I have named Mr. Cookson several times; in fact, to discourse of hybridization for amateurs without reference to his astonishing “record” would be grotesque.  One Sunday afternoon, ten years ago, he amused himself with investigating the structure of a few Cypripeds, after reading Darwin’s book; and he impregnated them.  To his astonishment the seed-vessel began to swell, and so did Mr. Cookson’s enthusiasm simultaneously.  He did not yet know, and, happily, these experiments gave him no reason to suspect, that pseudo-fertilization can be produced, actually, by anything.  So intensely susceptible is the stigmatic surface of the Cypriped that a touch excites it furiously.  Upon the irritation caused by a bit of leaf, it will go sometimes through all the visible processes of fecundation, the ovary will swell and ripen, and in due time burst, with every appearance of fertility; but, of course, there is no seed.  Beginners, therefore, must not be too sanguine when their bold attempts promise well.

From that day Mr. Cookson gave his leisure to hybridization, with such results as, in short, are known to everybody who takes an interest in orchids.  Failures in abundance he had at first, but the proportion has grown less and less until, at this moment, he confidently looks for success in seventy-five per cent. of his attempts; but this does not apply to bi-generic crosses, which hitherto have not engaged his attention much.  Beginning with Cypripedium, he has now ninety-four hybrids—­very many plants of each—­produced from one hundred and forty capsules sown.  Of Calanthe, sixteen hybrids from nineteen capsules; of Dendrobium, thirty-six hybrids from forty-one capsules; of Masdevallia, four hybrids from seventeen capsules; of Odontoglossum, none from nine capsules; of Phajus, two from two capsules; of Vanda, none from one capsule; of bi-generic, one from nine capsules.  There may be another indeed, but the issue of an alliance so startling, and produced under circumstances so dubious, that Mr. Cookson will not own it until he sees the flower.

It does not fall within the scope of this chapter to analyze the list of this gentleman’s triumphs, but even savants will be interested to hear a few of the most remarkable crosses therein, for it is not published.  I cite the following haphazard:—­

Phajus Wallichii           x Phajus tuberculosus. 
Loelia praestans.           x Cattleya Dowiana.
"      purpurata         x Cattleya Dowiana.
"         "              x Loelia grandis tenebrosa.
"         "              x Cattleya Mendellii.
"      marginata         x Loelia elegans Cooksoni. 
Cattleya Mendellii         x   "      purpurata.
"     Trianae            x   "      harpophylla.
"     Percivalliana     x            "
"     Lawrenceana       x Cattleya Mossiae.
"     gigas             x     "    Gaskelliana.
"     crispa            x     "        "
"     Dowiana           x     "        "
"     Schofieldiana     x     "    gigas imperialis.