18 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
RAISING ORCHIDS FROM SEED. 
An interesting note on Mr. Hislop’s method of raising seedling Orchips 
occurs in an article on Bletchley Park in the Gardeners’ Chronicle for 
December 15th (page 434) :— 
“Like most experts, Mr. Hislop has special methods of raising the 
plants. He prepares small Orchid-baskets, partly fills them with peat and 
closely-growing sphagnum, and across each, just above the surface of the 
compost, on the upper side of the basket, he fastens a roughened bar of teak 
similar to those used in making the baskets. The prepared baskets are 
kept on hand, hanging up in the warm corner of the Orchid-house where 
the seedlings are to be raised, until they are wanted for use. Before the 
seeds are sown, the baskets are thoroughly wetted, and then the moisture 
is allowed to drain off. This being done, the seeds are sown on the teak 
cross-bar and water is applied when it is required by immersion, which falls 
short of reaching the surface where the seeds lie. When the seedlings have 
grown to a size at which they can be pricked off, this matter is attended to 
in the usual manner. Mr. Hislop has a considerable number of hybrids in 
prospect—Lezlia Digbyana crossed with nearly all the showy Cattleyas ; 
Cattleya aurea and other showy things crossed with fine forms of a good 
species, for it is considered a waste of time to use poor or ordinary forms. 
In one of the houses is a plant of Stauropsis (Vanda) gigantea, crossed with 
Vanda suavis and V. tricolor, the capsules approaching maturity; and 
many other interesting crosses are in progress. In one of the houses a 
batch of Zygopetalum Mackayi was noted in flower. These plants repre- 
sent one of Mr. Hislop’s few failures. The plants come from Z. Mackayi 
crossed with Odontoglossum crispum, but, although the seedlings differ 
slightly from the parent, they can be called nothing but Z. Mackai. The 
same reSult has been recorded in other places.”’ 
A writer signing himself ‘‘ Hybridist”’ also calls attention to the subject — 
in the Gardeners’ Chronicle for November 17th (page 350). Why is it, he 
asks, that some comparatively inexperienced amateurs are successful in 
raising Orchids from seeds, while many experienced cultivators of Orchids 
fail completely. I know of several owners of important collections who have 
given vent to their disappointment in this direction, and I am constrained 
to assume that the cause of failure is to be found in some small detail. 
Orchids which are very dissimilar in their characteristics may be cross- 
fertilised—in some cases good seed being obtained, but in a much larger 
proportion the development of the seed capsule is the only result, the seeds 
being imperfect and incapable of germinating. This power of obtaining — 
capsules of full size, and yet containing good seeds of no vegetative power, 
Ee ee ee ee 
