2398 



ORCHIDS 



ORCHIDS 



in shady woods. One seldom finds more than an iso- 

 lated specimen or two, but these may be easily trans- 

 planted after their flowering period, taking care to keep 

 the fleshy tuber-like main root intact. H. psy codes is a 

 bogplant and is often found in colonies, and this species 

 is widely distributed. H. ciliaris grows in bogs in great 

 numbers, and, when in bloom, the bright orange-colored 

 flowers make a beautiful display in late summer. H. 

 fimbriata is also a very showy bog-plant, enjoying the 

 full sun. The arethusa often colors New England wet 

 pastures a bright rose-purple in early summer where it 

 is found in quantities very unusual in orchids; it 

 requires very careful handling in digging when trans- 

 planting. Some of the soil should be dug with the plant 

 to ensure its growing, and the same is true of the calopo- 

 gon and pogonia, which also have pretty pink or purple 

 flowers. Good success has been had in establishing 

 colonies of goodyeras on shady banks; the three species, 

 G. repens, G. pubescens, and G. Menziesii, which are 

 very common in the North woods, have beautifully 

 variegated leaves prostrate on the ground, and when 

 in bloom are as pretty as the spiranthes, and a colony 

 can readily be established. 



The species of spiranthes are also easy to naturalize. 

 It is found, however, that these plants appear to bloom 

 biennially; one season the dry fields will be dotted with 

 the pretty white flower-scapes, and the next year not 

 one is visible. They have been dug in large numbers, 

 but do not bloom the next year; it seems they require 

 a year hi which to recuperate. The common species 

 are Spiranthes gracilis and S. cernua, both very easily 

 naturalized, as the roots can be dug with a little soil 

 attached. Aplectrum hyemcde, found but rarely, is 

 easy of culture and transplanting, owing to its having 

 bulbs like many exotic species. The bare flower-scape 

 arises in early summer, and afterward a single broad 

 evergreen leaf appears to mark the place. Liparis 

 liliifolia also has fleshy bulbs above the ground, is easy 

 of cultivation and when the purplish lipped flowers are 

 open, a little colony is very pretty and interesting. 



The cypripediums are the best known and most 

 sought of native orchids, C. spectabile is becoming rare 

 and more difficult to get, but there are plenty of places 

 in the remote North woods where it is still found in 

 quantity. This plant is usually regarded as a bog 

 habitant, but it occurs also on the slopes of shady 

 ravines. C. pubescens is found in the same situations, 

 and C. parviflorum, the smaller yellow species, is a 

 bog-plant. All these are easy of cultivation if moisture 

 is secure. They are found at times where it seems to be 

 very dry at the roots, but an examination proves that 

 there is seepage from above that provides the neces- 

 sary moisture, and gives a clue to their culture. In the 

 ravines on the shady slopes, cypripediums reproduce 

 themselves from seeds to a greater extent than is sup- 

 posed under cultivation, and the pretty yellow and 

 pink flowers are much admired and sought. C. parvi- 

 florum is exceedingly fragrant when in bloom. C. 

 acaule, the common red-and-brown species, is not so 

 tractable, but on sloping banks in partial shade they 

 have flowered for two years and seem to be established. 

 Two other species, C. arietinum and C. candidum, are 

 hard to obtain, and more difficult to grow than the 

 others, but with care and study of their natural con- 

 ditions, it is probable that success may be attained 

 with them. There are several Pacific coast cypripe- 

 diums that have not proved tractable. Possibly they 

 are hardy in the East under proper conditions; this is 

 the case with Epipactis Royleana, and C. californicum 

 and C. montanum are valued in gardens abroad. There 

 are also some fine new species from China and Thibet 

 that give promise and have flowered in Massachusetts 

 gardens from roots brought home by Wilson. We may 

 yet see these widely distributed. There seems to be no 

 recorded example of hybridization among our native 

 cypripedes; it has been attempted many times, and it 



is strange, in the light of the numberless crosses made 

 among the exotic species, that ours remain true even 

 to themselves, and cannot be mixed. 



There are many small gardens in which the study 

 and culture of hardy orchids might well be taken up, 

 together with that of the ferns. The same conditions 

 might be made ideal for both in a very limited area. 

 It is essentially an occupation for the amateur, for the 

 idiosyncrasies of the plants are many. One must have 

 the liking for exploration of the woods and bogs where 

 the plants grow, and preferably gather the roots one- 

 self. In no other way can the special requirements of 

 each species or even each individual be studied and met. 



E. O. ORPET. 



The culture of epiphytal orchids in Florida. 



The greatest trouble in the cultivation of epiphytal 

 orchids on trees in southern Florida is in getting them 

 completely established in their positions on the branches 

 or trunks. In a natural state, the seeds of orchids, 

 which are exceedingly fine, are carried largely by the 

 wind and scattered over the trunks and branches. 

 Those that alight in suitable places germinate and send 

 their roots over the surface of the bark and in time 

 become flowering plants. In artificial culture the 

 plants already grown are placed on the trees, and unless 

 this is done right and they have proper care for awhile, 

 until they become established, but few will live and 

 do well. Indigenous orchids are very abundant on 

 the trees in the hammocks of south Florida, both spe- 

 cies and individuals, there being known at present 

 not less than twenty native species in this region. One 

 of these, Epidendrum conopseum, ranges throughout 

 the northern half of the state and into South Carolina, 

 Georgia, and Alabama. Another species, E. tampense, 

 is distributed over most of the peninsula, and these 

 are endemic. The others are confined to the lower part 

 of the state and are found in the American tropics. 



Strong, healthy plants should be chosen and the 

 potting material cleaned out from the roots as much as 

 possible. The roots should be spread out, and a little 

 sphagnum placed over them; then drive a small nail 

 through a strip of mosquito-wire netting and into a 

 tree where it is desired to place the orchid. Then place 

 the roots of the plant against the tree close to the nail, 

 adjust the strip tightly over them and nail through it 

 into the tree on the other side. It may be best to put a 

 second strip across, as it is absolutely necessary that 

 the plant be firmly fastened, for if it is at all loose it 

 never will do well. It should be watered at the time 

 of planting and at intervals of a day or two, if the 

 weather is dry, until it is established. 



Orchids should be put on trees that have firm bark 

 which does not scale off. Live oaks are ideal trees and 

 red bay (Per sea carolinensis) is good. They may be 

 placed on smooth-barked trees but the rough-barked 

 are preferable. Wild rats are often abundant and when 

 orchids are placed on sloping or horizontal surfaces 

 they destroy the plants; therefore, fasten the plants to 

 vertical stems. They may be grown in high or low ham- 

 mock or on cultivated trees; in fact, in any location 

 where the air is not too dry or the plants are not too 

 much exposed. They may be kept in pots of leaf-mold 

 under a slat-house. 



Sometimes orchids are attacked by what is appar- 

 ently a fungous disease, which operates suddenly and 

 fatally. The sheaths, pseudobubs or leaves at first 

 become almost semi-transparent, looking as if they had 

 been frozen; then they turn brown and the plants 

 die. So far, dendrobiums have not been attacked but 

 cattleyas and the thick-leaved oncidiums have suffered 

 greatly. If noticed before the disease has progressed 

 far, the sheaths of the leaves should be stripped off, the 

 plant sprinkled with water and well dusted with sulfur, 

 and if this is washed off by rain, applied again. 



