. Florists' review [microform]. Floriculture. 28 The Florists^ Review March 11, 1920. RAISING ORCHIDS FROM SEED. In Infancy in America. The restriction recently placed by the Federal Horticultural Board on the im- portation of orchids has given the or- chid grower an extremely difficult prob- lem to solve, especially the florist who has depended absolutely upon importa- tions, states the Missouri Botanical Garden Bulletin. Orchid raising is in its infancy in this country, the Ameri- can hybrids possibly aggregating not more than one per cent of those tabu- lated in the orchid stud book. In Eur
. Florists' review [microform]. Floriculture. 28 The Florists^ Review March 11, 1920. RAISING ORCHIDS FROM SEED. In Infancy in America. The restriction recently placed by the Federal Horticultural Board on the im- portation of orchids has given the or- chid grower an extremely difficult prob- lem to solve, especially the florist who has depended absolutely upon importa- tions, states the Missouri Botanical Garden Bulletin. Orchid raising is in its infancy in this country, the Ameri- can hybrids possibly aggregating not more than one per cent of those tabu- lated in the orchid stud book. In Euro- pean countries hybrids have been raised for years, in the various private collec- tions, particularly in England and. Bel- gium. During the war the finest collec- tions of the latter, however, were lost. In recent years the florist has sold cattleyas at almost the same price as roses and commoner flowers, and con- siderable experience has been required to place the coveted flower within this reach. It is generally conceded that the cattleyas of the labiata type de- teriorate under artificial cultivation, and periodical importations from the tropics, by the thousands of cases, have been necessary to maintain the floral supply. If the future supply will all have to be raised from the almost microscopic seeds the minimum period of five years will be necessary, and the orchid flower will again be the choice rarity of the millionaire. Requires Long Period. The germination of the seeds depends upon the action of a symbiotic mycor- rhizal root fungus, without which fail- ure is certain. During the entire period from pollination to the flowering stage the plants demand constant attention. Eight to ten months is necessary from the pollination of the flower to the ripening of the seel ])od and at least five years from pollination to produc- tion of flowers. Thus, while the orchid hybridist is waiting for his seeds to de- velop, otlier liybridists exporimenting with sweet peas, carnati
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecad, booksubjectfloriculture, bookyear1912
