44 orchids: now to grow them successfully. 



attack the under surface of the young tender foliage, and their 

 presence can be detected by the leaves showing a whitish appear- 

 ance on the upper as well as the under surface, which becomes 

 more and more plainly visible as the insects increase, which they 

 do very rapidly, causing the leaves to curl and dry up and probably 

 fall off, almost completely arresting the fui-ther progress of any 

 growth in course of formation, and greatly interfering with or 

 destroying any prospects of flowering the next season. On the 

 first appearance of this insect, immediate steps should be taken 

 for its destruction, and a constant surveillance maintained of all 

 Dendrobiums and other plants growing in the same house in 

 order to stop fm^ther ravages. Sponge the leaves occasionally 

 with clean water, say every two or three days, until they disappear, 

 but in desperate cases use insecticides, mixed as previously advised, 

 and sponge about once a week. Red spider will come, as other 

 nuisances do, notwithstanding the most careful attention, and the 

 conditions under which they are most likely to increase and thrive 

 is that where there is a lack of moisture and the atmosphere is 

 diy and hot from excessive fire heat. 



OECHIDS FROM SEED. 



Raising Seedling Orchids is most interesting work, but the 

 raiser must be prepared to exercise a great deal of patience, as with 

 many of the species some years will elapse after the tiny seeds have 

 germinated before the flowering stage is reached, whereas, with 

 others, the period will be shorter ; Cypripediums, Masdevallias, and 

 Calanthes for instance, will, under good treatment, bloom in three 

 or four years. Dendrobiums require a longer time, whilst Cattleyas 

 and Lsehas and some others do not bloom perhaps under 7 to 12 

 years, but despite this slow progress, keen interest is felt by the 

 raiser and cultivator of the plants, from their earhest stage until 

 they flower. Fertilisation is the first step towards obtaining seed, 

 and this is done by what is termed " crossing," but not in a hap- 

 hazard way. An intelligent hybridist exercises an amount of 

 thought as to ultimate results and the means of producing them, 

 and of course takes his chance of obtaining hybrids of great merit 

 or otherwise. It is of no manner of use crossing flowers belonging 

 to two different genera, such, for instance, as an Odontoglossum 

 with a Cattleya, or a Dendrobium with an Oncidium, as the results 

 would be nil. Genera having a close resemblance in form and 



