October, igi-2.] 
THE ORCHID WORLD. 
7 
Conference, there was not only a great same- 
ness in the many purple, or white flowers, but 
the specific vigour of the plants was never 
equal to the unnatural conditions of cultiva- 
tion to which amateurs, in their partial 
ignorance of the plants' requirements, sub- 
jected their specimens. Hybrids alone pos- 
sessed the necessary constitutional strength. 
To the hybridist, therefore, much of the 
present popularity of Orchid growing is due. 
The intercrossing of species which in them- 
selves have little beauty has more than once 
produced an excellent result : the rich colour- 
ing of a small flowering species when united 
to a member of the same or near related 
genus possessing large but poorly coloured 
flowers has often resulted in a hybrid of great 
merit : and the cultivation in the same house 
and final hybridisation of species which, geo- 
graphically, are separated by thousands of miles 
is an achievement worthy of every reward. 
To fully describe the remarkable transition 
that has taken place since the last conference 
would be a laborious work, but a few out- 
standing facts cannot be left unmentioned. 
In 1885 only some half-dozen Dendrobium 
hybrids were known, one of which, D. Ains- 
worthii, is still familiar to many. Even D. 
Cybele had not yet flowered, although several 
large plants existed. Who can now correctly 
state the total number of existing hybrids in 
this genus. A recent and great success has 
been the production of yellow flowering 
hybrids by the use of D. signatum and D. 
aureum, and D. chessingtonense may be con- 
sidered as the finest example. 
Cattleyas included less than a dozen 
hybrids. C. Hardyana was only known as a 
natural hybrid, and rare as it was, no one then 
thought of the great reward that awaited the 
hybridist who produced a white sepaled and 
petaled variety by the use of C. Warscewiczii 
var. Frau Melanie Beyrodt. The creation of 
such Orchids as C. Iris and C. Venus was 
beyond the wildest dreams of the workers who 
were unable to produce anything else than 
poor shaped flowers of a dull purple colour. 
True, there were albino species, but albino 
hybrids in those early days were among the 
Orchids still unanticipated. 
Phalaenopsis species had been united, and a 
few hybrid plants had been raised in different 
collections, but not one had flowered before 
the Conference date. It should, however, be 
mentioned that one or more named natural 
hybrids were already under cultivation. 
Masdevallia seedlings were few and far 
between, no doubt owing to the many unsuc- 
cessful attempts which had been made to 
intercross the various sections. The Chimaera 
forms, so distinct from all others, always 
refuse to be united to any members of other 
sections. Many amateurs will agree that the 
flowers would remain most effective when left 
in their specific form. 
Laslio-Cattleyas had not reached the high 
state of popularity which they now enjoy. 
Yet, strange to say, the early ones included 
four which at the present time are still among 
the best hybrids. These are bella, callisto- 
glossa, Canhamiana, and Dommiana. 
Selenepedium hybrids were known at an 
early date, and Cypripediums were best repre- 
sented by C. nitens, this the result of crossing 
insigne with villosum. 
Odontoglossum hybrids were restricted to 
the natural ones which, from time to time, 
appeared in importations of the various 
species. A period of several years elapsed 
between the date of the Orchid Conference 
and the flowering of the first one artificially 
raised. 
Calanthes were more than proportionally 
represented, possibly owing to the compara- 
tive ease with which they can be raised, and 
to the short time which they require to attain 
flowering condition. 
Hybrids of Sophronitis grandiflora were 
unknown. It was not until August, 1886, that 
the first Sophronitis hybrid, S.-C. Batemaniana, 
C. intermedia x S. grandiflora, flowered. 
Last, but not least, the establishment by the 
Royal Horticultural Society of the Orchid 
Committee, March 26th, 1889, created one of 
the most important landmarks in the history 
of Orchid cultivation. Before this date all 
Orchids exhibited at the Society's meetings 
were judged by Members of the Floral 
Committee. 
