78 
THE ORCHID WOKLD. 
[January, 
1913- 
THE DISBUDDING OF ORCHIDS. 
THE disbudding of Orchids is, at the 
present time, a subject worthy of our 
careful consideration, for it has been 
widely discussed by various Orchid growers 
in all parts of the country. Every amateur 
and admirer of these elegant flowers rightly 
desires to see them grown to the highest state 
of perfection, a condition which must imply 
natural perfection, and it is upon the various 
meanings of this perfect state that almost all 
the controversy regarding disbudding has 
arisen. 
The prohibition of disbudding Orchids was 
originally instituted to discourage a somewhat 
common practice of removing the majority of 
the immature flower buds from the spike, thus 
allowing the remaining buds to receive an 
abnormal supply of nutriment, with the result 
that overdevelopment took place. Plants 
purchased with such exaggerated flowers 
always gave considerable disappointment 
when flowering the following season, assum- 
ing, of course, that the spike was allowed to 
grow in its natural and complete state. 
The standard of size and development thus 
rose, by degrees, to a very high and unnatural 
state, and amateurs were not entirely to 
blame when they discovered the fact that 
unless they followed the evil practice of 
others they had little, if any, chance of receiv- 
ing awards or of obtaining paintings, which 
although correct so far as the artist was con- 
cerned were exaggerated when compared 
With the plant's natural behaviour. Such an 
injurious state of things could only be 
remedied by the Royal Horticultural Society 
taking a firm stand and refusing to grant a 
certificate to any plant that had been dis- 
budded. By this means a normal and healthy 
condition of culture and exhibiting has at last 
been attained. 
But such stringent rules, however neces- 
sary, have disadvantages which, as time goes 
on, become more apparent. Take, for 
instance, a small seedhng Odontoglossum 
flowering for the first time, and, consequently, 
not displaying its full beauty. The majority 
of growers would not hesitate to disbud the 
spike in proportion to the size and strength 
of the flowering bulb, and, by so doing, a 
fairly correct and natural bloom would be 
produced, or, in other words, one or more 
flowers would be obtained correctly indi- 
cating the future merit of the plant when it 
attains full size and vigour. 
Now, if the Orchid Committee, after care- 
ful consideration, could grant awards to such 
j)lants much real encouragement would be 
given to the amateur or raiser, but, up to the 
present time, owing to the existence of dis- 
budding rules, very few, if any, of the finest 
present-day hybrids have been publicly 
exhibited until they have been grown to 
specimen plants. First-class Certificates and 
Awards of Merit should, undoubtedly, be 
given in accordance with the special merit of 
the variety, and on the earliest occasion that 
the Committee is able to form a correct 
impression of the plant's real merit. To delay 
such certificates until the plant has been 
grown into a specimen is surely covering the 
ground for which a Cultural Commendation 
is intended. 
The term " disbudding " requires careful 
definition. In its present sense it includes 
two very distinct methods. Undoubtedly, the 
correct meaning of the phrase is the removal 
of one or more buds v»'hen in their early 
stages of development, the result being an 
increased size of the flowers which are pro- 
duced from the buds left on the spike. The 
other method consists of waiting until the 
complete spike has fully opened all its flowers, 
and then removing one or more of them to 
enable a trade grower to submit specimens to 
a likely purchaser, or in order that an artist 
may have material from which to make a 
painting. This latter method can make no 
difference whatever to the size of the remain- 
ing flowers, and should not legally be termed 
"disbudding." Up to the present time no 
distinction whatever has been made with 
regard to this important point, the just and 
the unjust have suffered punishment in a 
similar way. 
The year 191 3 will see the much needed 
reform in operation. The Royal Horti- 
cultural Society has issued the following 
