Miirrh, 1916.] 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



139 



ence, and it matters but little whether they 

 are situated on trees or rocks, or cultivated in 

 baskets or pots. With but a few rare 

 exceptions Orchids are true epiphytes. 



How then do epiphytic Orchids obtain their 

 requisite nutriment? Soon after the com- 

 mencement of the new growth the root system 

 becornes active in order to procure the nutri- 

 ment necessary for sustaining the plant in a 

 vigorous condition. If the roots fail to find 

 the requisite food the plant will soon exhaust 

 itself, and the bulbs assume a shrivelled 

 appearance. An examination of the roots of 

 epiphytic Orchids will show that in the 

 majority of cases they are covered with a 

 sponge-like material, known as the velamen, 

 which has the power of absorbing atmospheric 

 moisture, as well as liquid nutriment, and by 

 this means supplying the bulbous stems of the 

 plant with food and water. Where long 

 periods of drought are experienced Nature 

 has provided the plants with correspondingly 

 larger bulbs, so that a greater amount of food 

 material may be preserved. 



It has already been pointed out that 

 epiphytic Orchids exist chiefly on the trunks 

 and branches of trees and on other exposed 

 positions. The small amount of nutriment 

 existing m these places would very soon be 

 utilised by the plant, were it not for the 

 further supplies continually being washed 

 down from adjoining positions by every 

 shower of rain. These additional supplies are 

 obtained from partly decomposed vegetable 

 fibre, leaves and moss which have accumu- 

 lated in hollow places on the trunks and 

 branches of trees, or in crevices of the rock- 

 like soil. Thus we can see how it was that 

 cultivators of bygone days who fastened their 

 Orchids to blocks of wood rarely reaped 

 success for more than a single season ; the 

 plant quickly absorbed the small quantity of 

 food material on the dead block, and, having 

 used up all its reserve, died for want of 

 further supplies. 



Many cultivators may here say with truth 

 that the system of securing Orchids to blocks 

 of wood has long since been discarded. But 

 is the present method employed by many 

 amateurs much better? Instead of a block of 

 wood they use a basket, pot or pan filled with 



fibrous material, which may answer very well 

 for one season, but the nutriment is then, if 

 not before, practically exhausted, yet the 

 cultivator rarely thinks of replenishing the 

 supply of food, which, in the plant's natural 

 home, would be brought to it by every shower 

 of rain or by the roots continually extending 

 themselves to pastures new. The fibrous 

 material usually remains firm long after its 

 nutritive properties are exhausted, but it is 

 then as useless to the plant as the dead block 

 of wood. Although we may fix our Orchids 

 to blocks of wood, or secure them in baskets, 

 pots and pans by means of suitable fibrous 

 material, all these means soon become mere 

 mechanical devices for keeping the plants in 

 any desired position. The essential point 

 always to be borne in mind is never to let the 

 plant suffer through an insufficient supply of 

 food material. 



The .Supply of Nutriment. 



In supplying nutriment to the plant care 

 must be taken that it is not carried to excess. 

 Some cultivators use far too large a pot with 

 an unnecessary amount of compost, fully 

 believing by so doing that the plant will 

 benefit accordingly. Anyone who has had 

 experience in the feeding of animals knows 

 how injurious is an over-abundant supply of 

 food, and with plants there is little difference. 

 Too large a supply of compost turns sour long 

 before its constituent nutriment is required by 

 the plant, and thus it becomes a source of 

 danger by preventing the extension of the 

 roots, and even causing rapid decay. Con- 

 sidering the many sizes of pots and pans used 

 in a collection it is almost impossible to lay 

 down any decisive rules, but a little practical 

 experience will soon show when the plant is 

 in need of food, and then the cultivator must 

 decide whether something in the way of 

 top-dressing or inserting fresh compost in 

 needful places may be effected. This may be 

 required every two or three months in the 

 case of small plants, and less frequently with 

 large ones. Speaking generally, all Orchids 

 require a thorough re-potting once every 

 year. There is an old saying, " It is the 

 master's eye that fattens the cattle," and this 



