42 THE ORCHID REVIEW. (FEBRUARY, 1916. 
x longifolium) appeared as long ago as 1873, and was followed by five other 
primary hybrids, C. stenophyllum (with caricinum) in 1876, C. Saunders- 
ianum (with caudatum) in 1886, C. Cleola (with Boissierianum) in 18gr, C. 
Unique (with Lindleyanum) in 1893, and C. Stella (with vittatum) in 
1894, while among varieties of C. Sedenii may be mentioned porphyreum 
and candidulum. Coming to secondary bybrids we may note that C. 
Schlimii and Dominianum yielded the beautiful C. albopurpureum, while 
C. Sedenii crossed with caudatum gave C. Schroedere, the finest of the 
series. There are about ten other hybrids to its credit, including recrosses 
with both its original parents, which are known as C. cardinale and C. 
calurum. In fact C. Schlimii has given rise to a series of showy and free- 
blooming hybrids, though on account of their considerable size and the 
amount of room they take up are not so popular as formerly. It is a little 
unfortunate that they cannot be crossed with C. niveum and its dwarf 
allies, as such a race of hybrids would be more manageable in size and 
equally attractive in colour. We are assuming, of course, that the attempt 
has been made, and at all events numerous failures with other Old World 
Cypripedes have been recorded. But there is one solitary success 
that should encourage further efforts, for Selenocypripedium Malhouitri 
(Harrisianum X Schlimii), raised by M. Eugene Boullet, of Corbie, appears 
to be a genuine hybrid (O.R., xxi. p. 79). We should much like to see a 
flower, and the cross should be repeated. Previous crosses between the 
two. groups have either refused to bloom, or when flowers have appeared 
they have been like those of the seed parent, and thus “ false’’ hybrids. 
And in one case that has been recorded the seedlings remained small, and 
could not be got strong enough to bloom. 
CYPRIPEDIUM LATHAMIANUM VAR. CARDINAL MERCIER.—A remarkably 
handsome variety, raised by the Rev. J. Crombieholme, Clayton-le-Moors, 
Accrington, Chairman of the Manchester Orchid Society, .a flower of which 
has reached us through Messrs. Sander & Sons. It is distinguished by its 
excellent shape, broad, nearly horizontal petals, and by the shape and rich 
colour of the dorsal sepal, in which respect it quite approximates to the 
florist’s ideal. The dorsal sepal is over 23 inches:broad, flat, and nearly 
circular, with the centre and base rich purple, and the upper third_and a 
broad lateral margin pure white. The petals are over 13 inches broad, 
reticulated with purple brown on a yellowish ground, and the neat compact 
lip has similar colours. The white of the dorsal sepal comes from C. 
Spicerianum, and the absence of green allows the purple to develop, while 
the rich, shining colours of C. villosum appear in the petals, lip, and 
staminode. We do not recall its equal, and we congratulate Mr. Cromble- 
holme on raising such a fine acquisition. 
