iiii'; oiuiiii) woKi.i). 



9 



little word) it will be through the Sophro- 

 Laelias. One never knows, the unexpected is 

 always happening, and this axiom applies 

 equally to things in nature as in other spheres. 

 Take one instance, Chrysanthemums, the 

 multitude of sports they have given. Why not 

 in Orchids ? 



A housefuU of seedlings, such as one sees 

 here, may be compared to a victorious army, 

 ever on the move, and surely here it obtains. 

 The youthful progeny in all their vigour cry 

 out for more elbow room, and new houses are 

 in being to accommodate the growing army. 

 Were it not for systematic procedure in 

 dealing with these it would very soon be a 

 case of the survival of the fittest, so many 

 thousands of seedlings are there in all stages 

 from the tiny dot to the sturdy full-grown 

 plant ready to fulfil its purpose in producing 

 the flower. Gems there are, no doubt, in 

 number, if we consider their parentage, and 

 who knows that amongst these youngsters 

 there lurks unseen as yet a plant that may in 

 its own good time take the Orchid world by 

 storm (I beg pardon, Mr. Editor, but no joke 

 is intended). 



Like many more of our horticultural 

 establishments, large and small, the staff here 

 has been depleted somewhat by the " call to 

 arms," workers who have left their homes and 

 vocations to fight for King and Empire. May 

 they soon return victorious to take up their 

 former duties. Messrs. Armstrong and Brown 

 have solved the difficulty for the time being 

 by employing a few of the gentler sex for 

 ]3otting on the seedlings, and very aptly have 

 they resj^onded to what is desired in that 

 direction. Mr. Armstrong showed me many 

 plants recently potted by them, and certainly 

 to all appearance with results quite 

 professional. 



I fear I have trespassed, Mr. Editor, on 

 your space, so perhaps I may be permitted at 

 some future time to pen a few notes on the 

 Cypripediums and other treasures which 

 appear to be as thick as leaves in Vallam- 

 brosa. The personal enjoyment derived from 

 this visit and the welcome extended makes 

 one eager for the next. — H. A. Farmer, 

 Tunbridge W ells. 



SANDER'S LIST OF HYBRIDS. 



IIE nomenclature of Orchids is a 

 subject in which I have lor many 

 years taken a great interest. 



So long as our records were limited to 

 species and varieties of species no great 

 difficulty arose. Wrong names may have 

 been given in the hurry of the moment, but 

 these were in a short time discovered and i)ul 

 right. 



Very soon, however, growers tound out 

 that it was possible by the fertilisation of 

 one species with another to raise hybrids 

 embracing both the good and bad qualities of 

 their parents. Of these qualities, to use a 

 Mendelian phrase, the latter was found to be 

 dominant and the former recessive ; but, 

 nevertheless, by reason of the amateur 

 purchasing fine varieties the former survived 

 and the latter were dispensed with. 



A second step forward was made when it 

 was found that these hybrids could also be 

 fertilised not only with species, but also with 

 other hybrids, to an almost indefinite extent. 

 But here again it was found that the recessive 

 quality was rarer than in the first step, but 

 still many good results were obtained. 



The third step forward was made when it 

 was discovered that certain genera could be 

 fertilised by other closely allied genera, and 

 few who saw it will forget the admiration, 

 astonishment, and food for thought caused 

 by the exhibition of the first plant of 

 Odontioda at the Temple Show of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society in the year 1904. 



The subject is too large a one to introduce 

 in the foreword of a book of reference, but I 

 have referred to the matter thus shortly so as 

 to draw attention to the difficulties which 

 have arisen and which are continually arising 

 in the naming of the many hybrids which 

 come before us in increasing numbers. 



Growers in all parts of the world are raising 

 these hybrids. Each grower, quite naturally, 

 unless he is aware of a previousl)' recorded 

 name, gives a name to the plant raised by 

 him, and it is only after the most elaborate 

 search of publications both here and abroad 

 that the priority of the name for any given 



VOL. V4. 



3 



