Viruses -
I brought this up sometime ago, and you'd have think I mentioned the
Antichrist or something...
Like orchidists, it seems that some cp'ers are in denial about the
existence of virus in their collections. (O.K., flame me!) From my
(limited) experience, anything that can transmit plant sap (aphids,
scale, cutting knives, pots, nicotine drenches, human hands) can
transmit a virus. Some viruses, like the Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus, is
transmitted almost entirely by aphids. Like Carl Gustafson so
eloquently pointed out, a plant can be a "typhoid Mary" - not showing
symptoms (at least, until stressed) but can serve as a reservoir for
virus. Not to sound like an AA meeting here, but I will confess to
loosing most of my Masdevallia collection - nearly 300 plants, and still
going - to one insidious virus, and I suspect, it came from one plant.
I obtained a Nepenthes Superba from an orchid grower a few years ago and
was puzzled to see the screemingly bright red spots develop and
gradually become necrotic. Some of you may remember my post on the cp
list on this, and my first conclusion was that the plant had gotten too
cold. Well, bad news - I had it tested with some orchids - and the
plant came back positive for Odontoglossum Ringspot virus. Since I
don't have ORV on any of my orchids that I know of, I believe this came
from the original grower and was dormant on the plant until the plant
became stressed from the cold. Or maybe it was my 4-yr-old's swinging
on it....I dunno....
Nuff said - have your plants tested before you sell them! If you have
an extensive collection, you can purchase testing kits that can handle
hundreds of plants - for around $120. The commercial orchid-growing
world is rife with unscrupulous dealers that never test their stock. As
orchids and cp's overlap in many collections, the problem will get worse
unless the growers take precautions now.
Women and Plants -
There may not be many of us on the list, but I can assure you, we
abound. I think it may be like the great chefs of the world list...more
men than women, but everyone knows who really minds the pots! I'm not
disgruntled (so I'm gruntled?) but hey, women botanists, artists,
scientists have rarely been recognized for their efforts. I'm glad to
see that is changing...I know my daughter is a major cp-addict already,
even at 4. She carefully explained to the rest of her preschool class (I
brought in a basket of Dean Cook's beautiful cp's to share with the
class) how the different trapping mechanisms worked. So, she bit
another kid, but it was to illustrate a point, right?
Germination tip -
I've had some good luck with a cheapo germinating unit I made from a
sprout box...the clear-plastic-topped ones you get when you buy alfalfa
sprouts. I take one top and put it on the bottom of the container.
Then I fill the container with a damp NZ sphag-milled sphag-sand mix.
Next, I dust the top of the surface with captan and then I plant the
seeds. I place a second clear cover (or plastic wrap, if I'm out of
covers) on top of the container and put it under lights (I have a
heating cable under the plants, set at about 75 degrees). I've had good
results with Sarracenias and Droseras this way (I've stratified the
Sarracenias in the containers, in my refrigerator for 2 months - only
once did my husband put the stuff on his sandwich by mistake)
Well, that's a long enough letter - back to lurking under my rock!
Liz Fox
Keikoville, Oregon