66 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
when the first mule or garden-raised hybrid Orchid appeared, ‘ Why, you 
will drive the botanists mad,’ and these feelings would appear to be still 
retained at Kew.” 
It is not quite clear how we should regard this singular agreement 
between the Kew authorities and Dr. Lindley, but let ‘“H. J. © 
proceed :— ‘ 
“1 do not for a moment say that Mr. Rolfe is not perfectly justified in 
stating what he may have discovered, but this case is a further instance of 
the botanist in his herbarium differing from theman who has a practical 
knowledge of the habits and structural peculiarities of the plants dealt 
with.” 
Of course, if Mr. Rolfe would only come out of his Herbarium, and see 
what an Orchid looks like when its alive, and find out all about its structural 
peculiarities, there is no telling what might happen; though we get an 
inkhng of the matter in the next sentence :— 
“T do not think there was a single practical man present at the Drill 
Hall, who knew the two species in cultivation, that did not readily recognize 
the intermediate characteristics of the plant there exhibited.” 
This shows the advantages of being practical; but we are coming to the 
point :— 
“It appears that the Kew authorities refuse altogether to have anything 
to do with the naming of garden hybrids [? Ed. Gard. Mag.}, yet they are 
evidently ready to recognize imported plants and class them as species, 
even when the intermediate characters of the two parents are so pronounced 
as in this case.” 
Now we know that the plant isa natural hybrid, and if 5 But 
let “HH. J. C.”’ finish :-— 
“Among Odontoglossums we have frequent introductions of hybrids - 
which the botanists say cannot be such, because the species supposed to be 
the parents grow hundreds of miles apart. It is time such ideas were put 
on one side, and undoubted proofs recognized. The garden-raised mules are 
proving in many instances the manner in which many of the gocae 
good species of the botanist have originated. Travellers like Mr. 
Boxall tell us that many of the species supposed to be isolated ‘ ak 
together,’ and although the great proportion, even of Cypripediums, flower 
at different seasons, stray flowers crop up and afford opportunities for cross 
breeding, and the proof of its taking place may be found in the frequency 
with which these natural hybrids make their appearance among importations 
