28 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [January, 1906, 
CURIOSITIES OF HYBRIDISATION. 
I Have read with much interest the article by Mrs. Emily Thwaites on 
the time taken by seed-pods in maturing. The shortest time I have 
observed during the ten years that I have been hybridising was in the 
case of a Lelia anceps crossed with Brassavola Digbyana. The capsule 
opened at the end of three and a half months, and on examining the seeds 
with a Stanhope lens I could find only about fifty good seeds, which were 
‘sown in May, 1903. All the good seeds germinated, but only ten plants 
survived, and two of them flowered at the end of September last. I have 
many times repeated this cross since, but without success. 
The longest time in reaching maturity that I have observed was in the 
ease of a Cattleya Skinneri crossed with Epidendrum Parkinsonianum, 
which took fourteen and a half months to ripen. All the seeds were good, 
and germinated, but the young plants grew ata hopelessly slow rate. I have 
only been able to save one of these, which is five years old, but not more 
‘than 15 centimetres high. 
On the other hand, crosses which I have made with Lelia pumila as 
the seed parent have never been more than one year in ripening. For 
example, L. pumila, crossed with Brassocattleya ¥ Mrs. J. Leemann, took 
nine months, with Lelio-cattleya x Eudora, ten months, with Brassavola 
Digbyana twelve months. All the seeds have germinated well, and, among 
others, the last-named will soon be in bloom. 
The difference between these results and those described by Mrs. . 
Thwaites is doubtless due to the fact that in France we have a more 
favourable mid-day sun and a warmer temperature than in England... 
F. DENIS. 
Balaruc-les-Bains, 
Herault, France. 
ORCHIDS IN SEASON. 
SEVERAL beautiful flowers are sent from the collection of Francis Wellesley, 
Esq., Westfield, Woking. Cypripedium x tessell rubens is a brilliantly 
‘coloured form which received an Award of Merit from the R.H.S. on 
December tgth last, when exhibited by Messrs. Sandér & Sons. The flower 
4s almost uniformly ruby-purple, with a trace of darker dotting on the 
petals. C. x Thalia var. Mrs. Francis Wellesley is a very handsome form, 
to which a First-class Certificate was given by the R.H.S. on December 
Toth. It is of excellent shape, and the dorsal sepal is copiously blotched 
with purple, while the petals and lip are also very richly coloured. C. X 
Mrs. De Vere Beauclerk (ciliolare 9 x Fairrieanum ¢), is a charming thing 
