170 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [Aucusr, 1917. 
-partial success would justify further experiments. Desirable improvements 
are seldom achieved at the first attempt. 
A few lines of experiment are being followed up systematically, the chief 
of them being with such outstanding species as Brassavola Digbyana, 
Cattleya Dowiana, Cochlioda Neetzliana, Odontoglossum crispum, and 
Sophronitis grandiflora, and here the limitations of the subject at once 
become apparent. The remarkable fringed lip of the Brassavola is 
combined with narrow sepals and petals of a very undecided colour, which 
is a source of weakness in the hybrids, and these, further, show a great 
reduction in the depth of the fringe, and the prospects of remedying this 
‘by recrossing with the Brassavola are so much outweighed by considera: 
‘tions of further loss in shape and colour that, so far as we know, the cross 
has never been attempted. In the case of Cattleya Dowiana the yellow 
-colour is invariably lost in crosses with a purple species, and no amount of 
recrossing has yet led to its return. The golden veining on the lip, how- 
ever, is always more or less present, though in greatly reduced amount. 
‘Things seldom work out just as we desire them, but it would be something 
-of an achievement to combine the remarkable fringe of the Brassavola with 
the colour of the Cattleya. 
Similar considerations apply to the case of Cochlioda Neetzliana and 
-Odontoglossum crispum, the blending of character seen in Odontioda | 
Bradshawiz persisting to a great extent in subsequent crosses. The 
desired “ scarlet crispum” will doubtless be achieved in time, but at the 
cost of continued experiment and judicious selection of parents. It is ts 
surest, and probably the only road to success. With Sophronitis 
grandiflora, too, many notable results have been achieved, but the 
scarlet Cattleya is still a desideratum. 
In the case of Lelia purpurata, previously mentioned, it was probably 
its vigour and floriferousness, together with the possibility of combining 
these qualities with the size and colour of the labiate Cattleyas, that led to 
its being so much used in the early experiments, and similar considerations 
would apply to the allied L. tenebrosa, which came into the field at a later 
-date. Lelia cinnabarina, again, has been much used for its brilliant 
-colour, and L. pumila for its dwarf habit and excellent shape, and the 
primary hybrids thus obtained have been further crossed with the best of 
‘the large-flowered Cattleyas, giving a succession of brilliant novelties which 
now appear so regularly at our horticultural meetings. And there is still 
an almost limitless field for improvement when happier times return. 
The clearing up of some old confusion usually involves an interesting 
-correspondence, and this time we have received several communications, 
