14 



The Florists' Review 



JulA' 14. 1921 



]'j\iro]n' (iiliiji4-(it;l()ssimis :iri' iiiiicli iiimr 

 l(0]iiil;ii-, ;iiiil justly sn. \Vc ciiii liinw 

 tlic I'liiinrr iMiii-li lii'ttcr t'i:in inw Imiki- 

 Jiriiii Iririids, liiil oiir Imt suinincrs rcn 

 di'i' the uiiiwiiiii ,-iiii| r.-iisiii^ 111' iMiiiii- 

 lof^lossmiis ilillii-iili ill ilic I'xtrciiu'. \\C 

 ••;ili, lidw ex cT, i:iiM' hilidcat t l('y;\s, lii;is 



SOCIlt t Icy.-l S, CXIililHMlilllllS, r;ity-| Ml Ins. 



/,yj;ii|)ct;illlliis, lii'iidioliimiis, \;iiii|;is ;ilhl 

 otliiT \;irii'tic's ;iiii| iii:iy In' iiinrc sin- 

 ci-sslnl with iidcint iiiihis than willi (idoii 

 1 1 1 o 1 ( I s ., 1 1 1 n s . 



I''ln\\ris .-irr lii'st t'cft ili/rd during the 

 most sunny nidiilhs nl' Ihi' yc-ir nnd a 

 Ipi-i^ht day, if [lossildc, sllould lie s(> 

 liilid I'lir tlir (i|iciatii)ii. It taki's an\- 

 whriT lidiii cijilit to sixteen nioiitlis I'nr 

 sir, I ]Mii|s lit' cMfth'vas, hrlias anil lii- 

 t^i'iiiiii- hylii'ids til i'i|i('M. OiH' si'i'liiin 

 (d' till- lady's sli|i|icr t'amilv i srlrni|M' 

 diiiin^ : will ri|'rji ill halt' the almNc 

 liiiif. I'lil Ihry air nl' im ini|Hirtant ti'adr 

 \aliii'. All li'i't ili/cij ]da]i1s vhnnM ha\i' 

 a ^immI, li'^ht |iiisitiiin, Imt this diir> nut 

 niran diii'rt sniishiui'. I'rurt i lifat inn 

 cninnirin-is dirrrtly tin' sexual jmrts are 

 lirmiylit tn^rthiM- and IIkwci-s will cdiii- 

 niiiiiT til witlirr ill a t'rw liouis. Wlicrr 

 liri's and ullirr insn-ls are nunifrinis 

 and arti\r it is widl to ]iiiitci-t tin' 

 llowris lit' till' srril |inidni-in^ ]dants as 

 widl as thiisr t'nini wliiidi )iidli'ii i^ tn hr 

 takrii, hy tyiuL; a jiin-r ul' i;au/r nViT 



thr 111. WITS." 



'I'hr siril |iimIs will sTarl til linrsi 

 wlii'ii ri]ii'nin;;' and mnsl thru lir i-ai'i'- 

 t'lilly wia|i|iri| in oil or tissiir |ia|uT, su 

 th;it spcils may not be li)st. I^acli rat 

 tli'\a |iiiil rontains an enorniniis nnmlier 

 dl' seeds. Some estimate the number of 



seeds as lii^li as L'dH.lMtO ]kt pod, but 

 none 111' us lias the time these busy da.vs 

 111 iu'dxc nr ilis]ii'<i\e I liese st at enn/iit s. 



Storing Pollen. 



, There are s|ieeial tubes ill whirli pol- 

 len ean lie stored t'or weeks or even 

 nioiiths and retain its \itality. This 

 |ierniits the erossiny; of \arieties bloom- 

 in;,'- at dilVereiit seasons. The best time 

 to sow i-attleya and other oreliid seeds 

 is s]iriiiy, t'liuii early March until Juno. 

 The worst time is midwinter or niid- 

 ^nminer. Si'eds will s{Miietiiiies {germi- 

 nate ill a wetdv or two. iSoinetimes 

 they will lie ilorinant a year or more 

 and then ^;erminate fnndy. Ay;aiil, a 

 tew ma.v start within a month or two, 

 and seedliuys will eiime from the same 

 jiot or ]ian for a i'on]ile of .\'ears. Quite 

 oft en the best hybrids start tlie last, so 

 do not be iiii|iatient, and remember that 

 one raiinot afford to be ot' a nervous 

 temperaineiit in raising orehids from 

 seed. 



The old plan used to be to sow seeds 

 111' the \arioiis sjieeies on tlie surfaces 

 of jKits and ]ians eontainiii^ i;rowinj{ 

 jibints. With eypripediuins this an- 

 swered Avell, and not infrecpieiitly lots 

 of lusty seedliujfs could be found Ror- 

 minatinR on the sides of the pots. This 

 plan of seedliny; raisiny; is still adopted, 

 Imt where aii.N' considerable nuinber are 

 to bi' sown a wooden case with a jjlass 

 top wliich is hiii{;ed and can l)e readil.v 

 lifted sliould be provided. This should 

 stand on a side benidi in a house where 

 a ininimiiin tem]ieratnre of (id decrees 

 can be maintained. The case should be 



Brassocattleyas Include Some of the Most Beautiful Orchid Hybrids. 



of suiiieient hei<jlit so that a little stag- 

 ing can be placed inside it, the legs of 

 which rest in a tray of w'ater, tilling 

 the entire bottom of tiie case. This is 

 to ])revcnt such marauders as shell 

 snails, sow bugs, roaidies and other de- 

 structive vermin from reaidiing the seed- 

 lings. 



Sowing the Seeds. 



There are a variet.v of ways to sow 

 oiadiid seeds. The one most generally 

 ado]>tcd is to use pots or pans varying 

 from four to six inches in diameter. 

 Fill these at least one-third their depth 

 with broken crocks. Over this pack fine 

 fern liber, cut up in small square pieces, 

 as firmly as possible, leaving a rounded 

 surface a little higher than the pot. Now 

 cut piece.s of eitlici burlap or coarse 

 bath towel a little larger than the sur- 

 faces of the receptacles and with a 

 jiointed stick tuck the edges of the 

 cloth around the sides in order to make 

 a firm and well rounded surface. Pre- 

 ])are a number of pots in this way. A 

 little jiractice will enable one to do the 

 work qiiicklv. Spray the surface of the 

 ])ots with a line, mist.v sjirayer and tlieu 

 sow the fine seeds as evenly as possible 

 over the surface. About 20,000 seeds 

 jier sipi;ire iiudi is said to be a fair 

 .allowance, but <lo not measure the space 

 or count the seeils. Place the pots or 

 ]paiis on the shelves inside the case, close 

 cover and ]irotect from sunshine. Special 

 small sprayiM's ar(> jirocurable for use on 

 orchid seedlings. 



Care of Seed Pots. 



It doiiends on the weathej and the 

 season of the year as to how many spray- 

 ings the seed pots will need. On hot days 

 four of five Hglit sprayings may be 

 necessary. On ila-rk days they may not 

 need any at all, but the surface of the 

 ]iots must not l)e allowed to become 

 dry. Keep the cover of the seed case 

 open for as short a time as possible, 

 guard against any air current reaching 

 it, \eiitilate a little as the seedlings 

 start to germinate, watcdi carefully for 

 any signs of mold or fungus, which .are 

 tlie bane of orchid seedling raisers, and 

 also keep a sharp lookout for any insect 

 pests wliiidi mav, in some unforeseen 

 way. secure admittance. These details 

 are ditficult to ap|ireciate properly and 

 by the beginner mav be considered like 

 so niuidi red tape and n(>edless work, but 

 a iiiimber of vears at the game of orchid 

 seedling raising has convinced the writer 

 that the first few weeks' care of the 

 seeds after sowing means ,a great deal. 

 A single day's neglect will easily ruin 

 an entire liatidi hnd anyone embarking 

 ill tlie business will find it a difTerent 

 lirojiosition from raisriig the seeds of 

 trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials and 

 veget;ibles. 



At one time I chopped fresh sphagnum 

 and mixed it with the fern fiber, but 

 later discarded it. Charcoal, of wh.'it is 

 called poultry size, is, however, good. 

 It holds moisture, sweetens the coni]iost 

 .'ind prevents fungus. Some can ad- 

 vaiita^'eously be mixed with the chopped 

 I'erii fiber. 



Other plans for seed sowing include 

 stretidiing biiria]) or a coarse bath towel 

 inside tlie se(>i|ling case without any 

 i-oni|iost lielow. Fasten the fabric so 

 it does not sag .ind sow the seeds on 

 it after dam|piiig. This answers quite 

 Well when a goodsi/ed liatch of seed 

 has to be sown. Pieces of board with a 

 rough surface and a soft grain may 

 also be usefully employed. 



