<2 
< Che Srebid ‘Review ~ 
2 VoL. XXIV. Marcu, 1916. No. 279, £O) 
Reise OUR NOTE BOOK. Ase 
ONSIDERABLE interest has been aroused by the discussion initiated 
on page 14 as to the lines on which improvements in winter-blooming 
Cypripediums might best be attempted, and the present issue contains some 
further notes on flowers that have been submitted to us. A correspondent 
remarks that such discussions make for progress, and he suggests that other 
subjects should be selected for discussion from time to time. It isa good 
idea, and as Dendrobiums are the plants of the moment, and are well 
represented in the present issue, we invite suggestions as to possible lines 
of improvement, particularly as to an increase in the range of colour in the 
hybrids of what may be termed the nobile group, this useful species being 
more or less represented in the majority of them. The introduction of 
yellow, largely through D. signatum, was a welcome improvement, and 
hybrids of this type have increased of late, though there is still plenty of 
room for increased variety. 
£0) 
The remarks at page 34 on ‘“‘ Mendelism up to date” suggest to 
‘‘Hybridist ” the question as to where we stand now. Long ago we 
were told that the limitations of the hybridist were largely due to neglect 
of the facts of Mendelism, and we were recommended to begin again on 
correct lines. But if ‘‘a large part of the Mendelism that is current at 
present is in some way out of date” how shall we find the real thing, 
and when found how will it help us? Mendelism has never yet 
answered the question as to how the hybridist is to separate the qualities 
he is in search of from the undesirable qualities that are also present in the 
plants that he perforce must work with, and the discovery that the visible 
characters are due to the co-operation of an indefinitely large number of 
unseen factors does not increase the probability that Mendelism is likely to 
be of any practicable help. 
The answer is that there is no practicable method but the old and well- 
tried one of experiment and selection. The hybridist seeks to improve 
' 65 
