Dominy’s earliest success, actually the very first of garden hybrids to flower—­in 1856—­was Calanthe Dominii, offspring of C.  Masuca x C. furcata;—­be it here remarked that the name of the mother, or seed parent, always stands first.  Another interest attaches to C.  Dominii.  Both its parents belong to the Veratraefolia section of Calanthe, the terrestrial species, and no other hybrid has yet been raised among them.  We have here one of the numberless mysteries disclosed by hybridization.  The epiphytal Calanthes, represented by C. vestita, will not cross with the terrestrial, represented by C. veratraefolia, nor will the mules of either.  We may “give this up” and proceed.  In 1859 flowered C.  Veitchii, from C. rosea, still called, as a rule, Limatodes rosea, x C. vestita.  No orchid is so common as this, and none more simply beautiful.  But although the success was so striking, and the way to it so easy, twenty years passed before even Messrs. Veitch raised another hybrid Calanthe.  In 1878 Seden flowered C.  Sedeni from C.  Veitchii x C. vestita.  Others entered the field then, especially Sir Trevor Lawrence, Mr. Cookson, and Mr. Charles Winn.  But the genus is small, and they mostly chose the same families, often giving new names to the progeny, in ignorance of each other’s labour.

The mystery I have alluded to recurs again and again.  Large groups of species refuse to inter-marry with their nearest kindred, even plants which seem identical in the botanist’s point of view.  There is good ground for hoping, however, that longer and broader experience will annihilate some at least of the axioms current in this matter.  Thus, it is repeated and published in the very latest editions of standard works that South American Cattleyas, which will breed, not only among themselves, but also with the Brazilian Loelias, decline an alliance with their Mexican kindred.  But Baron Schroeder possesses a hybrid of such typical parentage as Catt. citrina, Mexican, and Catt. intermedia, Brazilian.  It was raised by Miss Harris, of Lamberhurst, Kent, one single plant only; and it has flowered several times.  Messrs. Sander have crossed Catt. guttata Leopoldii, Brazil, with Catt.  Dowiana, Costa Rica, giving Catt.  Chamberliana; Loelia crispa, Brazil, with the same, giving Loelio-Cattleya Pallas; Catt. citrina, Mexico, with Catt. intermedia, Brazil, giving Catt. citrina intermedia (Lamberhurst hybrid); Loelia flava, Brazil, with Catt.  Skinneri, Costa Rica, giving Loelio-Catt.  Marriottiana; Loelia pumila, Brazil, with Catt.  Dowiana, Costa Rica, giving Loelio-Catt.  Normanii; Loelia Digbyana, Central America, with Catt.  Mossiae, Venezuela, giving Loelio-Catt.  Digbyana-Mossiae; Catt.  Mossiae, Venezuela, with Loelia cinnabarina,