Evening star., 1942-08-02
Orchid Culture
In This Area
Is Possible
Start With Plants
If You Are Making
First Attempts
By Agnes Trimble

~ Agnes ftm0te
Would you like to grow the CLAM
our flower, orchids? Although they
can be raised from seed, your patti
ence might not last until the first
bloom appears, because it takes
from four to eight years. So, the
amateur will do well to start with
. plant.
Orchids grown as house plants
are a bit troublesome until the
grower gets on the right track, then
the trouble changes to fun and be-
comes increasingly fascinating.
The amateur should first construct
q glass house for his plants. This
house, more properly known as a
Wartiian case, is really miniature
greenhouse within the home.
/ The c4se can be constructed at q
nominal cost, and may be designed
to hold one plant or many plants
according to-. the available space
and tie pocketbook. Iewfl1 simplify
the work and furnish the right con-
ditions for growing this plant. -
Five pieces Of glass will be needed
to build this little greenhouse, four
pieces for the sides and one for the
top. The bottom or floor must be SO
constructed as to be absolutely
vatertight, and arranged to hold
soil or other suitable material-ac-
cording to the type q orchid.
A good covering for the bottom,
when son is not used, is coke. char
coal, or sphagnum moss which will
hold plenty of water and allow it to
evaporate. The case must be air.
tight to prevent the moisture from
escaping. When the air within be-
comes saturated, the moisture will
condense and return to the covering
on the bottom of the case. and it
will evaporate again and provide a
moist atmosphere which is necessary
TO this plant. This combined with
Swinging twice day will simulate
to some degree the atmosphere of a
regular greenhouse. 1t may be
necessary occasionally to lift slightly
the top for ventilation, so keep this
In mind when building the case
1t near a window, but where shade
may be drawn at times to protect it
from the direct sun.
Potted orchids may be sunk down
In the soil or other material on the
bottom of the case, while others mny
be suspended here and there about
the case.
tubtropical, some. however, are ma
tive to north-temperate and sub
Arctic regions. They are divided
into two distinct groups-those that
grow on the ground are terrestrial
while the other group lives on rocks
and trees and are known as epi-
phytic.
The terrestrials or ground dwellers
should be given compost of rotted
sods, chopped live sphagnum moss,
leafmold from decayed oak leaves
to grow In. The epiphyte should be
mounted on frames of wood, or
wired in fiber-packs to pieces of
wood, which will act as substi-
tute for Its native habitat.
In repotting. which is best done
after Towering has finished and
plant is dormant. select container
that is about 2 inches larger in di-
ameter than the width of the plant
This will allow the plant room fol
two new growths before another
repotting is necessary. Fill the pol
one third full of clean drainage ma
w oh
Place the plant in the container with
the basal cut against one side of the
container with some compost be.
meath it: then. fill the container anc
press the soil firmly around ths
plant, leaving the growing part o.
the plant slightly above the rim ol
the container. The layer of drain.
age should be covered with some
kind of coarse material as Osmunds
fiber to prevent the compost from
working down through the drainage
The varieties used for corsage'
are the easiest to grow. They ART
the Cattleyas and the Laelias ant
some of their hybrids.
The Cattleya trianae is goot
winter bloomer; c. percivalian;
flowers from Thanksgiving Il
Christmas. And for the ever-popL
lar Easter corsage try C. schroeder
lana. And for spring chose either c
mendeh or c. mossiae, while for au
tumn select C. bowringiana.
Now for some popular Laelia spe
cies. For winter blooming L. an
ceps and its several varieties ar
recommended, and for late fall, 1
autumnalis. L. gouldiana is also
good winter blooming species. An
other type OF interest to beginne
Is Lycaste skinner, which was re
Gently named the national flower 0
Guatemala.