ORCHID 



teraction in such cases is to apply lire licat and ventila- 

 tion. A close, stagnant atmosphere is always to be 

 avoided. 



As a safeguard against excessive changes in humidity 

 a hygrometer should be Icept in each department to as- 

 certain and regulate the degrees of moistiiie, espp.'inlly 

 during fall and winter. When overalnuMlaTii, inoi-iin-.. 

 can be reduced by applying fire heat and vintihitimi. 

 and if insufficient by wetting down tij.- paths ami 

 shelves, or pits, and reducing the v.-iitilati..ii. W.ll 

 regulated departments should be kept as near as pos- 

 sible to 70° or 75° through the day or 80° to 8.5'' with 

 free ventilation, and about 80° at night. Just after 

 damping and watering it will (.ftiii rise t.. 8.")°, but this 

 is of no consequetiii . :,~ ii -> n i-.<-.^]<~. Oi-chids at 

 rest, such as Calair' - ' [' ' ' -, -hould be 



held at 65° to 75°. 1 I..- avoided, 



should it go below i>ii if.,, ,, n ; , any length 



tli>iri l.ut a small height to afford projier circulaticin 

 to thr ]i!aiits aii.l egress of overheated air, without los- 

 iii:.' ti'o mii.ti moisture. Having them on both sides 

 assists in av..iiling direct drafts, by using the side pro- 

 tected from the diiv.t win.l. 



One essential puini t" I i.l.ivd is this: When 



should ventilation li.- :i|.|.I;cii -- ,is to be of the most 

 possible benefit to tin- plant-: .\ii' must be given at all 

 times, when possible, to ki-t-p ilit- atmosphere active, as 

 well as to lower temperature, also to reduce the density 

 of moisture when excessive in close, inclement weather 

 and during the night. In bright weather ventilate 

 enough to allow egress of the licateil air. 



It is customary with some ■■nliivat'irs to rlose down 

 ventilators in wet weather ami dm in- ili' ni^clit to help 

 retain heat, etc. This is a scri.ius misiaki . It may show 

 no visible injury in bright wcatlur, « inii tin- density of 

 moisture in the atmosphere is at a minimum, but this 

 bad practice surely accounts for the decaying of many 

 young growths, which are lost during wet, close and 

 cloudy nights. 



P)-o/)(if/((^;ni,.-!\Intiv sppcir-s of Orchiils can bo propa- 

 gated by (iivisinn ami ti-Mm mttin-s, Tliis is nsnally 



1169 



buy freshly imported stock, as it often takes two, three 

 or more years to bring the young plants up to the flow- 

 ering stage. 



The pseudobulbous species, such as Cattleyas, Odon- 

 toglossums, Coelogynes, etc., are pro]iaLMtiil by cuttim,' 

 part way through the rhizome three ur im-rr ps.n.lu- 

 bulbs behind the lead with a sharii knitv. 'I'liis will 

 usually retard the sap and force the dcniinnit . y,- h.liin.l 

 the cut to grow. The back portion may tlieul>e removed 

 and potted or basketed separately, or left on the plant 

 to mature the new growth, and be removed when it 

 starts action the following season. 



With the deciduous Calantbes, the oM bulbs should 



eral together, in pans or flats and partly cia .iid with 

 sphagntim or potting compost until ttit*\- siait ti. iri-uw, 

 when they should be potted in the r.-^-ular way. Tliu- 

 nias are easily propagated after the ynunu' ^nowtlis are 

 well advanced, by cutting the last yrar's si, ms into 

 pieces 4 or 5 inches long and inserting' tlir , mis in 

 chopped sphagnum and sand, placing tln-m in iIm' pio pa- 

 gating house until they grow, when they may have tlieir 

 normal heat. Dendrobiums are managed in much the 

 same way, or the old canes can be laid on wet sphag- 

 num, when many will produce new growths from the 

 side eyes on the nodes. Aerides and Vandas are in- 

 creased by removing the upper portion with a sharp 

 knife, leaving a few roots and at least a foot of stem to 

 each top. The old bases of the stems usually break new 

 growths freely, often producing several new shoots 

 from each. Cypripediuras should be divided between 

 the older growths, leaving at least one old growth with 

 each lead, and potted separately, allowing them a little 

 intil they start to grow. Masdevallias 



OECHID 



and allied genera can be separated in thi 

 leaving several leaves and one or more 

 leads to each piece. All species should 

 at the commencement of the growing se; 



Jfeprodurfion of Orrhhls from Stffl.- 

 tion of Orchids from sfeil thri.nL-li .-ross 



time very many beautiful hvbricls have sprung into cul- 

 tivation, and to the late firm of Pitcher & Manda, of 

 Short Hills, N. J., much credit is due for the fine work 



thev carried on iuthisUne. Manvof our establishments, 



degrr, „ ,.• ^ ,, ,■ I I,. ,, •, .,- ;s very 



l)f rx, iv;-, ,1 iii IK, ~, 1. > I i.-ii .:( piiip.i' spin, s for the 

 WMi-k, Ml .ill III- 1 liai III, 1 . -hits may be an improvement 



■|'li,. -.s-,! I., ,11 111- p,ir,iii -lii.uld possess a good, vig- 

 oiMus ,-,,iisTitiii i,,ii. ,,t t III u'la, wing and flowering habit, 

 as till' hvliriil- ii-iially follow this parent in form of 

 growth, ami ill. p,, 111 II parent in color of flower. Fer- 

 tilizati..ii is .111 ,1. ,1 l.y placing one or more of the pol- 

 linia I.I- piilliii iiiass,.s on the stigma of the flower to be 

 fertillz.'.l, s.-l.-i-tin- always plants <.f r.-latively the same 

 genus for tin- ..],.rat hm. ' ( 'imssis l.,,i w .•en genera widely 



prove fiiiitliss, f,.r though til.- ovary may become Stimu- 

 lated by f..ii-i:;ii p..|linia ami an apparently successful 

 cross I.."- .-tt.-.-t.-.l. till- seeds will either fail to mature or 

 the results will folhiw the seed parent in every detail. 

 It tak.-s ahont a year to ripen the seed of most Or- 

 chids in .mr i-limat.-, with exceptions in a few genera. 

 Masdi-vallias niainr.- in about six months and Selenipe- 



Tln- s, , ,|s i;, I iniiiati h. st when sown soon after nia- 

 turitv. ami nianv l.is,, tli.ir vitality in a few months if 

 kept'too dry and warm. Wh. n s,.winu' th.- s,,,|s tln- 

 best results are often olitaim-.l \ili.ii ili.-x an- .I11-1..I 

 on the surface of pots oi- has L.is ,-,.111:1111111- a plani .f 

 the same genus as the s. -I-. I ami .a n! iill\ « ai. ri-.i \v n h 

 a very fine rose until tht-y l..-.-.iiii.- aita.-ht.l. wai.lniiL' 

 carefully for snails, slugs, ami .1. |.rr.laii.i s m -in.i ,1 

 that infest the compost. The pots ..1- hask. t- -. I, , i. I 

 should have a favorable-lookiiiir siu-la.-.-. \\iili ili. ..mi 

 post in good condition, firm ami tr..- from 1 1111:1 i I -1 

 pots or baskets that -n'ill not lia\.to I,.- .lisiuri,, ,i i ,r ;, 

 i it often tak.-s that hii-lh of inn.- 1..l- 



of the same inat. rial' as Unit for the 

 parent, but cur a trilh- tin.-r. 



Many tiny ser-.llings ar.- lost short- 

 ly after germinating, through the 

 soil becoming sour or through fungi. 

 When thus at- 

 acked they 



k 







1585 Th 



1584. 

 Newly germinated Fig. I.j84 illus 



seedling. trates a newly 



(.Phaius hiibridiis) (,'errainated .seed- v&r. Sanderce.) 



ling of Phnius 

 Jr./hr!iliix ; Fig. I.i,s5 a three-months - old seedling of 

 Cypripediiim insi^ne. var. .s-.i.. /. , ,1 . in pi,.p.-r con- 

 dition to be transferred to a 1 I j 1 -1,. eight- 

 months-old plant of Phaiiix II I - l.a87 a 



twelve-months-old hybrid Cattl. \ ,. ' . ,lii: x C. 



lahinta); Fig. 1.588 a Cypripediiim ii,iit,,ii m,.i,tbsold; 

 Fig. 1589 a two-year-old hybi 



and 



The raising of Orchids 



encour. 



