Mendel's law of heeedity and horticultuee. 47 



other hand, C. HarrisuJiiana alba, C. Scliroederae alba, C. ^Yarneri 

 alba, and probably G. Mendelii alba may be regarded as G albinos, 

 C. Warneri alba being an impure C with only a single presence of 0, 

 the others being pure CC with a double presence of 0. 



To the orchid breeder who wishes to raise new and improved forms 

 of valuable albinos by crossing, such knowledge is most useful. He 

 will know, for instance, that all the E albinos will breed true albinos 

 amongst themselves, whether selfed or crossed, and also that all the 

 0 albinos will breed true, selfed or crossed. On the other hand, he 



Fig. 26. — Paphiopedilum x Rosettii. {Orchid lievkw.) (p. 44) 

 Probably a pure R albino. 



will know that if he crosses an E albino with a C albino he will get 

 coloured reversions which, of course, he does not want. The orchid 

 breeder will take care, therefore, to keep the C albinos distinct from 

 the E albinos. This raises a question of great importance to the 

 practical breeder. Mendel's law shows that individual albinos of the 

 same species, to all outward appearance identical, may differ from 

 one another in their germinal constitution and consequently give 

 different results when bred from. It is, therefore, of' prime importance 

 for orchid breeders to adopt some simple method of identification for 

 individual albinos, whether imported or raised from seed in gardens. 

 A distinct name would hardly be convenient for individuals which 



