Janiiai')', 1916.] 



Till-: ORCHID WORM). 



79 



ORCHIDS AT THE GLEBE. 

 SEVENOAKS. 



DURING the last four years Mr. Chas. 

 J. Phillips has raised a large number 

 of seedlings, and thanks to his 

 careful and extensive system of recording the 

 various crosses one is able to obtain a fairly 

 correct idea of the result, not only so far as 

 numbers go, but in what section success has 

 been best achieved. Altogether 10,000 have 

 been pricked off into small pots, and of this 

 number no less than 1,000 are Odonto- 

 glossums, an excellent result when the 

 difficulties connected with this latter section 

 are considered. 



Along one side of a narrow span-roof 

 house may be seen a healthy batch of 1,200 

 Sophronitis hybrids, that is to say, they have 

 all been raised from Sophronitis grandiflora, 

 or from hybrids containing a varying propor- 

 tion of it in their parentage. Concerning 

 primary hybrids of this species many have 

 been made and the seed sown, but success has 

 only been achieved in 12 cases, with an 

 average of 124 seedlings to each. This shows 

 how very difficult it is to raise hybrids having 

 pure Sophronitis for one parent. 



With the secondary Sophronitis hybrids the 

 difficulties are nothing like so great ; m fact, 

 Mr. Phillips finds them almost as easy to raise 

 as Laelio-Cattleyas. So far ig crosses have 

 been raised, with an average of 57 to each 

 one. In the early results as many seedlings as 

 possible from the various seed-pans were 

 secured, but only in one case did this amount 

 to 1 50. During the last twelve months the 

 number has been restricted to 100 from any 

 one cross, for notwithstanding a fairly large 

 amount of glass, the stock increases so rapidly 

 that it is at times difficult to find sufficient 

 space when re-pottmg takes place. 



Cattleya Dowiana and C. aurea nearly 

 always yield good results, which explains why 

 they have been considerably used in The 

 Glebe collection. So far 49 different crosses 

 have been raised, and it is of interest to note 

 that the number of seedlings averages 54 per 

 cross. 



Another interesting feature in this collec- 



tion is the work being carried 011 wilh albino 

 Cattleyas, that is, those having a pure white 

 labellum as well as white se[jals and petals. 

 Exactly a dozen different crosses have been 

 raised, the results showing an average of 62 

 seedlings to each one. Brasso-Cattleyas have 

 also been used, and in the nine successful 

 results the average comes to 38 for each cross. 



A general survey of a large batch of 

 Cattleya seedlings showed that there were 

 many which grew far more vigorously than 

 the majority, and in almost every instance 

 they were found to Vje under the same two 

 distinguishing labels. On reference being- 

 made to the record book it was discovered 

 that in one case L.-C. Colmaniana (aurea x 

 callistoglossa) was a parent, and in the other 

 case that L.-C. Geo. Woodhams (Hardyana x 

 purpurata) had been used ; on analysing these 

 two hybrid parents it will be found that the 

 same three species are involved, namely, C. 

 aurea, C. Warscewiczu and L. purpurata. 



Not so long ago a fine plant was secured of 

 Cattleya O'Brieniana alba, which has been 

 divided whenever opportunity presented itself, 

 so much so that the stock now consists of no 

 less than i 5 good plants ; this is an example 

 of how careful cultivation repays the owner. 

 This species has a thick, white flower of 

 excellent formation, although not so large as 

 those of the labiata section, and it is hoped 

 that its good qualities will be perpetuated in 

 the numerous crosses which Mr. Phillips has 

 made. 



Each different cross is kept under a 

 distinguishing number, and, as far as possible, 

 all the seedlings of the same parentage are 

 kept m a block. Only a very small label with 

 a certain number written on it is placed in 

 each pot, but in the centre of the batch one 

 large one is used upon which is stated the full 

 parentage and other desirable particulars ; 

 this method is found to be a useful guide in 

 cultivation, and tends to make the houses of 

 interest to the owner as well as his visitine^ 

 friends. 



Laslia tenebrosa " Walton Grange var." 

 having yielded a praiseworthy result when 

 crossed with C. aurea, Mr. Phillips decided to 

 attempt the somewhat hopeless task of crossing 



