﻿THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



[June, 1904. 



The Temple Show furnishes another remarkable example of progress 

 in hybridisation, and once more from the establishment of M. Ch. Vuylsteke, 

 of Loochristi. This exhibitor sent a very handsome hybrid between 

 Odontoglossum Pescatorei and Cochlioda Ncetzliana, in which, curiously 

 enough, the shape of the Odontoglossum was largely reproduced, but the 

 colour was a remarkable combination of shades of rose and salmon red, with 

 some cream colour on the lip. It was the sensation of the show, and 

 received a First-class Certificate, to which the Council afterw ards added the 

 rare honour of a Silver-gilt Lindley Medal — " for progress," I think it 

 might be defined. In any case it was highly appropriate, for the award was 

 to be given preferentially for " excellence in cultivation," and it is probably 

 this more than anything else which has enabled M. Vuylsteke to overcome 

 the difficulties of bringing seedling Odontoglossums through their early 

 stages that has contributed so much to his success. I am forgetting the 

 name given, which was Odontioda X Vuylsteke^, the useful plan of com- 

 pounding a generic name from that of its two parents having been 

 followed. 



M. Vuylsteke had a few other seedling Odontoglossums, two of which 

 received Awards of Merit, and two others could not have been overlooked 

 a very few years ago. It is rather curious that one of the reputed parents 

 should itself have been the sensation of the Temple Show in 1902, from 

 which it may be inferred that the plant had flowered previously, and it is 

 rather curious that so remarkable a hybrid had not been heard of previously. 

 I allude to O. X ardentissimum, as it now seems to be called, though 

 according to the records it is a variety of O. X armainvillierense. 



A few other novelties were scattered about, and I could not help think- 

 ing what a pity it was that such plants could not be staged separately. As 

 it was, it was almost impossible not to overlook some of them, especially 

 in view of the fact that the tents were crowded, in spite of a soaking 

 wet day. 



As to the display of Orchids generally it was remarkably fine, a con- 

 dition of things which we now associate with the Temple Show as a 

 matter of course. One can say little that is new about it, for the conditions 

 remain much the same year by year, unless the weather varies them some- 

 what. It was, however, a pleasant surprise to see again a magnificent 

 group from the veteran exhibitor, Baron Schroder. But I have no time 

 for further notes, as the Show opened on the last day of the month, 

 and there is only time for a hasty look round. 



