THK ORCHID WORLD. 
[DeremlxT, 1912 
naturally be regarded as somewhat super- 
fluous. But those behind the scenes know 
better. The wonderful hybrids that appear 
in public represent only one side of the 
picture. 
Orchid breeders of experience know too 
well that in order to secure a really first-class 
hybrid it is necessary to raise large numbers 
of others. Many are called, but few are 
chosen. Some crosses naturally yield more 
good forms than others, but, generally speak- 
ing, first-class hybrids are few and far 
between, and the moderate and poor forms 
are far too numerous. In secondary and more 
complex hybrids especially, the numbers of 
misfits and unwanted weeds that turn up time 
after time is rather disconcerting, and the 
question often arises as to whether many of 
these crosses are worth making at all from 
the economic point of view, though from the 
scientific standpoint they are naturall\- most 
instructive. 
From this it is evident that chance plays a 
great part in modern Orchid breeding, and 
there is really very little certainty in the game 
as played by the leading exponents. Now if 
the modern Science of Genetics teaches any- 
thing, it is that there are certainties to be 
found in breeding. A careful study of recent 
work in genetics points unmistakably to the 
important fact that law and order may be 
perceived in breeding. From the economic 
point of view it costs just as much to raise a 
poor form as it does a good one, the time, 
trouble and expense involved are the same, 
and the practical problem that faces the 
Orchid breeder is how to manage his matings 
so as to reduce the number of worthless 
forms to a minimum. 
This is where the application of genetics 
to Orchid breeding should come in to help 
the breeder. Of course, in the early stages 
of the application it cannot be expected that 
all Orchid breeding will be reduced to a cer- 
tainty, that would be too much to expect, nor 
would it be a'together desirable, for in such a 
case Orchid breeding would be divested of 
much of its charm. Already a few certainties 
in Orchid breeding are known, thanks mainly 
to the application of the Mcndelian principles, 
and that many other certainties await dis- 
covery there can be no doubt. 
One important point, however, should be 
noted, and that is, that under present con- 
ditions Orchid breeders must very largely 
discover these certainties for themselves by 
the application of the principles of genetics. 
In this respect Orchid breeding differs much 
from ordinary plant breeding. The Orchid 
field is so wide, the conditions so difficult, and 
the complications so numerous, that only a 
practical expert can carry out the necessary 
experiments, and even he must have con- 
siderable resources of capital and experience 
at his com.mand. 
In order to apply genetics to OrclTid 
breeding it will be necessary for the Orchid 
breeder to make himself familiar with the 
first principles These principles are now 
universally' accepted by all serious students of 
heredity who have experimented for them- 
selves, and they can be applied equally to all 
kinds- of plants and animals including man 
himself. From the practical point of view, it 
will not be necessary for the Orchid breeder, 
at the outset at all events, to venture much 
beyond these first principles. His own experi- 
ments, if based on these principles and 
carefully carried out, will soon yield a harvest 
of valuable data that will lead him on to more 
advanced work and to a deeper insight into 
the possibilities and certainties of Orchid 
breeding. 
First Principles of Genetics. 
Each plant or animal is composed of many 
characters, most of which are heritable. 
Each heritable character is represented m 
the germ-cells by one or more factors. 
In the fertilised cell, or zygote, each factor 
is present either in a double state or a single 
state. 
When a double dose of the factor is present, 
the plant or animal is called homozygous, or 
pure, in regard to that factor. 
When a single dose of the factor is present, 
the plant or animal is calVd heterozygous, or 
impure, in regard to that factor. 
