
FENNELL’S ORCHID NEWS 
Published by 
FENNELL ORCHID CO. 
Homestead, Florida 


TROUBLE SIGNS 
IGN: Shrivelled bulbs and leaves. 
Cause and cure: No roots, gen- 
erally caused by bad osmunda, 
poor drainage or overwatering.— 
Repot immediately, giving plenty of 
drainage. Put in shady place and 
syringe over leaves several times daily 
during warm weather—do not water 
osmunda until root growth starts 
then increase water gradually as 
roots increase. Badly  shrivelled 
plants are sometimes helped by soak- 
ing rhizomes and lower parts of 
pseude-bulbs in clear water for ten 
days to two weeks (bare root) be- 
tore repotting. 
Sign: Black sheaths on new 
growths. 
Cause and cure: Over watering 
or too much humidity. Give more 
air and less water. Remove black 
parts of sheath and any dead parts 
of plant and treat cut places with 
powdered sulphur. 
Sign: Black or brown flower 
sheaths. 
Cause and cure: Brown sheaths are 
a bad sign on Cattleyas Gigas, Gas- 
kelliana, Labiata, Trianaei, Lued- 
demannia or Schroderae but a per- 
fectly natural one on C. Skinneri, C. 
Mendelii or C. Mossiae. On hybrids 
if the sheath dries up to a natural 
nut brown its usually alright while 
if it turns black and looks wet it 
should be removed immediately. 
Often the embryonic bud can be 
saved if the black sheath is removed 
promptly, if not the bud is generally 
lost and quite often the bulb also. 
Black sheaths can often be pulled 
out by a quick jerk but if they don’t 
come easily its best to cut them at the 
top and split them down then pull 
or cut off each side. Be very care- 
ful of the small point that will be- 
come the bud. 
Sign: Irregular yellow spots on 
leaves or bulbs. 
Cause and cure: Look on the 
other side of leaf or under sheath of 
bulb for scale insects. Treat with 
Fenorco 1 part to 50 parts of water. 
Repeat monthly. 
Sign: Brownish black stain on 
new leaves or bulbs. 
Cause and cure: Thrips, very small 
black brown or grey, fast moving 
insects. Usually attack new growths 
just as they unfold or under sheaths. 
Treat with Fenorco 1 part to 50 

BLC FARRERE 
This magnificent and massive flower is one of our best BLC stud plants. (See 
seed list) Winter flowering, producing large brilliantly colored flowers of 
great texture. 
parts of water. One treatment, if 
done thoroughly over whole col- 
lection, is usually enough. Thrips 
used to be a serious pest on seedlings, 
cypripediums, etc. Now they are 
very easily eliminated with Fenorco. 
Sign: Long thin dark green bulbs 
and leaves, no flowers, or only one 
on Cattleyas and hybrids. Bulbs 
have to be tied up to stake. 
The Finest 
E’VE had a lot of fun making 
crosses of late fall and winter 
blooming cattleyas at the Or- 
chid Jungle this year. We have had, 
for years, some of the best hybrid 
and stud plants in the country our 
Dorothy Fennells, Mary Fennells, 
Monarchs, Aphrodites, Trianaeis, Gi- 
gas, Mendelliis, Lueddemannias and 
Schroderaes are unequalled anywhere 
and just as soon as the war was over 
we added the best possible types of 
such outstanding hybrids as BC 
Princess Patricia, BLC Farrere, LC 
Gaillard, C. Admiration, C. Belgica, 
C. Fred Sander, C. Fabianid, LC Al- 
tesse, LC Danae, Le Marstonii, C. 
Odalisque, LC Mermoz, etc. to our 
collection. 
Now there are several interesting 
things about these hybrids—many 
of them have a common ancestor—C. 
Remy Chollet, all of them have large, 
heavy textured flowers, all are win- 
ter or spring bloomers, each can 
hardly be improved upon. 
We have crossed these hybrids with 
Cause and cure: Too little light 
and air. Give plenty of light and 
more air. 
Sign: Black or seared white spot 
or area on leaf—Often black spot 
surrounded by seared white area. 
Cause and cure: Sunburn. Cut 
out burned area if large, if not leave 
it unless secondary fungous infection 
starts and area grows. Increase shade. 
Seed' List Yet 
our fine, proven species to set their 
blooming season more thoroughly, to 
improve the viability of their seed 
and at times to improve their shapes 
or intensify their color. In general 
the hybrids are a little larger than 
the species but the species are fully 
as good in shape, texture and color— 
sometimes they even excel in one or 
the other of these respects. For inst- 
ance, we have crossed BC Princess 
Patricia with C. trianaei var. Mary 
Fennell. Our Princess Patricia is a 
grand plant and flower—excellent 
shape and medium dark in color, its 
texture is good and it holds itself 
well but Mary Fennell surpasses it in 
color, brilliance and texture, both 
plants are strong growers, winter 
bloomers and very floriferous. We 
should get a magnificent hybrid, 
large, dark brilliant and strong grow- 
ing. 
Then there’s the cross between Ma- 
ry Fennell and C. Admiration. Mary 
Fennell here should add depth of co- 
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