Illustrating the 
method adopted in 
sowing Orchid seed 
in the test tube or 
flask. This work 
should be done 
under sterile condi¬ 
tions to guard 
against contamina¬ 
tion of the culture 
media. In the size 
tube shown there 
will be sown ap¬ 
proximately two to 
three hundred 
seeds. 
International News Photos 
An incubator containing about one 
hundred test tubes of germinated 
Orchid seedlings from freshly sown 
to six months old, representing about 
thirty thousand plants but which, 
through the process of selection, will 
be greatly reduced before final flow¬ 
ering maturity. For best results it is 
quite necessary to maintain even 
temperatures throughout their test 
tube life. As they reach a satisfac¬ 
tory size they are transplanted to 
com.munity pots with 35 to 50 little 
seedlings in each pot. From this 
stage to flowering maturity is a con¬ 
tinuous operation of strength selec¬ 
tion. 
