116i 



ORCHID 



turn. In nearly all Orchids the stigmas and anther are 

 carried up by an elongation of the floral axis, to which 

 in this instance the name "column" is applied. In Gon- 

 gora the petals and dorsal sepal are carried far away 

 from their normal position. 



The fruit of Orchids is a dry capsule requiring a long 

 time to ripen, so that if an Orchid is fertilized during 

 one rainy season its seeds are not disseminated until 

 the next wet season. Very few fleshy fruits occur in 

 this family. The seeds are minute and extremely nu- 

 merous, thus compensating, perhaps, for the uncer- 

 tainty of fertilization. 



The Orchids are distributed over the entire world. 

 They are most numerous in the tropics, becoming rare 

 in the cold zones. They are chiefly collected in three 

 regions, the South American region embracing Mexico, 

 South America and the neighboring islands. Most of 

 the large genera are found in this region (Epidendrum, 

 Pleurothallis, Oncidium, Odontoglossura, etc.). The 

 second region, embracing India and the Malay Islands 

 to Australia, is rich in genera, but most of them are 

 small, containing far less than one hundred species. 

 The largest genus of this region is Dendrobium, with 

 300 species. The South African region contains few 

 terrestrial Orchids, of which Disa is the only one of 

 importance in cultivation. Heinrich Hasselbring. 



Part III. The Culture of Orchids. 



Introductory. — During the early days of Orchid cul- 

 ture the treatment of the plants under glass was imper- 

 fectly understood, and with the meager knowledge of 

 the natural conditions «iirrnnii(iing them in their native 



habitats, little su. "ful ,„o-r..ss was made for many 



years. The few culiiiiiil .In .iticms to be found were in 

 works of foreign |iul.liiaii"n. scarcely applicable to 

 plants grown in our h"usis in America, where the 

 winters are severe and chaugeable and the heat of our 

 summers more intense and less humid, necessitating a 

 different mode of treatment. With a more satisfactory 

 understanding of their requirements during the last 

 25 or 30 years. Orchid culture here has made a rapid ad- 

 Tance and most of our best collections have come into 

 existence, many of which offer a very favorable com- 

 parison in fine, well-grown specimens with those of the 

 Old World. 



Orchid Bouaea and Their Oonsfriic^on. -Various are 

 the opinions of cultivators regarding the proper con- 

 struction of Orchid houses to obtain the best results. 

 Tweuty-flve or more years ago many fine specimens of 

 Orchids were grown without a special house, along with 

 general stove and greenhouse plants, and we still find 

 many good plants cultivated in this manner, but where 

 a general collection of Orchids is grown four separate 

 houses or <li\i-ions will be found necessary to obtain 

 the best r, -uli- I'Im'^.- ure known as the"East Indian," 

 "Brazilian. ' M.m ,ui ' and "New Granadan," or Odon- 



tOglOSSUni i|r|.:iflin. 1:1^. 



The East In.l.ni i |. .■Ihm 'M r.-quires a winter tem- 

 perature of 6.V 1 r ' _-lit and 70° to 75° F. by 

 day; a few dejir. - - in heat will do no harm. 

 The temperatiin ilually increased 10 de- 

 greestowarduii'l- i iilually decreased toward 

 late fall. This i~ , use and is used for the 

 cultivation of A. r \ i. i us, the warmer tropical 

 Cypripediums, 11 ( .lauthes, Dendrobiums 

 and Thunias whil. l-i-v h.^. 



The Brazilian departnu-iit should range during winter 

 from 60° to 65° P. at night and about 70° P. during the 

 day, allowing a few degrees more with solar heat, and a 

 rise of 10 degrees toward midsummer. This department 

 is for Bulbophylluras, Cattleyas, warm Epidendrums, 

 Brazilian Laelias, Miltonias of the ouneata and specta- 

 bilis sections, Odontoglossum citrosmiim, Stanhopeas, 

 and various genera and species requiring a like tem- 

 perature. 



The Mexican department is used chiefly for the culti- 

 vation of Umlogi/ne eristata, Mexican Laelias, growing 

 Lycastes, Anguloas and Acinetas, many species of Max- 

 illaria, a majority of the Oncidiums and warm Odonto- 

 glossums, Phaius and allied species which require a few 

 degrees lower night temperature and usually a little 

 more sunlight to ripen their tissue for flowering than is 



ORCHID 



afforded in the Brazilian department. It is also invalu- 

 able for resting Dendrobiums and many other deciduous 

 and terrestrial Orchids. 



The New Granadan or Odontoglossum department 

 must be kept as cool as possible in summer, and during 

 winter should range from nr,° to 60° by night and 00° to 

 65° P. by dav. ami as f,.,,l as possil.lM .liivintr summer; 



it is used l>r n.alU |..|1I:i-|.a :illl.-i-. I l.l'.M.i^'losSUmS, 



more esprii.. '' , : i. ra, Disas, 



cool Onci.liii ... ,,» and O. 



varicosuni, \.- I'l'- ;ii xiinn ■» . i' hi i . i ml many other 

 individual sptaues from hisrh altitu.l.'s wlii.-h require a 

 cool house at all seasons or they suffer from the heat 

 of our summer. 



The fundamental principle in building an Ori-liid house 

 is to get a .structure that can be easily In i:. ■] n, ! -,. ' . Ii 

 has a naturally moist atmosphere, wiil ■ ' ■ ■ _: 



deeply, for houses built much below i:r 

 lation and almost alwavs prove dctni : ' ■ ,1 



culture. Thellons..sl..x,-P,,ti,,I.'tht. N.xs (,; ,i.,. ;:,.. I ., 



should be Imill l.. run n..rili .mi. I -..iiili Willi an .a-t anil 



westexposni- ;i , r. .an ■■ ilin 1.1 m- 



fit of the .an II I ,■,_ in ,1 . I . II n Mm. w itli llie 



least possilil.. Ii. alin^r .-li. -t^ tr.mi 11 at n....mlay, thus 

 making little vi-ntilation necessary; atmospheric mois- 

 ture will be more easily retained in such a structure. 

 The houses maybe as long as required (with the potting- 



shed at the north end to avoid unnecessary shade and 

 protect the houses in winter against severe north wind), 

 and about 16 ft. wide, which will allow two side beds of 

 2'-i ft. cacli. two walks of the same width, and a center 



,ijt ii II. « 1,1,., ir n ■ i,iri,l-, -lu.uldbelO ft. and to 



til, ,1.1 .'■ |..n . . r~ should extend along 



l„,tl, i, - ;, . ,1 , . '. L.ti-ction from direct 



,-,, I, I VI in I, I ,:.,.:. - II ij I... II -in- the sheltered side. 



Side vent ilai I' I. i- ir n ,..-sary atid often injurious, 

 i-iii_- nlants which are out of condi- 



the direct 

 tionto shr 



Inghizin 



li III li n-, - the glass used should not be 

 ..;;,,_.,. r if I". v-il. I.- Itisalsoim- 



... I .. : '..- ..■■ .i.i, I..' used, free 



from 1. II-, - ii"i shading 



is r..iii,n , ■! I'. ■■ - .- ^ I . . ■.. ,. I - . I, rred when 

 it .n.n i.i. Ii.n!, a- I ... .1,1,1111- n,. |i n-, - ami fives a pure 

 ,.v,ii li_!ii ir :!ii- is usi-.l a size al.out Hi x 24 in. will 

 1m- I nil \i I, -.rviceable. Poor glass should not be 

 U-..I HI aiiN . :i-i . as it necessitates shaiing long before 

 tlii^ i- li. ii..|l.ial t.i the plants. 



The outside walls should be built of brick or stone 

 when possible, and the beds and pits within should be 

 of the same material, 8 in. thick and about 3 ft. in height, 

 filled solid to the top, using stone or rubble for drainage 

 in the bottom, following it up with finer material and 

 finishing with an inch or two of fine gravel. Wooden 

 benches may be used if desired, often with first-class 

 results, by covering thera 2 or 3 inches deep with ashes, 

 sand or gravel, but the solid benches are more sure to 

 give better satisfaction. They give off moisture more 

 gradually and offer a cool footing for the plant both 

 winter and summer, which is essential and natural. 



Good results will follow from either steam or hot water 

 heatingwhen both are properly conducted, steam neces- 

 sitating, perhaps, more care. Unless tlic raiigi- of 

 glass is large and a night fireman is kept, the ol.i-fash- 



