THE GARDEN ALBUM AND REVIEW. 
12 
ODONTOGLOSSUM x SMITHI. 
The most remarkable plant at the R.H.S. 
meeting, on Dec. 5 last, was undoubtedly the 
extraordinary orchid, shown under the name of 
Odontoglossum x Smithi, by Messrs. Charles- 
worth & Co., of Heaton, Bradford, It is a 
hybrid between the 0 . Rossi rubescens and 0 . x 
crisp0-harryanum, and is thus the first instance 
on record of a cross between Mexican and 
Colombian Odontoglots, and contains the 
blood of three fine species in its veins. In a 
colouring of the flowers. These have a ground 
colour of creamy white, upon which are 
conspicuous blotches of the very deep crimson- 
purple, while the margins and tips are heavily 
washed with a shade of crimson-purple even 
more brilliant than that of the blotches. The 
lip is large, flattish, and pointed, and of the 
same deep crimson-purple as the sepals and 
petals, while the crest is bright yellow, and 
displays the teeth and spottings of the crispum 
group. 
The following information, kindly supplied 
Odontoglossum x Smithi. 
state of nature it would be practically impossible 
to secure a natural hybrid between species so 
widely removed geographically, but Messrs. 
Charlesworth & Co. have overcome this 
difficulty in their greenhouses. 
The photograph gives an excellent idea of 
the flowers as shown, and it is easy to trace 
the crispo-harryanum blood in them. The 
other parent—Rossi rubescens—is chiefly 
noticeable in the pseudo-bulbs, leaves, and 
habit of the plant, as well as in the remarkable 
by Messrs. Charlesworth & Co., is sure to be 
read with interest by orchid-growers generally, 
and especially by those who are interested in 
the production of hybrids. 
“ 0 . Rossi rubescens , the mother parent was 
fertilized in April, 1900. It ripened its seed- 
pod the following year in March, and the 
seeds were sown at once. Germination was 
extremely slow and unsatisfactory, and two 
seedlings were eventually saved. As in all 
Odontoglossums it took two years to make the 
