04 



REPORT ON THE 



The Use of Manure in Orchid Growing. 



The Chairman : I have just had laid before me the question 

 of — what shall I say ? — the question of the use of manure in 

 the cultivation of Orchids. Now all manures are composed more 

 or less of substances of an aciduous nature, but I have had one 

 kind of manure brought to my notice which is quite free from 

 acid of any kind. It is the fish manure of Messrs. Jensen and 

 Co., of which firm Mr. Alfred Borwick, who is a member of our 

 Society, and who I hope is here to-day, is one of the proprietors. 

 I should like to call upon Mr. Borwick, if here, to tell us something 

 of the experience he has had in the cultivation of Orchids with 

 this particular kind of manure. 



Mr. Alfred Borwick then rose and said : I have some 

 difficulty in complying with the request of the Chairman in this 

 matter, because the idea of anything like manuring Orchids is 

 horrible to most Orchid growers. It has often been a source of 

 regret to me to see so many Orchids dwindle, if not possibly pass 

 out of existence, after they have heavily flowered, not from any 

 want of care or devotion, for that is generally in excess of the 

 demand, but apparently from a deficiency of strength, or in other 

 words a species of starvation. I am led to think this must be 

 the case from information conveyed by travellers and collectors, 

 that birds throng the trees upon which Orchids are found, and 

 that they supply in their dung a rich diet, containing, as it does, 

 ammonia, phosphoric acid, and some potash, which is washed by 

 the rains and dews into the interstices of the trunks, so that the 

 plants not only enjoy the advantage offered by residence on 

 living trees, but the stimulant and food provided by the 

 birds. Terrestrial Orchids in the same way have the 

 benefit of decaying vegetation, which supplies stores of 

 ammonia. As soon as plants come into house cultivation, 

 there is at once an end to these rich manurial provisions, 

 and they have to depend upon moss, peat, charcoal and crocks, 

 with possibly occasional charges of liquid manure, for their 

 subsistence. In all the soils and ingredients used for potting 

 Orchids there is little trace of potash or other manurial con- 

 stituent, and nothing goes to promote the development of fibre 

 in plants like potash. The aim is to produce bulbs of largest 

 size and firmest growth, but that is impossible unless there are 

 healthy roots in abundance, and these roots can obtain a sufficient 

 amount of nourishment to supply the fibres, of which the bulbs 



