady progress of 
hybridisation. The exhibits of late have consisted very largely of hybrid 
seedlings, and it is interesting to note the efforts that are being made to. 
secure improved shape and substance in the flowers. Colour and floriferous- 
ness were not wanting among the older hybrids, among which those of Lelia 
purpurata may be mentioned as examples, but there was room for improve- 
ment in shape and substance, and this is gradually being effected by 
recrossing them with others of better shape, in which the qualities of colour 
and size were somewhat lacking. The result is seen in the increased 
number of secondary hybrids that are continually reaching the flowering 
stage, and the opportunity it affords for further selection. 
OUR NOTE BOOK. 
Selection is the most potent weapon in the hands of the Orchid. 
breeder, and if applied intelligently can hardly fail to yield good results. 
The days are gone by for promiscuous crossing just to see what will 
happen. The possibilities of every proposed cross should be carefully 
considered beforehand, especially in connection with results previously 
obtained, for the experiments that have already been made are sufficiently 
numerous in most groups to serve as a guide to what may be expected. 
And there are a few general principles that may always be applied, the 
chief of them being always to work with some detinite object in view. In 
a general way, the crossing of extremes should be avoided, especially such 
extremes as the crossing of dark and light forms together, though this is 
not always possible when some other special result is aimed at. 
A particularly difficult problem is how to combine successfully the 
diverse qualities found in different parents, for these are usually accom- 
panied by other characters that are not wanted, and the chances are 
always even that the undesirable qualities may be perpetuated in the 
offspring. In the latter case the attempt had better be abandoned, though. 
169 
