28 



The Florists^ Review 



March 11, 1920 



RAISING ORCHIDS FROM SEED. 



In Infancy in America. 



The restriction recently placed by the 

 Federal Horticultural Board on the im- 

 portation of orchids has given the or- 

 chid grower an extremely difficult prob- 

 lem to solve, especially the florist who 

 has depended absolutely upon importa- 

 tions, states the Missouri Botanical 

 Garden Bulletin. Orchid raising is in 

 its infancy in this country, the Ameri- 

 can hybrids possibly aggregating not 

 more than one per cent of those tabu- 

 lated in the orchid stud book. In Euro- 

 pean countries hybrids have been raised 

 for years, in the various private collec- 

 tions, particularly in England and. Bel- 

 gium. During the war the finest collec- 

 tions of the latter, however, were lost. 



In recent years the florist has sold 

 cattleyas at almost the same price as 

 roses and commoner flowers, and con- 

 siderable experience has been required 

 to place the coveted flower within this 

 reach. It is generally conceded that 

 the cattleyas of the labiata type de- 

 teriorate under artificial cultivation, 

 and periodical importations from the 

 tropics, by the thousands of cases, 

 have been necessary to maintain the 

 floral supply. If the future supply will 

 all have to be raised from the almost 

 microscopic seeds the minimum period 

 of five years will be necessary, and the 

 orchid flower will again be the choice 

 rarity of the millionaire. 



Requires Long Period. 



The germination of the seeds depends 

 upon the action of a symbiotic mycor- 

 rhizal root fungus, without which fail- 

 ure is certain. During the entire period 

 from pollination to the flowering stage 

 the plants demand constant attention. 

 Eight to ten months is necessary from 

 the pollination of the flower to the 

 ripening of the seel ])od and at least 

 five years from pollination to produc- 

 tion of flowers. Thus, while the orchid 

 hybridist is waiting for his seeds to de- 

 velop, otlier liybridists exporimenting 

 with sweet peas, carnations, water lilies, 

 etc., have succeeded in raising their 

 plants to til* coveted flowering stage. 

 Few florists will therefore undertake to 

 raise the trade cattleyas from seed. 



Small Opportunity for Florist. 



Insects upon imported orchid plants, 

 according to our observations covering 

 a number of years, are extremely rare. 

 In fact, during the last fourteen years, 

 only two shipments were infested with 

 borers. These are commonlv referred 



to as orchid fly and the dendrobium 

 beetle, and their extermination, accord- 

 ing to our exjieriments, was a simple mat- 

 ter. In the early stage the presence of 

 the larva' is indicated by an abnormal 

 swelling of the young growth from 

 strap-shaped to pear-shaped. Orchids 

 are generally imported to a permanent 

 destination, unlike roses, carnations, 

 etc., which are annually vegetated to be 

 shipped to all parts of the country, and 

 it is therefore policy for the florist to 

 keep his plants under strict observation 

 for depredating insects. 



Unless the government order is re- 

 scinded, the florist will have to turn 

 from the showy epiphytic type^ to the 

 teri;estrial or semi-terrestrial lady 's- 

 slippers. Raising even this variety from 

 seed would not be profitable. The pres- 

 ent stock of orchids in ths country may 

 be rapidly increased, however, by the 

 annual division of the vegetative 

 growths which readily adapt themselves 

 to this medium of propagation. In the 

 western states it is essential to divide 

 the parent plants periodically to in- 

 crease flower production. 



ceed the capacity of the exhibition 

 halls. More than $300,000 worth of or- 

 chids, it is estimated, will be shown. 



Albert C. Burrage, who has the largest 

 private collection of orchids in this coun- 

 try, will make an exhibit from his 

 twenty or more greenhouses at Orchid- 

 vale, near Beverly Farms, which will 

 completely fill the large lecture hall. 

 The hall will be arranged' with trees, 

 palms and other tropical vegetation, 

 with the orchids growing on them as 

 they do in their native haunts. Although 

 made to appear like a section of the 

 tropical jungle, the various plants will 

 be displayed to show each one to the best 

 advantage. Orchid growers of Boston, 

 western Massachusetts, New Jersey, New 

 York and Philadelphia will exhibit at 

 the coming show. 



Assistant Director E. H. Wilson, of the 

 Arnold Arboretum, announces that that 

 institution will make an exhibit of some 

 130 Japanese azaleas which have never 

 before been shown in this country. These 

 plants were secured from Japan and are 

 now being prepared in the famous 

 Sargent greenhouses at Brookline so that 

 they will be in flower at the time of the 

 exhibition. There will also be large ex 

 hibits of other plants, but the orchids 

 will be the main feature of the show, 

 more than $3,500, in addition to gold, 

 silver and bronze medals, having been 

 allotted for prizes for this class of plants 

 and flowers alone. 



BIG SHOW AT BOSTON. 



An unusual number of rare orchids 

 will be exhibited at the orchid show of 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 

 at Horticultural hall, Boston, March 24 

 to 28. Applications for space will ex- 



ORCHIDISTS TO ORGANIZE. 



A meeting will be held at Horticul- 

 tural hall, Boston, Thursday evening, 

 March 25, at 7:30 o'clock to discuss the 

 desirability of forming a national orchid 

 society for America. This date is the 

 second day of the great orchid show to 

 be held there and all orchid lovers are 

 cordially invited to attend. With so 

 many growers and fanciers visiting Bos- 

 ton's big show, it is believed to be an 

 opportune time to start such a society. 



W. N. C. 



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MOTT-LY MUSINGS 



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"Whatever the message. 

 Where'er it be sent, 



If courtesy, condolence. 

 Or welcome is meant, 



Say It with Flowers! " 



' ' Exactly, ' * observed Henry Eber- 

 hardt, of the Rosendale Flower Shop, 

 Schenectady, N. Y., "and now that old 

 Sol is beaming forth again, we shall be 

 able to say the message more easily. 

 What is most surprising is the philos- 

 ophy of our patrons under the recent 

 stress. It affords every reason to an- 

 ticipate a banner Easter business." 



* * * * 



Frend Goldring, of Slingerlands, 

 N. Y., is one of the growers upon whom 

 the Albany trade relies to help out at 

 Easter. A fine crop of lilies, hydrangeas 

 and roses was noted. 



* * * * 



W. W. Hannell, of Watervliet, N. Y., 

 is another successful grower. Roses, hy- 

 drangeas and cytisus are among the 

 principal items that are in prime shape 

 for Easter. 



F. A. Danker, of Albany, N. Y., re- 

 ports big business and a fine assortment 

 of stock for Easter trade. 



* • * * 



Sambrook Bros., of Troy, N. Y., note 

 the fact that with Easter so near, it will 

 be a question of sun heat for much 

 flowering stock, although the long days 

 will help greatly. From inquiries and 

 orders booked, a record-breaking Easter 

 business is looked for. 



• • * * 



E. V. B. Felthousen, Schenectady, 

 X. Y., is one of the unfortunate victims 

 of the recent storm. While the loss of 

 glass was not heavy, yet since the snow 

 is piled up level with the top of the 

 smokestack, necessitating tunneling into 

 the greenhouses, the possibility of a 

 heavy rain or sudden thaw is viewed 

 with concern. "Just the same, we are 

 pushing ahead with spring stock, believ- 

 ing the demand will be equal to, if not 

 beyond, that of last season," observed 

 the philosophic grower. The geranium is, 

 as usual, the big leader at this establish- 

 ment. W. M. 



