1162 



ORCHID 



ORCHID 



The middle part of this century is remarkable for the 

 great number of new and striking kinds of Orchids dis- 

 covered. Immense sums were paid for single new plants. 

 The fabulous prices paid for novelties caused collectors 

 to scour every part of the tropics, risking their lives in 



1565. Vanda, an example ot monopodial growth 

 in Orchids. 



the mountains, jungles and fever-haunted swamps in 

 search of these wondrous plants. At the present time 

 collectors are still engaged in searching the tropics, but 

 striking novelties are rarely introduced. Large quanti- 

 ties of Orchids are annually imported to replenish north- 

 ern hothouses. It is probable that large sums for single 

 plants have been paid more frequently for Orchids than 

 for any other class of plants. A thousand dollars for a 

 unique plant is perhaps paid less frequently nowadays 

 than in the middle of the century. Nevertheless the 

 interest in Orchids is not declining. On the contrary, the 

 love for Orchids is becoming more widespread. There 

 never has been any distinct Orchid craze followed by a 

 severe reaction, as in the case of the tulip, dahlia, zinnia, 

 camellia, etc., but the interest has gradually extended 

 and is likely always to increase steadily. 



Cut- Flowers. The use of Orchids as cut-flowers is 

 slowly becoming more and more general. Many kinds 

 are easily cultivated with general florists' plants and are 

 thus becoming widespread in cultivation ( Cypripedium, 

 Cattleya, Laelia). As yet none of the Orchids can be 

 regarded as florists' flowers in the same sense as roses 

 and carnations. Their use is mostly restricted to special 

 purposes, although they are gaining in popularity. Cat- 

 tleya, Cypripedium and Dendrobium are, perhaps, the 

 only genera listed in the wholesale market during mid- 

 winter. The wonderful keeping qualities of Orchids as 

 cut-flowers are well known. An Orchid flower loses its 

 beauty within a few hours after fertilization. 



Orchid Hybrids. One of the most fascinating phases 

 of Orchid culture is the production of hybrids. By 

 crossing of different species and even genera numerous 

 new Orchids have been produced, many of which are 

 superior to the natural species. In some genera the 

 hybrids now far outnumber the original species, notably 

 Leeliocattleya. 



A large and special literature on Orchids has grown 

 up. Magnificent periodicals, with descriptions and 

 colored plates, have been entirely devoted to Orchids. 

 Notable among these are "Lindenia," Ghent, 1895 and 

 continuing; "Reichenbachia." published by Sander. 



"The Orchid Album," by R. Warner and B. S. Williams, 

 London, 1882-96; "L'Orchidophile," Paris, 1881-1893, 

 and the "Orchid Review," London, 1893 and continuing, 

 are more popular journals devoted to Orchids. Among 

 the larger monographs are Bateman's "The Orchidace 

 of Mexico and Guatemala, "and "A Monograph of Odon- 

 toglossum," by the same author. Many plates and 

 descriptions of Orchids occur in the "Botanical Maga- 

 zine" and in the "Botanical Register." Many of Reich- 

 enbach's new species were described in the "Gardener's 

 Chronicle." Among the manuals which have appeared 

 are "A Manual of Orchidaceous Plants Cultivated under 

 Glass in Great Britain," by A. H. Kent, issxied in parts 

 by James Veitch and Sons, and " Orchids : Their Culture 

 and Management," by W. Watson. No comprehensive 

 American work has as yet appeared. A list of all known 

 hybrids, however, is given by Geo. Hansen, "The Or- 

 chid Hybrids," 1895, including first supplement; second 

 supplement, 1897. This is an American work. 



Species in the American Trade. Orchids are mostly 

 advertised in special catalogues. All the names found 

 in the catalogues of Wm. Mathews (1890), John Saul 

 (1893-6), Pitcher & Manda (1895), and Siebrecht & 

 Wadley are accounted for in this Cyclopedia so far as 

 possible. Some catalogues of European dealers who 

 have American agents as Sander & Co. are included. 

 The Mathews collection has fewer species now than in 

 1890, but it is larger in a general collection of commer- 

 cial kinds. The collections of Saul and of Pitcher & 

 Manda are dispersed, and many of the rarer and more 

 difficult subjects have doubtless perished. In the na- 

 ture of the case it is impossible to determine at any 

 given time what species of Orchids are cultivated in 

 America. Ths great private collections contain many 

 rare kinds imported through foreign dealers. Many 

 species which are known to be cultivated by American 

 amateurs, have been included in this work, although the 

 species are not listed in American catalogues. 



PART II. BOTANICAL ACCOUNT OF ORCHIDS. 



All Orchids are perennial herbs which increase in one 

 of two ways. The simplest form which the vegetative 

 axis may assume is that of a monopodial stem which 

 increases by the continual growth of the terminal bud. 

 Monopodial stems occur in Angraecum, Vanda (Fig. 

 1565), Phalsenopsis, etc. Lateral branches may be 

 formed, but they do not interrupt the growth of the 

 main axis, and never exceed it in length. The growth 

 may be interrupted by a period of rest, but this is not 

 manifested on the stem by the formation of scales, etc. 



1566. Dendrobium ; a sympodial Orchid with 



lateral flower shoots. 



The dark and light parts, a a and 6 6, represent each 

 the growth of one shoot. 



All the leaves are similar. The inflorescence consists 

 of a separate axillary branch bearing bracts and flowers. 

 In the greater number of Orchids the terminal bud 

 ceases to grow at the end of the season, either terminat- 

 ing in the inflorescence or blindly. The new growth. 



