July 12, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
29 
(by Dr. Masters), Vegetative Structure, Minute Structure, Fertili¬ 
sation, Hybridisation, Geographical Distribution, illustrated by 
excellent maps, Climatology, and Classification. To many, some of 
these subjects will no doubt seem abstruse, while to others their 
treatment will be sufficiently familiar. As a contrast to these 
technical subjects we have “A Retrospect of Orchid Culture,” 
reaching as far back as 1768 up to the present time. “ The 
Orchid Amateurs of the Past ” is a most interesting chapter, calling 
up many memories of some of the most noted of orchidologists. 
The chapters on fertilisation and hybridisation are replete with 
useful infoimition, and might with advantage be read % all who 
pertain to be orchidologists. Details as to the most successful 
modes of fertilising Orchid blooms are given, the lucid instructions 
being considerably enhanced by the accompaniment of admirably 
executed engravings. From the chapter on fertilisation we extract 
the following paragraph :— 
“ The time that elapses from the pollination of the flower to the 
fertilisation of the ovules and thence to the maturing of the seed 
capsules varies considerably in the different 
genera and even in species belonging to the 
same genus. It was one of the discoveries of 
Eobert Brown that at the time of the expan¬ 
sion of an Orchid flower the ovules are only 
in a rudimentary state, consisting merely of 
minute papillae projecting from the pulpy 
surface of the placenta. The application of 
the pollen to the stigma must have a twofold 
effect before the seeds can be perfected, first 
as a stimulant to induce the maturity of the 
ovules, secondly to fertilise them by means 
of the pollen tubes. It thence frequently 
happens, at least where artificial means are 
employed, that the application of alien pollen, 
the pollen of a different species, and especially 
of a species belonging to a different genus, 
may bring about the first but fail to effect 
the second, a circumstance that hybridists 
would always do well to bear in mind. Under 
the artificial circumstances in which tropical 
Orchids are placed in the glass houses of this 
country the period for both processes extends 
over several months, which is known to be 
much longer than is required in their native 
countries.” 
Relative to the hybridisation of Orchids, 
it is recorded that the first hybrid raised 
by hand was Calanthe x Domini, which 
flowered in October, 1856. From that 
date it seems many years elapsed “ before 
the practice was generally taken up by 
cultivators of Orchids.” The supposed 
first natural hybrid was considered, on the 
suggestion of Professor Lindley, to be 
from Phalsenopsis Aphrodite, and ferti¬ 
lised with the pollen of P. rosea, the 
progeny being, it is said, “identical with 
P. intermedia of Lindley.” This hypo¬ 
thesis was verified by a hybrid Phatenopsis 
raised in Messrs. Veitch’s nursery by Mr. 
Seden, and which flowered for the first time in 1886. We are 
told that the significance of this hybrid “ was twofold ; it was 
not only the first proof of the existence of wild hybrids, but 
the first artificially raised hybrid in a genus proverbially difficult 
to cultivate.” By the raising of artificial hybrids “ the existence 
of wild hybrids in five genera have been proved,” these being 
Odontoglossums and Oncidiums, while “ natural hybrids have also 
appeared among importations of Lycaste, Cattleya, and Lmlia, 
and even hybrids between Cattleya and Lselia, an admonition 
by Nature herself against placing too much stress upon a single 
character for separating genera in the Orchidere.” In reference to 
the latter it is stated that Lselia elegans is supposed to have been 
derived from L. purpurata and Cattleya guttata, and “Laelia 
Schilleriana from L. purpurata and C. intermedia have been 
imported in considerable numbers.” Other instances of wild 
hybrids are also given. It is likewise mentioned that the first 
higeneric hybrid was raised by the late Mr. Dominy from Phaius 
grandifolius fertilised with the pollen of a variety of Calanthe vestita. 
The raising of seedling Orchids, whilst being interesting work, 
requires patience, and even then the hybridisers do not always see 
the results of their labours. This may be seen by the following ;— 
“The period from the germination of the seed to the first flowering 
of the plant varus more in some genera than in others ; thus, in 
Cattleya a- d Laslia (which are as regards hybridisation one genus, 
excluding sone Mexican species referred to Laelia) the shortest recorded 
period is six years. L:b ia X caloglossa raised by Dominy from 
Cattleya labiata and Lmlia crispa was nineteen years before it flowered, 
but this is undoubtedly an extreme case. The periods in ten recorded 
instances ranged from seven to ten years, while those of some of the 
older hybrids were a little longer. In Dendrobium the period is usually 
four or five years ; in Phalaenopsis from four to six years ; in Cypri- 
pedium from four to six years with a few cases of shorter duration, but 
five years is recorded for more crosses than any other period. The 
shortest periods occur in the Calanthes of the Vestitre section ; these 
usually flower from three to four years from the seed. Seedling Epi- 
dendra and Masdevallias flower in about four years. It is a remarkable 
fact that the period of terrestrial Orchids from the germination of the 
seed to the first flowering of the plant, like the fertilisation of their ovules, 
is much shorter than in the epiphytal species; thus Disa x Veitchi 
raised by Seden from D. grandiflora and D. racemosa flowered in 
twenty-one months from the sowing of the seed ; and with D. X Premier 
raised by Mr. Watson at Kew from D. x Veitchi and D. tripetaloides 
the period was still shorter.” 
The foregoing citalions to a certain extent indicate the character 
of one portion of this excellent work, but by ro means show the 
FIG. 5. —ODOKTOGLOSSUM CEISPUM ZAKOTHES. 
comprehensiveness of the whole book nor the scientific accuracy 
with which the numerous genera of Orchids are described. 
References to these matters have previously been made in these 
columns, and it only remains to say that parts x., v., iii., vi., ii., 
bound in the order given, constitute the first volume. Besides the 
subjects already mentioned, the following genera are described :—■ 
Part V., Masdevallias, Pleurothallis, Cryptophoranthus, Restrepia, 
ArpophylIum,and Platyclinus ; part iii.,Dendrobium, Bulbophyllum, 
and Cirrhopetalum ; part vi, Coelogyne, Epidendrum, Spathoglottis, 
Phaius, Thunia, Chysis, Pleione, Calanthe, Diacrium, and Nanodes ; 
part ii., Cattleya, Laelia, Lseliopsis, Tetramicra, Schomburgkia, and 
Sophronites. In the second volume the other genera of Orchidaceous 
plants cultivated under glass are detailed, and a glossary of 
technical terms, with the systematic and alphabetical indexes, 
complete a work that occupies a prominent position in horticultural 
literature. 
STRAWBERRIES IN 1894. 
The season of 1894 has in this locality but one word to describe 
it—disaster. The greater numbtir of varieties were in full bloom 
when we experienced a frost, which not only registered 10° at 
3 feet from the grass, but which lasted for at least six hours. The 
consequence was that not only the expanded blooms, but also the 
majority of the unopened buds were destroyed, and the few 
blooms which survived this ordeal have been prevented bringing 
