THE ORCHID REVIEW. 237 
the time being so short, and several other papers to follow, he should 
content himself with a short outline, indicating the nature of the facts he 
had brought together, and he hoped they would be able to read it in 
detail hereafter. They would all remember how Dean Herbert’s early 
experiments in hybridisation were received by systematic botanists, under 
the belief that such experiments would confuse their systems of classifica- 
tion. It was notorious that the limits of species, sections, and even genera 
had been broken down by the hybridist, hence the want of sympathy was 
readily understood. Hybrids, however, occurred in nature, and in certain 
groups were comparatively common, though some systematists still refused 
to recognize the fact, and had even alluded to those who described them 
under their true rank, in not very complimentary terms, as “ hybrid- 
mongers.” 
But these prejudices were gradually being swept away by the irresistible 
logic of facts, for a considerable number of these supposed natural hybrids 
had been reconstructed artificially by crossing the supposed parents 
together, and the lecturer enumerated about a dozen genera in which 
supposed wild hybrids had been proved. This was chiefly the object of 
his paper, to collect together the records of such cases. These experiments 
had brought out several curious facts, one of which was that systematists 
had repeatedly described these hybrids as species, or as varieties of one or 
the other of the parents, and to this extent they would have to retrace 
their steps. In some cases it was found that one polymorphic hybrid was 
doing duty in the books as several so-called species. Among Orchids, over 
a dozen natural hybrids had now been raised artificially, and one such he 
had recognized for the first time at the exhibition yesterday, though as a 
wild hybrid it had been known: for several years. Full particulars would 
be found in his paper. He hoped to see many more experiments undertaken 
to clear up the origin of these intermediate and doubtful plants, many of 
which were the bugbear of systematists. He believed that many were of 
hybrid origin, and when their true rank was understood, many of the 
difficulties of classifying them would vanish, for hybrids could not be treated 
either as species or varieties. Mr. Hurst had said that, instead of the 
hybridist confusing the systematist, the systematist, by the irony of fate, 
would have to go to the hybridist to solve some of his difficulties, and, 
Speaking as a systematist himself, he believed Mr. Hurst was right. 
A short paper on Hybrid Poppies by M. H. de Vilmorin followed, after 
which, as several contributors were not present to read pepe 
Person, the Conference closed with a short general discussion, in which Mr. 
Burbidge alluded to the great difficulties that had arisen, and still ee 
‘hrough the Latin names given to garden hybrids. He was in favour : 
Rone but English names being applied, but if the old practice was fo De 
