ORCHID CONFERENCE. 



81 



C. tessellation porphyrium from C. concolor x C. barbatum. We 

 have also an instance of two recognised species each being 

 crossed by a third, but both crosses producing like results, thus 

 C. lorufifolium x C. Schlimii, and C. Roezlii x C. Schlimii produced 

 seedlings whose flowers are indistinguishable from each other, 

 although as might be expected, the foliage of the C. Roezlii progeny 

 is like that of its parents, the more robust of the two ; hence the 

 specific rank of C. Roezlii is very questionable. 



Not only do recognised species of each section, East Indian 

 and South American, cross freely inter se, but the hybrids also 

 cross freely with them. The beautiful C. cenanthum superbum 

 has for its parents C. Harrisianum, itself a hybrid, and C. insigm 

 Maulii. As regards the habit and foliage of hybrid cypripeds, the 

 progeny usually takes a form intermediate between the two 

 parents, but sometimes it is more robust than either. [Plants of 



C. f/rande, and its pareuts shown.] 



Large as is the field offered by the great genus Dendrobium for 

 the operations of the hybridist, comparatively little has yet been 

 effected. Dominy raised the hybrid that bears his name many 

 years ago in our Exeter nursery. It was followed some years 

 later by D. Ainsworthii, which appeared in Dr. Ainsworth's col- 

 lection at Manchester in 1874. Plants of the same cross raised 

 by West appeared about the same time in the Fairfield nursery, 

 near Manchester, and later, in the collection of Mr. Brymer, at 

 Dorchester, by another operator, the parents being D. aureum x 



D. nobile. Subsequently Seden raised D. splendidissimum from 

 the same cross, and still later, Mr. Swann obtained D. Leechianvm 

 from D. nobile x D. aureum, or the vice versa of the others. The 

 seedlings raised from all the crosses are found to be variable ; 

 members of one progeny approaching so closely varieties among 

 the others, that the original distinctions set up between them 

 cease to be appreciable, but without egotism I venture to claim 

 for splendidissimum larger flowers with more substance in sepals 

 and petals, caused probably through our having hybridised finer 

 varieties of the two parents. Nevertheless, to avoid confusion, 

 the progenies should, I think, to use an academical expression, 

 be bracketed. 



Of the eight hydrid dendrobes that have already flowered 

 D. nobile is one parent of five, and D. aureum of three of the 

 same five, and of one other, so that only two, D. micans and 



