250 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[October, igi6. 



received awards, and a critical examination of 

 them cannot fail to be of interest to the many 

 lovers of this popular and noble genus. 



Let us first consider the material with which 

 the hybridists commenced their work, that is, 

 the largest and finest of the Cattleya species. 

 During the first six months of the year the 

 following produce their flowers: — Triana?, 

 Schroderae, Mossise, Mendelii and Warneri. 

 In the second half of the year: — Gaskelliana, 

 Warscewiczii, bicolor, Bowringiana, aurea and 

 labiata. The species of importance may, 

 therefore, be said to have their respective 

 flowering seasons distributed equally over 

 both the first and second half of the year. 

 On this account we should expect the hybrid 

 Cattleyas to follow a similar course, but here 

 we have one of the most unexpected surprises, 

 for of the 174 hybrids certificated during the 

 last fifteen years no less than 136 flowered 

 during the five months July — November, thus 

 leaving only 38 for the remaining seven 

 months of the year. The following are the 

 precise numbers for each month: — January, 

 7 ; February, 2 ; March, 8 ; April, 5 ; May, 

 8; June, 5; July, 19; August, 16; Septem- 

 ber, 34 ; October, 38 ; November, 29 ; 

 December, 3. These figures, which in every 

 case are the aggregates for the fifteen years, 

 prove without a shadow of a doubt that the 

 majority of the best hybrid Cattleyas have 

 their flowering season in the months of 

 September, October and November. Also 

 the need for an annual Orchid Show during 

 the autumn months is made more pressing 

 than ever. In 191 2 the Royal Horticultural 

 Society held its first autumn Orchid Show, 

 which was considered by one and all to have 

 been a most successful event, although it took 

 place during the first week in November, 

 when two months of the best period had 

 elapsed. Judging from the above figures, the 

 middle of October seems a more suitable 

 time. 



We will first analyse the 38 hybrids certi- 

 ficated during the seven months that show 

 the poor results, so far as numbers are con- 

 cerned. Commencing with December, the 

 three certificated hybrids are the pure white 

 Dusseldorfei Undine (intermedia alba x 



Mossise Wageneri), Maggie Raphael alba 

 (aurea x Trianas alba), flowering midway 

 between the respective seasons of the two 

 parents, and I ityus. 



In January three varieties of Maggie 

 Raphael alba received awards, also Enid 

 (Warscewiczii x Mossis), Octave Doin (Men- 

 delii X aurea), Tityus (Enid x Octave Doin) 

 and Miranda (Trianae x amethystoglossa). 



February has but two to its credit, which 

 are Brenda (Dusseldorfei Undine x Gas- 

 kelliana alba), a pure white result, and Leda 

 (Percivaliana x aurea). 



March contains two more varieties of Enid, 

 Dirce (Miss Harris x Warscewiczii), Magnet 

 (Mossiae x Whitei), Olympus (Warscewiczii x 

 Octave Doin), Suzanne Hye de Crom 

 (Mossiae Wageneri x Gaskelliana alba), Robert 

 de Wavrin (Schroderae x Schilleriana), and 

 Parthenia (calufnmata x Mossiae Wageneri). 



April contributes Miss Harris (Schilleriana 

 X Mossiae), Niobe (Aclandiae x Mendelii), 

 Tityus, Robert de Wavrin, and intertexta var. 

 Juliettae (Warneri alba x Mossiae Wageneri). 



May adds eight hybrids to the list, these 

 being Dirce, the pure white Westonbirt 

 variety of Dusseldorfei, Empress Frederick 

 (Mossiae x aurea), Magali Sander (Dussel- 

 dorfei Undine x Mossiae Wageneri), Pittiae 

 (Harrisoniana x Schilleriana), Tityus, Tran- 

 sylvania (Enid X Comet), and Whitei (Warneri 

 x Schilleriana). 



June concludes the months of low figures, 

 and adds but five, which are Prince Edward 

 (Warscewiczii x Schilleriana), Roehrsiana 

 (Mendelii x Hardyana), Whitei, Irene 

 (Suzanne Hye de Crom x Mossiae Wageneri), 

 and Miss Harris. 



Of the above 38 certificated hybrids, it is 

 of interest to note that Mossiae is included in 

 the parentage of no less than 20, while 12 are 

 albino varieties, and doubtless obtained 

 awards on this account. 



The July-November Season. 



July marks the commencement of the 

 important period for hybrid Cattleyas, 

 the number for the 15 years being 19. 

 They are Artemis (Iris x Gaskelliana), 



