April, 1914-] 



THV. ORCHID WORLD. 



SPECIMEN CYMBIDIUMS. 



There is a very extensive collection of 

 Orchids at the Chateau de Steppe Stede, 

 Westrem, near Ghent, the residence of Count 

 Joseph de Hemptinne, and those who have 

 paid a visit to the many greenhouses well 

 remember the enthusiasm of their owner, for 

 he takes a keen interest in both the 

 theoretical and practical parts. 



During the past few weeks the cool houses 

 have been very gay with Odontoglossum 

 flowers, crispums being grown in several 

 thousands, as well as many of the principal 

 hybrids. Perhaps the most attractive part 

 has been the Cymbidiums, which are not only 

 well represented, but are cultivated to a ver\ 

 high state of perfection. 



On page i S9 we reproduce a photograph of 

 the interior of one of the houses, which shows 

 an immense specimen Cymbidium Lowianum, 

 carrying 22 spikes with an aggregate of 506 

 flowers. Beneath it is a strong plant of 

 Cymbidium eburneo-Lowianum, as well as 

 the elegant Lycaste Skinneri. The illustration 

 on page 160 shows a unique specimen 

 plant, probably the largest in cultivation, of 

 Cymbidium insigne. There are no less 

 than i<S many-flowered spikes. This plant 

 continues to make healthy growth, and 

 increases in size every year. There is also a 

 strong plant of Cymbidium Pauwclsii, with 

 five flower spikes. 



ODONTOGLOSSUMS FROM SEED. 



WHILE some kind of Odontoglossum 

 seed germinates very freely, and 

 subsequently makes rapid growth, 

 others give the raisers considerable difficulty, 

 and even when germination is effected the 

 seedlings frequently fail to grow. No 

 satisfactory solution of the problem has as yet 

 been found. 



Odontoglossum crispum has been imported 

 by hundreds of thousands, and in its native 

 country must evidently reproduce itself with 

 great freedom, but when attempts are made 

 to raise plants from seed under the most 

 careful supervision more failures than 



successes have been the result. To raise 

 crispums from seed is one of the most 

 unsatisfactory duties of the seed-raiser. 



The few plants that have grown-up to the 

 (lowering stage represent but the minutest 

 fraction of the seed sown, and only a small 

 percentage of the tiny seedlings that once 

 showed life. Considering the multitude of 

 crispums that inhabit the district surrounding- 

 Bogota, Colombia, one would certainly expect 

 them to be very easily raised from seed under 

 the careful attention and apparently suitable 

 conditions existing in this country, but such 

 expectations, as we sadly find, are seldom, if 

 ever, realised. 



In the case of Odontoglossum Harr\anum 

 exactly the reverse takes place. In its 

 native country this species grows over a 

 comparatively small area, and can never be 

 classed amongst the plentiful Orchids. Yet, 

 when its seed, or that of its hybrids, is sown 

 under artificial conditions in this part of the 

 world, the raiser is startled by his own 

 success ; the seedlings germinate and grow 

 almost as rapidly as the proverbial mustard 

 and cress. Probably Odontoglossum Edwardii 

 is the only species that gives better results. 

 Edwardii seedlings have a vitality which can 

 only be termed marvellous ; the seed grows 

 on almost everything it is placed, even on 

 the outside of pots and on the rough bricks 

 forming the walls of the house. 



While, on the one hand, we reap many 

 harvests from the species which possess this 

 strong vitality, and certainly obtain some 

 excellent results, there is, on the other hand, 

 the inevitable result of producing a large 

 number of similar hybrids. Raisers are too 

 fond of using these species as parents in order 

 to produce a good crop of seedlings. It 

 would, indeed, be far better if they attempted 

 the raising of some of the more difficult 

 subjects, either those that have previously 

 yielded only a small quantity of seed, or those 

 which produce seed of poor germinative 

 power. By this means the colour variation 

 could be increased by the inclusion in the 

 parentage of species which have hitherto 

 proved difficult subjects, yet possess 

 distinctive and attractive colours. 



