Vol. 



4. 



THE 



ORCHID WORLD. 



DECEMBER, 1913. 



NOTES. 



Diverse Pollination. — In an article 

 on the Physiology of Fertilisation, which 

 appeared m the ORCHID WORLD, Vol III., 

 page igS, it was explained how more than one 

 kind of hybrid could be produced from the 

 same seed pod by applying various kinds of 

 pollen to the stigma of the flower. Practical 

 proof of this has already been obtained, 

 although the following example shows in a 

 clear manner the method and result. About 

 five years ago Messrs. Hassall, of Southgate, 

 selected a flowering plant of Cattleya Harri- 

 soniana and placed upon the stigma two 

 pollen masses, one taken from Cattleya 

 Warscewiczii and the other from Brassavola 

 Digbyana. Several of the seedling plants 

 have recently flowered, and prove, as was 

 expected, that two distinct hybrids have been 

 produced. Some of these are Cattleya 

 Ashtoniana (C. Harrisoniana x C. Warsce- 

 wiczii), while others are B.-C. Madame Jules 

 Hye (C. Harrisoniana x B. Digbyana). No 

 hybrid has flowered which exhibits the 

 characteristics of all three parents, this event 

 being regarded as an impossibility. 



U %^ ^ 



Variation of Species. — Several varieties 

 of Cattleya labiata have been flowered in the 

 collection of Mr. W. H. St Quintin, of 

 Rillington, York, all of which originated from 

 the same seed-pod, the object being to raise 

 superior forms and to test their variation. 

 Examples of these variations have been sent 

 by Mr. F. C. Puddle who has charge of the 

 collection, and who remarks : " As you know, 

 seedlings of species, as a rule, are slower 



growing in the early stages than hybrids. A 

 remarkable exception is a batch of pure 

 Cattleya aurea, which are growing as freely 

 and vigorously as hybrids sown at the same 

 time. The plants are now i8 months old." 

 From the same collection comes a variety 

 of Cattleya Bowringiana, the rose-purple 

 colouring being uniformly distributed over the 

 whole flower, which makes it distinct from 

 those forms in which the front lobe of the 

 labellum is much darker than the other 

 segments. 



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Animals and Orchids. — Only recently 

 we alluded to the fact that considerable 

 damage had been done to Orchids by mice, 

 who showed a particular liking for the pollen 

 which they quietly stole. Now we hear that 

 an American banker, wishing for some 

 eccentric idea, gave a supper party, the guests 

 including chattering monkeys who, during the 

 evening, distinguished themselves by tearing 

 up valuable Orchids. It is said that talking 

 parrots were perched on the branches of real 

 orange trees arranged round the room. 

 Evidently the human guests present on this 

 occasion had a realistic vision of tropical life. 



U II U 



Cattleya Chapmanii. — -Hybrids between 

 autumn and spring-flowering plants are 

 comparatively rare, although occasionally one 

 or both of the parents flowers out of its usual 

 season, and allows the hybridist to make a 

 cross which in the ordinary course of events 

 he would be unable to effect. C. Chapmanii 

 is the result of crossing C. Hardyana and 



VOL. IV. 



