Novuinbcr, lyu 
THK ORCHID WORLD. 
39 
THE CULTIVATION OF ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISPUM. 
COLOMBIA has yielded many Odonto- 
glossums, some of great beauty, others 
of botanical mterest, and a few of 
comparative rarity. Although our special 
attention may be devoted to any one of these 
classes everyone will agree that, for general 
purposes, Odontoglossum cnspum easily holds 
the premier position among cool house 
Orchids. The great utility of the flower 
spikes for decorative purposes, the compara- 
tive ease with which the plants can be 
collected, and the somewhat low temperature 
required for their cultivation are factors which 
have assisted in making this species extremely 
popular. 
The plants are collected by natives in the 
various districts surrounding Bogota, at which 
place they are stored until sufficient numbers 
have been procured for shipment abroad. 
The early importers fastened the plants 
around stout sticks which were afterwards 
secured in large packing cases in such 
manner that no two plants touched each 
other. This method, although fairly success- 
ful, did not allow of many plants being packed 
in a case. The practice of recent years has 
been to carefully prepare the plants by cutting 
off all roots and leaves, and to place them 
in layers, using dried bracken fern as packing 
material, in stout cases. For some unex- 
plained reason the largest plants were often 
placed in the centre of the box where there 
was little ventilation, and when any delay on 
the journey occurred these were the first to 
die ; probably the extra amount of moisture 
in these large-bulbed plants was responsible 
for their rapid decay. Three cases usually 
contain one thousand plants. 
Of late years not many importations have 
reached this country, and the few plants 
occasionally received have been rapidly dis- 
persed to various amateurs. The plants, after 
their six or eight weeks' journey in close 
confinement, arrive in a delicate condition : 
sometimes the majority are dead and half- 
rotten, at other times almost all are alive, 
much depending on the season of the year 
and the length of time occupied in transit. 
The plants, as soon as unpacked, should be 
carefully protected from direct sunlight by 
either placing them in a heavily shaded house 
or else by laying them on the staging and 
covering them with sheets of paper. All dead 
leaves and other waste material often found 
eidhering to them should be carefully removed. 
No water will be required for the first few 
weeks, the atmospheric moisture of the house 
being quite sufficient during this period. 
The new growth is often hidden beneath 
one of the dry side leaves and should be 
carefully handled, for it is very fragile. The 
best plan is to split this dry leaf down the 
middle and carefully remove each half 
separately. The new roots will then be 
produced more easily and will ha\'e nothing to 
prevent them at once entering the compost. 
After a short time the plants may be accus- 
tomed to more light and finally placed among 
the established plants where the usual grow- 
ing conditions prevail. 
Potting the plants will next occupy the 
grower's attention. One cannot be too 
careful in selecting a pot of suitable size, that 
is, one which will just allow room for a new 
bulb to be made. It must be remembered 
that in the first potting the whole of the 
compost is new and will be quite sufficient for 
the plant during the first twelve months. If 
too large a pot is used to start with the surplus 
compost rapidly becomes sour and is a danger 
to the health of the plant. A well-rooted 
plant absorbs a large amount of water from 
the compost and effectually prevents it 
becoming stale. Another point to remember 
IS that all roots must have air, consequently 
they are quite unable to enter a solid mass 
of material such as is often seen when the 
compost has been too firmly placed in the 
pot. The majority of the roots of an 
established plant may be seen growing round 
the outside of the ball of compost, for it is 
between this material and the inside of the 
pot that they can secure the most airy position 
suitable to their requirements. 
At the conclusion of about twelve months' 
growing the majority of the plants will have 
