312 THE ORCHID REVIEW. |OcTOBER, 1922. 
will not be recommended to any plants, the natural size and character of 
the flowers of which have been, in the opinion of the Committee, in any 
avay improved through disbudding or dressing.” 
With regard to Lelias and Cattleyas the conditions are somewhat 
different. The flower buds are considerably less in number, and in nearly 
every case are protected by a sheath until a short period before unfolding 
their segments. Plants of these and allied genera in a young state or 
immature condition are not free-flowering, and on that account the 
mecessity of disbudding does not occur so frequently. When, however, the 
cultivator deems it necessary to safegard the health of the plant by 
preventing it from flowering, it is usual to remove the whole spike and the 
accompanying protecting sheath. 
By the time the flower spike has prolonged itself beyond the sheath, the 
buds are so fully developed that the removal of any one or more of them 
can make but little difference to those remaining. The diminished spike of 
flowers certainly means less strain upon the plant, and in this respect 
there is a point worthy of consideration when valuable specimens are 
concerned. But if the actual size and qualities of the individual flowers 
are to be improved, then the removal of some of the buds must be effected 
several weeks in advance of the flowering period as in the case of Odonto- 
glossums. A periodical examination of any plants that have made sheaths 
is necessary to ascertain the early tormation of the flower buds. By 
passing the thumb and forefinger carefully down the outside of the sheath 
it is possible to ascertain by the thickening that occurs the precise position 
of the buds. Another method is to hold the plant up to a strong light, 
when the position and number of the buds can be determined by their 
shadow on the enveloping sheath. If any disbudding is decided upon, it 
should be done at the earliest opportunity by carefully removing the sheath, 
or a portion of it, and cutting off the undesired buds by a small and sharp 
knife. While some advocate the removal of the whole sheath for the 
purpose of disbubbing, others recommend taking off only the upper portion, 
but in this latter method a word of warning is necessary, for should water 
find its way into the cup-like structure thus formed and remain there 
during a period of colder weather, serious consequences, not only to the 
flower buds, but to the health of the whole plant will most probably occur. 
With regard to Dendrobiums, in which the flowers are formed in 
clusters on the various nodes of the bulbs, it will be found most advan- 
tageous in those cases where disbudding is necessary, to remove one or more 
from each cluster, instead of removing all those from the upper portion of 
the bulb-like stems. It is the common practice when selecting a flower for 
the purpose of having a painting made to send the finest one to the artist. 
This method is so generally accepted by horticulturists as being tbe best 
