Orchids Part 1

Orchids.

by James...o...b..ien.

PREFACE

In the early days of Orchid cultivation the idea was commonly entertained that these interesting plants could never become popular with the general public, for the reason that their culture involves a great initial outlay and permanent expense. That such an idea is incompatible with the facts is now admitted by all those who are most familiar with the subject. There is no department of "Present-Day"

gardening that exhibits such wonderful progress as is shown in the Orchid gardens and nurseries that are to be found in every portion of these Isles.

At the same time, the popularisation of Orchid culture is only now in its very commencement. Amateurs are but just beginning to realise that Orchids, like other plants, are capable of being understood by any one who really desires to understand them; and, when once understood, the cool species, at any rate, are not less tractable than common greenhouse plants. So much is this the case that the author of the present volume declares that even the house-holders in suburban districts who have but one conservatory may, if they choose, keep that structure furnished with Orchids at a less expenditure of time and money than is necessary for the Palms, Ferns, and other species usually employed for the purpose.

Orchid-growing in the past has been looked upon too much as a craze.

Ruinously high prices have been asked for novelties, and "collectors"

have been ready enough to pay them in the hope of obtaining unique varieties. This fact alone has frightened off average people.

It is hoped that the present volume will induce thousands to commence the culture of the cooler species, as it clearly indicates the simplicity of the cultural principles whilst explaining in full all the princ.i.p.al details.

Thanks to the experiments of former workers, we are no longer dependent entirely on the introduction of plants from other countries. Seedling Orchids are raised as freely as seedling Fuchsias, and home-raised seedlings, as a rule, thrive better than introduced species in the artificial cultivation we have to offer them. Readers will find the details of cross-breeding and seed-raising set out in the following pages at considerable length.

The author is one of the greatest Orchid specialists the world has known. As a practical cultivator in the old Pine Apple Nurseries of Messrs. Henderson, he had the good fortune to flower many species for the first time after their introduction, and ever since those early days he has continued to specialise in these plants. He is secretary of the Orchid Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, and in 1897 he was included in the first sixty horticulturists who were selected to receive the Victoria Medal of honour in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Jubilee.

Our grateful acknowledgments are made to Lieut.-Col. Sir G. L. Holford, K.C.V.O., for his kindness in affording us facilities for getting the ill.u.s.trations. Every plant ill.u.s.trated is a first-rate specimen of its kind, and all have been photographed in Sir George Holford's collection at Wes...o...b..rt, which is so well cultivated by his grower, Mr. H. G.

Alexander.

THE EDITOR.

INTRODUCTION

It is not necessary here to trace the history of Orchid cultivation since its commencement a century and a half or so ago. The earlier introductions were few and infrequent, but they probably attracted as much attention as the subjects in our gardens obtain to-day. It may be said of Orchids that no cla.s.s of plants has so well and consistently sustained the interest of cultivators, which is partly because few, if any, plants have flowers that exhibit such diversity of form, size, and colouring. But another reason for their popularity may be found in the fact that few plants are so easy to cultivate, if placed in the care of a careful and earnest cultivator who applies the best methods which his own experience indicates and is willing to avail himself of the help which the experience of others has placed within his reach.

Upwards of fifty years' continuous experience with Orchids have necessarily presented to us much evidence as to the right or the wrong methods of carrying out the numerous operations connected with their culture. Nevertheless, it may be said that common sense is one of the most important factors in cultivation, and the grower who carefully thinks over the various problems as they arise, and, profiting by experience, does his best to avoid former failures, will obtain a measure of success far exceeding his expectations. To those who know anything about the ordinary processes of growth and flower the plants tell their own tale. They show when actively growing the period when a reasonable amount of heat and moisture is required, and, on the completion of growth of the deciduous species and the turning yellow of the leaves, they tell just as plainly when the resting period has arrived. It is so in all the important stages of their existence.

The extent of the present work having been determined by others in the same series, the object has been to get as much useful information into it as possible, to confine the matter to practical subjects and to avoid repet.i.tion. It has therefore been arranged in a series of chapters, each dealing with an important matter, and available for reference when any question on the subject crops up in another portion of the book. Short notes follow on the princ.i.p.al genera known in gardens, but the cultural remarks may be supplemented by reference to the cultural chapters.

Anything like an enumeration of the more important species could not be attempted. So also in the matter of hybrid Orchids, the question is discussed in two chapters dealing with the practical question of raising seedlings, but only slight reference could be made to the species used in hybridising or to the numerous hybrids themselves.[1] The amateur who engages in Orchid culture and in the raising of seedlings will find that "practice makes master." It is in indicating the lines on which the practice may be best pursued that, it is hoped, this book may serve a useful purpose.

[Footnote 1: Readers may be referred to _List of Orchid Hybrids_, published by F. Sander and Sons.]

CHAPTER I

THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF ORCHID CULTURE

The first tropical Orchid to flower in the British Isles appears to have been _Bletia verecunda_ (_h.e.l.leborine americana_), figured in _Historia Plantorum Rariorum, 1728-1735_. It bloomed in 1732 on a plant received by Peter Collinson from the Bahamas in the previous year. In succession to this appeared _Cypripedium spectabile_ and one or two other North American Cypripediums; _Vanilla aromatica_, and a few other species, chiefly terrestrial Orchids. In 1789 Aiton's _Hortus Kewensis_ enumerated fifteen species of exotic Orchids as being in cultivation at Kew, the tropical species being _Bletia verecunda_, _Epidendrum fragrans_, _Epidendrum cochleatum_, and _Phaius grandifolius_. At the end of the eighteenth century about fifty exotic species were recorded.

At that time most of the Orchids were imported only to perish as a consequence of the unsuitable conditions in which they were grown. The plants were potted in the most unlikely materials, such as decayed wood, sawdust, loam, tanner's bark, or any other material which the cultivator thought would be useful in preventing the excessive mortality among his plants; but in all cases the chances of success were discounted by the plants being placed near hot flues, or plunged in tan or bark beds. It was thought that a great success had been attained if a plant bloomed once before it died.

The year 1800 may be said to be the real starting-point of rational Orchid culture, although, even in the earlier part of the nineteenth century, the old traditions still hindered progress. In 1800 _Aerides odoratum_ was introduced, this being the first East Indian Orchid cultivated in this country. In 1817 Sir Joseph Banks brought about the cultivation of epiphytal Orchids in light, wicker baskets which were suspended in the Orchid house or stove; this is one of the most noteworthy events in the early history of Orchid cultivation.

In 1818 _Cattleya l.a.b.i.ata_ appeared, and about the same time _Cypripedium insigne_, which has now two or three hundred varieties that enthusiasts consider sufficiently distinct to bear varietal names. _Disa grandiflora_ and _Oncidium Papilio_ appeared in 1825, when about 180 species of tropical Orchids were in cultivation in the Horticultural Society's Gardens. This Society gave a great impetus to Orchid culture by sending out collectors into distant lands, and Dr. Lindley, whilst Editor of the _Gardeners' Chronicle_, played a no less important part in studying and recording the species as they were received in this country. The interest in Orchid importing gradually spread, and from the time when Alan Cunningham sent home Australian Orchids in 1835 the interest has never flagged, the famous Orchid collectors, Lobb, Gardner, Skinner, Hartweg, Gibson, and others, sending consignments from time to time from various parts of the world.

The first attempts to grow Orchids in a reasonably low temperature were made in the first half of the nineteenth century, one of the first to grasp the truth in this direction being Joseph Cooper, who was gardener to Earl Fitzwilliam at Wentworth. But a considerable time elapsed before the more rational treatment, which meant less artificial heat and more ventilation, became general. The culture was further improved by the introduction of the hot-water system of heating Orchid houses, a method which is now almost perfect and has done more to further Orchid-growing than anything else.

The spread of information respecting the climatic conditions of the countries in which the plants were collected also helped cultivators in this country, and the articles published in the _Gardeners' Chronicle_ in 1851 by the late B. S. Williams, and subsequent articles by other experts, were of great service.

The latter half of the nineteenth century was the most important era in the development of Orchid cultivation. A remarkable feature was the beginning of that industry which has now attained such widespread popularity, namely, the raising of hybrid Orchids from seed. The first hybrid Orchid, Calanthe Dominyi (obtained from a cross between _C.

furcata_ and _C. Masuca_), flowered with Messrs. James Veitch & Sons in October 1856. The same firm subsequently produced many fine hybrid Calanthes, Phalanopsis, Cattleyas, Laelias, and Laeliocattleyas. Many of these are now standard garden plants, whilst the work of hybridising and raising hybrid Orchids has become general.

Another notable event in Orchid culture during the period mentioned was the commencement of the Cool-house or Odontoglossum Section of Orchid Culture. In 1863, Weir, Blunt, and Schlim went to New Granada in search of Odontoglossums, and they were successful in introducing plants of _Odontoglossum crispum_ (Alexandrae), collected above Bogota. These collectors also contributed to our knowledge of the proper methods of cultivating cool Orchids.

So things have gone on until our own days. Orchids hold one of the most important places in gardens, and such genera as Odontoglossums and Cypripediums are so popular that they are cultivated on an extensive scale even by many who do not care to grow a general collection of Orchids.

CHAPTER II

STRUCTURE OF ORCHID FLOWERS

Most people are familiar with the regular arrangement of the segments of the flowers of Amaryllids and Lilies, with their prominent pistils and anthers. The first stage in the advance of the Orchid family is shown in the Apostasieae, comprising _Apostasia_, _Neuwiedia_ and _Adactylus_, in which the perianth segments are more or less regular and the anthers in some degree prominent, Neuwiedia, with its free stamens and prominent style, appearing at first sight nearer to some of the Amaryllids than to the Orchideae commonly seen in gardens.

The Cypripedieae, although so widely separated from other sections as to suggest that in the operations of nature a vast number of connecting types must have become extinct, is the next step, the labellum being formed into a pouch with infolded side lobes. The column has a prominent staminode with two fertile anthers below it, one on each side of the column and behind the stigmatic plate. The upper sepal is frequently the showiest feature in the flower; the lower sepals are joined and arranged behind the lip, whilst the petals extend on each side and vary much in form.

In gardens, the whole of the genus is known as Cypripedium, although the South American species (Selenipedium), having a three-celled ovary, differ widely from the one-celled East Indian and Malayan species, and other sections have such marked and consistent botanical differences as to warrant the botanist in separating them under different sub-generic names. The third section of Orchidae, the largest family of the Monocotyledons, forms the chief cla.s.s of Orchids as they are known in gardens. In this cla.s.s the stamens and style unite into a column, and at the top of the column the pollen ma.s.ses are situated; these are covered by the anther-cap, and in a cavity is the stigma with its viscid surface to receive the pollen grains.

So diverse and intricate are the forms of the flowers, and especially labellums, that there is little doubt that insect aid is necessary in their natural habitats to bring about pollination. It has been proved by the operations carried out in cross-fertilisation in gardens that no cla.s.s of plants can be so readily crossed under artificial conditions.

It is not necessary here to go further into structural details, as the peculiarities of each section will be remarked on under their different headings. But it may be said that in what are called abnormal flowers, which have perfect stamens and style, can be seen instances suggesting the evolutionary process; these would be more common but for the number of connecting links which have dropped out in the great struggle for existence.

CHAPTER III

DIFFICULTIES TO OVERCOME

Some of the difficulties which the cultivator of Orchids has to contend against arise from the fact that his houses have to accommodate plants which have been brought from widely separated countries, or from different alt.i.tudes in the same region. They therefore require very different cultural conditions, especially in the matter of temperature.

Consideration of the climatic conditions under which the plants are found growing in their native habitats is very helpful to all engaged in Orchid culture. Many problems have already been worked out by the experience of cultivators, but some of the conclusions have been arrived at only after costly failures. In the early days of Orchid culture, before the advent of the modern Orchid house with its improved methods of ventilation and means for the promotion of humidity, the great mortality among cultivated Orchids was caused by excessive heat and drought. Even at the present day more mischief is done by excessive heat than by cold treatment.