Orchids

CHAPTER I. The Rise and Progress of Orchid Culture

THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF ORCHID CULTURE

The first tropical Orchid to flower in the British Isles appears to have been Bletia verecunda (Helleborine 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 labiata 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 x 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

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 class of Orchids as they are known in gardens. In this class the stamens and style unite into a column, and at the top of the column the pollen masses 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 class 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

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 altitudes 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.

CHAPTER IV. Structure of the Orchid House

STRUCTURE OF THE ORCHID HOUSE

So far as the improvements in present-day Orchid houses are concerned, these are not due to the imagination of the horticultural builder, but to the experience of the Orchid grower. It is owing to him that the old-time glass sides, with their hinged ventilators on a level with the plants, and many other harmful arrangements, have been abandoned. Moderately low, span-roofed houses, extending north and south for preference--although the aspect does not seem to be of vital importance--are the best, the sides being wholly of brick, and also the ends of all but the large houses, in which the upper part may be formed of wood and glass.

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