TREATMENT OF SEEDLINGS 77 



sand to this compost. The whole should be thoroughly 

 well watered before the tiny seedlings are placed a quarter 

 of an inch or so apart in small holes in the surface of 

 the compost and sprayed to settle them in position. Up 

 to this stage the greatest mortality is observed. Wide 

 crosses between species of dissimilar nature, and which 

 have up to the production of the growth point or root 

 appeared to be doing well, having shown that they did 

 not belong to the unfertile, suddenly collapse. Those 

 which have taken a long time to germinate have fallen 

 victims to the minute fungi, and other low forms of 

 vegetable organism, which, commencing at one or two 

 spots, have gradually overgrown the surface of the pot 

 and destroyed them. The stronger are often destroyed 

 by small insects, while drip, however carefully guarded 

 against, claims its share of the spoil. These things are 

 specially vexing to the amateur who is working in a small 

 way. To the expert cultivator who has a multitude of 

 subjects in hand, and whose methods and appliances 

 mitigate the evils, the losses are not so serious, for when 

 Orchid seeds germinate freely they provide for losses when 

 sown on a large scale. Nothing is gained by removing 

 the little seedlings from the seed pot or basket too early. 

 If thriving, they should be left until they are large enough 

 to be handled safely. But where there is overcrowding, 

 or "damping off," or decay from fungus, it is best to 

 remove some or all of the little seedlings in any stage 

 of growth to the store-pots. 



The store-pots should be returned to the seedling case, 

 or placed on a shelf near the glass in a warm, moist house, 

 where the seedlings should increase in size until they are 



