ORCHID CONFERENCE. 



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Dominy raised Anceetochilus Domini from Goodyera discolor and 

 Ancectochiliis xanthophyllus, and Goodyera Veitchii from G. discolor 

 and Anceetochilus Veitchii. Plants derived from both crosses are 

 still in cultivation, but the names they bear are simply garden 

 names. We have plants, but which have not yet flowered, 

 raised from Cattleya triana crossed with Sophronitis grandiflora, 

 and from Cattleya intemudia crossed with the same species of 

 sophronitis. We have, besides, a seedling whose parents are 

 Cattleya triana and Brasavola Digbyana, but as the last-named is 

 now referred to laelia, this can hardly be regarded a bigeneric 

 cross. With these few cases I have exhausted the list. But 

 when we enumerate the capsules with apparently good seed 

 that have been obtained from bigeneric crosses, but from which 

 no seedlings have been raised, the list is somewhat more formid- 

 able. Some of the most remarkable of these were produced by 

 Acanthephippum Curtisii x Chysis bractescens, Bletia hyacinthina x 

 Calanthe masuca, Chysis aurea x Zygopetalum Sedeni, Odontoglossum 

 bictonense x Zygopetalum maxillare, Zygopetalum Mackayi x Lycaste 

 Skinneri. But, on the other hand, we have obtained a large 

 number of capsules of the normal size, and to all appearances 

 externally perfect, not only from bigeneric crosses, but even 

 between species of the same genus, which contained not a single 

 seed. And, lastly, I may note that Zygopetalum Mackayi has 

 been crossed with several species of odontoglossum, and seedlings 

 raised from some of the crosses, but every one that has yet 

 flowered has proved to be Zygopetalum Mackayi. 



The hybridisation of Orchids by the hands of the cultivator 

 is still in its infancy, we are but on the threshold ; and now that 

 muling among them has become a pastime of absorbing interest 

 with amateurs — amongst whom special mention must be made 

 of Sir Trevor Lawrence, Sir William Marriott, Sir Charles 

 Strickland, Mr. Bowring, of Forest Farm, Windsor, Mr. D. 0. 

 Drewett, of Newcastle, and Mr. Goss, of Torquay — it would be 

 rash indeed to attempt to predict what may be in store. But, 

 reviewing the sum total of results already obtained, can we, 

 considering the ceaseless watching and assiduous care seedling 

 Orchids require before reaching the flowering stage, look upon 

 them with unmixed satisfaction ? How few of the best of them 

 bear favourable comparison with the numberless lovely flowers 

 bome by plants that owe their origin to the unerring instinct 

 of the little winged tribe that unknowingly, and, perhaps, uncon- 



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