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LET'S TALK ABOUT FLASKING HYBRID ORCHID SEED 
"I never dreamed it could be so easy to grow orchids from seed$" is the comment 
appearing in letter after letter f:om customers who have made use of my 
COMBINATION OFFER OF ORCHID SEED AND STERILE BOTTLES, 
Last Spring I sent a questionnaire to 300 people who had attempted seed flasking, 
most of whom followed various procedures described in the Bulletin. Careful study 
of their replies convinced me of three things: 
1. MOLD has top rating as a block to successful seed germination. Of the 18% who 
reported complete failure, 15% blamed it on mold, which took over their flasks. 
2. Second place in destructiveness is accorded to OVER STERILIZATION. Clorox seemed 
to be more guilty of this offense than any other disinfectant. Too strong Hypochlo- 
rite, in which seed remained too long, rated next in seed killing power. 
3. A few who reported fairly good germination complained that the seedlings did not 
grow well nor develop roots. The suspected cause is faulty pH. 
At that time only 92 of the 300 had tried my STERILE BOTTLES. But of that 92, 
eighty-six reported excellent suecess: "My seedlings are growing like grass}" 
Of the remaining six, four reported MOLD had gotten into the bottles in spite of 
all precautions. Two had partial success but accidents made them lose part of 
the seed before they could get it into the bottles. 
Let's talk about mold. Wo one can guarantee that mold will not enter a flask with 
the seed. The best we can do is minimize the ornery little gremlins: chances, and 
still retain the viability of the seed. Hypochlorite seems to be the best disin~ 
fectant if not used too strong, and if seed does not remain in it too long. 
But every single seed must be wet by Hypochlorite, on all four sides. One dry spot, 
too small to see with naked eye, will carry mold into the flask. That's why I add 
a drop of "wetting agent" to each bottle of Hypochlorite. It doesn't hurt the seed, 
and ict makes it so much easier to wet every seed with the disinfectant. 
Doubtless you can buy a good wetting agent from your local chemist. If not, I will 
be glad to send you a little bottle of it for a dollar. If you use my STERILE 
BOTTLES, the wetting-agent-treated disinfectant comes with them. 
“How can you sell your flasking equipment so cheaply?" I am asked, "I wouldntt do 
all that work: weighing, measuring, cooking in pressure-cooker, testing for pH = 
for a mere dollar per flask?" 
My reply is that I want my customers to be SUCCESSFUL when flasking my seed. If 
selling them my STERILE BOTTLES AND FLASKING EQUIFMINT at cost will insure their 
success, it is well worth my while. You see, I lmow my seed is viable when it 
leaves my hands. But a customer who fails to germinate it is apt to wonderesesc. 
Glowing reports continue to pour in, and pleasedcustomers continue to buy Seeds and 
Bottles. Some have asked if they could buy bottles for their own seed. You can, 
bus I will have to charge more for them when not accompanied by seed orcers,. 
COMBINATION SEED & BOTTLE OFFER 
With seed order, add $1.00 per bottle for bottles needed to flask it. 
Wthous aged order, one sterile bottle of aa will cost VOU deen age ageing ote bU 
" two ‘ ¥ eooeeoereeanveese 5,00 
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