May 5, 1917 



HORTICULTURE 



581 



HOW TO RAISE ORCHIDS METHODICALLY 



Most growers of Orchids, whether 

 amateur or professional, have at some 

 period or other made attempts to rear 

 their own seedlings. A more fascinat- 

 ing or interesting work it is impos- 

 sible to conceive. And as I have met 

 with considerable success in this par- 

 ticular branch of Orchid culture, I 

 have pleasure in submitting what I 

 consider the best methods of procur- 

 ing successful results. 



I only intend to deal with those 

 species which are most extensively 

 grown; and as they all require more 

 or less different treatment and meth- 

 ods, I shall deal with them separately, 

 giving only those systems which have 

 proved to be productive and reliable. 



Cypripediums. 



As Cypripediums have within the 

 past few years become exceedingly 

 popular with most of the leading con- 

 noisseurs — and the progress made by 

 hybridization has been most phenome- 

 nal — I will commence with this species. 



Numerous experiments have been 

 made with the object of raising suc- 

 cessfully and abundantly the seed of 

 this Orchid, but the majority have 

 turned out failures, or partially so. The 

 following method, however, has yield- 

 ed splendidly successful results. 



Select a number of strong, healthy, 

 well-rooted plants — the short-leaved 

 ones for preference, such as Cyp. Har- 

 risianum, barbatum, Lawrenceanum, 

 callosum, and oenanthum. Short-leaved 

 plants do not rob the seed (and after- 

 wards the young seedlings) of light 

 and air — two essentials to successful 

 germination. 



After the selection has been made, 

 every plant should be repotted in a 

 mixture of good, fibrous loam, Os- 

 munda fibre, sphagnum moss (with all 

 heads removed), and a good sprinkling 

 of silver sand and small crocks. 

 About one-quarter of the pot should 

 be first filled with broken crocks, tak- 

 ing extreme care to place them in an 

 upright position, wedging one against 

 the other to hold them firm. This 

 will ensure them free drainage, and a 

 comparatively clear passage of air. 

 Thoroughly cleanse plants from old 

 potting materials, and carefully wash 

 all the old roots in clean soft water. 

 Pot the plants firmly, but not too hard, 

 and try to secure an evenness of sur- 

 face. This should be about three- 

 quarters of an inch from the top of 

 the inside of the pot, and which will 

 allow the plants to be watered with- 

 out any fear of washing away the 

 seed. 



The iilants, after potting, should re- 

 main for about two weeks before any 

 seed is sown round them, giving them 

 during this period an abundance of 

 water so as to get them thoroughly 

 soaked and settled. They should also 

 always be watered about two hours 

 before sowing. 



To sow the seed, make a small aper- 

 ture about the size of a pin head in 

 the side of the seed-pod; then place 

 the pod between the forefinger and 

 thumb over the plant, and gently tap 



the pod from behind, gradually moving 

 the pot until you have sown all round 

 the plant. 



November, December, January and 

 February are the four best months for 

 sowing. Care should always be taken 

 not to have other plants near when 

 sowing, as the seed is so light, and a 

 small quantity may float about and set- 

 tle on them, thus causing a mixture of 

 seed which may afterwards perplex the 

 grower. 



After the seed has been sown, the 

 plants should be placed in the position 

 where they are intended to remain; 

 and they should be slightly sprayed 

 overhead and well syringed between 

 the pots. They will not then require 

 watering again for about a week or 

 ten days. Then water very carefully 

 with a fine rose, but on no account 

 give more water than the pot will 

 hold without flowing over the top, or 

 the seeds may be washed away. Con- 

 tinue this treatment for about six 

 weeks, by which time, and sometimes 

 before — providing the seed sown was 

 fertile and in good condition — tiny, 

 almost white, seedlings will appear. 

 They should not be disturbed for at 

 least another six weeks, which will 

 make it about three months from the 

 time the seeds were sown. 



Then place the strongest of them 

 singly in thimble pots; and some of 

 the rather weaker ones two or three 

 in a pot, leaving the smallest ones 

 until they get larger and stronger. 



The removal of the seedlings requires 

 great care and unlimited patience. A 

 sharp pointed bone needle is very use- 

 ful for this purpose, and each seedling 

 must be lifted separately. 



The compost for potting these may 

 consist of loam fibre, Osmunda fibre, 

 and sphagnum moss in equal propor- 

 tions, shopped very fine, with all the 

 dust removed; about two crocks in 

 the bottom of the pot is sufl^cient. 



Water very sparingly for two or 

 three weeks with a fine rose. If the 

 time can be spared, dipping is much 

 safer. When once they have become 

 established in these pots, the only 

 thing to be done is to put them on as 

 often as they require it. Never let 

 them become root-bound or starved; 

 and in three to four years the plants 

 will be strong enough to flower. 



The temperature should never fall 

 below 60 deg. and never rise to more 

 than 70 deg., except by sunheat. The 

 house must never be allowed to get 

 dry. and the syringe or sprayer 

 should be used very freely. Admit 

 air whenever the outside conditions 

 will allow, and keep the glass clean, 

 especially during the winter months. 

 Give plenty of shade during the hot 

 summer months; also fumigate regu- 

 larly about every three weeks, and 

 success is a certainty. 



Cattleyas. 



Years ago this species was consid- 

 ered one of the most difficult to secure 

 from seed, and it was only by chance 

 that most of the hybrids we then had 

 were raised. However, since then tre- 

 mendous strides have been made, and 



it is now only a matter of how many 

 to keep and what to discard. Every 

 year has brought forth new ideas, and 

 after hundreds of experiments it is 

 now possible to prick off small seed- 

 lings in just over a week from the 

 time of sowing. 



You do not require plants for the 

 sowing of your seed as in the case of 

 Cypripediums, and this is undoubtedly 

 a great saving both of space and mate- 

 rial. If one goes in for cattleya seed- 

 lings on a large scale, it is most ad- 

 visable to have a small house specially 

 erected, or an old house reconstructed 

 for the purpose. On the other hand, 

 it it is intended to only grow a few ft 

 may be done in any part of a house 

 where conditions are favorable. To 

 be successful in raising Cattleyas it 

 requires plenty of heat, either natural 

 or artificial — the former for prefer- 

 ence. 



Artificial heat can easily be obtained 

 by having some cases or frames fitted 

 up with extra hot water pipes inside 

 the house, and the temperature may 

 be regulated by means of valves, and 

 a steady atmosphere kept. A dummy 

 stage should be fixed up over the 

 pipes, and may consist of small pieces 

 of iron about a foot apart. Place some 

 porous tiles on the irons, leaving the 

 tiles about three-quarters of an inch 

 apart, and cover to a depth of three 

 inches with ordinary coke. This will 

 allow free admittance of warmth from 

 the pipes, but the coke must always 

 be kept well damped so that no dry 

 heat will ever reach the seed. All that 

 now remains to be done is to make a 

 stage, which may consist of either 

 wood or perforated zinc. This may 

 rest about four inches above the coke, 

 then everything will be complete and 

 in readiness for the seed. 



The best time to sow Is as early as 

 possible in February, because the days 

 are getting longer, and the sun has not 

 sufficient power to necessitate the use 

 of shading; and it also gives plenty of 

 time to get the seedings well establish- 

 ed before the trying, dismal days of 

 winter arrive. 



The temperature of the cases should 

 be kept up to 75 to 80 deg. by day, and 

 not lower than 72 deg. at night, rising 

 with sun heat to sometimes 85 or 90 

 deg. When it gets higher than 90 deg. 

 a little shading might be used with 

 advantage. 



The next process is the sowing of 

 the seed, and the ensuing method will 

 be found an almost perfect one: Mix, 

 in equal proportions, Polypodium fibre 

 and spragnum moss (carefully remov- 

 ing all heads and filth from the latter), 

 and then put this composition in some 

 four or five-inch pans or pots, with a 

 few small crocks below. Over this 

 stretch some moderately coarse can- 

 vas or linen, which hns been properly 

 sterilized. This will prevent any 

 deadly fungus from germinating, as 

 it may do if this rule is not adhered to. 

 Place the pans or pots in the cases on 

 inverted pans, and soak with soft 

 water, letting them remain for two 

 hours. By this time they will have 



