6 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[OctohtT, 1915. 



CATTLEYAS FOR CUT FLOWERS 



IT is ;i well established fart that the trade 

 for Orchid Ijlocim has not siifiered 

 to the same extent as that of many 

 other classes of flowers at the hands of the 

 price-cutting competitor ; for the greater part 

 of the year the demand for first-class Cattleya 

 blooms is in excess of the sujiply. Certain it 

 is that there are periods when returns are 

 lower than usual, as, for instance, at the height 

 of the flowering season of Cattleya Mossijp, 

 but, as a rule, this state of thmgs does not 

 last for long, and when once the back of this 

 crop is broken there is a rise to the normal 

 and more satisfactory ])rices. 



The cause of this fall is, no dou])t, tlie great 

 quantity of flowers of this particular species 

 that find tlieir way into tlie markets, mainly 

 due to the large imjiortations of collected 

 pieces which have reached these shores during 

 recent jears, often to be sold at \er\' low 

 figures, thus causing a glut of flowers in their 

 season. lint even then it is a (juestion 

 whether the crop is not remunerative. It is 

 seldom that a lower figure than C)9.. per dozen 

 is reached even on a chance sale, and although 

 cases have been known where returns have 

 been lower than this they can only be 

 reckoned as rare exceptions. 



Anyone contemplating taking up this 

 interesting and attractive branch of the trade 

 would do well to pay very careful attention to 

 the stocking of the houses, for by this means 

 only can the desired result be brought about. 

 No haphazard buying of plants must be 

 tolerated, but each purchase be made in 

 accordance with a fixed p]an of getting 

 together such a stock of plants, both species 

 and hybrids, as will maintain a regular and 

 even supply of flowers throughout the year. 

 This is one of the chief items towards 

 establishing and holding a successful market 

 and shop trade ; the grower should, by 

 careful selection, build uj) his stock in 

 accordance with this idea. 



Although it is upon species that we must 

 rely for the bulk of flowers, yet judicious 

 selections of quantities of hybrids should be 

 introduced with a view to filling in the 



otherwise inevitable blank periods between 

 the respective flowering seasons. Such 

 hybrids may be picked up very reasonably 

 now, as owing to the great advance made by 

 hybridists during recent years many of the 

 one-time good things are of little more value 

 than ordinary f^arlia and Cattle)'a species. 

 .Strong and healthy pieces only should be 

 purchased, whether established or freshl}' 

 imported, and it is advisable to invest as much 

 as possible in imported stuff, for there is 

 always the chance of getting one or two 

 really good things, which, if well disposed of, 

 might pay for the whole consignment or a 

 large part thereof. 



To a large extent the sale for Orchid bloom 

 is a bespoke trade, and, s|)eaking generall)', 

 there is room for a better sup|il)- during the 

 autumn and winter months. It is at these 

 periods and during early spring that prices 

 rule higher than otherwise. A good stock of 

 Cattleya Gaskelliana, labiata, Triana^, and 

 any hybrids flowering about the same time, 

 should be grown. y\s regards prices realised 

 for individual species, Cattleya Warscewiczii 

 (C. gigas of the trade) takes the lead, although 

 this good point is handicapped by its shyness 

 of flowering. The variety Sanderiana is more 

 free in this respect than the type. One great 

 mistake made with this species by man_\' 

 amateurs is the use of too heavy shading 

 material during the growing and flowering 

 periods. When the growths are well advanced 

 only sufficient shade to prevent actual 

 fcorching of the foliage should be applied, 

 and all means emjiloyed to obtain that hard 

 and leathery texture of both pseudo-bulbs and 

 leaves as is seen on newly imported 

 ])lants. This condition can only be l^rought 

 about by thorough ripening with a maximum 

 of air and light. Therefore, this species 

 should be allotted either a separate house or 

 a com])lete ])ortion of one. Other plants, less 

 ada])ted to withstanding such extremes, can 

 then receive their requisite treatment. I make 

 no pretence at giving any very explicit 

 instructions as to growing Cattleyas, but I 

 would like, eit fassant^ to record an opinion 

 that many a man, otherwise a first-class 

 grower, is far too lavish with his shading and 



