_JANuarY, 1973.| THE ORCHID REVIEW. 13: 
THE ORCHID CONFERENCE. 
(Concluded from vol. xx., page 355.) 
The second paper was by Major C. C. Hurst, F.L.S., on the Applica- 
tion of Genetics to Orchid Breeding. The lecturer referred to the results. 
achieved by Orchid breeders during the past twenty years as one of the 
seven wonders of the world of horticulture. A reference to the Orchid Stud- 
Book showed that at least 40 genera and 300 distinct species had been: 
already utilised. These had given about 2000 primary hybrids, of which: 
about 300 are generic hybrids, and some thousands of secondary, tertiary, 
and multiple hybrids, to say nothing of multitudinous varietal and! 
individual forms which no man can number. In face of such an imposing 
array it might seem presumptuous on the part of a student of genetics to- 
offer any suggestions as to the advantages that might be derived from an 
application of the science of genetics to Orchid breeding, but those behind 
the scenes knew that in order to secure a really first-class hybrid it was 
necessary to raise large numbers of others, and the number of misfits and. 
unwanted weeds that turn up time after time was rather disconcerting. 
A study of recent work in genetics pointed to the important fact that law 
and order may be perceived in breeding, and the problem of the breeder 
was how to manage his matings so as to reduce the number of worthless. 
forms toa minimum. Under present conditions, however, Orchid breeders- 
must very largely discover these certainties for themselves by experiment,. 
and the field was so wide, the conditions so difficult, and the complications 
so numerous, that only a practical expert could carry them out. He then 
described the first principles of genetics, which the breeder should make 
himself acquainted with, and went into considerable details respecting the 
inheritance of individual characters, and especially the inheritance of colour 
and albinism. He also went into details as to the identification of individual 
stud plants whose breeding constitution had been tested, and the importance 
of keeping full records of all experiments, for the handsomest hybrids were 
not all equally good parents, and it was a sound principle to work with 
individual plants that hada good breeding record. He then madea number 
of suggestions as to the breeding of albinos, and the importance of 
distinguishing between true and false albinos, and gave a number of 
Statistical and other details. 
Mr. Crawshay congratulated the lecturer on his paper, and on the 
pertinacity with which he insisted on the application of genetics to Orchid 
breeding. The high mortality among seedling Orchids was a factor that 
introduced disturbance in the numerical estimation of results. a 
Mr. J. O’Brien said the paper raised subjects of great interest to Orchid 
raisers, and alluded to the extreme variability of and tendency to degenerate 
