RYERSON 1950 EXPANSIBLE ORCHID FOLDER Page 3. 
LET'S TALK ABOUT PLANTING ORCHID SEED 
In its native habitat, Cattleya orchid seed is spread around by Mother Nature, 
much of it falling on the ground, where it won't grow at all. A small percentage 
falls in a crevice of tree bark, where it is watered by the rain and fed by a bit 
of leaf mold, so that it germinates and grows. 
Man is not satisfied with such a small percentage of success. When he has made 
a seed cross that he hopes and trusts will produce some especially fine orchid 
hybrids, he does everything in his power to insure that the medium in which he 
plants the seed is scientifically corrects; and that it will grow ORCHIDS instead 
of molds and fungus. 
The Orchid agar must be just the right consistency; the necessary nutrients must 
be added; the pH adjusted; the sum total must be cooked sufficiently to sterilize 
it, but not enough to "break down" the agar and prevent its "jelling" properly. 
Then the Orchid seed must be washed in disinfectant just long enough to kill the 
molds and fungus spores, but NOT ENOUGH TO KILL THE SEED ITSELF. And the washed 
seed must be popped into the flasks under such sterile surroundings that no moid 
spores float in with them. 
Once the seed has been sown, and the flasks placed in a warm, light place where 
they won't be disturbed, there is not much you can do but wait and watch for re- 
sults. If you have been successful, you should be able to see some green dots 
appearing on the surface of the agar within two or three weeks, but sometimes 
it takes longer. If nothing shows within two months, I'd be discouraged. 
Any one of a number of conditions might be responsible for the failure. 
l. The seed was no good. (The inexperienced flasker usually jumps to this con- 
clusion because it absolves him cf blame). 
ze The disinfectant was too strong, so that it killed not only molds, but seeds. 
5. The seed was left in the disinfectant too long. Usually the more complicated 
the hybrid, the easier to kill the seed's viability by too strong solution or 
leaving it in the solution too long. Not all orchid seed can be treated alike 
with equal results. 
4. Something may have been wrong with the agar formula. For the healthiest 
germination, all ingredients should be added in exactly the correct proportion, 
and the pH should be correct. If the media is either too avid or too alkaiine, 
maximum growth will not result. 
Obviously, preparing and processing your flasks will involve a lot more work and 
equipment than the actual seed sowing. 
That's why I offer these sterile bottles of agar; hypochlorite with wetting 
agent; planting droppers -- EVERYTHING YOU'LL NEED FOR THE PLANTING OPERATION -- 
so that you can have the fun of flasking some seed, without all the fuss of ad- 
vance preparation. 
COMBINATION SEED AND BOTTLE OFFER 
Any 2-flask packet of seed, with agar bottles and everything needed for sowing: 
$5.00 
Bottles of agar and equipment only (for sowing your own seed),...ten for..$20.00 
