122 
THE ORCHID WORLD. 
[March, 1913- 
50 per cent., and the number of affiliated 
societies has been doubled. A portion of the 
Society's monthly magazine, now under new 
arrangements, is to be devoted to Orchids. 
Many of the Fellows are interested in these 
plants, which have more than once formed the 
principal exhibits of the North of England 
shows. 
-iM 4^ -1^ 
Parthenogenesis in Epidendrum radi- 
CANS. — Another interesting instance of 
supposed parthenogenesis has occurred with 
Messrs. McBean, of Cooksbridge, who 
attempted to hybridise Epidendrum radicans 
with the pollen of Bletia Shepherdii. The 
pollination duly resulted in a seed pod being 
formed, and the numerous seeds germinated 
freely. Of the seedlings which were culti- 
vated, numbering at least one hundred, every 
one has grown to the height of about four to 
five feet, and produced flowers precisely 
similar in form and colour to those of the 
Epidendrum parent. The growth and habit 
of the seedlings shows no visible sign of the 
Bletia species. 
^ 
Orchids Damaged at Kew. — Consider- 
able wilful damage has recently been done to 
the Orchids at Kew. Early on Saturday 
morning, February (Sth, some persons broke 
into the gardens and attacked the Orchid 
houses, breaking numerous squares of glass 
and smashing many of the pots containing 
valuable specimen Orchids. The fine collec- 
tion of Anoectochilus was specially attacked, 
and most of the plants in flower were com- 
pletely spoilt. Altogether, some 136 plants 
were either destroyed or damaged. The 
miscreants, who left a card on which was 
written, " Votes for women," got away without 
detection. 
Gift of Orchids to Kew. — The new 
Cattleya house will prove a welcome addition 
to the Gardens, as none of the other houses 
were specially adapted to the culture of these 
plants. The structure measures about 47 feet 
long and 20 feet wide, the height to the top 
of ridge being 13 feet. Sir George Holford, 
on hearing that the new house had been built, 
generously presented to the gardens a very 
valuable and varied collection of Orchids. 
The specimens included Laelio-Cattleyas, 
Brasso-Cattleyas, Cypripediums and Cym- 
bidiums. The good example set by Sir 
George Holford should act as an incentive to 
others, for Kew does much towards encourag- 
ing a special love of horticulture among the 
thousands who annually visit these gardens. 
The Refining Influence of Orchids. 
— One of the most interesting and mind- 
elevating subjects to pursue in floral culture, 
either to study by reading about it, or, what is 
better yet, by practical cultivation, is that of 
the tropical Orchid. For years I have in 
diverse ways called attention to this matter in 
the columns of the Hartford Times, Conn., 
U.S.A., which with its wide circulation has 
brought responsive answers from far away 
places and noted cultivators and hybridisers 
of these beautiful blossoms. I desire to ask : 
Would it not be untold times better to have 
conservatories for Orchid growing, with their 
educational and refining influence, for our 
public, high and low, at a far less cost to 
begin with than a $40,000 pavilion or colos- 
seum-like structure to witness and shelter 
games and often brutal sports in our Hart- 
ford parks ? May we all have the opportunity 
before long to see public Orchid iiouses in 
our fine city. — W il/icl lu iuc Scligcr, Hnr/ford, 
Cunn., USA. 
Cypripediuim Charlesianuai. — Mr. E. 
Hill, of Lynford Hall Gardens, Mundford, 
Norfolk, kindly sends ten different varieties 
of this hybrid between nitens superbum and 
Leeanum Clinkaberryanum, all of which have 
come from the same seed pod. It will be 
seen that three species — insigne, villosum, 
and .Spicenaiium — ha\ e composed this hybrid, 
and each one is more or less represented in 
the xarious flowers. .Spicerianum has gi\en 
a large, white dorsal sepal, and the purple 
spotting when on this remains quite bright, 
but whenever it occurs on the lower and 
yellow portion of the dorsal all the spots 
become dull brown. This proves what a 
different ground colour will do. 
