JaNuaRY, 1915.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 5 
[eee 
4 HE ever-increasing popularity of hybrids would have shocked some of 
our old Orchidists could they have lived to see it. We well remember 
the remarks on the subject made by Mr. James Bateman at the Orchid 
Conference held at South Kensington in 1885. In probably a rash 
moment, he was induced to propose a vote of thanks to Mr. Veitch for what 
he described as an admirable paper, and he remarked :— 
‘“‘T am sure that he, and Mr. Dominy also, will know and appreciate the 
effort it costs me to make this proposal, for I have been brought up with the 
strongest abhorrence of hybridisers. (Laughter.) I fell into evil hands 
early in life. My first Orchid-growing friend was Mr. Huntley. When I 
paid Mr. Huntley a visit at his snug rectory in Huntingdonshire, he 
pointed out to me his Cacti and his Orchids, and said, ‘I like those plants, 
in fact they are the only plants I grow, because those fiends (meaning the 
hybridisers) cannot touch them.’ (Laugbter.) You must make a little 
allowance for a botanist, for hybridisers do give botanists a lot of trouble— 
(laughter)—but, however strong my prejudices were, I must confess that 
when I saw such plants as the Cattleya downstairs, if I was not convinced: 
HYBRIDS AND MR. JAMES BATEMAN. Fe 
I was, at all events, shut up. (Laughter.) I have the greatest pleasure in 
moving the vote of thanks to Mr. Veitch. (Appiause.).” 
In his reply Mr. Veitch remarked: ‘‘ Mr. Bateman is such a kind- 
hearted genial gentleman, that many a time I have asked myself why, when 
he came into my houses, he used to act in such an extraordinary way when 
he saw a hybrid. Now I have found it out; it was this friend of his who 
he has mentioned who set the bad example. (Laughter.) However, I am 
very glad to find Mr. Bateman has lived sufficiently long to get rid of his 
prejudices against the hybrids, and I hope I shall before long be able to 
name one after him. (Laughter.).”—Journ. R.H.S., n. s. vii. p. 49. 
And we have Mr. Bateman’s own comments on the Veitchian hybrids, 
for in a series of racy articles under the title ‘‘ Dies Orchidiane,” by 
** Serapias,’’ we find him describing a visit paid to the Chelsea establish- 
ment in 1864, whet he remarked (Gard. Chron., 1864, p. 341): ‘‘ Passing 
on tothe Cattleya house, I found all the popular favourites mustered in 
great force; among which, however, I must not be supposed to include 
some of the hybrid triumphs of Mr. Dominy’s misplaced ingenuity, ¢.g.. 
€. Dominii and so forth. Hybridise everything else, if you will, but spare— 
oh, spare—the Orchids.” This, it is true, was in 1864, but thirty years 
later, although Lelia Batemaniana had been dedicated to him, he wrote to 
as: ‘Il am not interested in hybrids.” 
