THE ORCHID REVIEW. 221 
LECTURE ON Hyprip ORCHIDS. 
The subject of the afternoon lecture was ‘Hybrid Orchids,” by 
Mr. J. O’Brien, the chair being taken by Dr. Masters. The lecturer 
commenced by alluding to previous papers on the same subject given by 
Mr. Harry Veitch and Mr. C. C. Hurst, and therefore prepared to treat the 
subject entirely from a cultural standpoint. He claimed that the hybridist 
had raised a large number of showy kinds that bloom at all seasons of the 
year. Not only had many hybrids been raised which cannot occur ina 
wild state, but by inducing plants to bloom out of their proper season the 
hybridist was enabled to cross species that bloomed at different seasons of 
the year. Thus, in addition to modifications of form and new tints of 
colour, he also obtained plants that bloom between seasons—a very decided 
advantage. 
Hybridisation, however, had not been an unmixed blessing, for, among 
Cypripediums, especially, there were many that could only be described as 
“weeds,” and he advised raisers to use care in selecting seedlings for 
distribution. He also made some allusion to self-fertilisation, which he 
thought was only provided by Nature as a last resource, and to the fact 
that mechanical irritation of the stigmatic surface had in some cases induced 
the swelling of capsules, which, however, contained no perfect seed. 
Coming to the work of hybridising, the lecturer remarked that Orchid 
raisers had two disadvantages. They frequently sowed seeds which he 
believed were incapable of germination, and there were our long sunless 
winters. Still, he thought that a larger proportion of the seed sown yielded 
plants than was the case in a wild state. Some species seemed to resist 
every attempt to hybridise them, as Lelia Digbyana. 
Seeds should be sown as soon as ripe, for the risk of sowing was less 
than of keeping them, even in winter. As to the best medium for sowing 
the seeds on, many substances had been tried, but Mr. Seden had found 
nothing possessing greater advantages than the surface of the compost in 
which a healthy plant of the parent species was growing. One suspended 
near the glass should be selected, on which the seed should be sown thinly, 
and great care should be taken that it was not washed away or even 
disturbed. 
A fruitful cause of failure was the growth of moss or other low vegetable 
life over the compost, which latter should therefore be sterilised by hot 
water before the young seedlings were pricked off into it. They should be 
pricked off into small pots as early as possible. 
Ventilation meeded great care, especially in spring. when the top should 
be kept closed or as nearly so as possible. He thought a foot swing 
ventilator at either end of the house was sufficient. 
