. Contributions from the Botanical Laboratory, vol. 11. Botany; Botany. P. L. Richer Cypripedium acaide into uniformity with its surround- ings. The circulation of under- ground water, and the activities of beetles, ants, earthworms, and other burrowing creatures, combine to de- stroy the humus, introduce abundant plant-foods, neutralize the acidity, and clog the air channels, of the or- chid's ball of earth, and the plant soon perishes. If one is so fortunate as to own a tract of woodland in vvhich the soil is like that where the orchid grows wild, it can often be transplanted successfully. I
. Contributions from the Botanical Laboratory, vol. 11. Botany; Botany. P. L. Richer Cypripedium acaide into uniformity with its surround- ings. The circulation of under- ground water, and the activities of beetles, ants, earthworms, and other burrowing creatures, combine to de- stroy the humus, introduce abundant plant-foods, neutralize the acidity, and clog the air channels, of the or- chid's ball of earth, and the plant soon perishes. If one is so fortunate as to own a tract of woodland in vvhich the soil is like that where the orchid grows wild, it can often be transplanted successfully. If not, special beds can be constructed in which it and other plants of similar requirements can be grown for a reasonable time. The native soil should be dug out to a depth of at least two feet, over as great an area as practicable. A layer of soft coal cinders may well be placed on the bottom to keep out earthworms. The excavation should then be filled with a mixture of sterile, lime-free sand with acid hu- mus. The latter may consist of par- tiallv decomposed pine or hemlock needles, wood, or sawdust; or of commercial peat moss, of acid char- acter. Avoid at all costs leafmold, muck, and lime-rich hard water, as these will rapidly neutralize the acidity which is being sought. Whether the ball-of-earth method of introducing the plant to its new home is really desirable remains to be ascertained. There is evidence that at times it is preferable to wash all the original soil from the roots, and to keep them moist by a cover- ing of sphagnum or other moss dur- ing the transportation from place to place. The latter procedure cer- tainly aids in the removal of para- sites which may increase to a dan- gerous degree when a mass of soil is moved from one place to another. In any case, care must be taken that the roots are not damaged, because the Moccasinflower, like many other orchids, seems particularly liable to injury by fungi which enter the tis- sues at broken surfaces. Few deal
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