190 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [JuNe, rgre. 
AN ORCHID CONFERENCE. 
WE have already announced that a special Orchid Show will be held by the 
Royal Horticultural Society on November 5th and 6th next, in the Society’s 
Hall, Vincent Square, Westminster, to demonstrate the growing importance 
-of Orchids as autumn-flowering plants. Conjointly with the Show a 
Conference will be held in the Lecture Room on the second day, from 11 to 
1 and from 2 to 4, and those interested are invited to prepare scientific or 
practical papers on the particular branches of the subject in which they 
happen to be most interested. As it will be impossible in the few hours of 
‘the Conference to hear all the papers, it will be advantageous to select those 
only which lend themselves most readily to discussion. The others, 
particularly those of a more or less technical nature, should be taken “as 
read,” but all papers will be published in due course in the Society’s 
Journal. Papers and discussions are invited on the following or other 
suitable subjects :— 
The early history of fertilisation and hybridisation, dealing more 
-especially with any points not generally known or published. 
The germination, and early stages of growth, of the seed. 
Method of sowing ; possible germination without the presence of fungus. 
Points of good cultivation. Quick methods of growing, time being an 
‘important factor. 
The selection of plants possessing qualities which, though not very 
-decorative in themselves, might be utilised in breeding for producing favour- 
_able results in the next generation. 
The ideal flower. What are its essential points ? 
What are the limits of hybridisation and cross fertilisation ? 
The production of albino varieties and others of a definite colour, as, 
for instance, a yellow Cattleya or a blue spring-flowering Odontoglossum. 
In what direction should Orchid growers look for improvement? Have 
we reached a suitable limit in size, in colour, or in the amount of flower an 
individual plant will produce ? 
Is the amount of heat necessary for some hybrids prejudicial to their 
general cultivation? Is it, for example, possible or worth while trying to 
create a cooler-growing section of Lzliocattleya, &c., by the use of parents 
-of cool-growing species, such as Lelia Jongheana and Lelia pumila ? 
The wonderful results obtained from the use of certain species in 
hybridisation. : 
The cultivation of difficult species might with advantage be discussed, 
_as, for example, Vanda ccerulea and V. Sanderiana. 
It is not proposed to touch on nomenclature and the scientific classi- 
fication of species. 
