48 ORCHIDS : HOW TO GROW THEM SUCCESSFULLY. 



destruction, and a constant surveillance maintained of all Dendrobiums 

 and other plants growing in the same house in order to stop further 

 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. 

 Eed 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 dry and hot from excessive fire heat. 



ORCHIDS 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 Lselias and 

 some others do not bloom perhaps under seven to twelve years, but 

 despite this slow progress, keen interest is felt by the raiser and 

 cultivator of the plants, from their earliest 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 haphazard 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 structure may, however, be crossed with more 

 propriety; Cattleyas, Laelias, Sophronitis and Epideridrums having a 

 close resemblance in structure fertilise more readily. Oncidiums and 

 Odontoglossums also cross freely, and form pods of seeds, but I believe 

 very few hybridists have been successful in raising plants from these 

 crosses. Even Oncidiums and Odontoglossums, if kept to their own 

 genera, are most difficult to raise from seed, very few instances being as 

 yet reported. Cypripediums are the most easy to raise, and have been 

 crossed and recrossed to such an extent that the family is now a very 

 extensive one; and of late years many beautiful hybrids have been 

 produced also of Dendrobiums and Cattleyas, and no doubt many 

 more surprises are in store, and other treasures will year by year be 

 seen. It is easy to imagine the anxiety and pleasure of the hybridist 

 when he finds his seedling plants advancing to the flowering state and 

 showing their first bloom buds, and still further their development into 

 full bloom. In order to preserve them to a long life the plants should 



