﻿THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



[July, 1904. 



capsule shows signs of maturity, by becoming yellow and beginning to open 

 at the tip, it is cut, and the seed is scattered lightly on the surface of the 

 compost of plants suspended from the roof. A small lead label is then 

 clipped over the edge of the pot, containing a number, which agrees with the 

 one in the record book, in which the history of every cross is carefully 

 entered. The compost on which the}- are -own is practically fibrous peat 

 (details are given later), as the partial surfacing of sphagnum is kept clipped 

 short by a pair of fine pointed scissors as fast as it grows, to prevent it from 

 choking the young seedlings, and in this care has to be taken not to damage 

 the latter. From the moment the seed is sown the compost is never allowed 

 to get dry for a moment, and this condition is easily secured by the use of 

 a fine sprayer as often as necessary. Roller blinds of thick canvas are 

 used for shading, but only when necessary, as Mr. Crawshay is an advocate 

 of giving plenty of light. Ventilation and damping down of course receive 

 careful attention, the aim being to keep a moist, genial atmosphere without 

 extremes of temperature either way. Germination takes place quickly, if 

 the seed is good and the conditions right, but the young seedlings are not 

 touched until they show the first true root. They arc then pricked off on 

 to pots of new compost, over which is placed for a few days an inverted 

 glass pot, thus helping to preserve a moist atmosphere until they are estab- 

 lished, at the same time affording ventilation through the central hole. 

 These pots are practically bell glasses with a hole in the centre, and in 

 practice the insides are seen to be constantly covered with dew. After this 

 the seedlings are potted on, as necessary, and treated like established 

 plants. Of secret there is none, the whole thing resolves itself into provid- 

 ing the necessary conditions by constant care and attention, and anyone 

 who can grow Odontoglossums well may hope to succeed. This, of course, 

 does not apply to those who can merely keep them alive, and it should 

 always be remembered that a little temporary neglect, which might leave 

 no visible effect on established plants, may ruin a batch of delicate seed- 

 lings. "Always remember that they must be treated like babies" is a 

 motto for those who wish to raise seedling Odontoglossums. 



THE RESULTS AIMED AT. 



The object in view is primarily to raise a number of handsome 

 garden plants, but at the same time Mr. Crawshay hopes to throw some 

 light on those beautiful wild forms known as blotched and spotted 

 crispums, some of which, though not belonging to recognised natural 

 hybrids, are yet suspected to be of partially hybrid origin. There are 

 seedlings from about sixty choice crosses, and a few of them should 

 throw light on what may be taking place in Nature, though the majority 

 are from forms which do not grow together in a wild state. One point 

 which these experiments are expected to elucidate is how far reversion 



