136 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 17,1887. 
ORCHID LORE. 
[A. paper by Mr. Lewis Castle, read at the meeting of the Lee. Lewisham, and 
Black heath Horticultural Society, January 28 th, 1887.] 
(Continued from page 116 .) 
In the flowers of Orchids, however, we find the principal and most 
distinctive characters, and a little observation will enable anyone to 
understand their structure. In the majority of flowering plants it is 
well known there are two series of floral envelopes, termed the calyx 
and corolla, the divisions of these being respectively named sepals and 
petals. Usually the calyx is green of inconspicuous, while the corolla 
is coloured ; but in the great sub-division of the vegetable kingdom the 
Monocotyledons, to which the Orchids belong, these two series of enve¬ 
lopes are frequently so much alike as to be scarcely distinguishable 
except as one forms an outer and the other an inner series of divisions. 
That also occurs in the Orchid family, but though both series are com¬ 
monly coloured or white they generally differ in the distribution of the 
colours, or in the tint itself ; while one division (the labellum or lip) of 
the inner series is greatly altered in form, assuming most peculiar 
shapes, sometimes considerably larger than the other parts of the flower, 
beautifully streaked or veined, and furnished with more or less promi¬ 
nent crests Tin the centre. This organ gives much character to the 
Orchid flowers, and also serves an important purpose in the case of 
those that are specially adapted for cross-fertilisation by insects, as it is 
a kind of landing stage for them, and also helps to attract them by its 
colouring or other peculiarities. In the Cypripedium it assumes the 
form of an old-fashioned slipper, and in some other genera it is shaped 
like a bucket. 
Continuing our examination of an Orchid flower, the next organs 
we should expect to find would be the stamens and pistils with which 
we are familiar in other flowers ; but in this case a strange metamor¬ 
phosis has occurred, and in their place we find one central body (the 
column) really formed by a combination of these organs ; a little cap 
—the anther case—at the apex covering the pollen masses, the pollen 
grains not being dust-like, as in most flowers, but connected together by 
a viscid matter in masses termed pollinia, the number of these varying 
in different genera or species, and furnishing one means employed by 
the botanist for defining their limits. The Cypripedium differs from 
other genera in a very important character—namely, instead of having 
the pollinia at the top they are found at the sides and towards the back 
of the column, one anther case on each side, the centre and upper part 
of the column being transformed into an angular or square body termed 
the staminode. 
Beneath the anther case is the stigma, but generally so situated that 
without some foreign aid the pollinia can never reach it, and it is this 
assistance which insects are called upon to afford where the plants are 
growing wild. Taking advantage of this structure cultivators have 
paid much attention to hybridising, and the result is that we now have 
numbers of handsome hybrids which have been raised in England, in 
many cases surpassing their parents in beauty. Especially fortunate 
have Messrs. Yeitch & Sons been in this work, and some of the most 
valuable Orchids in cultivation are those that were originated in the 
nurseries of that firm. 
It would take too long to detail even a few of the innumerable con¬ 
trivances by which the cross-fertilisation of Orchids is effected in a state 
of nature, but those who are interested in the wonders of plant life 
would do well to read Darwin’s book on the subject, already noted, and 
they cannot- fail to be impressed with what is there described in such 
graphic language. 
Any consideration devoted to Orchids at a meeting of this character 
would be incomplete without some reference to their culture, and the 
concluding portion of this paper will therefore be appropriated to a 
few hints on the subject. In commencing the culture of any plants it 
is always a great help if we know the climate of the country or district 
where they are found in a natural state. Our first step, then, is to 
endeavour to imitate those conditions, though subsequent experience 
with close observation may induce us to modify our practice slightly. 
Heat, moisture, and soil are under our control to a great extent, but 
light we cannot command, nor can we exactly reproduce the atmospheric 
conditions that surround plants growing on mountain ranges at an eleva¬ 
tion of several thousand feet above sea level. It does not follow, how¬ 
ever, that because Orchids, or any other plants, grow in a particular 
site they will not succeed in any other, and those who imagine all the 
plants in tropical forests to be perfect in health and beauty are mistaken. 
Weak starvelings are there as we occasinally see them here, and the 
plants brought home by travellers or collectors, which, perhaps, excite 
the envy of growers by their enormous pseudo-bulbs and the remains of 
immense flower spikes, are those that were placed in the most favour¬ 
able conditions, the survivors possibly of a severe struggle for existence, 
and probably as much superior to the majority of their relatives in the 
same district as an exceptionally well grown specimen may be here. 
Therefore, though it is of primary importance to know the principal 
climatal peculiarities of an Orchid’s home, there are many secondary 
conditions that have a great effect upon the welfare of a plant which 
only the skill and observation of the cultivator can enable him to pro- 
wide. A plant may be potted in the right compost, placed in the 
orthodox temperature, and treated generally in accordance with the 
rules of the best system of Orchid culture, and yet it may be unsatis¬ 
factory until removed to another position in the same house, where it 
may become as vigorous as it was previously unhealthy. I have seen 
instances of this kind, and no doubt many others have observed the I 
same thing. The moral to be drawn from this is, that all who wish to 
excel in Orchid culture must be close observers, and not merely content 
themselves with following stereotyped, rules, though these are useful as 
guides to beginners. 
When Orchids first came under the care of gardeners here, no doubt 
many plants were " killed by kindness ”—that is, as they came princi¬ 
pally from tropical regions the general impression seemed to be that 
they could not have too much heat. This occurred, too, at a time when 
Australian plants, with Banksias, Proteas, &c., were much in favour, 
which required dry stoves for their successful cultivation ; with these in 
many cases were associated the newly introduced Orchids, the results 
being disastrous to the latter. Others perhaps provided more moisture 
in the houses, but subjecting all alike to a steaming hot' atmosphere 
scarcely less injurious ; so that, as few escaped the process of drying or 
par-boiling, Orchids gained the reputation of being difficult to grow, 
and it has taken a number of years to remove this erroneous impression. 
It is none the less erroneous because there are a few species that still 
puzzle the most skilful cultivators, since hundreds of the most useful can 
be grown with as little trouble as Pelargoniums or Calceolarias, though 
not under quite the same conditions. 
The principal regions from which we obtain our Orchids are the 
following In the Old World, India, Burmah, and neighbouring dis¬ 
tricts, the Malayan Archipelago, and the Philippine Isles ; in the New 
World, Central America, Brazil, Peru, and Mexico, while from Australia 
we have a few beautiful Dendrobiums. The greater portion of the 
countries named are within the tropics, but there is considerable 
difference in the temperature and climate, due mainly to the varying 
altitudes at which the plants are found. It is consequently not 
sufficient to merely know the district whence they are imported, for 
though they may come from a region notorious for an excessively high 
temperature at sea level, the plants may be found only upon mountain 
ranges where the temperature at night during some portion of the year 
falls to near the freezing point. In dealing with new introductions it is 
therefore necessary to ascertain all these points, and not unfrequently 
difficulties may be removed in the cultivation of longer known Orchids 
when a few particulars as to their surroundings can be procured. Un¬ 
fortunately collectors are too reticent in these matters, and from a re¬ 
luctance to expose the exact whereabouts of some choice discovery they 
give such indefinite details that they are sometimes practically worth¬ 
less. 
For large collections of Orchids three houses are required—namely, 
the cool house for the majority of the Odontoglossums and other plants 
from the higher regious in the tropics, and in this the temperature 
should never fall below 45° in the winter, nor rise above 70° in the 
summer, but both of these extremes should be avoided, if possible, as 
50° is the safest minimum, and 65° as a maximum. Next comes the 
intermediate or Cattleya house, which may range from 65° (winter), to 
80° (summer) ; and thirdly, the East Indian house, in which the greatest 
heat may be allowed, for 85° or even 90° in the height of summer will 
not injure the Orchids to be grown in that structure, while 60° is a safe 
winter temperature. In small gardens the cool house is the most useful, 
and by arranging those that require the most heat at the warm end of 
the structure, many usually grown in the intermediate house can be 
accommodated. The cool Orchids have become extremely popular in 
recent years, and there is abundant evidence that they will increase in 
favour considerably yet; indeed there are now so many beautiful species 
and varieties of Odontoglossums that these alone are worth a house to 
themselves. Many houses can be utilised in the cultivation of Orchids, 
and where a good range of glass houses already exists, it is by no means 
necessary to erect others specially constructed for these plants. Vineries, 
when the Vines are being forced, are capital places for many Dendro¬ 
biums and others which require a warm house, provided they are kept 
quite clear of insects. Stoves and warm conservatories can be employed 
in a similar way, but do not attempt to grow any except the half-hardy 
terrestrial Orchids in greenhouses. They are quite unfitted for the 
epiphytal species, and numbers of plants have been lost by placing them 
in such houses. The temperature would be suitable to the cool species 
if the atmospheric moisture was greater and the ventilation less liberal, 
for they cannot endure exposure to draughts of cold or dry air. 
The supply of moisture is an important matter, and its due regulation 
requires some attention. During the summer months it is scarcely 
possible to have too much moisture in any of the houses, and the pro¬ 
vision of open tanks filled with water is necessary, besides keeping the 
stages well damped and the plants liberally supplied. In the winter 
the moisture can be lessened, and the plants need more careful watering, 
though they must not be allowed to. “dry off,” except such as the 
Calanthes and a. few others that need a well-marked season of rest, 
Those on blocks or in baskets .are the'most likely to suffer from neglect 
in watering or “ dipping,” and for . this reason many species are now 
grown in pots with better results than when they were placed on 
blocks. 
The chief point t,o be observed in ventilation is never to admit a 
great rush of cold air at one time, and it is a good plan to- have pieces 
of loose canvas or similar material Secured over the apertures of the 
ventilators inside the house, especially where the most tender plants are 
grown, and in the autumn or spring When the sun raises the temperature 
of the house too high yet the external air is cold.. Little or no ventila¬ 
tion is needed in winter for the warmer houses unless the weather prove 
unusually mild, and during the summer the cool house ventilators; can 
be constantly open. .. . .] . 
These are the leading principles of Orchid' culture, bub it must be 
