i86 
THE ORCHID WORLD. 
germinate in the seed of these lacks the force 
of that of the first generation. W'e have had 
most experience with Odontioda Thwaitesii, 
and the seed has been generally scarce or 
entirely wanting in the capsules, even when 
they remained on the plant for a normal 
period, and that which contained an embryo 
was invariabl)- of low vitality, being in this 
in striking contrast to that of its mother, 
Cochlioda vulcanica. On the other hand, we 
have quite vigorous seedlings between Odon- 
tioda Bradshawis and Odontoglossum crispo- 
Harryanum, and other secondary Odontioda 
hybrids where the Odontioda has been de- 
rived from Cochlioda Noezliana, and I am 
inclined to think that there is more vitality 
in those hybrids that have behind them that 
species than in those with C. vulcanica. But 
there is manifested in the scarcity of, and 
imperfection of much of the seed, the difficulty 
of " setting " pods on Odontioda Thwaitesii, 
and the marked difference in the time of 
germination after sowing — the secondary 
Odontioda seed taking much longer than 
Cochlioda seed — the same tendency towards 
infertility already remarked on. 
I hope to take each of the larger genera 
separately for comments one day, and may 
then have some more to say about the fer- 
tility of hybrids, but may be excused for the 
present if I make a digression. 
Old traditions die slowly, and a surviving 
tradition that has been long moribund is that 
Orchids are expensive and can only be in- 
dulged 111 by the I'ery rich. It is time this 
tradition was dead, for it is on/y a tradition. 
Orchids are not expensive ; they are ridicu- 
lously cheap. During the last ten or fifteen 
years — I will not go as far back as twenty — 
a peculiarly high, if artificial, standard has 
been set, and Orchids that do not reach this 
standard have a very low value. Judging 
from the purely florist's point of view, the 
difference between the Orchid of little value 
and the one valued at many pounds does not 
exist ; he can get the same effect and com- 
mand the same admiration in an arrangement 
of blooms cut from plants of low-priced 
Orchids as he could from the most rcchcrchts 
and prohibiti\ ely high-priced kinds ; and the 
bulk of the Orchid flowers that find their 
way to market are still cut from imported 
sjDecies. These facts cannot be too well 
known, and our admiration and advocacy of 
the better products of the hybridist do not 
blind us to the genuine merits of the imported 
species ; and, after all, we owe everything 
to the enterprise of the importer and the 
courage, and frequently self-sacrifice, of the 
Orchid collector in the tropics. 
The Orchid collector does not get rich 
quickly in these days. He is willing to sell 
his goods at a mere margin of profit, and 
his expenses are great and continuous. The 
Orchid importer wants encouraging, fie has 
p!a\ed a famous and important role in the 
past, introducing and fostering the cult of the 
Orchid before the hybridiser appeared on the 
horizon. Occasionally the Orchid importer 
has a stroke of luck. One of those super- 
Orchids of which I spoke last month may 
flxOwer in an importation, and he will want a 
price for it — and he will deserve to get it. 
This may mean his profit on the importation, 
or make the difference between profit and 
loss. It is the price obtained for these super- 
Orchids that has given rise to the tradition 
that Orchids are expensive, and their inter- 
mittent appearance that keeps it alive. The 
big price is advertised, but the small prices 
are not. Ninety per cent, of Orchids are 
cheap — too cheap ; but because they are 
cheap the\- need be none the less beautiful 
and useful. It is a question of supply and 
demand, and the supply has been all too 
generous. The Orchid buyer has been gate ; 
he turns up his nose at the mean average 
because the high if artificial standard of the 
moment decrees them " ordinary stuff," and 
probably his houses are full. And )-et there 
are hundreds of glass-houses throughout the 
country choke-full of rubbish which is costing 
as much money to grow as if they were filled 
with Orchids ; and ]ierhaps the tradition that 
Orchids are expensive is keeping the Orchids 
out. But i^erhaps another set of traditions, 
inu(-h more difficult to kill, is keeping the 
lulibish in. 
{To be coiitiiiKcd) 
