orchids: now to grow them successfully. 39 



soon docay and boconic^ an inci-t mass of decomposed soddened 

 matter, which is most objectionabh; and injurious to the new roots 

 that will be foi-med. These old dead roots should be severely dealt 

 with, and all taken clean away to the i)seudo bulb, as also all 

 dead leaves or bulbs. With Odontoglossums and Dendrobimns a 

 few of their old roots, cut back to tv/o or three inches long, may 

 be loft on the plant, being useful in helping to keep the plants 

 in position v/hen potting them. 



PROPAGATIOX. 



Propagation of Orchids, or, speaking more con-ectly of some 

 kinds of Orchids, is slow indeed, and often unnecessary, as healthy 

 and vigorous plants, that will flower the first year, may be bought 

 at a veiy lov/ price ; yet it is sometimes desii-able to increase the 

 stock of a verj^ rare and expensive sort, or even an exceptionally 

 good variety of a common species, in fact any other kind one 

 may value and wish to propagate. Such free growing kinds as 

 the Calanthes, Pleiones, CjT)ripediums, Thunias, Masdevallias. 

 Oncidiums, and Odontoglossums, when in a vigorous condition, 

 readily increase in the number of leading gi-owi:hs without artificial 

 aid, and if more stock is required it is easily obtained by dividing 

 the plants. Cattleyas, L«eKas, and Dendrobiums may also be 

 increased by division, and this can be hastened somewhat by the 

 use of a knife. Fig. 13 {see page 77) shows one method whereby a 

 Cattleya or a Lfelia can be made to break back through severing 

 the rhizome, as showTi in the illustration, but the resulting gi'owths 

 are generally weak, and several years elapse before they are strong 

 enough to bloom. Cattleyas and Laelias sometimes have double 

 breaks, forming two new pseudo bulbs from an old one, but it 

 frequently happens that, in the follo\\'ing year, one only of these 

 new growths v.-ill take the lead and the other remain dormant, and 

 if left undisturbed \\\\\ often remain in this state for several years. 

 Wlien it is seen that both of the new pseudo bulbs are not going to 

 start into growth at the same time, the weakest of the two should 

 be severed from the parent plant close to the pseudo bulb, and it 

 Avill then be obliged to start into growth on its own account. The 

 incision should be made with a shai"p knife, care being taken not 

 to cut the roots or injure any other part of the plant. The severed 

 portion vriW then make a nev,- pseudo bulb the same year, provided 

 the operation was performed in the spring, and in the following 



