OcTOBER, 1903.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 317 
proved at all good parents. Some of the winter-blooming hybrids are now 
receiving a good deal of attention, and there is plenty of work to be done by 
a judicious selection of the best forms as parents. 
Cattleyas and Lelias come next in popular estimation, and in the extent 
to which hybridisation has been carried on. Indeed, it is becoming difficult 
to find new combinations among the showier species which flower together. 
But there are plenty of crosses that will bear repetition, when good forms of 
the parents are available, as some of the hybrids that have been raised are 
still rare, and there is always the steady accession of hybrids which can be 
utilised as parents. Some of them are very easily raised under suitable con-. 
ditions, and as the seedlings germinate quickly it has become the custom to. 
prepare special seed pans, or sow on blocks of wood, as previously described,. 
so that the whole operation can be carried on under strict control. Indeed, 
the old plan of sowing the seeds on the compost of established plants. 
has been in this case largely superseded. The process has already been 
described. 
With respect to the choice of parents, it may be remarked that Lelia 
purpurata, L. crispa, and L. cinnabarina have proved particularly useful as 
seed bearers, no doubt because they possess good constitutions. The hybrids. 
of Cattleya Dowiana are among the best in the group, but this species. 
has been more often utilised as the pollen parent. C. Leopoldi, inter- 
media, granulosa, amethystoglossa, and Loddigesii have also yielded some 
fine hybrids when combined with the showier species of the genus. And 
one must not forget to mention the remarkable Brassavola Digbyana as- 
having produced some valuable hybrids, though they are somewhat deficient 
in colour. Lelia pumila and L. Dayana are both good seed parents, and 
have given some good results. Some of the best hybrids are also being 
utilised as parents. Here, again, there is a great mass of records which 
can be utilised as a guide to future work. 
Sophronitis grandiflora crossed with various Cattleyas and Leelias has. 
resulted in a number of very charming little hybrids. It is a good seed 
parent, inasmuch as capsules are very easily produced, but the seedlings 
are by no means easy to raise. It has also been used as a pollen parent, 
but with less certain results so far as the production of good capsules is 
concerned. It is believed that this arises from the shortness of the poilen: 
tubes of the Sophronitis. Ifa capsule of Cattleya which has been fertilised 
with the Sophronitis be divided longitudinally the fertile seeds will be found 
near the apex of the capsule, and these have a brownish tinge, while those 
at the other end are white and fluffy, and contain no embryos. Frequently 
a sharp dividing line may be seen beyond which the pollen tubes have 
not reached, consequently the ovules have not been fertilised. Precisely 
the same thing has been observed in capsules of Brassovala Digbyana.. 
