Cfje ^fjobobentiron ^ocietp J^oteg. 
SOME NOTES ON FAILURES IN ATTEMPTS AT HYBRIDIZATION. 
Contributed by Sir Edmund Loder, Bart. 
Failures come often, and it may be of use to note down some of them. 
I have often tried to cross hardy Rhododendrons with Rh. Edgworthi, but it 
is only rarely that I have got any result at aU. 
Many times I have crossed Rh. Fortunei with Rh. Edgworthi and 
Rh. Edgworthi with Rh. Fortunei, but, up to date, I have never had any fertile 
seeds. 
Nor have I succeeded in raising a cross between Rh. Auckland! and Rh. 
Edgworthi. (Rh. ciliatum crosses with Rh. Edgworthi easily enough.) 
I have flowered crosses between Rh. Thomson! and Rh. Edgworthi, but 
result was very poor. A small truss of nearly white flowers and wdthout scent. 
A cross between Rh. Ascot Brilliant and Rh. Edgworthi is not much better, 
a small pink truss without scent. 
For many years I have been trying to get crosses with Rh. Booth!, and with 
one possible exception, these attempts have aU been failures. I have tried it 
both ways with Rh. campylocarpum, but so far without result. 
We have flowered here crosses between Rh. “ Loder’s WTiite ” (one of 
Mangles’s many Rh. Auckland! hybrids), and Rh. Auckland!, .with the idea of 
obtaining larger flowers. The result has been disappointing, the flowers being 
smaller than in either parent. 
This has been the case in many attempts with Rh. Auckland! hybrids. 
Perhaps some members of our Society, more skilful than I am, wiU be able to 
teach us how to succeed where I have failed. 
EDMUND GILES LODER. 
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