ORCHIDS : HOW to GROW THEM SUCCESSFULLY. 



THE CULTURE OF ODONTOGLOSSUM 

 CRISPUM AND ALLIED KINDS, 



DONTOGLOSSUM crispum is probably the most popular orchid 

 in cultivation. No doubt it is a most lovely and serviceable 

 species, yet I could never quite understand how an admirer and 

 grower of orchids could cultivate this one species almost to the exclusion 

 of all others, still such is the case in a few instances. Of course O. 

 crispum is pretty, but it is absurd to say that it is prettier than hundreds 

 of other species of orchids. It is also interesting, especially when one 

 gets the mania for collecting the real cream of varieties, and the more 

 or less spotted forms. But to the lover of the beautiful, I cannot 

 possibly see how they can be more interesting than the majority of 

 other orchids, or even so much so. Still the fact remains, O. crispum 

 at the present day is a popular orchid, and I propose therefore to treat 

 it rather fully in this edition, yet as briefly as possible. 



Its cultivation is extremely easy when properly taken into hand, 

 but otherwise it is apt to give a good deal of trouble. I advise all who 

 would grow it to perfection to avoid too much of the kind of treatment 

 that I will term "coddling," which will soon produce rootless drawn 

 specimens that are unable to bear the strain of a strong spike of bloom. 



Some Orchids will adapt themselves very well to artificial treatment, 

 even though it may not be quite correct, and still do well, but this is 

 not so with the present species, and this fact renders it a rather risky 

 one for a new beginner to take in hand largely, before he has first 

 mastered the most vital points in its cultivation. It is, however, often 

 one of the first included in a newly formed collection, on the grounds 

 that it is a cool growing species. I will now describe what I have 

 found to be the most successful treatment, which on the whole will, 

 I think, be found pretty correct, and I can conscientiously recommend 

 its adoption by those who wish to succeed thoroughly well. 



THE HOUSE. I greatly prefer a low-built span -roof house, running 

 north to south, either wide enough to admit of a centre step-like stage 

 in addition to the side stages, or the latter only. Such a span-roofed 

 house is not however absolutely necessary, for they may be grown in 

 any other shaped house, and it may be in almost any position, from an 

 aspect of due south to north, the management of course varying 

 accordingly. Whatever the structure selected, the means of ventil- 

 ation, both at top and bottom, must be ample, and the stages must be so 

 arranged so as not to be too far away from the roof-glass. The furthest 



