THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[April, 1915. 



impossible to effect germination during such 

 adverse conditions; and, moreover, if seedlings 

 are obtained they rarely grow as well as those 

 raised in the spring and summer months. 

 The vitality of Orchid seed is not like the 

 proverbial mustard and cress, which has only 

 to be sown on a moist medium to ensure a 

 good crop being obtained m a few days. 



Amateurs often expect the pod to contain 

 seeds as large as those of the sweet pea, 

 which is not unreasonable when the robust 

 nature of the bulbs is considered, but when 

 only a dust-like material is discovered the pod 

 is often thrown away as useless. The best of 

 Orchid seed is never much more than a dust- 

 like substance, and although often described 

 as microscopic material its nature may be 

 fairly well discerned by means of a pocket 

 lens. No mention appears to have occurred 

 of anyone counting the seeds contained in a 

 single pod, although estimates vary from 

 many thousands to half a million, but all this 

 little matters to the practical man, for in the 

 great majority of pods there is plenty to be 

 found for all ordinary requirements. An 

 expert raiser once told the writer that he 

 never thought of sowing more seed than could 

 be placed on the end of the blade of his 

 pocket knife. But no such success should be 

 expected by amateurs, who are without much 

 of the necessary skill and labour, and who 

 must content themselves with the prevailing 

 condition of their houses. 



Now even the most skilful raiser finds a 

 remarkable difference in the germinative 

 capacity of the various genera and species. 

 Some seeds germinate on almost any moist 

 substance, while others are particularly shy 



and often refuse to make the slightest 

 advance. Speaking generally, hybrids are 

 much more easy to raise than species ; they 

 appear to have a robust constitution and are 

 able to withstand many of the atmospheric 

 changes that frequently prove fatal to species. 



Dendrobiums are by no means difficult 

 subjects to raise from seed, and when once 

 fairly established they make rapid progress 

 during each summer season. This genus is 

 very suitable for cultivation in the English 

 climate, for the plants make their growth 

 during the best of the summer weather, 

 and rest when the winter conditions are 

 unfavourable. This is an important point for 

 amateurs to consider, and may save them 

 much trouble and anxiety when a continuance 

 of frosty weather makes it difficult to maintain 

 high inside temperatures. A pan of Dendro- 

 bium seedlings, not less than twelve months 

 old, may be suspended in any Cattleya house 

 during the winter months, the compost being 

 kept on the dry side until growth recom- 

 mences in the spring time, when an increased 

 temperature and additional atmospheric 

 moisture will prove beneficial. 



With all seedlings, and, in fact, with 

 everything used in their cultivation, the 

 utmost cleanliness is one of the important 

 points to bear in mind. The staging, in 

 particular, must be kept entirely free from 

 accumulations of dirt and mossy growth, or 

 insect pests are sure to make it a hiding- 

 place, from whence they emerge at night 

 time and devour the tender seedlings. All 

 seed-pans are best isolated by being stood on 

 inverted pots placed in saucers of water, and 

 staging used for young plants is best 



