ragrant.

A very few are malodorous, _Bulbophyllum Beccari_ not being tolerable
under any circumstances, the flowers smelling like some of the
Stapelias.

CHAPTER XIX

HYBRIDISING AND RAISING SEEDLING ORCHIDS

A new interest has been added to Orchid culture by the pursuit of
hybridising and raising seedling Orchids, which commenced with _Calanthe
Dominyi_, raised in the nurseries of Messrs. Veitch and recorded in the
_Gardeners' Chronicle_ in 1858. The practice has now become general, and
a large number of Orchidists arrange for the production of new Orchids
from seeds, while even in small collections some attention is given to
the matter. When the engrossing pursuit is first taken up, the operator
should neglect no opportunity to make himself conversant with the
structure of the flowers. This may be done effectually by carefully
examining any available flowers, and by making longitudinal sections of
the bloom by cutting them in two, commencing at the apex of the column
and finishing at the ovary and pedicel. This operation exposes the
various organs that are concerned in the fertilisation of the flower.

In most Orchids, such for instance as Laelias and Cattleyas, it will be
seen that the pollen masses are situated at the apex of the column
covered by the anther cap, the stigma being in a cavity in the face of
the column beneath it.

In Cypripedium there are two developed anthers; the viscous pollen
masses are not enclosed in cases, but are placed opposite each other;
the stigma is a shield-shaped body seen inside the lip on the under
side of the column, and the stigmatic surface is not viscous.

The details of the structure of the flowers being fully understood, it
will readily be seen that the first process in the production of seeds
is to fertilise the flower intended to bear the seed capsule with the
pollen of the other parent selected. This is readily accomplished by
lifting the pollen masses beneath the anther-cap with a thin pencil or
sharpened stick and placing them on the stigmatic surface of the
seed-bearing parent.

Flowers which are intended to be fertilised for seed-bearing should have
their own pollen carefully removed before the pollen taken from the
other plant is introduced, the pollen removed being used to effect the
reverse cross, or to fertilise another species if desired.

In fertilising small flowers with the pollen of larger species, as in
the case of _Sophronitis grandiflora_